The continuation of my trip with Sam to Austria for Krampusfest led us next to Vienna. Vienna was just as shiny, glitzy and over the top in real life as it was in my imagination. We ogled the silverware at Hofburg Palace and even watched the famous Lipizzaner stallions at their morning workout. We ate Sacher torte at the Sacher hotel with all the other sucker tourists, saw the gold-gilded work of Klimt at the Belvedere Palace and made a pilgrimage to Freud’s home and office. Vienna was extremely clean, grand and opulent. Contrast that to our next destination, Prague which was bitterly cold, grimy and oh so gothic. We loved it!
The gloomy menace of Prague suited our sensibilities better than showy Vienna. Within an hour of arriving we got caught in a blizzard as we shared an enormous hunk of ham under the shadow of 11th century Powder Gate. We toured all the usual tourist highlights including the Charles Bridge, the Prague Castle and the Peace Wall but my favorite experience was one we lucked into by chance and that was a private tour of the Czech National Marionette Theater. Sam and I were walking through the Jewish quarter admiring all the wonderful art deco architecture when we passed an unusual doorway decorated with creepy wooden carvings. A sign indicated that this was the National Marionette Theater and that tours were conducted twice daily, the next one starting in about an hour. Sounded cool. We decided to come back and see if there was a long line or what the deal was since the theater was closed at that time.
We came back at the appointed time and walked down a very narrow steep stairway into a little lobby. There was one gentleman at a kiosk but the rest of the theater was empty except for some workers with survey equipment in the lobby. We thought we were surely in the wrong place or that the schedule had changed but when we asked about the tour the man seemed open to the idea and sold us two very inexpensive tickets and asked us to wait in the theater. Oh, maybe we were late and everybody else was already in there. Nope! We entered the small 100 person art deco style theater (built in 1929) and took a seat. You can probably guess that the theater was completely empty. Sam and I looked at each a bit confused but definitely intrigued. After a couple of minutes an older gentleman came in and told us they were going to show us a short movie about their current production of Don Giovanni. Sounds great we said. The lights went down and a very funny little movie of Don Giovanni and his jester sidekick, in Marionette form naturally, gave a little tour of the city.
After the film the gentleman came back in and guided us backstage. Still not sure what we’d signed up for we were thrilled to have a private tour of backstage workings of the theater. We were given an opportunity to handle the marionettes and shown some basic techniques. The “actors” were carved from wood and surprisingly heavy! Our guide had been a member of the troupe for over 20 years and told us all about the history of the art in Prague. He then led us to the workshop where they build and restore the marionettes, some of them being over a hundred years old. We also saw their collection historic marionettes and set pieces. The tour over, we thanked our host and left out of the same empty lobby. What a strange and unique slice of Prague! We were so delighted to have stumbled upon this little gen in the heart of the city. It reminds me of the importance of wandering, eyes open and with no particular purpose, when traveling. It’s always the little surprises that stick with you in the end. The castle was amazing but giggling with my friend in the little underground marionette theater will be with me longer.
