For the record
We've both remarked on what a lovely place this is to spend a few days doing not very much. Except of course, both of us have quite full days - just not filled with our usual travel adventures. Whilst I joined the bathrobe and slipper brigade this morning and headed to the spa pools for a swim, my Hero was back in the concert hall for the next part of the recording session.
I had joined him there yesterday afternoon, enjoying an hour or so listening to the process of recording an opera by Joachim Raff. “Dame Kobold” has never been recorded previously, so this is all rather exciting.
The concert hall in the Casino - the cultural centre next door to our hotel, is a very elegant place in which to spend some time, with a rich acoustic. Home to the West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, it's well suited to the recording project.
Whilst my Hero was happily involved in the recording this morning, I went for my swim in an otherwise empty pool again.
Noting the beautiful Autumn sunshine, however, I didn't linger before heading out into the park for a walk. I'd been given the task of finding somewhere different for lunch today - maybe one of the coffee shops in the Colonnade?
It was there that I was headed, then, but along the way, I stopped for a few minutes and sat on one of the many white benches along the path to savour the fresh air and glorious colour around me.
And then my phone buzzed.
A WhatsApp message from my Hero to say the chorus were there, they were sounding exceptionally good and suggesting that I might like to come over and listen.
So I headed back across the park and into the Casino, just in time to meet them coming out - they'd finished already. Never mind.
I settled down for an hour or so with my knitting and listened anyway.
When lunch was called, my Hero and I stepped back out into the park to find the whole Colonnade under renovation. We knew about the closed Singing Fountain but hadn't realised the work was more extensive.
Never mind, we admired the one part untouched by the builders and continued in search of a hot drink and a snack.
We admired the cultural flavour of the builders' screen as we went 😉
Just across the way were a few stalls, one of which was the source of a delicious aroma - cinnamon Trdelník. Perfect! We took our hot drinks and our trdelniks to the closest bench and enjoyed them whilst sitting in the sunshine, watching the world go by.
Until the pigeons arrived, that is.
We made our way back through the park, taking our time as we went.
I decided to stay a while and listen when the afternoon session began, for conductor Dario was working with soprano Lara Rieken. I so admire her enthusiasm and “spark” and have very much enjoyed watching her sing. This afternoon she was on form and it‘s lovely to see someone so young perform with such self-confidence and remarkable abilty.
See what I mean?
