But that did nothing to dampen the spirits of one of the most interesting guest lists within recent memory, which included U.S.-based designer Bob Puccini, in town to give the Inter-Continental Hotel restaurants a makeover; Tatjana Cechovska, whose panart promotion firm brought Larmore to town; Argentine Ambassador Juan Fleming, doing his usual gracious job as toastmaster; and arts impresario Renata Sabongui, taking a break from her duties hosting a Cambodian princess visiting Prague.

George Patton Waters, grandson of the famous general, was in town also, to take part in the V-E Day ceremonies in Plzen, and held his dinner companions spellbound with tales of his grandfather issuing orders even at home. On at least one occasion, old Blood and Guts, an avid cigar smoker, insisted on his young namesake holding his cupped hands out to serve as an ashtray. Toughness of the kind it takes to lead the Third Army on an Allied victory campaign through Europe has to be instilled young, it would seem.

But the guest who brought down the house was Sharif Omarov, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from Kazakhstan, who introduced himself to guests before dinner with his standard "Omar Sharif? Sharif Omar!" routine. During dinner he presented Cabaniss with what appeared to be an Eastern version of a Barbie doll, outfitted in electric blue, to present to Larmore. And before the night was through, Omarov had everyone at his table recruited for a fun run to his homeland. The Malaysian Embassy, meanwhile, was not to be outdone and invited the local press on a Vltava River boat trip May 5, which made for a break from the traditional activities on this weekend in Prague. Rather than parades and war memorials, some were listening in on the state of biotechnology in the Southeast Asian country, an area where cooperation with Czech engineers is much hoped for.