Hello my dears! Itās Wednesday, which means it's time for a new Pink Tutu blog post! This week, I'm writing to you from the enchanting city of Prague! This is the second time Iāve visited and I just canāt get enough.
Youāll all be thrilled to know that, as ever, Iāve had the most wonderful week, and my pink tutu has been on absolutely dazzling form! It even went to a glamorous, glamorous party at a truly impressive chateau (more on that later!), and there were SO many gorgeous vintage shops here! I can't believe how lucky I am to travel the world in my signature pink tutu - it feels like itās become my personal passport to every incredible place.
And this week has been incredibly incredible. I took my very special, very pink-tutu-loving cousin Penelope to see a show at the National Theatre, and as you know, nothing says romantic Prague quite like a theatrical performance. I think I might even have inspired her to invest in a pink tutu herself - oh the possibilities! I may even get a picture of us both in them (if you all agree to the suggestion box for future post requests).
Speaking of romantic, this city has a love affair with its beautiful architecture - everywhere you look there are incredible, storybook castles, cathedrals, and bridges - just bursting with history and culture! I simply had to take Penelope on a jaunt across the Charles Bridge. You simply have to, when you're in Prague! It was particularly wonderful to be there this week. As you know, the whole Charles Bridge was originally covered in little sculptures (think, about 30 extravagant little sculptures). Only thirty are left - and a few have been saved! One stands proudly near the end of the bridge, just where it connects to the Old Town Square. This magnificent creation features the beautiful St. John of Nepomuk standing gloriously.
He has his little hands in prayer position and his magnificent coat tails are billowing. But there's something a little unusual about this very impressive saint. In 1383, this poor chap had the ultimate fashion disaster. And in true fairy tale style it ended tragically.
Apparently heād really been pissed off with a local, very powerful chap by the name of King Wenceslaus. The King asked him for the Royal family secrets in a very formal setting - a kind of royal ācome to Jesus moment.ā The brave, bold St. John simply refused! King Wenceslaus took a real shine to that ārefuseā answer - letās just say thatās not usually what he was used to - and made a snap decision to chuck him into the mighty Moldau River, and not very gracefully either. That sort of thing would give any woman pause I must say. And you know what they say always wear appropriate footwear, when going on dates.
The local girls werenāt too pleased I donāt mind telling you and after the Moldau was over, heād become known as the patron saint of... bridges.
Of course, it didnāt quite stop there - it became a little bit of a sensation, itās fair to say and his statue was set up to honor his lifeās work! Apparently the only way it would stand was if the very same church funded the statue. They werenāt prepared to throw it all into the water. You don't say!
So there it stands now - as a testament to the very special history of Prague, and a little fashion story along the way - a very important lesson.
While Prague itself feels perfectly in sync with my ever-so-pink style, the best part of my visit had to be seeing the stunning āPrague Ballet,ā which just happened to be the highlight of my ballet day!
It was at the National Theatre, a place that truly oozes with beauty. In my mind, there could be nowhere more fitting to be in the midst of ballet glory. From the perfectly ornate facade of the theatre - featuring so many spectacular cherubs - to the gorgeous red plush velvet chairs, I knew that this was going to be a very special performance.
Oh! I just love Prague, it truly does feel like stepping out of a beautiful fairytale. The Old Town Square was a magical sight. Oh, there's something that gives me the perfect fairytale-esque feeling every time. In all that beauty, what really stands out is the 15th-century Astronomical Clock!
Youāll all absolutely love what happened.
It shows off a display of really very proud figures, it really does! Every hour, as youāre watching - it totally puts on a show - all by itself ! If I were brave, Iād have tried to have a tutu twirl with all the other tourists, but let's just say my fabulous pink tutu got a little lost in the crowd. But it did make an adorable picture with the Astronomical Clock.
Weād arrived just in time for the ādance paradeā, a show - it was really something special. If you are here in Prague don't miss it - itās a parade where everyone just dances all the way to the Town Hall Square while you're still getting ready! I got so caught up, it felt just perfect as I was busy having my own mini ādance parade.ā Iām not going to lie to you all I was a little worried I'd be the only single woman whoād gotten to the ādancing squareā. The crowd had the whole thing locked down. Thereās no getting past it, this show has it all, you have got to see it if you're in Prague Youāll love it itās all in my new āMust See Ballet Experiencesā booklet.
The square is packed to the brim with people from all corners of the globe, which always makes it exciting - you can definitely spot a tutu somewhere in the masses.
For any of you planning to come and visit, hereās what you need to do to enjoy Prague the right way :
1) Pack extra pairs of dancing shoes. You just can't go through Prague without experiencing the amazing dance scene, and you'll want a backup if one of your pairs gets caught on a cobblestone!
2) Take your camera and charge the battery the night before. I canāt emphasize this one enough - you just never know where you'll spot a ballet moment. I once found myself a little caught out in Vienna with a flat battery.
3) Be prepared to be charmed - Prague is such a beautiful city that your mind may just be swept away. Make sure you go prepared to discover all sorts of beautiful things in Prague. Donāt go into any Prague tourist shops... except for tutu-wearing Barbie ones.
The most magical thing about Prague - if you want my take on it - is the energy. Thereās this real vibrancy in the air that just pulls you in. So what better place to end the weekend with a little bit of shopping on the beautiful ParĆzska Street.
What I absolutely loved about it was all of the unique vintage boutiques with their incredible retro vibes. That truly makes me excited! You know, for me that means just one thing... Pink tutu or even pink and silver tutu, it doesn't matter which, or maybe even a pastel pink dress! I am totally going to have to come back for another gorgeous pink-tutu weekend and visit again before my new year resolutions get out of control.
I even met a sweet little dachshund in pink and let me tell you - you never know where youāll find a pink tutu twin. But let's be honest my pink tutu has been getting a lot of attention as you know. This whole pink tutu journey is the real thing for me. And Iāve finally found an even more fabulous vintage pink tutu shop... Itās called āMy Own Worldā. It has a bit of everything, especially for someone who loves tutus - all in pink.
Of course, thereās no trip to Prague complete without a little bit of Bohemian sparkle - the famous Prague glass. I did have a look in all of the shops but if I had a bigger suitcase I'd have taken some back to the U.K. I'd have bought everything! There was just so much stunning craftsmanship in Prague. All of the shops were absolutely jammed packed - even in this weather.
Just before my time in Prague, I had an amazing time travelling by train. I got really lucky. Iāve always been a big fan of trains, but this one was special because it stopped off in so many beautiful towns. Every stop was just perfectly set in its own historical backdrop, so if you're traveling through Europe, do try and take a train trip.
It is simply magical and you just never know what kind of adventure you will uncover. On one of my trains it happened to stop at a lovely station just to give me some time to see the sights and of course for me to take in the view with a big ol' cup of tea. Don't forget to keep those mugs close at hand as it definitely has the capacity to cool you down on your travels - they say there's no such thing as bad weather, but just the wrong clothing!
You can find the latest posts from Pink-Tutu.com right here www.pink-tutu.com You'll find that I have quite a collection of all of my adventures and even some really cool videos too.
My pink tutu and I would love to know which post you liked the most. Don't forget to leave me a little comment below. I will be sharing this post with the world - with my very, very lovely pink tutu family!
That's all for now, dears. But stay tuned for the next Pink Tutu blog! Until then, make sure to dance your way through life with a touch of pink and lots of tutus! š
Love, Emma x
