Prague is better than Berlin

Update: I have posted the photos of us here.

Robert and I have been having a blast together in Prague. For a day and a half, however, we took a trip to Berlin and I have to say that I must have fallen in love with Prague more than I had imagined because as nice as Berlin was, I definitely prefer the look and feel of Prague.

It also seemed as if fate tried to tell us not to take the trip at all. We missed the first two trains to Berlin - the first we were exactly a minute late for and the second we were at the wrong train station. However, determined as we are, we hopped on the third train to Berlin and were exhausted by the time we go there. We still had more trouble coming after that, because we got off at the wrong train station in Berlin and it took us about an hour and a half to find the hostel from there.

But we made it! We stayed at the Heart of Gold hostel, which to my delight is themed off the Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. We didn't end up in one of the themed rooms but it looked spacey enough. There were jokes and puns on all reading material from the hostel. The biggest downfall is that the beds were cheap Ikea bunkbeds and sagged in the middle, making for a less-than-comfortable night's sleep. No one stayed in our six-bed room so we got it to ourselves.

The coolest part about it was the different covers of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books that were framed on the wall in different languages and from different decades. They also served Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters but we didn't have time for one. Also, Robert bought me a "DON'T PANIC" towel.

We went sight seeing the next morning after we arrived. Now, we didn't actually plan anything. We just decided to take the map the hostel gave us and go with it. We saw huge buildings that were government owned, such as Berlin's town hall and the Reichstag (pictured below), which holds their version of parliament. I mostly wanted to see the Berlin Wall, but was almost disappointed. From what I'd seen in the videos, it was the big gray wall that was broken up. Now it is covered in layers and layers of colorful graffiti, originally commissioned but now also vandalized. The power of the wall really only struck me when I got back to Prague.

By the way, Germany may be the original beer brewers but the Czechs do it better. We went to a 5-story club, Karlovy Lazne, near Charles Bridge where every floor had different kinds of music. Robert even liked the DJs that were mixing on most of the floors and he's quite the music snob. After a few drinks, we both got on the dance floor and shook what we had, which was probably amusing to those sober enough to notice :)

We made it to the top floor but not in the greatest of shape. We ended up walking all the way home because he didn't have a tram ticket, but we did get to stop by McDonald's at 4 a.m. to get burgers.

Last night we went to a drum and bass concert in Prague 8. We didn't stay for the whole show (it went on until 4 a.m. or so) but there was one very good mixer on the second floor.

To keep ourselves well-rounded, we are going to see the opera Carmen tonight. Yes, I'll even wear a dress. With heels. Brace yourself.

Green beer in Prague is delicious

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I did two things.

First, I went to a free concert in Old Town Square that had Irish dancing and also Poitin playing some Irish jigs. The weather was cold, cloudy and occasionally rainy but we made the best of it.

Lucy and I were in search of some cornbeef and cabbage, but to no avail. No one had even heard of it. Makes me wonder if it's really Irish. We went to Caffrey's Irish bar next to Old Town Square and it was too packed to even sit in, much less get food and beer.

The five of us then walked to Wenceslas Square (after I broke a painted egg at a stand and had to pay for it) to Rocky O'Reilly's bar. Everything was extraordinarily over priced and they didn't have cornbeef either. So we walked down the street to a non-Irish pub serving green beer.

Now the beer I saw at O'Reilly's had a little bit of green in the foam on top, but this bar, called Jama, had green beer. The entire thing was a dark green, perfect for St. Patty's Day. The advert promised "super prizes" for "participants" but our server had no idea what that meant. They may not have had cornbeef either, but at least we fulfilled our holiday obligation in drinking green beer (even if it wasn't Guinness).

Other than that, it is midterms week, and so I'm writing an essay and studying. Robert will be here in about a day and a half. Yay! Expect cute photos and other such things.

And I already called him, but once again: Happy Birthday Troy! You're my favorite big bro ;)

Street performers do Johnny Cash (video)

Here's a new video I posted today from Prague. There were four guys playing Folsom Prison Blues in Wenceslas Square for money on the first day of the Easter Market earlier this month. Don't worry, I gave them more korun than usual since I taped them. Seemed only fair, eh?

The Final Countdown (to Robert)!

I've got a four day countdown until Robert gets here and I'm excited showing him around and! It's going to be a lot of fun taking him to a bar since he can't even do that in the states. I've been making a list of what we can do while he's here, but we don't have to follow it. I just don't want to be stuck with not knowing where to go.

Sickness has passed by me a few times in the past week or so. There was a three-day migraine, then stomach/digestive problems and now a small cold. However, I'm pretty sure I'll be better when Robert gets here on Thursday.

The Easter market has started up as well. We took pictures on the steps there. It's mostly touristy stuff but it is still a good time. I'll have a video posted later :)

Anyways, there have been a few things going on since I last blogged. I have delved into Twitter head first and show no sign of returning. It's hard to explain, so I'll let this video do it for me, if you're interested.

I also participated in a women's march for International Women's Day on March 7. The day is actually on the eighth but that was a Saturday. I met the group of Czechs at the horse statue in Wencelelas Square in cold weather (I was in shorts because my roommates told me it was a warm day). There was a people dressed up: one as T.G.M., the first president of Czechoslovakia who was a feminist; his wife, a communist and a Nazi. Also, an eccentric man who lead most of the march wearing a white shirt and a red bra on the outside, much to some people's disappoint. Maybe it should be a Czech woman instead?

As a symbolic move they do every year, they march to a building close to the square to protest. The building was originally used by the feminist movement before the occupation, and then the Nazis took it over. Once the march arrived at the place, a man dressed as a Nazi posted a notice in Czech stating it had been taken over.

After the Nazis left, the communists took over the building. So, another person dressed up, this time as a communist, posted another notice up stating it was communist property. The building is actually now a theatre and the owner came out to say "ahoj" so I don't think it is meant in malice.

The only reason I knew what was going on is because my gender studies professor was there. She's a British woman who has lived here for many years and translated the events for me. We went and had some tea and wine at the Lucerna Cafe and I warmed up a bit.

As for today, I went to Petrin Hill for a picnic with Kathy, Gabi and Krystal. We ate cheese, bread and fruit and drank wine. It was a good day and now we're watching Alvin and the Chipmunks and High School Musical 2. Don't ask, I really don't know why.

On meeting new people

The way the new USAC program is structured has made it hard for me to meet students who aren't from the United States. I have gone out of my way to try to meet people, with some success!

First, I met Klara at the Blind Eye. She's a more unconventional Czech in that she is very talkative and has told me some rather personal details of her life but I always have a good time with her the few times we've hung out. She works at Bohemia Bagel and I've visited her at work when she was bored.

Second, I met Ksenia. She's a Russian student who I briefly mentioned before I met at the international party I wasn't supposed to be attending. I love what she said about people from the States:

"Your chatty guys but you don't open up your soul, your heart."

It's very true. She said she went to the States but was unable to make real friends because our friendships tend to be many but more shallow. I know her pain because I have trouble myself making deep connections with other people from the States because getting to that point can be hard. I actually need to call Ksenia this weekend ...

Third, I met Alena today. I put up a tandem advert for a language exchange with a student and she is one of the ones that responded. We met at a cafe/bar that I'd only been to once before and talked about Czech culture, music, the State elections and education. She was shocked when I told her that we aren't encouraged to learn another language and our first opportunity to learn is in high school, way past the recommended age. She said the debate in the Czech Republic is whether it is better to start at age four or six!

I can see why she was shocked. I would have loved to have the opportunity to learn Spanish or some other language when I was young so I would be fluent in it by now. Although the way the world is turning, it might be better to learn Chinese.

In sickness and in health

Update: added picture of Karlovy Vary trip taken with Kathy's camera.

I apparently ate something that my stomach did not agree with because my digestive system has been less than pleased the past two days. I still feel a bit sick but I am overall feeling a bit better. However, the day is young.

I visited Karlovy Vary on Saturday through USAC and it was cold and boring. The town is famous for its hot springs and we were lead to believe we could swim in one, but it was actually an outdoor swimming pool that has a third of its water from the springs. It looked nice, but it was way too cold to swim. No pictures, I forgot my camera.

We also visited the Becherovka museum, where they let us "taste" their products: two shots of Becherovka, which tastes like Captain Morgan and has spring water in it so is supposedly healthy, and one shot of KV 14, which tastes more like normal hard liquor. On an empty stomach, those three shots made the next hour until I got lunch more amusing and warm.

I also almost hopped on a plane to London today. I was supposed to go next weekend to visit Jay, a long time friend of mine in the U.K. However, he got a job offer from the BBC and is flying out this Friday. We found out yesterday so I was going to book a flight to see him before he left to film on some island. However, he didn't want me to miss class so he will come visit me in Prague after he is done filming which should be around May 1.

I am, however, very happy for him. This job is paying him a great amount and will almost completely payoff his student loan. I can't be mad about that, now can I? Congrats, Jay. Even if he'll be an Aussie working for the BBC ;)

Here's to new jobs with the BBC and better health through Becherovka! (or something like that anyways)