Lovers reunited

I found Dr. Pepper in the Czech Republic! On our way to Terezin, we stopped at a gas station where they only had two liter bottles. I almost bought two. However, Javier said there is a potraviny (small grocery store) near our apartment that sells it.

*breathes deeply* YAY!

Where I've been the past two weeks: Olomouc, Terezin and Prague

I have been horrible and not updated often enough. Between homework and going out, it's hard. So here's a recap of the trips and sights I've seen. But first, if you haven't watched the video in the last post, you should. I'm even in it!

Also, you can follow my daily activities by looking at my Twitter account. Microblogging at its finest.

Today I went to the Observatory Tower above Prague. I walked up a huge hill and then climbed the tower. The view was worth it. I could see all of Prague and some of the countryside with mountains in the distance. I also discovered my camera has a panorama setting. Check it out:
More pictures are available on Picasa here.

Last weekend I went to a wonderful town in Moravia (eastern Czech Republic): Olomouc. It's a college town and a professor we met there, Donald Roberson Jr., told us it's what Prague would be without the tourists. It used to be quite the religious capital of the country and was once fighting to be the capital but lost.

I have uploaded pictures of the Olomouc trip to Picasa, and you can find them here.

It's the "town of seconds:" the second astronomical clock, the second university, the second capital. It was gorgeous and quiet. Food was also inexpensive and delicious. We went in a group and by the end of it I was ready to slap some of them, but that's how it goes sometimes.

And poor Lucy ended up in the hospital: she fell on the cobblestone with her hands in her pockets and busted open her lip, nearly breaking her nose. She also broke her camera. Aside from the camera, she is doing much better now.

I also attended a football game, Slavia vs. Tottenham. We ended up on the British side, who we could understand (mostly) and who sang taunts that included, "Your father is a (something) and your mother is a whore." They only sell nonalcoholic beer and overpriced sausages, but it was a worthwhile experience. I got there after the game started and was somehow never charged for my entry. Oops.

After the game, the British side had to wait fifteen minutes while the other side left so there wouldn't be any fighting. Pressed against the gate, they sang taunts and I thought a riot might start. But the gates opened and they dispersed.

This last week was also the second week of classes and they went a bit better than the first. It was more than just introductions this time. We also saw the Cubism museum for my theatre class, which was interesting as well.

On Friday we went to Terezin and a glass blowing factory (pictures here). The factory was very cool: we got to watch people blow glass and some of us got to try it. I didn't; I was scared. But it was a good time anyhow.

The concentration camp was eerie. It's hard to imagine all those horrible things happening there. They didn't kill people in the huge amounts like in other camps, but between the town's Jewish Ghetto and the Small Fortress, nearly 40,000 people died.

I felt it would be disrespectful to take pictures, so I only took one. Someone brought their cat to the grounds, and I took a picture of him. It seemed appropriate.

*phew* That was a summary of everything I've done. I've also met some Russians at an event for a different international program, and I am still singing karaoke every Monday night at Blind Eye.

Following the Bohemian Parade

This is the Bohemian parade and carnival my friends and I followed Feb. 5, 2008.

Sorry about the delay of posting this video. The "internet" in my apartment is ridiculously slow (i.e. up to five minute page load times) and would not work with Youtube. I think someone in our complex is downloading massive amounts or somehow using tons of bandwidth.

I had to go to a coffee shop with internet to upload this video. Don't feel too bad though, I had some Marlenka (Czech honey cake) while it uploaded, so it wasn't a bad deal ;). I hope you enjoy the video. More updates coming soon on what I've been up to.

Český Krumlov weekend trip

Český Krumlov is a beautiful place. It is the second largest city in the Czech Republic (the first being Prague). But first, some smaller updates.

The Flaming Cocks show was good, although not as good as the Prague Ska Conspiracy show. Tessa went with me, another Chicoan, but the opening bands just weren't as good; their songs sounded the same. The Flaming Cocks were awesome, however.

I have also posted some photos of Český Krumlov, more of Prague, and of the Bohemian Carnival. The carnival happened last week, but I haven't had a chance to edit the video so that post is next on the list.

"Český" in the name means "Czech" or "Bohemian" to us, to distinguish it from Moravia, which is a different part of the republic. "Krumlov" is a German word for "crooked meadow" or something similar, and the town was given that name because the Vltava River winds its way through town in a crooked fashion, creating a semi peninsula.

We almost didn't go because figuring out the bus schedule from Prague proved to be more complicated than we originally thought. Krystal, Kathy, Gabi, Lucy and I missed the first one but caught another bus an hour later.

By the time we finished the three hour bus ride from Prague, it was dark. This was actually a lucky thing, because Český Krumlov is gorgeous at night, with the castle walls, the flowing river and the strategically placed lights. At our hostel, we had two very cool roommates: Yuta, a Japanese tourist who is ridiculously good at playing Bullshit and has been traveling for two months, and Dori, a Chinese tourist who was with a group but was put in our room. Yuta left us a very sweet note because he left while we were still sleeping, but I wish he'd left his email address!

Since it is off season for tourism, many things were closed. However, we still got to go up to the castle (just not the inside). You could see the whole town from there; it was the stuff of postcards and book illustrations.

There were also large groups of Chinese and Japanese tourists, which I thought was odd.

I also went on a tour of the Eggenberg beer brewery with Lucy. Sierra Nevada's is more impressive, let me tell you. However, it was interesting nonetheless. We got a "free" beer that was included in the cost of the ticket. It tastes like a rich Budweiser. Unfortunately, Lucy got very sick towards the end with flu like symptoms but she is now feeling better.

How to not look like a tourist in Prague

Step 1: Ditch the map. That's the most obvious sign. Getting lost isn't a terrible thing, just keep your wits about you.

Step 2: Speak quietly or not at all. When you're on a tram and you're American, you are the loudest person on that tram, especially when with other Americans.

Step 3: Stop taking pictures of everything. You're not here for all the pictures, but to see and remember the places you've been and the experience of being there. If you can't stop taking pictures, then you'll never actually see the places you visit.

Step 4: Look perpetually irritated. Czechs generally don't smile while walking around in Prague. This one is hard, especially for Americans (or at least Californians) who are used to smiling when catching someone's eye or for no reason at all. With friends, that's OK. But by yourself, do the "Czech face."

Step 5: Buy souvenirs before you leave, but don't wear them around. I've learned from experience that wearing a beanie that reads "Czech Republic" gets you odd looks if you follow all the other steps, because their name for their country is Česká republika.

Step 6: Bring your dog. Everyone walks their dogs here and you will soon fit in with your small cute dog on a leash.

Step 7: Smoke and drink a bit. Everyone here smokes and has a cigarette with their beer, or at least enough people do. You can smoke in bars, restaurants, anywhere except the tram stops and on the trams. Coming from California, that's something new and exciting for me. But don't drink too much or else you're just obnoxious.

These are just observations of mine from living here for nearly two weeks with some people who act too much like tourists.

We're here for three months and therefore I am not obligated to go see everything right now. So I relax and just hang out. Listen to people talk and how they interact. How they communicate with each other seems different but in many ways it is not.

People are more interesting to me than castles and statues, but I will see those in due time as well.

Prague's got a ska scene

I saw my first live show Thursday night. It was for a band called Prague Ska Conspiracy, who sing mostly in English. However, I saw two other bands and left before the headliner because we had a test in the morning.

They were apparently two ska shows going on. Lauren, John and I meant to go to one and couldn't find it, then we came upon this one at the Lucrena Music Bar. Great place for shows.

The first up was Disco Balls, playing more traditional ska and singing in Czech and English. I liked them a lot, especially when they did a cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." Hearing a Czech woman sing that song in English to ska is amusing, to say the least, but I liked it.

They played a few songs and because they got there late, ended their set a few songs after we got there. The crowd cheered them back on stage for a two song encore and I went up front and danced. No moshing, but that may be the ska crowd rather than a Czech thing.

I'm going to look for their album soon in a store around here. I don't know if Czech CDs are different than USA CDs, so I guess I'll find out. (Update: They aren't, but I still haven't found a good music store)

The second band we saw was ... interesting. Don't know their name, but it may be better that way. Instead of the trombone and saxophones like a normal ska band, they had an accordion and a set of bongos. It was like a mix between ska and Jamaican music. Which was fine, but they weren't great. Good to dance to, but the singing was sub par and the accordion player only decent. My roommate plays accordion, and she noted he only used the keyboard side, but none of the base keys. Apparently the sign of a amateur.

During this set, I was also asked to move by some Czech people about my age. The spoke Czech at first, then I said "Anglicky?" He nodded and said he was saving the spot I had just moved into for a girl. I told him I was just taking a picture and wouldn't be long, so they let me be. By the time I left, that spot was still open. Hope he wasn't ditched.

Plan on going to see a psychobilly band tonight called the Flaming Cocks. Robert approves of at least one song on their MySpace page, so it should be good.