Despite everything at the Prague Congress being in the "inexpensive to reasonable" price range, I didn't feel I could afford to go on the post-Congress tour; the California workshop with Lenka Suchanek in March, and the projected Ithaca workshop (whichever one I get into <g>) in October, had to be considered, when reviewing my budget. Additionally, even without the tour, I'd have been gone for close to 5 weeks, what with the prior, nearly 3 week stay in Poland... I decided to cut the tour, and see as much as possible during the Congress itself, instead. I am, afterall, more of a practitioner than a historian or researcher... And I'm rather luke-warm towards most of the modern lace, for which the Czechs are famous... And then, there's my wretched memory (or lack of it)...
So.
I saw an exhibition during the workshop; noticed some interesting uses of (very magnified) Mechlin ice-ground (perfect as an imitation of lead glass, in a representation of a church window, for example). As reported, skipped the second exhibition we were taken to, in favour of homework. Planned to go to the Jewish Museum exhibition that afternoon, but was too "washed out" once the workshop ended (noon on Thursday) to go downtown. Thankfully, my room- and class-mate (Lena Dahren) was kind enough to "organise" for me the purchase of the catalogue; I fully intend to read it, carefully, at some unspecified date... :) Missed the opening of Radmila Zuman's exhibition that same afternoon. But saw the children's exhibit (same building as the workshops, and it was set up by the time the workshop ended) and poked my nose into the national stands room, while it was being set up (thanks to Margaret Crocker, who was supervising the Maltese stand, I was able to flip, to the right-side-up, a piece of my own lace in th US stand <g>). Left a good-bye note to Lena, moved my luggage to the new room (no improvement <g>), had supper, and went to bed early, full of trepidation about getting up the next day.
Friday, the day the Congress opened, I was - breakfasted (Vibeke couldn't believe her eyes, seeing me at breakfast at 6:30 <g>) - in front of the dining hall at 7AM, ready for the departure of my bus for a day tour... The Czechs are like Poles: as long as Vltava (or Visla) isn't burning, what's the rush? The bus departed at 7:20 allowing for latecomers (and last minute smokers <g>). We went to Klatove, Prachatice and Cesky Krumlov and I'm sure we saw a lot of lace at the first two (and none at the last stop; but a gorgeous place all the same, and one I'd love to spend a week in), but I can't remember any; we came back, exhausted, at 11PM (23:00). Our guide spent all those hours talking - in English and French to us, and in Czech to the driver in between - it's a miracle she survived the trip. What I remember the most is that, on our way out we passed Pilsen (home of Pilsner beer) and on our way back - Budejovice (home of Budweiser beer).
On the Congress front, I missed the opening ceremony and whatever else was going that day; didn't even have the energy to check with my bathroom-mates (by now, I had a single room, but with a bathroom connecting 2 rooms; cheap) what that might have been.
I decided to devote Saturday to serious shopping. I had already loaded up on - very cheap - "Moravia linen" (mostly 40/2, but also some that was thicker. Don't know the numbers, as they're different from what they're here) during the workshop, but I'd promised the Snutki lacemaker back in Poland, that I'd look for the DMC "atlasek" (broder special), #16, which she can't get anymore. And there were rumours of a 3-day, coinciding with the Congress, Lace Market taking place downtown; "everything cheap, from Czech vendors; maybe even wire"...
The OIDFA-blessed vendors' hall didn't open till 9, so I thought I'd have a sleep-in before late (8:30AM) breakfast. Big mistake... The placid Agricultural U of the workshop days has turned, with the swelling numbers of participants (620 registered for the Congress, again as much coming as day-trippers), into a noisy, heaving, football scrum; I came, I saw, I fled... :) Which made it possible to have a smoke before the doors to the Alladin's caves opened. A quick look through all the stands produced one - Belgian - which carried the desired "atlasek"; it was a matter of minutes to clean it out of its size 16 supply and to deposit the loot in my room. Then, like a determined piranha, I was on the bus/metro/foot in search of the Lace Market.
Some frames, wire, patterns, and do-dads later (as well as a quick side trip to the cash-cow, aka ATM), I was retracing my route back to the U, in time for lunch and lecture by my Freehand teacher, Mr Zajonc. That over, I had another peek at the national stands and, finding myself with a few moments to spare and a vestige of energy, took another shot at the vendors' hall. Finca thread (white) in several sizes, fan (lazy way out to owning a "lace fan": make an edging to attach to the already made and mounted one) and fan stand, a 50 pack of "basic" bobbins, should I ever give in to the lust for a bolster pillow - all at the Spanish stand - and I was back in my room, ready to take a shower before taking the bus (late starting, again) for The Banquet.
Which, despite its setting (an old monastery turned into a tourist-trap restaurant; Karl Marx must be dancing in his grave <g>) and two piglets roasted whole (very impressive), turned out to be the only bit (*quite* a bit, at that) of money ill-spent during the whole trip. It was stifling inside (heat wave, and not much ventilation, never mind AC), and not enough room to sit outside; Miriam and I and several other people had to sit on a little wall, covered with curved tiles. And no DH around to tell me later what pattern my butt ended up with... :)
On the Congress front... I missed the General Assembly, my last chance at the Fashion Show (which I'm told was superb. If one likes modern lace <g>) and, I think, the Arachne meeting.
Sunday, and it was back waiting for the bus at 7AM. The guide this time was far less vocal/informative in any language, but, as we saw Rychnow nad Knyznou, Vamberk and Letohrad, it didn't matter; the guides' (and translators') language doesn't stretch to lacemaking terms anyway, and we saw lots of lace. Some good shopping for do-dads/souvenirs, too :)
On the Congress front, I missed the closing ceremony/awards (still on't know what happened there)
Got back to the U at 23:00 again, and was relieved to see that my expected roomie (best friend in primary school, friend throughout highschool and college, but I haven't seen her in 26 years, though we've been in e-touch since '99), arriving from Linz (Austria), had found the U and had been -alcoholically - entertained by my bath-roomies. Who, the next morning, went off on *their* merry-go-round of the lace tour, leaving the bathroom to us, late (6:45) risers.
Monday all day and Tuesday morning, the two of us walked around Prague till I thought the hinges on my hips woud fall out (I thought Prague was *flat* <g>), and enjoyed ourselves tremendously, catching up on old friendship. We did as many of the touristy things as we could, and shopped some as well, and ate some very high-carb food, chased by very high-calory beer... She left Tuesday afternoon, and I packed for my Wednesday morning flight.
All in all, an adventure of a lifetime. And I mean it literally; it was altogether too much for me, especially the 3 Congress days. After 31 yrs in the US South, not only is my blood thinned (no problem there, as both Poland and the Czech Republic had been hot without relief), but I now prefer a slower pace, with more opportunity to *meet people*, to spend time with them... As it is, I "met" many, whom I don't remember any more, and "re-connected" with some others but 3-minute encounters just aren't enough for me. And, judging from other people's reports, I missed more than I'd seen... I think I'll stick to the "within Continental US" venues from now on; less frazzle for less money... :)
Yours, catching up with ordinary life, --- Tamara P Duvall http://lorien.emufarm.org/~tpd Lexington, Virginia, USA (Formerly of Warsaw, Poland) Healthy US through The No-CARB Diet: no C-heney, no A-shcroft, no R-umsfeld, no B-ush.
- To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
