Fialova Kava

There has just been no time.  The boys (Frank and Ari) were in last week for their spring break, not to mention the difficulties of keeping up with a blog without internet.  What’s a girl to do?

The weekend Ari arrived we went snowboarding about 3 hours outside of Prague.  It was a splendid time, I hadn’t been in 3 or so years and it was Ari’s first time.  We stayed with our roomate Eva’s czech friends that work at the ski resort as instructors.  If the house from Fight Club existed in real life, it would be situated in the mountains of the Czech Republic, and we have stayed in it. We also disovered a new drinking game (I’m sure it would be silly sober as well)…

items needed: string, pen, beer bottle

1. Cut string long enough so that it can wrap around your waist and reach above your knees.

2. Tie the pen to the end of the string hanging between your legs.

3. Situate the string on your waist so that the part hanging is hanging behind you.

4. Stand with the beer bottle between your legs and try to get the end of the pen into the beer bottle without using your hands.

FUN

If you don’t get it, there are some pictures of me playing it on facebook.  I think you’ll know them when you see them.

The next weekend Ari and I ventured to Berlin.  We stayed in the Helter Skelter hostel, which I would highly recommend.  It has a great, central location and cool atmosphere (as long as they aren’t playing shitty emo music… Taking Back Sunday, I loved you in jr high, but it was never meant to last baby.)

1. DEFINITELY go on the New Berlin pub crawl, and if you’re lucky your guide will be Simon, the sauciest lady I’ve ever met.

2. Don’t miss out on the Currywurst. I think I ate it 4 times in 2 days.

3. We got to witness an arrest, in full.  All the way from beginning of confrontation, to arrival of police car, to exit of police car/ aftermath interrogation.

4. EXCELLENT STREET PERFORMERS. A band of men (I want to believe its a dad, and uncle, and two sons) who can breakdance, skateboard, and pop and lock like you wouldn’t believe.

5. Don’t try to do anything on Sunday (especially shopping) in German speaking countries, because they are CLOOOOSSSSED.

OK my patience for this blog has officially run out.

Until next time.

So Mich and I returned from getting Rachel to the airport about a half hour ago.  I’m glad she came and now I can’t wait to visit her in Amsterdam.  We didn’t do anything too out of the ordinary (eat Czech food, drink Czech beer, and look at old buildings) except for our outing to a carnival in a small town outside of Prague.  We took a train and 15 minutes later we were in a small town where everyone was decked out in face paint and costumes.  We weren’t even there for 5 minutes before someone came up to us and started painting our faces (pictures will come soon).

At the carnival I noticed that people here are not nearly as concerned about kidnapping.  I saw many unattended strollers and wandering toddlers.  They should be more careful, especially if they choose to dress them in cute animal costumes and snowsuits…we almost took one home with us.

Speaking of children, I’ve formulated a project for myself.  Today I decided to start working on a series of photographs of children on public transportation.  It seems like everyday I run into a new wide-eyed, snowsuit clad, mitten wearing, Czech speaking little thing that I think its time I start keeping track of them- in the least creepy way possible.  Bottome line: kids are just cute when they are so bundled in warm clothes they can barely move.

So, enough about me.  What about you? (If anyone actually reads this blog). How’s life been? I wanna know.

We (Mich, Eric, our new friend Brandon and I) decided to take a last minute trip to Karlovy Vary on Friday morning.  Its a small city/town about two hours outside of Prague, where most people living/visiting there are over 65 and probably from Russia?

So, here’s how it went.  Thursday night Mich, Eric, and I are getting ready to go out (i.e. dressing, drinking, smoking, etc) while doing some half-assed research about the alleged trip to Karlovy Vary that was set to start at 9 am the next morning.  We had no bus tickets, directions, or hostel booked yet.  All we knew for sure was what time the bus left in the morning- every hour on the hour from 8 am on.

So we are out dancing, ingesting substances, etc and start inviting everyone we know to come with us, but as we know, plans made this way usually don’t work out.  “Come to this town made of hot springs and Becherovka tomorrow! We are going and its only like 2 hours from Prague!” we shout over the electro music at the Blind Eye.  Some people respond “Yea, lets doooo it!” others are more reserved.  Stuart and Brandon said they were in for sure.  We were to call them in the morning and meet them at the bus station.

The next morning, Mich and I came close to not getting out of bed, and even closer to failing to get the boys out of bed.  But, Brandon did pull through and came with us on the bus to Karlovy Vary at 10 am, and we booked a hostel while en route on the bus. VICTORY!

Sorry, that story was pointless I guess. I just wanted to communicate our triumph.  We planned a last minute trip while drunk and it was a great success.

Karlovy Vary is a magical little town nestled in the hills of the Czech Republic countryside where there are hot springs to swim in and spas to enjoy galore.  We went swimming in the hot springs, sat naked in the sauna, drank the spring water (supposedly the water is good for your digestive system), and got Thai massages- where we discovered why it is often thought Thai massage = happy ending.  Its because those little women do everything but that.  They twist you around, crack you in half, massage you all over and then leave you all worked up and wonderfully rejuvinated.  If you like yoga, this is for you, because they do yoga to you + massage.  Try it out, I feel great.  They even wished us a Happy Wal-en-tine Day.

Last night we saw Islands at a small bar on a Prague college campus.  Unfortunately we missed the opening bands- The Railcars and Trouble vs. Glue.  We did chat up The Railcars after the show though, and offered to show them a cool place to go afterword, but they didn’t call.  I guess they had cooler San Fran indie band things to do?

Now to find some bookstores with used English books…

Try this new drink called The Leili:  Litchi juice, Sprite, and Vodka (+ lime slice if you have it).  I don’t like vodka but this drink is great!

Who knew I could be clothed, fed, and intoxicated for under $20?

After quite a wild goose chase I finally found the thrift bazaar that I have been looking for.  I kept reading that it was housed inside the main train station, but that seemed unrealistic.  But of course, lo and behold, thats where it was.  Inside I found the above mentioned articles of clothing.  I can’t wait until my roommate gets home so we can play dress up.

Today was the first official day of academic class.  For the past two weeks we have only been learning Czech- for 4 hours a day, everyday.  My only class today was History of Animation (a.k.a. Monday morning cartoons) at FAMU.  So from 9-10:30 a.m. every Monday I am going to be watching cartoons.  We don’t have homework, papers, or even discussions.  Apparently the professor’s main concern is that we watch as many cartoons as possible.

I took my film to the photo lab to get developed today and I can pick them up tomorrow so I should be posting photos soon (assuming they turn out ok)!

1. If you haven’t yet, try some litchi juice! 40 Kc

2. 1 fresh chicken breast and sweet ass thai chili sauce w/ rice noodles, delicious! 50 Kc

3. 2 Budweiser Budvars to help facilitate studying for my Czech exam tomorrow.  54 Kc

4. I bag of fresh pita bread and pistacio halva for a brainfood breakfast tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, ect. 60 Kc

5. Doing the Macarena 5x since I’ve been here is obviously priceless.

Is the name of my street in Prague- “Ruzova Ulice” in Czech.

If our street was a city, our apartment would be its center.  A mini CVS type shop sits across the street, three doors down from a quick and delicious Indian/Pakistani restaurant.  A few steps from there is a quaint produce shop, and at the end of the street lies a non-stop mini-mart that seems to have everything the aforementioned places do not. There is even a hostel and a gym down the block.

Oh, and I guess I shouldn’t forget about the Erotic City sex shop next to the non-stop mini-mart.

But somehow we have managed to get out and see past our front door.

We’ve been to a five story club, a Czech Beatles cover band show, and an assortment of bars.  However, none of these pale in comparison to our experience crashing a Czech prom.  Its much like ours + parents, grandparents, whoever else, a bar, smoking, Grease the musical, and the macarena.  In conclusion, highschool prom committees in the US have a long way to go.

Now, Vicks vapo-rub, tv, sleep.  Czech aerobics instructors mean business-I’m wiped.