Bratislava

(To the tune of the California Drinking Song)

"So we had a little party down in Blava
There was Michael, there was Srdjan, there was Charles
Well, we had a little party down in Blava
And we had to..."

What the heck is witty and rhymes with Charles??!! This song is not working. I could rhyme with "Chuck," but I don't like to use that language in public (very often) and I don't think Charles likes being called "Chuck." Ok. Gutter mind showing; there are other words that rhyme with "Chuck," like luck and puck, duck... Hmmm... anyway, how about Charlie? Rhyme: gnarly, farly (is that a word?), barley? We had a lot of drinks that come from barley????

"Well we had a little party down in Blava
And imbibed a lot of drinks that come from barley!"

Hey!

Oh, nevermind! You get the idea. You will remember these guys from The Fulbright conference in Velke Bilovice. We talked about a visit while we were still there, and I really wanted to go and see them again ( I liked them so much), so I went down to Bratislava for St. Patrick's Day weekend. FANTASTIC time.

First Joke: "We can show you around Bratislava. It'll take about 10 minutes." Hehehehe. And it was nothing but fun form first moment to last. Laughs, laughs, laughs. It was casual, comfortable, mellow, pleasant, yet interesting and full at the same time.

I have to admit that I went there to see the people, not the place (well, I like seeing new places, but...in this case it was 90% people, 10% place. Hmmmm...) yet it was nice to see some of Bratislava in the process. Between the three guys, I felt really taken care of. This is a relatively new thing for me. I quite liked it.

So, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Blava:


Presidential Palace. The president doesn't live there, but oh well. It's a lovely building.


Hangin'



First dinner--a yummy Indian meal. I love Indian food! FLAVOR!! Yeah! Michael from Presov came through town with his girlfriend. We got a nice group together. Michael, btw, is funny as hell! The whole gang is funny, in that way that clever, sharp people are. Niiiiice.


UFO--the actual name of this structure built above a bridge in the middle of town. Very cool, architecturally, but alas! When we tried to go there, we found that it was closed (perhaps permanently??) due to technical problems. =(


Bratislava Castle. So many of the towns I have seen here are built around and/or below some kind of huge castle structure. A visual reminder of the social and political hierarchy, I guess. I have been to a few since I've been living here, but I don't do VERY MUCH interior exploration. It's fine with me. I can't say I am intensely interested. I like the buildings, and I can see them very well from the outside. After the places I saw (and loved) in England (as well as what I have seen in CZ), I can say I don't need to go inside any more castles. I could see some more exteriors though.

I think I am attaching my feelings about museums to castles now. Hmmm. Maybe I need to explore these feelings a bit more later. LATER. =)


Me and Michael at castle


National theater. I saw this building quite a few times. =) It's on the main square-- a lovely, open, pleasant square.


Also on the main square is this--US Embassy!! The first time it was pointed out to me, I looked at a different building--completely missing the big US flag hanging out in front of this one! I am sooooo intelligent. Hahahaha.


Van Gogh--creative approach to dilapidation. The problem with old buildings and old cities, is that...well...they're old. And everything old is NOT charming. Sometimes, it is just...old. And old things tend to get run down if they are not well-maintained. I take pictures of the things I find beautiful or interesting, so I leave many other things out. But this building, although it is old and run down, has been made interesting because in all of the (missing) windows along a SIZEABLE wall, there are paintings (perhaps all by Van Gogh). So despite, its crumbling nature, this is a very cool building. Good idea too!


Passageways--part of the charm of Europe, a sense of mystery, adventure, secrets...

Me and Charles between dances. Went out dancing on our first night. Quite fun! "Looking for some Hot Stuff baby this evening...I need some Hot Stuff baby tonight..."


A very cool cafe. Decorated in a Devil motif. OK. I saw a few places decorated in this style around Blava. Is there a fixation?

Best thing, besides the creative decor, was the NACHOS we had--with Salsa!!! We were sooo pleased.

Hi Michael! I'll be right there!



Bye, boys. Thanks for a groovy time, and...uh...I'll see you next weekend!! =)

KM

The Magic Flute

When I got a look at the theater schedule in Prague (during a visit to Peg, a Spring Fulbrighter), I was very excited and decided I would go see some operas. Mostly, I was interested in seeing Mozart, but a few other things caught my eye as well. When I arrived last summer, I saw that Don Giovanni was playing in Prague at THE theater for which Mozart originally wrote it be first performed. I thought that would be something special to see.

I don't normally go to operas (in Los Angeles), but I enjoy musical theater... and hey, why not?? When in Rome...

There were SOOOO MANY operas playing in Prague, so why miss the experience? Three of the six works I wanted to see were by Mozart, and you might have guessed that I like Mozart (if you read about my trip to Vienna). Anyway, my first successful venture was to see The Magic Flute, in The Estates Theater (yes, THE one he had in mind for Don Giovanni).


The "monster" and other things. A very creative piece of staging. I had never seen anything like it before. It was interesting the way they used it for entrances and exits, etc. Just the way they maneuvered the thing was interesting. I couldn't exactly ignore it, since it covered so much of the stage when it was down, but I also kept my eyes on it because I was curious to see what they would do with it next.


The stage. This is what was visible before the performance started-- we could only take photos when they performance was not in progress.


The seats --it was very difficult to take good pictures of the theater. It is a tight horse-shoe shape, and I do mean tight. In the last picture (of the stage) you can see just how close the two sides of the stage are to each other. Some may call it "intimate." We were pretty far up, which was not a problem because there is a screen showing translations of the text in both English and German at the very top of the stage area, and it was easily (and comfortably) visible from our seats. More on that in a bit.


The ceiling. Something I could get at least a halfway decent photo of. Well, it shows some of the beauty of the place, in any case. You can also get a sense of how high up we are. There were cushioned rails in front of our seats because we had to lean forward onto them in order to see the whole stage. That was a new thing for me. We HAD to lean. I wondered if people often fell asleep on those cushions. I don't know. Perhaps they are not that comfortable. I wondered, too, how the ladies in the old days with those big dresses got into those narrow rows.

So...The music was good, of course.

The theater was lovely. I was imagining Mozart himself conducting the orchestra for one of his operas...awesome. Um hmm.

But I have to say that this Opera was one of the strangest things I have ever seen!! The story wasn't just sad or depressing (as some operas are) or lame as (many things are) but it just made no sense! Elements of story were set up and never paid off. And the characters!! OMG. The motivation??? I was wondering if Mozart actually wrote the book (I learned that term from Robin--does it apply to Opera too??) for these shows or only the music????? At one point I was telling myself to stop reading the text and just listen to the music. "Just close your eyes, " I kept saying to myself. Did I listen? No! Of course not. I am too curious (or too nosy) and too hopeful that something might come out if it at the end to pay it all off. Man, I don't like being disappointed. =)

I am REALLY hoping that The Marriage of Figaro is better when I go to see that in JUNE!! THAT is the main one I want to see. It will be nice, too, to see it in Prague, where it was well received upon its very first performance (unlike in Vienna). Let's keep hope alive!!

KM

I'm adding links! Check 'em out.

I am becoming a bit more technically inclined since I started doing this blog. I surprise myself sometimes. But...well, I guess if a person wants to do something badly enough, the person will figure out a way to do it!!

I have been messing around with html and all sorts of things! Every new thing I figure out brings a feeling of great triumph! I'm the King of the World!! I can do anything...with a little persistence and patience (NOT my strong suit). Nevermind that I have a nifty help menu to fall back on! =) I am surprised I can do it even WITH the help menu.

ANYWAY, I said all this to say:

CHECK OUT MY EXCHANGE PARTNER'S BLOG!! I have added a link for it, along with links for more information on some of the things I mention when I write (Franz Kafka, Marquis de SADE) . It's a bit like doing footnotes for a college paper--showing some source material. That's what it reminds me of anyway.

As you know (if you have read much of this blog before), I mention Jiri (my exchange partner) quite a lot. He does the same--OF COURSE! =) So we decided to add links to each other's blog on our sites. That way, anyone who is interested (and only reading one of the blogs) can go back and forth between them and get both sides of the EXCHANGE story, as it were. We hope some of you find this helpful, and as always, we hope to be INTERESTING.

Cheers.

KM

Winter Blues

So, I have said how I am enduring the winter famously. I have said that although it is cold, it is not SOOOOO very bad. And while all that is true, I can also tell you that I have had just about enough of it. Last week, I was very unwell. Everyone thought I had the flu, but I know I did not. I just did not fell GOOD. I felt lousy actually: no energy, persistent headache, back aches, weak muscles. I felt terrible. I didn't go to work for four days!!! Some people say it could be the weather, and while I can entertain the notion that the weather may have been a possible contributor to my malaise, I also know it was far more to it than that. I can't get into it all here, but I know that I felt like shit, but now I feel better, so I am happy for that. I have so many plans now, and I don't want any illness (physical or psychological) to get in the way of them.

I am eagerly booking trips, and there are so many places I want to see, and there are so many cultures I want to get acquainted with that I cannot afford to spend many more weekends here in Zatec. I want to explore; I want to explode. I want more adventure. Stay posted. Stay tuned. I feel a burst coming on! Spring will be wonderful. Some say it will be here, all of a sudden, in two weeks. I honestly cannot wait! Being a California girl, I guess I need the sunshine. I love it. I love the effects of it. It is really a wonderful thing. Is vitamin K a mood elevator???? I don't know for sure, but it very well could be!

I feel a spurt of rambling coming on, so I will end now. For some reason, I feel the need to share that I am now listening to the Rolling Stones "You Can't Always Get What You Want." I am digging it.

KM

CZ WINS BRONZE IN ICE HOCKEY

The day Katherine left, I went back to Prague for the weekend. Another new Prague for me. I had found a spa I wanted to try while walking with Kat, and I visited it on the Friday evening. I got my hair braided on Saturday, and met up with Peg, a new Fulbrighter, for dinner at Hot (my new favorite restaurant). On the way back to Peg's apartment and my hotel, we passed through Old Town Square and paused to soak in this special occasion. Giant screens were showing the Czech Hockey Team playing for a Bronze medal in the Olympics. It was freezing cold, and many people were out there, just standing transfixed.


National Pride

To me, these are the kind of moments one just has to enjoy in life, whether at home or abroad--but especially abroad. These are the kinds of things we never forget. CZ won, of course, so I am sure the fans felt rewarded for their dedication.


Team Spirit

I, however, was already thawed and cozy in Peg's SUPER apartment by the time that happened. When we left to walk me toward me hotel, we could tell that the game had ended, as we saw the people walking away from the direction of the square, but we couldn't tell who had won, as there was no celebration that we could hear and no indication of joy on the faces of the people. The next day, I had to ask people on the street to find out the results. Congratulations, CZ!!

-KM

Katherine II--Later that day...

Marquis de Sade Cafe

We met up with Andrea from the Fulbright Commission Don Pedro and we later mosied (sp?) on over to the Marquis de Sade Cafe and Bar. Now, the Marquis de Sade was a straaaange fellow. If I am not mistaken, the word "sadism" comes from his name. Yeah, he was into some strange things done in the name of pleasure. That said, the following picture, albeit quite accidental, seems oddly appropriate...

I kind of like it.


And here he is looking as innocent as the day is long. Well, we all know that books cannot be judged by their covers, and looks can be deceiving, and...Any more cliches?????

Anyway, we didn't come here because we admire the Marquis, we came for the beer.

Hoegaarden--a big beer, and shhhhhh...not a Czech beer. Actually, to be fair, it is not the beer that is big (it measures the same as other beers here), but the glass. And it was a bit like lifting weights to drink sip after sip of this beer. But it IS delicious. Very light, very clean, very lemony. The first time I tried it was here with Andrea, and Kat had had it back in England, so we asked Andrea to bring us here. Um, so very good.


Kat

Andrea


Cheese!


Thanks, Belgium!

BACK IN ZATEC...

On Wednesday, we made pizza and guacamole at home for ourselves and the Harajdas. A very pleasant evening. Kat spoke some German, so she was able to talk a lot with Mrs. Harajdova. We had a good time, and Mr. Harajda was his usual joke-cracking self. Thursday was Kat's last night here. We wanted to play pool, but the place wasn't open, so we settled for darts instead. Fun fun.






Bye, Kat. Thanks for coming!

KM

Katherine came to vist!!!

Kat, whom I met last year when she was on a Fulbright exchange in Los Angeles, flew down from the UK for a very welcome visit to CZ. It was her first time here, and I think we really made the most of the time we had!

The day after Kat arrived, we spent the day in Zatec, where she visited the school I work in. It is one of my long days when I have seven lessons from 8am 'til 4 pm. She tried to make conversation with the students and give them more practice conversing with a native speaker of English.


Then, that night, we ran off to Prague for a day and a half. Although I find it to be a different experience every time I go to Prague, it was reeeally nice to show the place off to someone else--especially a newbie. It makes ME appreciate the city in a new way and rediscover its beauty myself.

Old Town Square ...




We found a groovy restaurant on Wenceslas Square--and I do mean GROOVY. It was like something out of Austin Powers, only a lot more tasteful. And the food was gorgeous! I haven't seen such nice presentation for some time.


Lamb (Yum-my--I have already been back to try this again!)


Thai curry chicken. Love the bowl!

We spent most of the next day being very Jewish. We visited all the synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery. It was so fascinating. None of the synagogues were functioning synagogues, which really surprised me, for some reason. I don't know what I was expecting though. And the cemetery was, I believe, really just a collection of tombstones, not an actual cemetery. Well, it sits next to the Ceremonial Hall, in which bodies were prepared for burial (which suggests that it once WAS and actual cemetery), but the arrangement of the tombstones suggests that bodies were not buried to match the stones as they are arranged now. Somewhere on our self-guided tour, we read that Hitler had planned to create, in Prague, some kind of "museum of an extinct race." Maybe this was part of that warped idea. I say "planned" because the idea failed since he had killed all the people who could have been experts on any kind of successful JEWISH exhibits (not that any self-respecting Jew would have done such a thing anyway).


Jewish Ceremonial Hall


Old Jewish Cemetery...



I took so many pictures here. There was something about the place--and the stones-- that was just beautiful to me. Some of them are SOOOOO Old!! Some date back to the 1600's and even the 1200's I think.


The doors to Pinkas Synagogue--within the Old Jewish Cemetery grounds.


Inside the Pinkas Synagogue. I wasn't supposed to take this picture, but I realized it too late. It is an interesting altar though. It has the names of all the concentration camps around it. This synagogue pays tribute to the Czech Jews (mostly from Prague, if I remember correctly) who were killed in the camps. On the walls are far too many names to read. It still boggles the mind.

Also inside this synagogue is an exhibit of artwork done by the Jewish children from Prague who were detained in Terezin, a concentration camp that was here in CZ. I think this was my favorite, most moving, part of the day. The emotions conveyed in the artwork were so visceral.

Apparently Terezin was one of the nicer camps (if one can say such things about a concentration camp) because it was used as a PR site for the Nazis to "show the world" that the camps were NOT death camps, that the people held there were NOT being mistreated. So there were all kinds of social programs and art and theater programs. Many things to keep the prisoners busy and entertained. Maybe even more decent food. Of course, they were often sent from Terezin to some of the camps we have all heard about, like Auschwitz and Treblinka, where they were soon to perish. One step away from Hell is still to close. And prison is prison no matter how many flowers (or paintings) are put on the bars.


Old-New Synagogue


Hebrew clock: the hands run counterclockwise. =)


Kafka Cafe, outside.


Kafka Cafe, inside.

Praguers are very proud of Kafka today--even if he was made to feel like an outsider here all his life because he wasn't "Czech." That's what I read, anyway, and those are the themes (alienation, feeling like an outsider) that often crop up in his literature. He seems to have had a pretty good (and WILD!) life, relatively speaking, and since he died in 1924 (before the Nazis took over CZ), he was spared the fate of his sisters--of being herded, deported, and dying in death camps. Lucky him. He was buried in a Jewish cemetery in Prague, but I don't think it was the Old one.

Appropriately, the Kafka Cafe sits in the Jewish section of town, which made it a very convenient stop for us on our synagogue day.


Kafka Tea--I had to try the house specialty. It is black tea with orange juice, some other kind of juice, vodka and cinnamon sprinkles. Tasty! Like nothing I had EVER had before. =)


Spanish Synagogue--the most ornate of the synagogues. Apparently, many of the Jews here had come from Spain, and this building reminded me of some of the Muslim-influenced architecture of Spain that I saw last year in Granada and Cordoba.


Charles Bridge--it is a must see for a first-time visitor, perhaps even a 10th time visitor. =)


Statue--duh!


Dancing Building--I was told it was built to represent Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It is cool-looking anyway. And I can picture Fred and Ginger here, sure. =)


At Don Pedro, a Columbian restaurant. Very near to the dancing building is this restaurant. It has large windows at street level (many places do not have street-level seating) that face the river, and the view is more than tolerable. We sat there for a long time, avoiding the cold.