Friday, May 2

Classic

Stepping into the city of Prague in the Czech Republic is a little like stepping back in time, if only for the apparent evidence that the city has been standing there for a long time. A long, long time.

Often when I travel I am overwhelmed with that notion and the evidence of such. Coming from the western United States--Phoenix, Arizona at that--the idea that something or some things have been standing, in use, or on display for hundreds (if not thousands) of years actually blows my mind.

I like the feeling.

Walking through Praha for 4 days with Don I was struck over and over again by the history of that area. And as is (again) common for me I found myself really thinking about the history of the people who had been walking those same streets for hundreds (if not thousands) of years.

I wish I knew their stories.

Saturday evening we entered the doors of the Estates Theater in our dress up travel clothes (I put on my fancy earrings!) to take our seats in the gallery and watch a performance. The perfomance was Mozart's Don Giovanni; an opera, which incidentally made its worldwide premiere at this very theater in 1787.

It was so cool.

The following photos are my favorite images of this historic piece of architecture. And just for you a shot or two of me in my fanciest earrings. (I know you were hoping for that)


(Told ya they were fancy!)

Enjoy the flashback.

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flashback friday

flashback friday hosted by 42

16 comments:

  1. Wow. Both the earrings and the other pictures. Impressive!

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  2. You're like me: thinking of the ghosts of times past. Who walked here? What was their story? How were they feeling about the events of their day? On and on. It's always nice to get confirmation that I'm not alone in this!

    My FF this go round is up.

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  3. anneke-
    Why, thank you. I never really get a chance to wear the earrings. Going to the Opera in Prague seemed like the right setting.

    june-
    Yup, exactly! It was especially that way when I visted the area of Scotland where my ancestors lived. I stood on the streets and tried to WILL their stories into my mind. Oh, how I wish I knew them...

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  4. Oh you hit me in my tenderest spot. there is nothing this medievalist likes more than a walk through history. :) Great pictures... love the earrings. I'm particularly entranced by the cowled figure. Any idea who he represents?

    Happy Friday.

    Oh yeah, and I'm guessing this means that there will be Prague fodder at Looking Into for awhile. Woohoo! Love that city. can't wait to see it again, but this time through your eyes. :)

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  5. cg-
    The empty hooded sculpture is the commendatore character from the final act of the opera. The ghost who brings Don Giovanni to his just desserts... or so the story goes.
    And yes, I took a few photos in Prague. You may be seeing those around... :)

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  6. I'm on board with y'all when it comes to feeling the history of a place. It's almost as if older places have more weight than new ones. You can feel the time that has accumulated in and around them. I absolutely love to just touch really old things to try to listen to them.

    Amazing earrings, too! I like!

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  7. Love the earrings and the town. I'm also always amazed at how old Europe can be - towns that have been around over 500 years while Arizona only joined the US in 1912 (not that it didn't exist before then) crazy.

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  8. Add me to the crew of y'all who are struck by the magnificence and age of places and things. I've yet to visit Europe (sigh...) but I even get overwhelmed with such historical details here in the States.

    Don Giovanni in Prague. Bliss. What an experience.

    And.. totally fab earrings. ;-)

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  9. Love the earrings and the photos. I felt like I was there.

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  10. Great photos. Great earrings. I was actually in Prague before the wall fell. My husband thought he was being clever by trading money on the black market--until he realized there was nothing to buy!

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  11. jami-
    Thank ya baby!
    My kids think I am nuts when I touch the bricks or columns of the old buildings or churches we visit. But I just kind of feel like if I touch them I can channel some of that history and solidness and durablility which I feel they represent.

    fc-
    Well, zackly. Though there are landmarks and older things in AZ (certainly native structures in place for centuries) as far as the city structures themselves it's all new, baby. Brand, spankin' new.

    cj-
    It was such an experience! And, oh, what an opera!

    smid-
    Thanks babe. I loved being there.

    meg-
    Welcome! It is quite a city and there is certainly lots and lots of great shopping deals in Prague now!

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  12. Wow, love the earrings, and the architecture was even more gorgeous.

    I love the thought of hundreds of years, people walking on the same streets. Nothing like that in South Florida.

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  13. hilary-
    Hi!
    Yup. Certainly an appreciated piece of why I love to travel so much. And not to say the "newness" of a place doesn't also have its charms, but man, I love to imagine the stories...

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  14. Wow, Praha seems to be a very beautiful place. :) I like your photos.

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  15. aaah I've been there too, but not inside! boy, that's already a long time ago...time to go back to Prague once!

    and to Berlin...and to Ireland...and to ...and to ...

    Heeeelp, I lack the time ;)

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  16. Oh. Mygosh. You saw Don Giovanni in the Estates Theater. The word "jealous" just doesn't even begin to cut it. What a magical experience that must have been. Ohhhh, I'll be daydreaming about such a thing all day now.

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