Big Brother is Watching You - at Semafor

Forgive me for theater geekery, but I've got to crow...

Semafor Theater, "one of the oldest continuous traditions of modern Czech entertainment", according to radio.cz, was the venue for my school's most recent Drama production, "1984". The beloved theater is in Prague's Dejvice neighborhood - near where I live - and has contributed to the beginnings of many famous Czech musicians and actors.

It was an honor to direct a play there - and even to simply have our play listed in its window:

I am fiercely proud of my students and my school, and I am grateful the theater gave us the opportunity to perform in its space. Semafor doesn't usually rent to outside entities like high schools, but as the article linked above mentioned, it needed the income. 

Our kids did an outstanding job with this dark and psychologically straining Dystopian play; they extended themselves and brought integrity to the themes of Winston's story, which are still so relevant today.

Some dress rehearsal photos, taken by my principal and posted on social media:

Semafor's staff and technicians were supportive, encouraging and knowledgeable; it would be a pleasure to work with them again. A very powerful experience all around, and such a special place to hold a performance.

War is peace

Freedom is slavery

Ignorance is strength

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Back to Budapest

BW's parents just had one heckuva 40th anniversary celebration - they toasted four decades of marriage (well done!) on a Viking River Cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. 

The only way to travel, say BW's dad, who is now investigating boat trips in China and Russia. He just needs to retire from his job as a foreman electrician now so he can spare the time. Speaking of retirement, my newly work-free parents just spent a month volunteering in a national park/ghost town in Montana this Fall and are now headed to do the same in Kentucky as campground hosts.

Our parents are the coolest. 

I can't wait for retirement.

Anyhow, after work a few Fridays ago, BW and I set off from Prague in a car we borrowed from our pal the Glaswegian, bound for Budapest to pick up his parents at the terminus of their cruise. 

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE TO BUDAPEST ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON. I repeat: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE TO BUDAPEST ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

Traffic was jammed all the way out of Prague, and an accident meant us waiting still as statues for upwards of an hour on the highway. The 5-hour trip took about 7.5. 

But Budapest was as brilliant as ever, especially so being gussied up in sparkly lights and Christmas stalls. 

We hit some favorites in a the roughly day and a half we were there, including...

- Cheery Christmas Markets at Vörösmarty square

- Funky Erzsébetváros District with its kerts (ruin pubs) like Szimpla pictured below, Synagogue and alternative hand-made markets 

- Ultra-grandiose New York Cafe, worth a $6 cup of coffee just to see the inside

- Sobering House of Terror Museum, the former headquarters for both Nazi and Communist parties in Budapest

- Walking the river for castle views (As Mom and Pop W visited the castle the day before we arrived, we didn't go up Buda Hill)

No dips in Turkish baths this time, but the quick city break was lovely, nonetheless.

And on the way back to Prague, we stopped at one of our favorite dining spots in the Czech Republic, the fresh fish restaurant at Hotel Jelinkova in Velké Meziříčí. My belly can't recommend this place highly enough. 

The fish below would probably disagree with me, though.

Related posts on Budapest: Hairy start to Budapest (we should know better than to drive there by now), BudaBEST and Pest Peculiarities.

Another visit to Restaurant Jelinkova HERE.

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