Prague, Czech Republic

Linka, above, is part of the story we are gathering. She is Deaf and teaches sign at two universities in Prague. She once worked as a professional mim and performed across Europe. She is also a former Miss Deaf Europe. Note that I capitalize "Deaf." It is because the Deaf are a distinct people group with a unique culture and language that is international, cutting across national borders and transcending hearing cultures.

The sculptures on media tower are another example of Czech humor. Like The Good King riding a dead horse, it is a little to the side of center.

It's been a rough two days for my colleague Mike. Last night he picked up a Matryoshka doll in a shop by the head and the bottom fell off scattering little Matryoshkas across the marble floor, removing all doubt the shopkeepers ever had about Americans. Unfortunately I was a few steps behind him and arrived in the aftermath. Tonight at dinner he was sliding his chair back from the table when it suddenly collapsed beneath him. No ... it wasn't a collapsable chair. I am anticipating tomorrow and the fun Mike will bring attempting to top the previous two evenings.

I promised a little more about this photo from the previous evening's post. Nad'a Cernikova, above,  opened the Vinarna U Maltezskych rytifu restaurant in 1992 with her husband soon after the Velvet Revolution freed the Czechs from 40 years of Soviet rule. The name translates "Wine Tavern at the Knights of Malta." The dining rooms I mentioned are 30 steps down into the cellar, putting them at about the same level as the River Vltava the house sits above. The rooms were built in the 11th and 15th Centuries, and the tunnel I also mentioned runs 650 feet to Our Lady Below the Chains church.

All photographs taken with a Canon 5D Mark II