Weimar Summer/Fall 2018

     Well we have changed seasons here in Weimar.  Thursday was a beautiful summer day.  Today,(Saturday), it is Fall.  It was overcast and cold all day.  I went for a walk around 7:30pm and I had to wear a sweater.  There was no one around even that early and it was already starting to get dark.  I don't think I have seen anything like this before. A change of seasons over one day.
     One week from today I will be in Munich.  It is much further south from here so I hope they are still having nice weather. 

Weimar - Macbeth 2018

     Last night I went to the Premiere Night of the Deutsches Nationaltheater of "Macbeth". It was exciting to go,  they haven't had anything in the summer since I saw "Kaufman von Venedig"  there in 2016.  It was an interesting and original production.  The performers were all in somewhat grotesque and/or funny costumes.  Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were in body suits that distorted them a lot.  They acted a little off too. I mean the physical part.  Duncan was also the same.  Macduff and Malcolm were good looking guys, one in pants and the other in a skirt and both had silver painted torsos and faces.
     Of course it was translated into German so the familiar lines etc.  were not there and that made it different as well.  It was well done until the last 20 minutes.  Suddenly the were not in the body suits and there were no set pieces.  There was also a speech from Macbeth about Weimar??
    I did enjoy it and it always makes me happy when I go to something like this and have no problem following in German.

Prague 2018 (2)

   It is night three of my stay here in Prague and it has been HOT.  Yesterday I attempted to go up to the castle complex.  I have been through the whole thing in the past and only wanted to go to the Old Masters Gallery.  I have never been in there and don't think it was open in the past. Anyway,  I got lost walking to the bus stop I needed so by the time I got there I was in no mood to get on an overcrowded, stiflingly hot bus with every other tourist in Prague.  And there are thousands of them.  So I climbed the steps up there.  When I got there, and it is not easy, there was a line to go through the control.  I had had it so I went back down and walked back to the Small City.  This is the area across the Charles Bridge under the castle hill.  I had to sit and have some water and a few beers.  I went back to the hotel to shower and then went for an early dinner at an Italian place down the road.  I had red wine and salad and lasagna.  I went for another wine in the main square and then back.
     Today I made a second attempt.  I left earlier and bought my ticket and stood at the bus stop with the dozens of others.  However when the dinky, hot, crowded bus came I did not get on it.  While drinking yesterday I saw a nice, new, large number 22 and figured it would be coming next - and it was!!  At the castle hill I found the museum and decided I needed to power up before I went in so I went to the terrase and had a couple.  The collection was small.  But  the building was actually air-conditioned and it was presented nicely.  There were some Cranachs, a few, (3 ), Titians, Tintorettos, (4?)  and maybe 2 Veronese.  I was in there for about an hour.  Then I walked down the steps on the other side and into the Small City, over the Charles Bridge and to the Hard Rock.  I had 2 beers and a hamburger there and then came back and had a nap.

Prague 2018

     I arrived in Prague today for a 5 night stay.  The trip here was very easy and suprisingly inexpensive.  I took the train from Weimar to Leipzig and then took the bus to Prague.  It was a pleasant trip.  My room at the Hilton Old Town was ready and I checked right in to it.  Very nice!!  Then I went to Ernest's hotel to tell them he would be late.  Along the way I stopped at "Meet Beer".  A lovely place where they gave me directions and I drank 2 half liter "real" Pilsner Urquell", meaning unfiltered tap beer.  After the hotel I walked in the direction of my hotel and stopped along the way for 2 half liter dark beers.  At the hotel I decided to go eat since I had not eaten all day!  Intermittent Fasting may be the way to go.  I went to U Provanice for dinner.  I found it in my DK guide.  I had half-liter water and 2 half liter beers.  I ate pork loin with spinach with garlic and had a side salad and panned potatos with bacon also.  Very good!!  I paid 500 kc which is about $23 !!!!  Now I am in the bar of the Hilton having a few beers and a Becherovka.  All is well.