Re: [Leica] Photography and Prague

["Gareth Jolly" <garethjolly@bigpond.com>]

>I've seen the Hotel Europa, but now, with your
>recommendation, I'll give it a try for a meal.  So far, the food here has
>been good but bland

I might hurriedly add that the food is (well) ok.  It's the atmosphere that
is quite extraordinary.  Half close your eyes on a glass of red and you
could at an elegant dinner in 1910, black tie, rich, indolent, musing on the
state of Europe.

Have to add, that when I was there, you'd have to block your ears as well -
the Beatles were blasting from the kitchen.

Open your eyes a bit and you'll notice that the dining room could benefit
from some careful restoration.

After dinner, a stroll through the hotel.  Above the foyer to the dining
room is an oval internal balcony.  From that level, which was unlit, the
balcony made an oval pool of light from the darkness.  (Kicking myself for
not having camera and tripod - now that I've tipped you off Bruce, I expect
you won't make that mistake).

In the levels above, a wide internal stairwell plunging below to the second
floor, rooms around the outside.  An elegant lounge at the bottom of the
stairwell.

Superb.

The Hotel Europa benefits from darkness.

For a bit of contrast, I understand that the nightlife at the cafe is (well)
interesting.  See Cadogan's guide for details.

Gareth