Prague — human figures are everywhere, part 3

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Ginger

Everywhere you look in Prague, there are people.

With so many visitors everywhere, even in the off-season, you would hardly think the buildings need to add more people of their own.

But they do. And delightfully so. Today, let’s just take a look at one building.

Up on the top floor there seems to be some kind of motto, flanked by a man and a woman.

I wish I could read it, but the letters are so old-fashioned I can’t quite make them all out.

I do know, however, that the man and woman seem gentle, courteous, well-brought-up. The kind of people you might like to get to know.

And, as if this weren’t enough–take a closer look at the corner of the building.

Here we have a woman framed top and bottom like a saint, offering the ends of her headscarf as if it were some kind of benediction.

Prague — human figures are everywhere, part 2

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Ginger

They are certainly all over the buildings. Here are a few more choice specimens.

A pope or other church official (with admiring cherub)…

Two angels, male and female…

An assortment of men and women sharing the stage…

And even a very learned Rabbi!

The street addresses of Prague

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Ginger

As in many medieval towns, the buildings in Prague haven’t always been identified by numbers. Instead, each building had a sign or symbol of some sort that was its unique identifier. Here, for example, is the Blue Lion.

And the Golden Chalice.

Street numbers were later introduced. At the Sign of the Raven, we can see their evolution.

First, there was the picture of the raven.

Later, street numbers were added (in blue). At some point there was a renumbering (in red), and just in case the passer-by wasn’t sure where he was, the name of the street and the city, and district number, were included in the red sign.

The numbers don’t match. I don’t know why.

At the Green Lobster, there is also a hand-painted number, which is different yet again. I can’t explain this–but I can, and do, enjoy it.

The poet Jan Neruda was born at the Sign of the Two Suns.

…and a beautiful sign it is, too!

Prague: a confession

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Ginger

I don’t know where to start.

Prague is so rich with details–and I, accordingly, am so rich with photographs–that even after two days of editing and weeding, I am overwhelmed. I want to show you this beautiful city, and I don’t know where to start.

So I guess that I am going to pick at random one building–one building only. This will be my single step that is the start of a long journey. I hope you will enjoy taking it with me.

This building would be remarkable in many cities in the world, but as far as I know, it is nothing special in Prague.

But look at the ornamentation.

Two cherubs stand watch over the doorway. Above, an elegant wrought-iron balcony provides rhythm to the facade. The rhythm of the balconies is repeated at the corner.

Note too the exuberance of the architect, who devised strong half-men to help hold the upper balcony.

And at the elaborated roofline, in the place of honor at the corner, another cherub watches over the passers-by.

I’m not saying it belongs in the annals of architectural history, but… I love this building, and this city that contains so many like it.

Goodbye, Budapest Marriott

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Ginger

It’s been nice. A comfortable stay, if not our normal style (whatever that is).

So, you are probably thinking, if this is not our normal style, then how did we end up here? And for six days, yet? It’s a very good question. The answer is complicated, involving the way Dan accumulates and uses various points in his business travel and our lack of any good clue regarding a more “local” establishment. Whatever the reason, I’m glad we stayed here.

The Budapest Marriott Hotel enjoys a central location, right on the Danube River on the Pest side, between the Elizabeth and Chain Bridges (Erzsébet híd and Széchenyi lánchíd). The room is light and airy and comfortable. And the front-desk and concierge staff absolutely couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful.

There’s only one drawback, and I’ll be right up front with it. From the outside, the Marriott’s architecture does not fit in well with its environment. As part of the riverscape, it is not in keeping with the historic city–and it’s worse on the side facing the street, which presents an unfriendly wall of concrete.

Trust me, though, it’s not nearly as out-of-keeping with the environment as the Intercontinental, two buildings to the north–for what that’s worth.

From the inside, the Marriott is a whole different story. The corridors have windows that bring in daylight and city views, and every room has a superb river view. This is a part of the view from our room:

We are looking across the Danube at the Buda side of the city, crowned with its royal palace.

What has made our stay even more enjoyable is that as a Gold frequent-stayer with Marriott, Dan is entitled to access to the Executive Club on the ninth floor, with its outdoor terrace overlooking the river. Here, we enjoyed the early morning mist and sunshine along with a full breakfast–juices, breads, croissants, cheeses and deli, scrambled eggs and breakfast potatoes, fruit, cereal, yogurt, coffee, and tea.

In the evening the Executive Club offered a substantial (if limited in choices) supper–enough so that if we ate a hot dinner at a restaurant during the day, this completely served for a satisfactory evening meal (though there were a couple of nights when the hot entree featured beef or veal, which Dan and I don’t eat). It included cocktails, wine and beer; appetizers such as marinated mushrooms, grilled zucchini and artichoke hearts, duck breast and goose liver; a variety of cheeses and breads; a hot dinner such as chicken with potatoes, vegetarian ravioli, or duck stew with noodles; and a variety of desserts. It also included stunning late afternoons and sunsets from the deck.

The evenings, too, were glorious from this vantage point.

Finally, I have to mention the staff at the Executive Club, who are charming and friendly. And the fellow guests we had a chance to meet and chat with.

The Marriott has been a pleasant place to stay, and though we’re eager to be going home, we’ll miss it.

Flying saucer over Budapest?

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Ginger

On our way to our room on the seventh floor of the Budapest Marriott Hotel, we saw this object outside the (yes, seventh floor) hallway window:

It moved up and down, back and forth quite rapidly, seeming somehow both random and purposeful.

And no, it probably wasn’t a flying saucer. It was operated quite expertly by this man on a rooftop across the street:

And no doubt it related to the filming of a movie taking place on the street below–an amazing little camera gadget!

At the Vienna State Opera

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Ginger

They’re playing La Traviata tonight, and it’s a tearjerker. We’re smiling because it’s only intermission, and Violetta hasn’t started dying yet. She will, though, and it will take half an hour. Not bad for someone dying of consumption while singing at the top of her lungs. Seriously…the performances were ALL fantastic, really outstanding, especially the performer who played Violetta. It was a grand, an unforgettable experience.

Vienna — Tian Restaurant

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Ginger

We interrupt this blog’s leisurely stroll down the streets of Prague to bring you a special–and timely–post about Tian Restaurant in Vienna, where we have just finished what might be our absolutely best dinner in the last quarter century. Or more. As they say on their Web site, and on the blackboard next to the kitchen, “Experience Taste.”

The truth is, you have to experience taste because your eyes will not tell you what you are eating. All your eyes will tell you is that it is beautiful. And that–and yes, the experience of taste–are more than enough.

Oh. I should mention. This magnificent restaurant is entirely vegetarian.

We each ordered a three-course dinner, and there were so many amuse-bouches between courses that we honestly lost track of them all. And forgot to photograph many. But here’s what I have. The first amuse-bouche (which contains carrot, pickled pumpkin, and an unknown but delicious drink), followed by something else I can’t identify (but trust me, it was really good), and then the first appetizer course.

Tea of tomato with raspberry. This came with a blini and, er, something.

The other appetizer…

…was yellow (and green) beans with goat cheese and chantarelles. I didn’t order dessert but instead had a second appetizer…

…zucchini blossom stuffed with, er, something, with various little vegetables and cepes mushrooms and a parsley <something> sauce that was out of this world. There followed one of many amuse-bouches of unknown but incredibly delicious substances beautifully presented.

Our neighbors at the next table, meanwhile, were eating other unknown substances amusingly presented, which they swore were delicious.

Next came what might have been the first part of the main course. Or possibly more amuses-bouches.

The red radish-looking things were made from radishes but were soft, not crunchy. The green seemed to be part peas.

This looked like corn, but was more like corn pudding. Now here are the main courses of the main courses.

Artichokes and young corn with cabernet sauvignon jus. (Never have I seen a single piece of popcorn so enticingly presented!)

Tetris of young kohlrabi with jasmine blossom.

And finally, that course you’ve all been waiting for: dessert:

Coeur de Guanaja chacolate with strawberry and yoghurt.

Oh, this meal makes me dizzy just thinking about it!

Prague — human figures are everywhere

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Ginger

When I say, “Human figures are everywhere,” I am not referring to the tourists. Though heaven knows, we tourists are certainly everywhere, too. But in Prague there are people all over the buildings. Around doorways and windows, holding up balconies (often with great difficulty), preaching from rooftops.

Squat and rather plain buildings take on an unexpected grace.

In corners, on rooftops, and right at street level we can find angels in human form with wings, hugely muscled men, gracefully draped women as well as naked ones, and even babies.