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Lovely Melissa kicked down some dough via FeedTony.com so I used it to eat like Czech royalty at U3 Cernych Ruzi near the castle in Prague. I had a delicious goulash with a couple of nice American girls.

The next day, I met a couple of cool Canadians and had an incredible meal and conversation. Honey duck with Carlsberg dumplings (I wish I had my camera). Yum yum yum! We sampled each other's meals so I got a taste of boar's meat and some flavorful potato gnocci in my friend Michael's Czech Pan... a meal so big the three of us couldn't finish it. Don't mess with Czech gnocci folks.

Glad you had a great time in Mexico, Mel. Miss ya!

Labels: Czech Republic, Food

I met a mother and son staying in my room last night in Prague and we had a great dinner together where I had duck and a taste of boar meat. Thanks again, Melissa! We had some fantastic conversation about the journey of life. We took a stroll through the Old Town Square and I turned in relatively early so I could wake up at 4:30am to catch my flight to Amsterdam.

The homeless shelter, I mean, hostel I'm staying at is right near the central station and other than the free internet, that's where the positive ends with this place. The good thing is, I got myself and I Amsterdam card and I've been out on the streets hitting museums, restaurants (this time sponsored by Paul N.!), and a brewery.

I don't have much time to blog in the hallway of this hostel but I do have to comment that my visit to the Anne Frank House was especially emotional this morning after the Auschwitz visit earlier this week. A girl, a talented writer... losing her life for no reason. It killed me to read quotes on the wall and see where she and her family hid for so long. And to die a month before the liberation, I couldn't breath in there. There is some justice in her dream of having a book published coming true posthumously.

I headed to the Rijksmuseum after lunch but got completely sidetracked when I came across the Heineken Brewery. I must say, it was a pretty fun experience and lightened up the day a bit.

This Heineken link may take you to a video greeting, I have no idea.

Eventually, I escaped the brainwash and free beer and made it to see some lovely Rembrandt and Vermeer paintings. I think it's nap time and then maybe a canal boat ride or some strolling around town. I hope to make it to Haarlem this weekend and Rotterdam Sunday evening where I'll fly back to London.

Labels: Czech Republic, Netherlands

From my Moleskine while waiting in Kolin train station:

One thing I regret is not being able to present the level of WTHness I've experienced on this trip. I'm constantly feeling lost. Not knowing local languages keeps me in this state as I'm trying to navigate through train and bus terminals. Important information is constantly being squawked out of speakers all around. Signs are written in combinations of letters I've never seen before, each with additional accent marks and decoration that raise my eyebrow. I wish I could videotape every moment but it just doesn't feel safe to do while I'm traveling alone. (unfortunately for you, I've also kept my still camera in my pocket most of the time... I still haven't gotten over the idea that holding any electronics in my hands says "please rob me" while also stealing my attention away from would-be pick pockets. American paranoia or street smarts, you tell me)

But this navigating through country after country, made me think about how we all have to navigate through life. Life certainly isn't clear all of the time. We're constantly getting lost along the way, but we tread on to our destination. Sometimes we're late getting there but we make it. I think we have to remember how much we learn on the journey.

Getting lost familiarizes us with places we've never been. I've been in Prague one day and I was surprised today (and sort of impressed with myself) at how quickly I walked out of my hostel, hopped a tram to I.P. Pavlova, jumped on the C metro train, and ended up eating a sausage in Wenceslas Square for lunch, in less than 20 minutes. I got here yesterday.

Labels: Czech Republic

More and more wandering through old cities. After filling my empty belly with the breakfast buffet at the Czech Inn, I set out on the town to see the Old Town Square, the beautiful Charles Bridge, the Jewish Quarter (Josefov), and Prague Castle. I'd been planning to do a bike tour of the city since my sweaty, aching feet were growing tired of walking hills all morning but as I searched for the bike rental place, I realized that I hadn't really seen anyone on bicycles around town except for messengers. So I hoofed it the rest of the afternoon.

The fatigue made things seem less than impressive. What I did like was the extremely ornate art nouveau building facades. Very ornate, I kept thinking. And the top corners of every building had really incredible spires. I believe the city is called "city of a thousand golden spires" or something like that. So I spent a lot of time looking up. I also sought out a building called the "Dancing House" which was designed by Vlado Milunc and the American Frank Gehry. The curvy modern design was apparently inspired by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

Note: When visiting Prague and buying a metro/tram ticket, make absolutely sure that you validate your ticket by slipping it into one of the yellow validation machines at the entrance to Metro stops or inside trams. The fine is a stiff 500Kc which is collected on the spot. I heard from at least six people who were fined just as they arrived. Welcome to Prague, gimme your money, American! (I bought a three day pass and validated it after hearing observing the similar tram situation in Krakow)

Back at the hostel, I met my roommates who were all Americans. In fact, the hostel is like living in a college dorm at some American college. I joined a couple of them, Rebecca and Ally, for dinner at Cernych Ruzi near the castle. I had a really yummy meal of goulash, salad, and cake (Thanks Melissa!) The rest of the night I walked around town til very late at night. Oh! I even ran into a prostitute! As I walked by, I thought this girl said, "Six". I was thinking, six what? Maybe she wants 6Kc because I'd run into beggars in Poland who wanted 1z all of the time (which gets you a pretzel, 1Kc gets you almost into a bathroom here). Anyhow, ten feet later I realized she said, "Sex?" So I turned around and said, Yes, of course I'd like sex. How about for six?

Okay, I said nothing and kept walking but I did see some shady tourist dude dealing with another one a few steps away. Good times in Prague.

Notes: I'm told that a lot of British men come to Praha for stag parties. I overheard one person saying that it's almost like Las Vegas for them. Cheap booze, cheap women. Small casinos on various corners. Who knows?

Tonight, I'll try to see about this Vegas business. Right now, I've gotta figure out how to get to my 6am flight to Amsterdam tomorrow.

Labels: Czech Republic

I have a lot of blogging to catch up on but I'm at an expensive internet cafe and can't afford to bore you with more field reports. I do have to share my last day in Poland with you at some point which involved spending most of the afternoon at Auschwitz Extermination Camps and racing after trains. (Faisal, I kept hearing you say 'ya, Krakow' in my head. Happy Birthday man... though after actually going to a concentration camp, the joke's lost something)

I did make it safely to Prague in the Czech Republic via my first night train trip (complete with rambling Russian woman who eventually got kicked off the train). I'm staying at the Czech Inn for two nights. I've taken a lot of photos and done too much walking already so I'm about ready for a nap and then maybe a pub crawl.

Thursday morning I'll be heading to Amsterdam for the weekend. Each European city I get to gets more and more crowded with tourists. But I must say, some of these tourist girls are incredible looking. ::sigh::

Oh! Magda sent me a link to some Soup Festival photos. Check 'em out.

Labels: Czech Republic, Videos