OUT TO SEE: PART III: The Prague Vacation (Part III of III)
This is part three of a three part series about Notes from Vivace’s quest to locate the local music scene in Prague.
Part One can be found here
Part Two can be found here
Chinese Man/Church of Lady before Tyn
Dedicated to the woman on crutches who moved slightly to the side and encouraged me to take some photos for all of you
I decided to go explore a bit further away from the safety of the general tourist area one night and headed off to Palác Akropolis, which I’m assuming means Palace of the Akropolis. It is located in the Žižkov district, which I was later to read is considered the wrong side of the tracks. I think wrong side of the tracks is a relative term when comparing European cities to American cities. I felt rather safe, although I could tell I was entering a poorer section of the city. There is also the (in)famous Žižkov Television Tower that was built during the Communist era. I read that it is surely zapping the residents to death.
I got to Palác Akropolis just in time to catch about half of Chinese Man. Yes, another band that finished everything up by 10:30 p.m. Chinese Man (pictured right) aren’t Chinese, they’re two French guys on turn tables. The place was packed. I couldn’t help but feel like I was at Metal Skool (old school name, new name Steel Panther), the only difference being that it wasn’t midnight yet at the Key Club. In fact, Palác Akropolis looks like a scaled down version of the Key Club. As their set ended, I could have sworn that I heard one of the guys yell out in English, “Thanks for welcoming us back!” And then I know for a fact that they said, “Thank you, everyone.” And yes, there was an encore or two. Now the night ended there for me, but not for the Akropolis. After the band, the place turned into a dance club so 10:30 p.m. wasn’t the end of the night at the Akropolis.
I wanted to check out a classical concert at the National House, which is an impressive building from the outside, but the only tickets available were front row seats for 500 Kč /$25 tickets so I passed. There was one major reason I didn’t buy a ticket for the National House: I didn’t want to be the only person in the good seats not wearing a suit. So . . . I opted to buy a ticket to catch Rejcha’s Requiem at the Church of our Lady before Tyn. Now who is this Reicha? He was a Czech born (Prague) naturalized French composer who was a friend of Beethoven’s (stolen from Wikipedia).
Now for this classical concert folks were actually dressed in a more relaxed fashion versus at Dvorak Hall. Perhaps it helped that it was a late afternoon concert. Instead of wearing dress jackets, men were in sweaters. There were even a few more jeans to be seen – though still in the minority. Even the ensemble didn’t have a uniform. Nearly all (less one, I’m sure he was made fun of) were in either black or dark grey dress, obviously their own clothing. I couldn’t help but think that perhaps I was at a less prestigious Prague Spring event. It didn’t matter, I enjoyed the concert even though I found myself trapped in my Duke-Carolina fear (a reference to part II of this Prague column), stuck sitting behind a church pillar. Behind me, I overheard a woman who had graduated from UCSB and was now attending Purdue University talking in awe of the musical instruments – I’m assuming she was an art/music major. Around the church were fourteen paintings that depicted the death of Christ from Pontius Pilate to the burial. I later located these same paintings at another church, making them hardly unique – once again bringing back the feeling that I was being presented with the Disneyland version of Prague and the surrounding areas.
Bits and pieces. Wait, did someone’s phone just go off? A photographer had his camera stuffed inside a cushion, I’m assuming to keep the noise from echoing off the church walls. A guy in the brass section seemed overly relaxed, playing his instrument effortlessly. During the encore – of course, an encore – an older gentleman decided to stand right in front of me. And then after the set, I noticed someone in shorts!!! After the concert, folks started moving towards the front of the church. It caused a bit of a log jam as many were trying to exit the church. I waited a bit and then went to the front of the church, as well. Those of us doing so were a bit curious about what we’d missed from sitting behind the church’s pillars.
Over-heard Comments and Some Additional Randomness
Dedicated to the little girl in the pink shoes who pointed to the ground at my precious map that I’d dropped in the tram.
I read that Czechs are quiet people and that if you’re a tourist, you should keep the volume down less you become a target for pickpockets. That is great advice for someone who is white, but what about us non-Caucasian people? It didn’t take long to figure out that I stood out no matter what.
“Get used to it.”
“And he’s just a cab driver.”
“They’re at that age, they’re teenagers.”
“I looked pregnant in that.”
I noticed an Asian tourist with two high end cameras strapped around his shoulders. Seriously?
My biggest waste of effort was my attempt to find Golden Lane 22. One of my friends wanted me to check out Franz Kafka’s house. Well, I asked around and kept on getting directed to Old Town Square. I looked around the Square, but couldn’t find Golden Lane 22. There is a monument and a book store dedicated to Kafka in the area, but I saw no Golden Lane 22. I finally found a website that told me that Golden Lane 22 was at the Prague Castle. I found that interesting since I hadn’t noticed it on my tour of the Prague Castle. I decided that I should give it one more attempt to find this Golden Lane 22 should my friend inquire about my vacation. I went to the Prague Castle and was told that the area was under reconstruction. (more…)