European Stampin’Up! Incentive Trip Prague 2011-Day 3

Hello I am back with Day 3 of our adventure and the best by far. We started off with a yummy  and leisurely breakfast I had salmon creamed scrambled eggs with chives on toast followed by fresh fruit (the watermelon was so sweet).
Next it was straight down to the Hospitality Room for sugar, coffee and one last adrenaline rush  from spinning the wheel, we each got one spin/day and the prizes were out of this world. We also got a +One gift each time and I loved this, currently we run a global promotion called +One where we are each encouraged to add one extra small thing to our businesses in order to make a big difference collectively, it was fun to see it applied to our treats as well, I love this company!!

This was a free day which meant we could do a bit of shopping and sightseeing on our own. Before we set off we took a photo of the whole UK group, Natalie organized us all and Paula kindly took photos on all our cameras, she is such a sweetie and we are lucky to have her, is like she’s one of us on these trips I love it.
What a great photo although I cannot believe that I was the second shortest !! I was wearing very flat flats that must be why lol.
We decided to stick together on this last day and we headed for the Church of Our lady Victorious to see the Infant  Jesus of Prague a small wax effigy 400 years old that is supposed to have protected the city for centuries. He is also renowned for his many costumes donated by celebrities over the years.

The baby was tiny, we joked about his face being no bigger that 1 3/8”circle punch from Stampin’Up! We did spend a bit of time in there but we couldn’t keep quiet for too long so before long we were outside heading towards the river for a boat trip down Vltava.
Before we left I had a picture taken with both my downlines that shared the trip with me. I love them both dearly, my two shiny stars, Bekka and Jules.
The next thing we found ourselves on this boat and we were cruising down the river chatting and enjoying the leisure time, none of us took any notice of the on board commentary I think we were all happy to just chill and enjoy each other’s company.
Top left, Amanda Fowler and Paula Gorry, below Frank Manu loving my wasabi peanuts the label said perfect day and we all agreed it was, bottom Michelle Last myself and lovely Jo Dumbleton enjoying a glass of wine, the lovely Natalie O S’hea who’s bartering skills come in handy organizing a great deal for the tour, top right lovely Jules who looks stunning in every photo you take of her and below right a picture of Jo’s Bar we found earlier.
As we left they were playing the Titanic song, what a hoot LOL !!!
After the boat trip I had one thing left to do on my agenda. The day before while trying to find our hotel we came across this gorgeous shop, it was a homeware shop with lots of gorgeous pretty things, and both myself and Michelle  needed to return to it and make some purchases. So the group split and myself Amanda and Michelle went in search of the pretty shop, thank God for Amanda’s excellent map reading skills, we found the shop in record time.  We then stopped for something to eat before returning to the hotel. We had one hour to get ourselves dolled up for our gala dinner.
I had a hard time buying a dress this year and finally settled on a dress from a Scottish designer, however I feared that I would look a bit overdressed in it. Well I needn't have worried as our final dinner location blew me and the others away. The  building below is the Archbishop of Prague’s residence and WE were having dinner inside these walls. It was so very hard to believe this was happening to me, all I did to deserve this was sell stamps !!! really good stamps !!!

Unbelievable as this place is not open to the public and you need special permission to go inside it never mind to have dinner there. Ivana our tour guide told us later that in all the 17 years working as a guide this was only her second time inside the residence. This is where the Pope stops when he visits!!!  And as soon as we entered it was WOW!! everything from the opulent decor all gilded, the waiters offering refreshments and yummy canapés was just to overwhelming. We started taking pictures of every little detail, it was magical.
All the groups were busy taking some shots and we all had a laugh when the French girls gathered around their manager to have a fun shot. The French girls looked Tres Chic !!

Next thing we know our own sex symbol Frank Manu took Jerome’s place in that chair with all of us round him trying to recreate the same shot. It was so funny to see.

Of course it was Axel turn next and all the  German trip achievers.
The German girls were so much fun as well on this trip, they are extremely talented and I am so grateful to them for speaking very good English, I was able to get to know them a bit better.
The UK group with our sweetheart Paula Gorry , how glam do we  look? such a great bunch of girls !!

All together now for the *pout or pose shot*….so funny I love Shelli’s and Sterling’s poses  and Pam Morgan cracks me up
All the formal shots got a bit to much and when it came to have a shot with my sweet friend Vanou we decided it was time to goof around, I love this girl!!

And not long after this it was time to go inside and take our seats for dinner, what came next silenced me and stopped me in my tracks.

The table looked stunning all red and gold with shimmering lights/candles. And it took all of us at least 10 minutes to realise that the backs of the chairs were not red n white in fact that was yet another gift, a beautiful cherry cobbler scarf for each of us. 
A few amazing details
Top left- wonderful favours (they had yummy chocolate), middle top-beautiful silver cloches service, top right-the menu showcased in a very fitting gold ornate frame, lower down- the main course (my favourite course), bottom left - view of the table, centre- our crab salad starter, below- the place setting, across middle-the musicians wearing period costumes, bottom right our fish course.
Michelle captured a snippet of that magic around the table in this short video I hope she won’t mind me sharing it with you.

It was truly a treat and one I enjoyed immensely,  when will I dine in a state home again? the answer is probably never!!
Talk about feeling spoilt and appreciated, SU truly are the best!!  I kept thinking all I did to deserve all this was share what I love most with others. And I was grateful more than ever to the lovely lady that started it all, Shelli Gardner.

We had some coffee and pralines after dinner and then it was time to go back to the hotel. There was still too much excitement in the air and we planned to have a quiet drink in Julie’s room, and at midnight I had  a little rendezvous planned with my French friends. And we had one last gift waiting for us and * OH-EM-GE !!* I couldn’t believe my eyes

A doctor’s bag for the Big Shot!! With Prague logo on and the tag read *Just in Time*, I think the excitement is evident we were jumping up and down in my bed modelling the big shot bag. I did tell the girls I would try and sleep in it that night but of course I didn’t fit in it,  the closest I come to it was to wear it as a hat !!! what  a fabulous hat though love it!! By this point I just couldn’t take any more.
We chatted some more and we eat gorgeous chocolates that my sweet friend Poupette brought and by the time I was alone in the room my phone said it was 2.13 am.
How very exciting that the room phone displayed my name and room number ?

As I was getting ready for bed I realised that there was one thing missing, my card forecast for the next day, we had one each night but not this night. They knew I was going home next day . Anyway by this point it was time for the magic spray again..
I want to thank Vanou and all my demo friends for letting me use some of their fabulous photos to illustrate my story. Mine and Jules adventure was not finished as we still had a morning to spend in this beautiful city. Thank you for joining me till next time big hugs.
If you want to follow the whole story find day 1 HERE and day 2 HERE .