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I spent the long weekend of Easter exploring Prague with
Kris & Dave-two colleagues from Aardman. It's one beautiful city, the architecture is stunning. I didn't get too much sketching done but managed to squeeze in what follows between meals, cabarets, sight-seeing & surreal encounters with the 'night-folk'. It happened to be my 33rd birthday too so we celebrated every night with many exotic drinks and I would draw through the hang-over the following morning . . .
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The Old Town Square was heaven to draw in-I got down the astronomical clock & a quick sketch of the gothic Tyn Church.
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On my birthday we headed 40 km out of Prague to find the famous Ossuary of Kutna Hora. It's packed with thousands of skulls & bones, many of which have been used to create macabre decor. The centre-piece is an enormous bone chandelier-tackling all the detail in a drawing was daunting but I had to try.
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That evening we ate in a medieval banquet hall where we were entertained by fire-breathers, duelling brigands, belly-dancers with snakes and a dwarf pirate who put Kris in thumbscrews.
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The next day we visited the
Alphonse Mucha museum. There were dozens of his exquisite art-nouveau poster designs on show, alongside preparatory drawings, lithographs, oil paintings & sketchbooks.
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The Cathedral & Prague Castle
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The western end of Charles Bridge
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It was an enlightening trip & a fine way to celebrate my 33rd birthday. Only an hour & a half flight from Bristol it's very tempting to return soon to capture more of this charming town in my sketchbook.