Followa tale of a lady & the puppet
every day of my 30 days in Europe was amazing. in total, only one day was an “off” day, meaning no real plans. AND, even then, something fun happened. that month was kismet. perfection. SO, it’s difficult to pick one activity that i really loved more than another.
BUT, i was indulged. i seized the opportunity to do something i reallllly wanted to do. my favorite activity in all of my 30 days was making my make my own look-alike marionette doll in Prague – a city well-known for its marionette making & puppeteering. please, don’t misunderstand. i know some of them look freaky but my little clone doesn’t. she’s cute!
anyhow…there i was, planning the trip and all the things i had on my wish list. while i was researching i came across Truhlar Marionety as THE place to take workshops on marionette making in Prague. as i closed in on the 30 day tour and was firming things up, i decided to ask the Four Seasons Prague if Truhlar Marionety was truly the place for making puppets and they verified yes. so, then & there, it was decided and a workshop was booked.
so why is this my favorite activity? well, on a Thursday morning i showed up at the Truhlar studio for my class. i didn’t realize i was in for a 4 hour lesson but the time flew by. it was a very well thought out procedure for getting one into visualizing and actually making your own marionette. even though i fancy myself as a creative type, i found it challenging yet SO SO FUN. completely hand-made, the end result was truly rewarding as you knew you crafted the entire look of the doll yourself. the PR & marketing director was leading the workshop and the master craftsman, Pavel, (20 years in the biz) assembled my girl. how cool is that? when they could see my affinity with the pink boa they suggested adding that to my Lola marionette. i can get behind anyone who endorses the boa factor – yes, indeed. my day was so much fun and it was evident from all the smiles in the room including my Lola puppet. how could this not be my favorite activity?!
BONUS is, this is my one Prague souvenir and it cost a grand total of $60. talk about a bargain for 4 hours of learning, laughing and creating a memory plus a keepsake to bring home. it is a day i will never forget. it’s alway enjoyable to participate in my little indulgences but this one kinda took the cake. it was more fun than i hoped and more learning than i expected. i have my Lola marionette to remember Prague by but i also know more about the puppet making process as a whole and now have an additional respect for the masters who make them.
it’s a puppets tale with an almost happy ending. my Lola marionette needs a boyfriend so my next challenge is to make it back to Prague to get (i mean make) that girl a date!
Love that you incorporated the Boa in your mini-you! Sounds like a fun day out in Prague. Noticed the marionettes all over town…didn’t realize it was such a national treasure!
Anita Mac recently posted…The Night I Slept In An Ice Hotel
i wasn’t fully planning on throwing in a boa on her but the master puppet maker really thought i should. clearly he got LOLA! 😉
I was reluctant to do this, but it was my favorite thing I did in Prague. Such a great experience and Lil Leah sits on a shelf in my living room.
Leah Travels recently posted…7 Great Things about Dubai
haha thanks for indulging me. it was a dream of a day & i love our girls.
very interesting as I am not sure I would pick it for myself. But you girls had so much fun! And, I am sorry, why have I not seen it yet??
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted…Love skiing, LOVED Verbier
it’s actually far more fun that you’d think. i DO need to show you my girl!
She’s literally a mini you! This looks sooo fun xx
Scarlett recently posted…Sloth Obsessed…
it was SO FUN. i love her & the day will be a wonderful memory for a long time to come!
Olá Lola!!
I LOVE that you love pink.. your feather boa is awesome – I have the exact same type! I love collecting toys hehe <3
Yishyeeeene recently posted…Venice in Winter – Canal Grande & City Walk
so excited we’ve crossed paths. our love of PINK, feathers & toys are sure to make for a great friendship!
Mini-me? Mini-Lo? Little-Lola? L’il-Lo? Li-lo? Lilo Lola?
Oh yeah, I like it. 🙂
Lo, I really dig the fact that you did all this in Prague! I also like the photo up top where your proud smiling face is all there in soft-focus.
fotoeins | Henry recently posted…Red, white, & maple leaf: Canada’s national flag
haha Henry. you are so great! i love all the LOLA variations. you can compliment Leah on the photo you like 😉 she took it.
What a fun and unique way to spend a morning in Prague! I’ve been into the marionette shops but didn’t know you could make your very own.
Jennifer recently posted…Five Fun Facts About Fondue (And Where to Eat it in Zermatt)
i had been to Prague before & remembered the marionettes. i thought it would be something different to do than the same old thing since i’d seen all the sights before. it was very special to have the chance to make one with a master too!
Ha ha! What a fun an unique thing to do. 🙂
Cheryl recently posted…A Day Trip From Berlin … To Braunschweig.
it truly was SO MUCH FUN & a great souvenir too.
This looks like a lot of fun! I’d love to make a little mini-me marionette.
Bethaney – Flashpacker Family recently posted…Ten Great Beaches in New Zealand
it seriously was SO FUN. even for the skeptic, known as Leah, that i was traveling with! 😉
I so want to do this!
Kate recently posted…6 Long Term Travel Tips for Vegan Travelers
and so you should!!
Your Lola marionette is the coolest!!! It looks like you had so much fun and you’re kind of a pro at puppet making. Teach me your ways!
Tawny of Captain and Clark recently posted…My Travel Gear Wish List
could you imagine us doing this workshop together, Tawny?! my lil’ lola needs a boyfriend so i have the perfect excuse to do it again!! 😉
So happy I got to see your mini me on strings in person! Wish Gerard and I did that..
Kieu ~ GQ trippin recently posted…The things WE DID WRONG on our RTW trip
well, you two will just have to go back to Prague. i know you will…after all, it’s a very special place for you guys now! 😉
Super cool thing to do while in Prague. Just added it to my pinterest board of ideas for our trip over there… whenever it happens. It’s not only cool for the grown ups, but I could definitely drag my little guys along to have some fun too. We could bring home a whole family of puppets! Wahoo!
Keryn @ walking on travels recently posted…Kauai Hotels: Breaking the Mold at the Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort
yes! it really is something that anyone could enjoy doing. definitely not too difficult for kiddies!
Awwww – I LOVE this post Lola. I was in Prague for New Year’s and I tried booking a class with the very same school – they were re-opening after the Christmas break the day I was leaving so it wasn’t possible! I was so disappointed, but hey – I guess it gives me an excuse for a return visit!
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return visit, return visit!! 🙂
So glad I saw this because Prague is a place that has held a special place in my heart for more than 15 years, and I have bought marionettes there, but I had no idea you could learn to make one. What a cool activity, and $60 is so inexpensive!
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right?! i know. that’s one of the reasons i was really wanting to do this. A) Prague is famous for marionettes B) fun souvenir C) not expensive to learn something new!!
Aww, this looks like so much fun! And she looks just like you. 😉
Pola (@jettingaround) recently posted…Photo of the Week: A pier in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
it was so fun and i wanted her to look just like me 😉
You should make a Facebook fan page of your little likeness. I would follow it.
Traveling Ted recently posted…What a difference Fischer Nordic skis make for the Birkebeiner
i love you Ted. you are too good to me 😉
This is DEFINITELY something I need to do. I cannot wait to one day make a mimi-me – batting eyelashes and all!
Erin Marie recently posted…The Trees of Botswana.
you would have the prettiest marionette mini-me evahhh
lil lola is so cuuuute. we’re not sure we would have picked this for ourselves, but love that you had such a perfect day!! definitely off the beaten track.
the lazy travelers recently posted…no travel required
oh you know Lola, girls. always a bit off the beaten track 😉
See…that’s a hotel really getting to know their guest. They gave you an opportunity to make another miniature Lola:)
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted…The New and Improved Picture of the Week
haha DJ. yes…this is one great hotel that knows what Lola likes to do!