Oneontans abroad ~ Arlene & Maggie

During our 2010-11 stint in Prague, I came to understand that the most concrete evidence we had that friends intended to follow through on their threats to visit was the news that they had submitted passport applications. So it delighted us no end to hear that our friends Arlene and Maggie had passports in hand. And, even better, they booked their tickets to come in November, which meant we didn't have to wait a long time for that welcome dose of hometown love!

They were with us a week, starting on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. We applied our usual day-of-arrival prescription for time-zone shifting: Stay UP! After a pancake breakfast at home, we headed out into the city.

On Tram 12, heading to Malá Strana (Photo credit: Arlene)

First stop, Charles Bridge!

And the Old Town bridge tower, looking back toward Malá Strana and the castle district.

Looking east from the bridge tower, toward Old Town.

We wandered a little off the beaten path to make our way east before joining the crush of humanity again in Little Square and Old Town Square.

VJ Rott building in Little Square. Built in 1890, façade by Mikuláš Aleš.

Old Town Square

And, just as their energy was flagging, we went to the Rudolfinum to see the exhibit Nervous Trees by Krištof Kintera.

At Nervous Trees

After a short rest at home, we dragged our guests to dinner at the Blind Kitty Creperie, one of our favorite neighborhood haunts. Then home to bed. Everyone had to be ready for Sunday's day trip: Kutná Hora, renowned for its mining history and decorative skeletons.

The Ossuary Chapel

In the 13th century, the abbot of Kutná Hora's local monastery made a pilgrimage to Palestine. He returned with soil from the Holy Land which he sprinkled on the cemetery of the Chapel of All Saints. Suddenly Everyone who was Anyone in the aristocracy of central Europe wanted to be laid to rest in the chapel's graveyard.

By the 1600s the deceased outnumbered the burial spaces available, what with plagues and wars and whatnot. Older sites were exhumed, and the bones were stored in the chapel. Which, of course, is only a temporary solution.

Chandelier (photo cred: Arlene)

The Schwarzenberg family, landowners at the time, commissioned František Rint, a woodcarver, to do a little interior decorating. They wanted him to create a reminder of the impermanence of human life.

The Schwarzenberg Coat of Arms, calcified

And find something to do with all the bones!

Ben and Garrett with a boney backdrop at The Ossuary Chapel in 2010.

Nothing creepy about this at all.

 Right. Back out into the land of the living.

Grabbed lunch at a small burger place.

Sunshine and cobblestones (photo credit: Arlene)

Visited St. Barbara's Church. St. Barbara is the patron saint of miners, and the artwork within the church is related to the town's trade: miners are depicted in stained glass and sculptures and mining guilds' coats of arms are painted on the ceiling.

The distinctive roof of St. Barbara's suggests we might expect a triple-tent revival atmosphere.
(photo credit: Arlene)

Caught an afternoon train back to Prague.

Jet lag has its way at the end of the day.

Ben and Garrett were sure that Maggie and Arlene would want to experience Výtopna, the train restaurant. 

On Monday morning I took the ladies to explore Hradčany, the castle district, while Karl and the boys headed off to work/school.

Inside the castle complex with St. Vitus Cathedral as a backdrop.

We scooped up Garrett and went out for lunch and some hot cocoa.

Buddies since preschool

Tuesday the women did a little shopping and wandered the streets of Old Town and New Town.

At Havelské tržišté

That evening, Maggie insisted we Seeleys finally get hip to the Netflix hit series Stranger Things.

And with that, my view of our building's elevator was forever altered. (I'm not kidding!)

We let the boys skip school for a couple of days mid-week. Wednesday brought another day trip: Dresden!

Children left to their own devices on the train.

Arriving at Dresden's Hauptbahnhof

Checked out the Old Town sites.

Playmobil Martin Luther shares the good news that the Kreuzkirche's bell tower is open.

Unfortunately we were just a little too early for the Dresden Christmas markets, but preparations were in full swing in the Old Market.

Another socialist-realist mural (as we saw in Bratislava, for those who'd like to catch up)

Visited New Market square.

The Frauenkirche! Such a beautiful, graceful building. I always try to get a nice shot of it whenever we visit ...

Hello, Ben.

Hmm. I'll work on that later.

From the dome of the Frauenkirche. Back in the day, Dresden was known as the Florence on the Elbe.

Passage between the Schloss and the Hofkirche.
Royalty used it so they didn't have to rub elbows with the commoners.

Inside the Hofkirche (Court Church).

Mom, can we go get milkshakes now?

We made the trek to Pfunds Molkerei, reputed (justifiably) to be the most beautiful dairy shop in the world, for some ice cream and milkshakes.

And then back to Old Town, so kids could play on Dresden's epic three-story playground and Arlene and Kate could gawk at gorgeous architecture in the sublime afternoon light. (Karl, presumably, was reading up on economic developments in the EU or the latest in Czech theater of the absurd. Or napping. At the playground.)

Frauenkirche in late afternoon light.

Stopped by the Zwinger.

"The light! The light!!"

Arlene & Kate basking in the glow!

Reconvened for a quick dinner of döner kebabs before making our way back to the train station.

Getting snacks for the return trip.

Thursday was, of course, Thanksgiving Day. Kiddos slept in. Karl did some work. Arlene and I went out for coffee and a walk in Letná park with my sweet friend Nan.

(Photo credit: Arlene)

Bridges on the Vltava. (Photo credit: Arlene)

Later we dragged our progeny out for some cultcha.

Back on Charles Bridge. I think the boys were playing on the Kampa playground in the distance.

It's not a visit with the Seeleys if you don't sit on a David Černý baby.

We also made it to the first Prague Christmas market that opened that day for the 2017 season, down at Náměstí Míru (Peace Square).

(Photo credit: Arlene)

Trdlníks: rotisserie pastries with Nutella — what's not to like? (Photo credit: Arlene)

Friday morning Arlene and I got up super early to snap some crowd-free shots of Charles Bridge ...

... and a selfie or two.

And that night Arlene, Maggie and I took Garrett out for an early birthday celebration!

The birthday boy wanted wings.

So we got wings.

One week seemed like such a luxury, but it was gone all too quickly.  We were so sad to say goodbye to these two.

So grateful they made the trek to see us.  ❤️

Big shout out of thanks also to John and Autumn, who — although they declined to make the trip — graciously shared half of their family with us over the holiday week. ❤️