The Masked Parade that wasn't

We had arranged to meet with my wife's blog buddy, who has lived here in Prague with her husband for some eight years, in front of the Starbucks in Malostranské náměstí to view the masked parade that I mentioned in my previous post.

costumed family on Nerudova Street

As it turned out it was more of a masked milling about in another square up the hill from ours called Loretánské náměstí. As we were hanging around Malostranské there didn't seem to be any sign of a parade, but there were more people in the streets than usual who seemed to be going up Nerudova Street toward Loretánské; we decided to follow along and see what the score was.

up the steps

While we were walking up the hill I noticed a couple in costumes going the same way and decided to follow them, but they ducked into a coffee shop. A few minutes later I noticed a costumed family of four going up Nerudova and decided to follow them. I figured they must know where the action is. Soon they turned off to the right in what was a long flight of stairs towards what I knew to be Loretánské náměstí. Lo and behold there was music coming from the square and, as I puffed up to the top of the stairs and turned the corner there was the action. A large crowd, some costumed others not, was gathered around a group of musicians and milling around drinking some small glasses of alcoholic beverage, and taking photos of each other. So, we decided to do the same and took lots of fun and colorful pictures.

lovely young women of Prague

Vinohrady park

Later on we took my dear old tram 22 to meet with our friend's husband for lunch at a Mexican restaurant (Las Adelitas) near their flat. My wife and I had Blue Margaritas (tequila and Blue Curacao) before lunch—starting rather early in the day, but, what the hell, it's Carnevale time, right? The food was excellent and after lunch we walked around a bit in a beautiful nearby park in the Vinohrady (means vineyards) district of Prague, bought some wine and ended the day drinking wine with the great view from their flat, before returning, again on tram 22, to our own apartment in Malostranské.

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday, and tonight we are looking forward to a costumed baroque concert and dance. It's beginning to feel like the season is slowly turning.