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Ok back again, another Friday night here in Praha. It's been a good week. Up's and down's abound, but on a whole good. Midnight my time dinner time your time, I wonder what's happening at home. Elmira College sounds like it's got one big cold, and the weather, well that's NYS for you. Dinner was the same old same old here, and still good by me. Tomorrow I think I'll make the attempt at getting to the Delvita and getting some food for the week. Their is a possible hot plate deal in the works here, and so that would mean some hot food in the hotel. At least pasta, and rice, and perhaps some other fried things. I didn't get out the university of Charles today, and although I was disappointed I'll do it next Friday. My professor, the one who's husband is the man whom I'll be speaking with was busy and so I didn't go over. However on the bright side I did meet her husband and so at least we had that contact established. Last night we headed into the weekend a little early, and so the morning was a little rough around the edge's. Martin and Craig and John and I all hitting up the pivo. But we're big boys and we know how it works "do the crime, do your time" John was especially haggard this morning but pulled through. We went to a pool hall near home and shot a few rounds. Tonight they all went out, some club was having a few bands, a Red Hot Chili Peppers and a Rage Against the Machine cover group. I decided to stay in. They criticize me but I'm just not that exciting of a guy, and I was tired. Aubrey and her boyfriend Kyle returned from Poland and said that it was nice, but that Krakow was very commercialized, and so that was nasty but all together good. Aubrey got sick, and so is now in bed with a cold. Most of us had something like a cold over the past few weeks, so it was her turn. I'm going to go looking for a Mummy bag here, or something better, thinking about doing some hiking, and it's far to cold not to have an adequate sleeping bag this time of year. Fall hiking at home was always so rewarding that I really want to do some here too, but it will all depend on pricing and timing. So hard to say right now. We all watched as Slobadon Malosivich was ousted, and the riots raged down in Yugoslavia. Part of me would have liked to be on the streets of Belgraid while it happend, shooting film and recording the moment. I'm sure you'll all take confort that I couldn't have as I can't get into the country without visa's so regardless, I would have been here in Praha. But now that they have a new president, the laws will be changing daily, and perhaps in a few months it will have cooled down enough to go and check it out. Again, hard to say right now.
Sunday at this point and morning.
This was to turn out a less than exciting weekend here. Again it was nasty out for most of it. Cold and raining, and windy sums it up. I read another book, Tom Clancys "Net Force" and I'd advise it to anyone. It was very good and would like to thank one Clancy fan I know in Elmira, cheers Noah. What should I hit up next? More net force, or go back to the basics that I missed like "Rainbow Six"? Ah we'll have time for that back in the comfortabule VR realms of home. "Net Force" made me remember that I was one of the people who knew things pretty well on the internet and could find 'things' for you. It made me miss the instand access that I use to have and the pretty much unlimited stream of information that I was exposed to. Here that are craving it, and the internet cafes are full. So to with the computer labs at school. If I had to invest some money, I think an ISP here in Eastern Europe would be the way to go. Ok so I'm a nerd who enjoys VR, so. I can deal with the RW too, and here in Praha younever know what your going to get into next. One night you're in your room, reading about Idaho, the next your climbing onto a night tram with the very distinct smell of stiff drinks and bo deordant. I coul be having crazy dreams one early morning, or fighting the sun in a non-stop. This can be a strange place like that. Been thinking about how things are going to go when I get back to the world. What I'll be doing next and all, I'm thinking some sort of legitimate job. We were looking trying to think up the stranges ocupation you might be found in a few years. It was a fun game. It was determined that I might be that strange guy driving around the local school bus. I said, what are you talking about, nobody who drives a school bus is "Normal"! But getting back to here and now. The day looks like it's going to be gusty overcast, but not rainy, and cold. It may be a good day to go up to one of the local hills for a walk. (If I can get away from this computer, and my feather quilt) then around the city a bit. The stores are all closed on a Sunday and only the cafes are open. Tourists usually flood into some regions like Josov, on Sundays, because some one was bright enough to tell them to stay out on Saturday. But with the weather like this I may even venture into the Jewish quarter for a bit. I don't mind the cold and the wet, all of the time, and soon enough it'll shuck the wet and just be cold! So I'd better be OK with that. The BAD CD is almost done spinning, (thanks Bob) Got my first hike planned out. Allison and I at least, will be heading north approximately 4km to a shrine some catholic thing out on the northern boarder of the city. It should be a good hike, there are trails leading north from our part of the city. They meander around, up toward another small village, and then out into the country, north by northwest toward the shrine, or what ever it is. In total I expect that we should cover 8-9km in total, and we should be heading out next Saturday on this. The news is still all about the escalating violence in Israel. Sad as today is Yom Kippur, and if memmory serves they've had wars on this day in the past. You'd think that they could learn. Services are going to be tonight at Psrizka 3 Praha 1 Josov at 19:00, some French Rabbi for the final sufar blowing. I think that the gang is planning dinner tonight at the same time. Also today I was in the museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. They had an impressive collection of textiles, in a rather unique display. Everything so to preserve was sealed into a climate controlled glass case. Now this is not unusual by any means in the museum world, but they were like large aquarium tanks, so you could get al around them, and they incorporated thin and light metal for support so that you didn't even notice the cases as such. In addition they used horizontal drawers to house samples of textile work, each pulled out and was another glass case. On display was various pieces of clothing, period and class organized, tapestries , and on the second floor a good display of the Papal finery that was part of Prague when the seat of Catholic power was moving around Europe. This was their main display, in the rotation exhibit they had up a modern artists work. Mostly metal work, aluminum and case, painted all of it. He based most of his work on organic forms, vines and lilies. A unique blend of function with aesthetic appeal. It reminded me of some of the things used in the movie Edward Scissors Hands, that sort of dreamy/nightmarish creation. Sadly I could not take any pictures of this. It was forbidden and the rooms were guarded by gallery attendants, so I'm afraid that you're going to have to come to Praha to see it.
'Half a can only now, it's late,
and you don't really need it.
Anyway you cut it, it's going to give you the shits.'
Lately the voices in my head have been completly rational,
or all together silent.
Once I thought the day would never come,
but now I miss them like I never thought I would.
Maybe it's in the water, maybe something in the air.
Here; it is missing, and I don't even feel it when I'm drunk.
That little creative spark that use to burn so brightly.
While subjected to the forces of the world,
banished from the world of conventions,
"Be sensible, logical" They all say.
Unleashed by the scotch, Yuengling, and Wild Turkey.
I can still type, with the back space key being at a premium.
But some thing is not the same, and as much as I miss it,
and I search for it, I just can't seem to find it.
Some times I miss my little blue/green nights,
Retarded, and alone, and introverted fully.
The secrets of the world, inside me,
the doors wide open,
if I can only survive the trip.
And I suppose maybe I've just not had the limits pressed here.
Not having any safety net it seems that it wouldn't be hard to do.
Life must be to good here.
So Pivo after Pivo after Pivo after Pivo,
I'll keep adding on,
until the answers come back into focus,
Or the world never does again.
Christine!
You'd love this place, you've got to come here some time. This is a city full of clubs, the arts, and most of all interesting people. I'm trusting that Marissa has been forwarding everything I'm sending back around to all of you, especially the pictures. I was in the graveyard here again today. It's like something out of a dream, and the only place that is really magical here in Praha for me so far. It's like you're no longer in the city but in some medieval forest, and it's full of these graves that are a few hundred years old, but it's more than that. Each grave it marked by so much more than a stone. They are like little temples every one of them. Probably owing to the Catholic influence on this place, it being the seat of the Holy Roman Empire once. People thought long and hard about dying here, and spent money to ensure that they were not forgotten. Most of the graves are still tended to even now. As you may have read I was rejected from the Jewish Cemetery, I looked like basically a skinhead wearing his yarmulke, but it turned out that I was just dumb. The place had just closed. I get nailed for Metro pass inspection on the subways and trams all the time for looking punk. So I thought it may have been that at first that kept me out, but then I tried my Czech out and managed to read the hours in Czech only to find that they were up. Been writing to Erin back and forth, I miss her bunches. I expect that well give things a go when I return home. So that should be exciting. How are things going for you? I hear that You and Rissa have a show and that your keeping the namesake alive and well. You know I remember that a T-shirt was suppose to be going around from the radio station too. One with a bunch of faces on the back. Mine was the mutate with me smilie guy if you've got one. I never got a shirt, and only heard that they were coming. Listing to some wonderful Ska here now. The punks here in Praha are a little scary, they aren't to friendly, and like the gutter punks from the 70's. Perhaps if my language skills were better, but I've got another few months. Avail is playing at the Roxxy, the dahlia Lama is speaking here in a few days, and I am hiking out of town about 8km to a shrine on Saturday, and then coming back to watch fear and loathing in Las Vegas, totally messed up that night.
I like it here, but I don't think that I could ever call Praha my home. You can take the boy out of the village, but not the village out of the boy. Cities are dirty, and loud, and no matter how neat, nothing without your friends. So part of me if looking homeward daily, and longing to be there. That day will come soon enough though.
Ali my roomie and I are going to jet and head to Krakow at the end of the month, spend a few days and then bum our way back to Prague. See how that goes! I'm thinking it should be a good time, and we both have good coats and backpacks so we should do well.
Ok I think that it's nap time for me. May go out to the pub later, but I've got homework to do too, and once again I'm behind. Some things never change.
much love,
mal
10/11/00 21:10:06
Ok, where to begin today's tale of field tripping. How about at the end as it's the point nearest to me and then with a clever twist the begging. Only to arrive once again at the end, and thus set you al up in a loop of titanic proportions. Sound's good right!
So I'm sitting here in my room as the gang is down in the lounge, playing chess, and carrying on. Some, Allison, Aburey, Ali, maybe more are planning to go down to the Bohemia Bagel, I think they've left. They have a cyber cafe down there you know, and you can send E-mail. I would be there too, only that wouldn't make any sense because I'm writing this now, and I'm in my room as before stated. But I'm not always in my room, regardless of what it would seem by my E-mail's. In fact two days ago I was in the National Cemetery, and all I can say is that they take dying seriously here. If you think that you've seen something, you haven't lived until you've walked this cemetery. I mean they don't just plant a rock at your head, end of story. My god no, this is a place almost as elaborate in death as it is in life. And if your burial plot comes in under 10 tons then you're not welcome here. This is a place that goes far beyond a hole in the ground, here they stack rocks, make castles, monument seems too diminutive of a word, really. So as I was saying I was walking through the national Cemetery, here in Praha and taking photos. It's going to be a presentation, based on a comparative analysis of how our two cultured view the final resting of there people. Really to much for this simple E-mail, but it should afford me a grade in CZ Social and Cultural History. No here in this grave yard, no, cemetery it is like being in an ancient forest. Quiet and tranquil, very pleasant, but at some points you couldn't look more than 3m before there were to many monuments so see any further. This was especially true of the inner parts, where as in the outer parts of the cemetery their was more room, and less tended stones. Here I took the liberty of seeking out statuary depicting angles for Wanda. This small sample doesn't even begin to do it justice. This is a place where if you've seen Arlington, with its rows upon rows of white stones is similar only each grave is about the size of a minivan in area. Some of the mausoleums are like small as I've tried to capture in the pic's as well. Now I'm not sure what class of people occupy these plots, but I'd say wealthy. They're also less impressive graves here, but they don't really begin until after the first world war, and so with the depressions that wrecked the world. So once again I was in this cemetery, walking around and thinking, as they tend to be good for, and I decided to go across to the Jewish section as well. Something to note in the report, and see, as there is a beautiful synagogue on the site too. Now this is funny in retrospect, but at the moment a little embarrassing. I rounded the walls, looking up at the synagogue, and came upon an enormous gate. There was a man inside, he came up to the gate and opened it and walked in. Now of course I decided to try this simple and direct method of entry, but alas was rejected. Now I stood outside of the gate looking in. I was reading the smattering of English that was presented. "Yamuka required, doorman will let." ok good, "Closed on Jewish holidays, and Saturdays" right, Yon Kippur was the day before, and it wasn't Saturday. I was really at a loss here and the old man inside just stood staring at me, some dumb guy in torn up jeans, my A1 flight coat, and a shaved head. Now in retrospect I'm guessing this is why he neglected to speak with me, very shallow on his part, but people with that image usually are not welcome in Jewish neighborhoods. At this point I was left with a choice, I could leave, or I could stand at the gate and attempt to make out the Czech. It was now starting to rain, as well. I decided to try my luck with the Czech, and to my great shock I was able to make out a great deal. They were going to be closed for more than a few days, and I was there standing at the gate at closing time. Not the sharpest spoon in the drawer, this I can admit to being, but from now on I'm going to try the Czech first. So I'll be going back for more field work in general and a little earlier for the Jewish section of the cemetery.
Now at this point your probably saying to yourselves, "this is all fine and dandy, but what about the field tripping" and I can answer you, this. It was an early day this Wednesday that my companions and I boarded a bus and headed out of the city. I had the biggest headache and I swear that every tour bus I've ever been on was built for the average height of a pigmy. Now mind you I've never thought of myself as a tall man in this age of six footers, but the accommodations were close. We had to be on board the bus at eight O'clock this morning, and this isn't especially early, but we had to be at the Jarov dorm's to do this. And as you've no doubt come to realize by my frequent whining that this locations is at least one inconvenient hour by any form of mass transit; away from where I live. So My alarm sounded off this morning at six AM and it was still dark, and cold here in this side of town, as I'm sure it would have been at Jarov, had anyone been up at this hour over there. We climbed aboard the tram at six forty five, and headed east. On board was this kid, some punk, hunched over in his chair with his head between his knee's. He looked like he was still breathing so I didn't mess with him any, but their was some speculation later as to whether he really was breathing or not. So to say the least this rough morning didn't come without complications unto itself , in a way that only Praha has presented to me so far. After several herky-jerky minutes on board this tram we came to a subway station and took the metro in an attempt to speed up the process. Leaving behind the well past inebriated youth, with what was not a tram crowded with passengers, and after a quick jaunt on the metro, were back on another tram, again headed west. In what amounted to about an hour, we finally arrived at the dorms, cranky, and ready to get this show on the road. "Where are we going again?" Someone shouted out. "Karvoly Vary" came another voice. Craig who was sitting next to me, and was not feeling well at all asked me at this point what the "Vary" meant in Czech. The best I could do was "Spa" for him. Karlovy Vary is the Czech name for what most know as Carlsbad, or the springs of Charles. Here hot springs flow up from the earth, twelve of them I think. Each one having different properties, and since the 1800's have been prescribed as they still are by doctors to cure various ailments of the digestive system. But this town has more distinctions than that, oh to be sure, but which of them should I begin with. How about Becherovka. Here this potent herbal liquor has been produced sine 1808, and like the hot springs has been prescribed for just as long to be taken medicinally. We toured the distillery and received a sample, which like anything that is 38% alcohol did most of us who were under the weather right up. It's not like any taste that I can describe to you, and I can only say look for it at home, and try it. The recipe is only know by two people, a generation and locked in the local bank as well for safe keeping, and they prepare each batch. Strange stuff, but it works for the Czechs so I'm gonna go with it too. This was called the thirteenth spring of Carlesbad and soon they added a fourteenth and fifteenth to the list with two variations for diabetics, one with little and one with no sugar. Very considerate of them, I thought to myself as I saw the 4000 liter casks of the stuff aging in the cellars. Another interesting facet of this town is that it is an active spring and medicinal spa, and so draws people from all over the world. Mostly Germans and Russians at this point, which I will come back to in a moment. Here it is situated on a small creek like a slice of Venice on a canal. The building's are hard to describe they are so beautiful, and for anyone who knows worlds end state park in Pennsylvania, it is set down in a valley like the loyalsock creek. So we stood in the afternoon sun and walked along this waterway looking up at the buildings and hills, and you could understand how you would come to this place regardless of the water if you weren't feeling well. This leading to the current trends in visitation. Now besides us, a groups of students, promised a beautiful city and a distillery, there are a lot of Germans. This has been for a long time a popular and historic resort and Germany knew this, that's why it has a German name as well! So that takes care of them, but the Russians. Now it's rumored that this is the new hot spot for the Russian Mafia, and that they not only come here to relax, but own a huge stake in the town. Here the members of their organized crime families, come and make their deals, buy and sell, ect. Here the signs are in Russian, and German first and Czech last. And as we found out being very rudely served by a waiter, that if you can speak some Russian, you'll be treated better here. Needless to say he did not receive a tip for his attitude, as it wasn't listed on the menu card. But we sat and I enjoyed a cup of tea, and listened to the sounds of the cafe and a soft harmonica drifting up from up stream. Then departed on the walk that generated all of the pics I'm attaching to this E-mail. As I walked about, the idea crept up, could you take such a place for granite, and I think not as I've always been awed by our beautiful places at home, no matter home many times I've been there. After a few hours I was back on the bus again, with the promise of dinner. Great I thought, we'll be eating in one of the local places. I'm fond of stopping in the Hospudkas, or pubs, but no. After a lengthy trek back toward Praha, we stopped at a place akin to any truck stop dinner in the stated and ate. Nearly thirty of us mind you, and we were all hungry. So after about an hour we were being served, the smallest chicken schnitzel I've ever seen, along with some less that savory potato pancakes. I ate it all, even the garnish. And as my mother has said in the past, and was proved once again, I'll never go hungry. It didn't matter what it was at that point, I was hungry, and it tasted good, and since CESP was getting fifty krone's of the bill I didn't even pay too much for it. So needs were met, and hunger was appeased. The ladies working there were really nice, and knew that we didn't all speak Czech, nor read it, but only had German menus and could only speak German as an alternate language. I had no problems as I can speak, and read enough of both to get what I like on the menu, and the rest of the class managed pretty well with some help of those of us who new the languages a little better. After another hour and a half, we were boarding the bus again and headed home. It had just begun raining and we all felt relived to have missed the rain, having a cool, but sunny day out. And the best news was that we were going to be dropped off back at our hotel, and spared the torturous tram ride back. And so now after a cup of hot chocolate I've being petitioned to once again go out. This time to the Bar-Bar up the road, to catch a pint, but again as you've no doubt gather by my letter continuing on, I've turned it down. Sitting here in the comfort of my room, braces and laces, and a little Ska music is just too much to give up to the now cold and damp night. Because tomorr'a, will be, another beer, don't you think Scarlet should have said that. Well she's never been to Praha either, so she wouldn't know any better really. And with that I'll add the descriptions of the pics, and say once again, bye for now, I'll write'cha all more later, love you, and miss you.
mal
10/10/00 21:56:24~ Zizkov Rose~
Back once again in the fortress of solitude, otherwise known as the Hotel Krystal, I eat chocolate and sip wine. They're both food groups here you know, cigarettes too I think. Dinner was taken with Karie, one of the Canadian girls in our group. She being a vegetarian took me to a Hari Krishna place, some Indian restaurant, but not really. What I mean to say is that it was not exactly a restaurant. You came into this place and the spices hit your nose immediately. Burning incents and such dominated the ground floor. Not something that would normally add to a pleasurable dining experience. But as we crossed this threshold we proceeded up a small spiral staircase and into a small room, not to unlike a cafeteria. There were many Hindu icons in the form of paintings on walls of this establishment, and the soft sounds of metal scraping. Karie explained to me how it worked here. You either paid the small plate fee or the large plate fee. If you paid the small plate fee you would get a smaller portion, and that was it. But if you added the extra 15Kc's you got the large plate, and portion, and could have seconds. I not being all that hungry chose the small plate, which went like this. You approached a large and menacing looking man behind a small set of steaming trays. You told him mala or velmi small or big, and he took up a steel tray, like the kind you see in military, or prison films. He then would dish you a portion of what was for dinner today, and slide it over to you. Now this is how it worked, their was only one thing for dinner, and everybody got it. Tonight was rice and curried potato, beet paste, a little salad, soup and a dab of applesauce. You took your utensils and a steel cup and sat at an empty table, where there was a pitcher of water with lemon in it. Now Karie tells me this is how it works in India, and so was an authentic experience. I said that the pink stuff looked like thick Pepto-Bismal, but this was before I had tasted it and discovered that it was beet. It was all very good actually, and more than met the basic requirements for nutrition, as it tasted good too. I can say that I would return to this place again. I then tried to explain to the best of my knowledge of what was happening in the middle east with Israel to her. This I must admit came to me as a bit if a shock that someone as well traveled as she would have no understanding of even where Israel was and its size and bordering nations. I tried to explain the standpoints of the nations involved and how it had been happening since man was able to recorded to read about it. How this was a war led by politics and factions, radicals, and what not, and nothing to take sides in. Then we walked back to Staromenska station to get the subway back toward home. Across old town and the mobs of tourists, hearing a jazz band in the old square, and the clop clop of the horses working the carriage rides. Talking of how this city is in the pre-dawn hours, silent so that you can hear your own foot falls echoing off of the buildings. Staggering or strolling through the mist according to personal preference, and how much better it would be with our respective loves present. As that is what comes to mind in such hours and strange settings. That other half back at home, which we miss so much, especially when confronted with the beauty of such a moment. Only to be solitude in our person, even when our thought dwell in the coupled pair. Ali has finally made it home, I met up with him in the bagel shop today, some time around noon. He had met some chick in the place, a Czech woman, who turned out to be a nurse working in Zurich. I of course was listening to his story, and then how he wished to kick himself afterward, as he missed an opportunity. I myself, would not have any interest, however my roomie really could use a night out on the town with a native girl. I think it would lead to much more domestic tranquillity for all of us here at the hotel on a whole. So as he ate his dinner and I enjoyed some fermented wheat beverage we developed a plan of action that would take him to the far eastern parts of the country in search of his damsel. And thus leave me with a room to myself for a weekend. Something unheard of, as he sleep's like my brother. Getting up and going is an all day process for this kid. And now I'm at the desk, listing to the "best punk rock album in the world ever" vol. 2. It's been a good week, I've done well and I feel comfortable in my ability to find what ever I wish to in this city at this point. I've been wandering the cemeteries here now for a few days and in the quest to the North tomorrow I'll be passing through another few. The only thing that I'm missing is a compass here. And we aren't going far enough to really need any thing like that. I've got good maps, and a good head, so I think we're golden. Then back home to some study, and sleep. I'm not sure if I'll make the movie or not. I'd like to, but I have to be realistic too. And reality says that I have a test on Tuesday in Czech foreign relations past and present. 1867-1939 so I'll be ready. The rest of the gang, Craig, Martin, and Erica are in Czesky Budjovice tonight. Hanging out in some cabin out there, envious am I! But it's not to bad considering my trek in the works. And I'll have inside information on the whole thing in the end.
Ok time to check on the guys, they are out playing chess tonight in the lobby. I think John will go out to a club tonight and Ali will retire but as always, hard to say!
See ya soon,
mal