May 17 - It just keeps getting better.

This morning most of the group started off at Palace Plus, the flagship bead store located in the old corporate building of Jablonex. Last year it was called Preciosa Palace, the year before that Jablonex Palace, this continually name changing store looks and feels the same as the previous stores but more jewelry and less components. The check out process was agonizing, and one sale took over 45 minutes to ring up and cash out.

 A few of us even designs some necklaces on the spot.

They even had some of the fashion show dresses on display.

And a Lampwork setup.

While this was going on, Guy and Stefany had a private appointment with the curator of the Museum of glass jewelry. Stefany had questions about bead research she was conducting, and I was was just hanging out. It was so interesting seeing behind the scenes and having the full attention of the knowledgable curator I started asking my own questions. Stefany was very sweet and said I was asking good questions which helped her - but I think next time she will ditch me. Sorry Stef.

We made an impulse stop at a church mentioned by the Curator as  Art Nouveau and possibly the church Floor Caspers described on her blog as having stained glass windows depicting beads. No such luck, but the church was very nice and the only church I have seen with a gallery of nude women displayed on the walls.

After catching up with the rest of the group at Palace Plus we straggled over to our next stop which was located in the coporate building next to Palace Plus.
There we found tons of Rizos, super duos, 2 holed pyramids, and many other 2 holed beads as well as 1 holed lentils and Miyuki seed beads that have unique coatings put on them in Czech Republic that makes them special.

Lunch was at a restaurant next door that I had been bragging about all week as having the naked lady room to eat in. When we got there, to my dismay it had been painted over. The meal was still good.

With 2 hours til our last appointment of the day back in our hotel, most of us walked back to the hotel from the restaurant in drizzling rain while I drove others back in the car. We had released the bus for the weekend.

At 4 o'clock our last appointment showed up with all her stock, daughter and husband (the translator) along with their 1 month old daughter and proud grandfather.

Lenka paints freehand on glass buttons and paperweights, while her father paints vases. He had learnt this technique many years ago before the Russian invasion of 1968 but was prevented from using it the way he wanted during those years because he was forced to work in a factory painting one style of flower over and over on vases, conveyor belt method of mass production. When the Velvet revolution of 1989 occurred and the communists left power, Lenka and her father started their business. She is the only artist who paints glass buttons in this style in Czech Republic.

Dinner was in the cave.

 we had two different fondue pots. It was a lot of fun. We even had a few exciting moments with some fire jumping out at the waitress.