Splake Spolt: Prague and Vienna

With the World Psychiatric Association annual conference being held in Prague this year, we braved the 21+ hours of flying time and headed to Bohemia.

Owen, a friend of ours, lived here for several years while doing his medical training, and gave us a great "to do" list, from lunch at Vaclav Havel's favorite restaurant to musical performances at the iconic Obecni Dun (Town Hall). Given the density of great music here, it was incredibly easy to pick up same-day tickets for top-notch performances: Vivaldi, Smetana, Dvorak and many others. The highlight, however, had to be seeing La Boheme at the Prague State Theatre, an ornate hall with an intimate scale and excellent acoustics.

Other highlights included a visit to the Botanical Gardens, Prague Castle and the surrounding hills of Petrin Park to enjoy the Fall colors--especially appreciated as the only seasons in Wellington are Early Spring and Late Spring (it's always windy season). Of course, there were the obligatory strolls through Old Town, Lesser Town, New Town and along the Vltava River; all of which were facilitated by the city's magnificent (and well-used) transit system (I.P. Pavlova!)

After the conference, we took the train to Vienna, where we undertook a whirlwind tour of the Ringstrasse and stopped by Freud's flat on Bergasse. Hey, that frau in the waiting room looks familiar!