Feb 11
Another no internet day. Yesterday my wifi worked all morning and it was delightful. I got quite a bit done at home. Then had a good foraging trip. I found a hairdryer for $12, and decent umbrella, and good hand lotion. My hands suffer in this dry cold. I wanted to watch the opening of the Olympics in real time, but could not find it on TV, darn.

Today was another new Czech experience. I went to Mozart’s opera, Don Giovanni, at the Estates Theater where it premiered in 1787. How cool is that? Susan, a Fulbrighter from KU (Go Jayhawks!) went with me. I am including a couple of photos of the interior of the theater, but they do not do it justice. I felt like royalty just being there. It was an afternoon performance…2:00 to 5:00…and cost $18 for Row 8, orchestra, center. Amazing. The theater is spectacular; the staging and singing equaled it. I hope I can find more such treasures.

After the performance, Susan and I went to Dinitz for dinner. I had Pasta Fungi, and a nice red Frankovka (Posiedni Sebrat…’last picked’) to kill the carbs. I walked her to the Metro and Namesti Republiky and then walked home through Old Town Square. It is a crisp, moonlit evening. This was my first venture out alone after dark and I felt quite brave and grown up.

Now, I have found the Olympics, albeit in Czech. Ice skating doesn’t seem to need much English to be good watching.