3 weeks and counting....

So tomorrow I will have been here for 3 weeks....not counting that weekend getaway back to Chicago for the recital :)

This is actually a two day blog....I started it on Wednesday and am finishing today-Thursday. It took longer than I expected to load the videos.

I had a great weekend....I went sightseeing with Richard and Catherine...two of my colleagues...we had a lot of fun! We explored for almost 7 hours! Saw a lot of Prague...I posted pictures in a folder on facebook....labeled all of them. If you don't have a facebook, let me know. I will set up a flickr account....I took so many on Saturday that it would have taken a lot of space and time to get them all loaded up here on blogspot. Let's see...we started out in Old Town-ate lunch at a traditional Czech cuisine restaurant...and then went and saw the theater where Don Giovanni was premiered at, saw the famous clock in Old Town square, St. Nicholas church (I took video of this) crossed the Charles Bridge into "Little Quarter" and headed up to Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral! It was amazing. The scenery and sites are overwhelming...especially the cathedrals. Such detail and such distinct design....I also took video of a wedding taking place at St. Vitus cathedral....I took video of us entering the castle gates as well. I think I'm talking on all the videos except one-and that was St. Nicholas church...everyone was real quiet and just taking it all in and I decided to not be the American who is blabbing loudly to no one in particular while filming...:)

We ended our day by doing some grocery shopping-Richard showed us another grocery store...with a way better selection. The local store that is less than a 5 minute walk from my apartment is an express option-not the best selection. Adequate by all means, but this other grocery store has better produce and meats. I was wiped and slept really hard Saturday night...and took it easy Sunday. Monday we continued staging and then on Tuesday, we started rehearsals with the orchestra....taking an act a day. Today we went on with Act 3.....it's a difficult act music wise, so we never got to the last scene. Which was ok-Richard and I enjoyed a nice lunch at the opera restaurant and I grilled him about all things British. :)

It's been awesome. Getting to sing with orchestra is always exhilarating....and I'm reminded just how blessed I am to get to do this for a living. The whole experience over here has been amazing. Weather here has been cold and rainy-which is ok! I've gotten to debut my rain boots!! :) Wore them again this morning...and I actually have the windows open right now enjoying the rain. Feels more like October than May...good thing I was conditioned by Chicago weather not to expect too much in terms of "spring weather" :))) After rehearsal yesterday, I headed out determined to find the post office. I found it-(with the help of some locals who were very kind) the post office is set up much like our DMV or MVD depending on what state you live in :) It's a HUGE building-you walk in and get a ticket with a number on it and wait until your number is called. Very efficient...I bought a good amount of postcard stamps so expect some postcards soon :))

After rehearsal today, Richard referred me to yet another grocery store....called Albert....great selection and so good to know it's there....right across the street from the opera house!

Not too much else to report...2 weeks from today, Gabe comes!!! I'm SO excited!

Enjoy the videos! I'll blog again over the weekend! Monday is our piano dress...and I'm determined to get pictures. I LOVE our costumes and my wig is pretty cool :) I need to get some pics of my colleagues so you all know who I am talking about...wish you all could meet the cast. Everyone is just great...and our director is a hoot. I started teaching myself Italian...(don't ask) and told my director about my efforts (he speaks Italian fluently) and he was so sweet...my verb tenses were all wrong. Thanks a lot, GOOGLE. Anyway.....he was super nice....and was helping me until we had to get back to rehearsing. We open May 20...can't believe how time has flown and am grateful it has gone quickly. I'm looking forward to seeing Gabe so much and then going home. I do love me the USA. :) And I miss Chipotle. Is that awful?! :)

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!

Amber