The adventures of Miss Despina

Ahhhhh it was beautiful! Photos coming soon, I promise, just as soon as I can get to an internet point with Kyne’s laptop.

Jazz-head

They let me out early on Friday, an opportunity which I took to have a 2 hour nap back at the dump, so that I could go out. God that bed’s uncomfortable, I must have been tired. Had spent the day emailing the boys about Jazz clubs, of which there are many in Prague. I decided to avoid the one hosting Senior Dixieland, not wanting to have to cause a fuss in the club by asking for forks to stick into my legs, but Agharta was sounding good. So after a couple of Becherovka and cokes, Kyne and I set out on a hunt for jazz.

When we arrived at Agharta, I thought it was empty, but we were told it was standing room only. The reason why it seemed empty was because no-one was speaking, they were all concentrating intently on the jazz. It was a trio, with electronic synthesised keyboards rather than piano. Watching the communication, the musicianship, the fun they were having, and listening to the intensely rythmical playing punctuated by imaginative solos, I felt the happiest and most chilled out I had in days. Just what this jazz-head needed. I’d love to play for a Czech audience, they were so respectful during the performance and so enthusiastic afterwards, standing ovations and slow clapping got us two encores, the last one an uncharacteristically traditional 12 bar blues piece based on a truly catchy riff.

But as soon as the band finished, everyone vanished! This amazed me, we wanted to stay there til they threw us out, listening to good records and chilling out in this cool jazz cellar. Beer was slightly more expensive there - almost approching English prices - but the atmosphere was perfect. Walking to the nightbus with Kyne, we passed a salsa club, so we’ll have to give that a try when Jez arrives! Got home and drank and played cards with the others til 5 a.m, when I realised it was dawn and I wouldn’t be able to sleep in the sunshine!

The boys

I had never really met Kyne or Matt before I came out here to Prague with them, I think I’d just said hi whilst dancing round in circles before an exam in May (they probably backed away slowly). But Kyne is directing a show in November I’m either being in or crewing, and we have a few friends in common. And walking back on Friday night, I found out that he saw the theatre production that changed my life, Samuel West as Hamlet, RSC 2001! He and I tend to stay in at night whilst Matt and Maz go to watch football or chat up women. Not that I don’t enjoy going out drinking, but sometimes I prefer good company and a chilled out relaxing time in the kitchen. Maz and Matt are appreciative of our cooking skills, and I am infinitely grateful to Kyne for finding me some rice pasta in the supermarket, this means I can eat almost normally! I was worried when I came about living with three boys and being isolated sometimes, but there are enough girls in the hostel for me to feel ok, and I’m happy to have a friend who is very much on my wavelength come out of the blue. I’m actually more comfortable around boys than around girls, and I feel that they have a lot of respect for me.

Prague Castle

It was Saturday afternoon when we first went to the castle, a day when the weather didn’t know what to do, so as a result I was too hot in the sun and wet from the rain. The basilica was full of tourists, and the whole area was very crowded. This didn’t detract from its beauty and magnificence, but I think I will enjoy the castle more on a weekday after work. The same goes for the small town, which Kyne said seemed to have been rebuilt for the tourists, with the usual church concert of Eine Kleine Tune-you’ve-heard-so-many-times-it-makes-your-ears-bleed, and Vivaldi’s Four Tortures. We got a beer there, but were happy to head back and cook something tasty. The highlight of that day was watching men dressed as Cavaliers and Vagabonds doing fencing - so very coarse, but so skilled too! The young boys went to some bars in town recommended by their workmates, and we stayed in and listened to opera and got all excited about going for a picnic on the Vyšehrad.

Picnic on the Vyšehrad

Kyne and I were up stupidly early for a Sunday, and went to the supermarket to buy picnic provisions. We also serendipitously found some air mattresses, which at about 2 quid a time were designed for floating rather than sleeping on, but those beds are just so awful, they’re actually giving me back problems. So we made loads of food, then dragged the boys out of bed, telling them, You Will Have a Good Time!

The day was idyllic. I sat on the grass for what seemed hours, eating roast chicken and cous-cous salad, drinking beer and soaking up the sun. So good to get such a quiet, lush place in a big city. The Vyšehrad stretches along the south-west bank of the Vltava. Up on the old fort is a basilica, baroque gardens, and renaissance-style cemetry. I felt uplifted by beauty of the surrounding greenery and the views from the hill, apparently I kept saying "I’m so happy!". We walked around, had an amazing Eiskave, and then strolled along the river enjoying the early evening sun. Back at the dump, the boys made us a fry-up by way of thanks, and whilst watching Family Guy, I fell asleep on my friend’s feet.