Fasting Fast

Woke up. Went to Czech class. Went home. Went to synagogue. Prayed. Came home. Wanted to eat. Watched TV and read. Wanted to eat. Went to synagogue. Prayed. Drank water. Went to 'Bohemian Bagel.' Bagels were unavailable; ordered a tuna melt and salad. Waited a half hour. Ate. Yum. Walked through Old Town Square. Got gelato. Yum. Walked to the tram. Went home.
Pretty boring, no?
Anyways, today's feeling in synagogue was totally different from both the Old New and the Spanish Synagogues. Today I went to the High Synagogue again, this time again being led by Rabbi Hoffberg, the Jewish History professor, rabbi, and pipe smoking aficionado. I think so at least, another guy from the synagogue was smoking flavored tobacco out of a pipe after break fast and I think he was too.
High Synagogue is a traditionally conservative synagogue, unlike the Spanish Synagogue which is much closer to reform than conservative. The morning services were held in a mixed, non-mehchitzad room, whereas in the evening service, women had to sit in a separate area [quite similar to a cage really. It had wooden bars - similar to the ones that are on the sides of stairwells for the banisters - going up to about chest height and was off to the side]. Although this synagogue was much more colorful and lively than the Old New Synagogue - and was also filled with much younger people and many Americans - it was much less solemn (as expected) but also didn't have anywhere near the personality either. The Old New Synagogue, being extremely traditional in its orthodoxy, has an internal aura that was quite great to be a part of. Whenever anyone had an aliyah... everyone in the synagogue shook their hand. Today, despite having my own aliyah, no one shook anyone else's hand, and I was one of maybe 2 people who offered a 'yeshar cohach' to the Torah reader or fellow alliyah-ers. I understand why the Old New Synagogue has survived for so long, both from its character and physical structure, and I liked its High Holiday service the most of the 3 completely different services.
This morning in the service there was a baby naming too, which was pretty special. With less than 1500 Jews in Prague, and most being of an older generation, not many kids get born every year. The rabbi claims that between 10 and 25 children are born each year, which is quite unfortunate, but I was quite fortunate to get to see one of so few baby namings.
Bohemian Bagel was quite frustrating. Every Jewish student and visitor - mainly being Americans and Israelis - in Prague was there tonight between 7:15 and 8:15. Every one. And thus, having predicted that they would all be there, Bohemian Bagel ran out of bagels by 7:30. We were quite disappointed. Luckily, to go along with their bagels, they have a great menu! Unluckily, they decided that it takes 10 minutes to make grilled chicken sandwiches, but 30 minutes to make a tuna melt and salad. After most of our party was done, the 3 of us with tuna melts still hadn't been served; when they got served and mine hadn't been toasted yet (another 10 minute ordeal), I just settled for an unmelted tuna melt. We screamed anti-semitism, but since everyone was Jewish and they all got their food, I guess the only way that could have been true would have been if they purposefully got rid of the bagels. It was still pretty satisfying. After dinner, we had terrific gelato, as Prague has all over the city. My carmel coffee mix had actual coffee beans and actual carmel candies in it too which was a nice surprise. Now that I have a full stomach and a washed body and mouth, its time to go have fun thouhg.
PS: I've seen many commercials for other countries here (similar to Arnold's 'Come to Caleeefornya' ad), but the Kazhakstan one that I just watched even tops Bosnia and Slovenia.