The tour begins

Most of the people on the tour arrived in Prague today at mid-afternoon. Some went out walking, others just rested from the journey. At 6:00pm we met in the bar for a get-acquainted drink.

 

 

Matthew and Jack then gave us some information about the trip, such as walking tours, dinner tonight, and places we'll see.

We were introduced to some of our guides, and to Jack's daughter who is traveling to Europe with him.

The hotel's restaurant manager offered glasses of a special local firewater.

We walked to the restaurant for dinner. Medieval buildings look striking when lit up at night.

The main hall where we ate is the room in which the combined Czech and Slovak nation was announced in the early 1900s. It's now split apart again, of course, into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

There are posters for musical concerts all over Prague; this one is by a "Spiritual Kvintet".

A standard classical concert is going on in Smetana Hall. Vivaldi's Four Seasons (bet no one in Prague has heard that one before). Also Pachelbel, Brahms, and Sarasate, but no Smetana.

This restaurant is fancy. You have to have extremely formal wear just to be a waiter. ;-)

We didn't try to seat 100 people at one mammoth table; we had a collection of tables seating between 8 and 14.

Jack was taking the same sort of photos.

A pianist was performing during the entire meal, seated at a piano under this wonderful mural.

It's not often the photographer gets to appear in his own blog; one of the tour members very kindly took this photo and the following one of the fancy clock just above our heads.

Donna Davis photo

Donna Davis photo

A very nice dinner, and a good start to the tour. Tomorrow we will be on walking tours of Prague.