January 2012
331 posts
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Dissatisfied
Fear not, I am not dissatisfied with the city, I very much love Prague. But, dear friends, the more I read of revolutionaries and artists the more I have grown to notice the complacency of students, those who bury themselves in their studies, in the solitude of books but fail in action. I see where Jan Palach doused himself in eager flames, capturing the attention of the world in an instant....
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“Capricious afternoon,
More than Prometheus is being carried around,
Eyes are a...”
– A letter between martyrs. Jan Zalíc to Jan Palach.
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Pastry-atism
As I attempt to explore the breadth of Prague, I have taken to long walks to strange places. After meandering for several hours I decided to give my windburned face a rest and pop into a small cafe. Sitting over my káva bez mleko a pečivo, it hit me for the first time how much I love this city. There I sat dribbling on for ten pages between nibbles and sips, losing myself in the lazy atmosphere...
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There's no butter in my popcorn!
Here’s the main difference between American cinemas and Czech ones, in a single word, beer. Yes, friends, one can enjoy a luke warm Pilsner in the comfort of a sunken movie seat. Another thing I’ve noticed here, every building serves an array of purposes, you think you’ve entered a simple movie theater? No, no (ne, ne) you have indeed entered one of the rowdiest pubs in Prague....
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“Thus East Europe’s most noted fighter for international cooperation and...”
–
Encyclopedia of World Biography on Edvard Benes
(referring to Edvard Beneš, clearly. An under appreciated politician.)
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The Magic Lantern
While at the cinema today, I discovered that language, like film, has this magnificent transportive quality. A verbal, guttural suitcase? I’ve found that languages are not simply strange new words or accent marks, but portals to a new world, avenues to cultures. I know I must pick up czech first, but I hope to never stop learning, never stop cultivating these avenues, cobblestone by...
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The Opera, A Night of Revelation
Dearest readers, I believe I am experiencing culture overload. Today after Czech class we journeyed to Prague Castle, a building that, at its core, was built in the 8th century. Our journey didn’t stop there. We soon went underground, descending level after level until we were there, inside a room of crudely dug sandstone, the lasting remnants of a far simpler, but brutal time. As I glided...
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Groceries. A Foreign Concept?
An American’s survival grocery list:
Eggs
Milk
Bread
Butter (which no one really uses over here apparently)
Carrots
Potatoes (duh)
and more bread
I was pleasantly surprised that fresh produce here in Prague is relatively cheap. As I weave through the food aisles doing primitive conversions in my head (1 usd=20 korunas) I pass the meat (maso) section. Hmmm, self, I do believe I...
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Americans Bring the Party
Yes, Americans may be far too loud in public and painfully polite to the point of a questionable smile, but boy do we have high energy. In honor of a flatmate, we decided to go to a funky underground bar to celebrate her birthday. Upon entering, loud infectious techno drowns out all remaining conversation. When we finally meander into the room with the band, we discover that the entire audience...
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Books and Things
Life is about taking the impossible and breaking it down into conceivable, achievable steps. I was struck by this thought today while buying a book at a wonderful czech bookstore. Sure, the book was in english, but I managed quite well regardless of the language barrier. The event goes as follows:
Me: dobrý den!
(giggle giggle as I proceed to pay her in exact change using Koruna! She hands me...
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First Night
I realize this will make me seem disgustingly pretentious but I spent my first night in Prague in a smoky bar talking about politics and Czech literature with my flatmates. I have also officially ordered my first czech meal (and beer) in poorly spoken Czech, but the waitress seemed amused; I like to think she was laughing with me…Back to my point: the Beer. Czech beer is absolutely...
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I have arrived!
Three things I’ve learned immediately in Prague. One: It costs one koruna to buy a plastic grocery bag with your food (the woman at the counter looked at me like I was on fire as I attempted to piece this fact together). Two: if you stand on the very edge of the sidewalk a tram WILL run you over; and Three: Beer (pivo) really is that cheap!
But let’s backtrack to my journey...
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Realization
Prague, my heart leaps at the notion. My heart flutters with anticipation while a deep stone in my stomach sinks with uncertainty, the reality of it.
I wrote that in my diary a year ago, contemplating the future with a odd mixture of fear and hope. Tomorrow I depart for Prague. How futile fear seems in retrospect.
“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to...”
– Oscar Wilde 