For first time I went out to the center myself. I wanted to go to the National Museum, see st. Vaclav's statue up close, go to the Zizkov Television Tower and check out one fabric store on the way. I took a bus to Zeliveskho first, transferred to metro and got out at Mustek. I went around Vaclavac and took some photos, as I didn't have the chance to see st. Vaclav's statue upclose until today.
The museum was literally near to the statue, there were so many tourists at the old building. It's really big and spectacular in person, it was only opened again after renovation around one year ago.
The hallway was really beautiful. Initially I was confused where ticket office is but I ended up buying them using self-check out instead. I took the plan of the museum but I never used it. I think I should have used it... as I was really confused where to go first, so I just went up on the stairs - entire stairways, all of these mezzazines, the glass roof... it was so beautiful.
My first stop at the old building was the Pantheon hall, which was connected with the 19th century history exhibit. It also had some 16th and 17th century, medieval exhbition was biggest from all of them. Some of items presented were totally unexcepted, like sets of playing cards from this period. After going through entire historical part I ended up in natural history part which both consisted of dinosaurs and other pre-historic creatures, fossils, etc. which was weirdly connected to part about minerals and other natural resources. I saw the hall of minerals which is basically original 19th century collection, that is still in original displays which are well preserved. Rest of nature exhibition was upstairs and I almost got lost while trying to get here. There were lots of animals mostly.
Despite being confusing, the main building didn't have much of exhbitions except two pernament ones. There were few temporary ones that ended up in may unfortunately. I went to the new building through the passageway, I didn't stop to eat or get a coffee as a cafe inside felt just like usual tourist trap. I was confused where to go but I managed to find Nubian exhibit, but it didn't interest me that much. I wanted to go to 20th century history one... getting to the staircase leading to it in the new building was even worse than my confusion in the old building. The stairs felt longer than they should be to get to 4th floor. I liked the corridors though as they were really 70s...
I managed to get to the 20th century exhibition. It was my favorite one. It was split in 3 periods, interwar and WW2, 1945-1968 and 1968 to present. Direction, the placement of everyting felt confusing and direction of tour wasn't relly marked. Each period had an installation representing usual home interiors from this period. First part was about new state of Czechoslovakia created after the war leading up to WW2. Next one was the post-war, coup era to Prague Spring. I liked the Prague Spring era posters and Militsia equipment used during taming the protests. There were many artefacts from daily life and a socialist realist art. A painting of Věra Čáslavská, I didn't note the painter down unfotunately, from 1966 was probably my favorite art piece from entire exhbit. It was painted in this very soft, but full of expressive brushstokes 60s illustration style I associate more with fashionable western illustration of same period. Last part was post-1968, which both covered fall of communism, split of Czechoslovakia up to modern era. Some of interesting artefacts were a bag used to smuggle packages from the west, a photocopier donated by Americans to protesters in 1989 used to copy flyers and entire installation of a 90s home office, complete with proper computer setup with a modem that actually was on! Interesting thing was a little playroom for kids that had toys and games from all of these eras. There also was a half-floor with part about politics over these years. Next to exit there were newest additions to Museum's 20th and modern history collections displayed.
I then went to Museum on line A to get on Namesti Miru, as I wanted to get to a fabrics store in Vinohrady. I managed to find it but I bought nothing. Prices were so high and meter of printed linen was 1500czk...
Headed back to the metro to get to Zizkov Television Tower. I got out on Jiriho z Podebrad station, I found the tower easily. It looked even better in person, I went to both see the tower and installation on it. Some buildings at the ground level of the tower were so nice looking, I love good modern architecture. I wanted to go to the observation deck but unfortunately I didn't have enough of cash. It was cheaper than Petrin though, only 300czk.
After leaving the Tower park I tought about going back to my aunt's place but instead I ended up getting out Starometska as I wanted to go to the center again, I mostly wanted to see the Jewish Quarter but I got lost and I ended up going around some streets before ending in the Old Town Square. Then I wanted to go to the Spanish Synagogue but I lost again in maze of these little streets, until I noticed the building of the Czech National Bank... I knew I got to Namesti Republiky.
So I went Palladium again. I wanted to actually check if Clinique store has tester of Happy, they did. I tried it but initially I was disappointed. It felt like a old lady floral and was really weak. At this point I got really hungry and I just ended up getting some fast food. I sat down next to group of people from my country, they were actually just a year younger than me... though they thought I'm older and referred to me per Miss... I hate it!! I recommended them some places to go, they came here for few days by a car. I asked them where they are from out of curiosity and turns out they study in the capital. So I asked how life is here... I got reply what I excepted. Expensive.
My aunt called me that it gonna be raining soon and I didn't take my umbrella with me, so I came back. I rested a bit but I ended up going to Palladium again to test the new edition of Happy and version for men. Happy for Men feels so unisex and I liked it, it lasted longer on my skin than ones for women. They had a 50% off sale if you buy two products and I ended up getting a quad palette I wanted, it's really beautiful and first eyeshadow I tried that didn't cause an allergic reaction. To get 50% off I got a lipliner, I couldn't swatch it but I got what I wanted in the end. I went around the mall a bit and I came back a bit past 20. I was so tired after this day. Went to sleep not soon after.
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