We've arrived!

After a time-traveling plane ride, a too brief touchdown in London, and a quick hop over to mainland Europe, we arrived in Prague! Even from looking out the window of the plane the beauty of this place is remarkable. We met no resistance getting our luggage and going through customs, and were met immediately by Claire, the daughter of the soon-to-be-director of the program here. She spoke articulate English, and was extremely friendly from the first moment. She introduced us to Katka, a student of dance pedagogy at the Academy of Performing Arts where we'll be studying.

Because of the Prague Marathon, we had to transfer from our taxi to the Metro. The giant escalator took us up right into the heart of the Old Quarter, a block away from the Conservatory where we're staying. The Conservatory building now serves primarily as the studios for the dance classes, but tucked up on the fifth floor, at the end of a corridor, is a cozy little room for guest faculty. It is charming to say the least, but spacious enough for the three of us to spread out.

After dropping off our baggage, we were all starving and so Claire and Katka took us to a traditional Czech restaurant. "Would you like to try some Czech beer?" Claire asked and before we had a chance to answer, three tall glasses of Staropramen one pale lager, one mixed light and dark, and one 'black' beer. We all arbitrarily picked a glass and toasted to our new hosts, the new city, and the new adventure. Despite our bodies' internal time-clocks being thrown far off track, the beer (and the hearty Czech fare) helped us feel a little more refreshed.

Claire took us on a walking tour of the Old Quarter where we saw some of the oldest buildings in Prague. The architecture is beautiful. Because it was never heavily bombed during either of the World Wars, almost every building is in it's original condition, touchups included. The churches are remarkable, and are some of the oldest known buildings here. The Church of Ana Maria the Snow White is a Gothic church, complete with Franciscan Crucifixes and stark painting. It is, however, embellished with a floor to ceiling Baroque alter, and flanking the nave are Baroque-era adornments. Silence is kept in the church, and I felt that for the minute I was in the church I had stepped back in time.

As we walked around the city, I I felt as if I were walking into a historic reenactment where the actors are taking a break. The people who live here are trying one the one hand to preserve their cultural heritage and remain true to their history, but at the same time naturalize their city to the present day and satisfy their tourists contemporary habits. Down the block from the Conservatory is a KFC next door to a Russian-run "Bohemian" crystal shop, while across the street there is a large medieval-looking sign for "Czech National Food" and Pilsner-Uruqell beer, and all the while situated below baby blue and yellow 18th- and 19th-century apartments.

Exhausted after a long day, we came home and made a quick, light dinner and showered before going to bed. More to come on our first few days!