tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46930932313317228232024-03-05T09:57:01.558-05:00wandering, but not lostmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-63571630654514595812010-07-23T17:17:00.004-04:002010-07-23T18:29:37.655-04:00This is it.Eleven countries, eleven weeks. Thousands of miles, millions of hours navigating the transport systems of infinite places. Winding up lost time and time again. Confusion. Misunderstanding. Sheer chaos. Winging it.<div><br /></div><div>And this is what I call the best three months of my life. I wouldn't trade this insane, incredible experience for the world. Yes, I am excited to go back to the States. Seeing friends and family will be wonderful. Free water and air-conditioning are nearly unimaginable luxuries, as are other things such as screens on windows to keep the bugs out, having a plumbing system that works, and actually being able to understand the world around you. But in spite of the cultural differences, I have felt surprisingly at home here in Europe. Is it the same? Absolutely not. You don't study abroad, you don't travel, in order to experience more of the same. You go to see what is different. And that's what I tried to do. I wanted to immerse myself in a lifestyle that was entirely different to me. That's part of why I chose Prague- it was so far removed from everything I was accustomed too. Westernized enough to be fairly "normal," it's still a far cry from America. So much is different here. Yet I forgot about the inconveniences and the struggles simply because it was part of the adventure. If you didn't already realize, I'm a big fan of adventure. Of exploring, seeing the world and embracing the unknown. That's just my style. Cobblestones a formidable enemy of walking in heels? Make like a Czech girl, and figure it out (yes, I can now waltz around the cobbled streets of Prague in heels. Mission accomplished!). I've always been fairly independent- the type to be happy by myself, or happy with others too. And to be honest, it's the "others" who really made this summer as incredible as it was. My roommates, other friends from my program, and the people I met along the way- they are the ones who made this experience as incredible as it was.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are so many reasons I love Europe. The cobbled streets, the culture, the history, the diversity, the struggles, the strength (the gelato!)... I have such a respect for this continent and everything it has experienced. I truly do adore being here. There is a part of me that will always consider Prague "home." One of many, but a home of mine nonetheless. In just a few hours, I'll be on my way back to the States. There's a sense of finality weighing on my shoulders right now. Honestly, I haven't accepted the reality that this is done, that I'm going back to where I came from. It hasn't sunk in. Time is a funny thing. The last few weeks before I left school dragged on forever, but then this summer was gone in an instant. Yet something that seems so rapid has had such vast effects. This trip has changed me in so many ways. It's hard to describe. It's an intangible sort of thing. What did Europe do to me? I'm not quite sure.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I know I will come back for more. There's so much left to see and do. Isn't there always?</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGImVejxnzTM592U4ma5oNmZXYDtZm7Tq4OTIxMmy3X_QqNVakhdpgmDxG9bYXX5jvSdgUPGbsA18uuNcQd5pgQ9OFHGXdV79QB6OCq6LNDUQX9uVX4h2g0m4pLdAq5H0_oRsfdU9R57A/s1600/DSCN4971.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGImVejxnzTM592U4ma5oNmZXYDtZm7Tq4OTIxMmy3X_QqNVakhdpgmDxG9bYXX5jvSdgUPGbsA18uuNcQd5pgQ9OFHGXdV79QB6OCq6LNDUQX9uVX4h2g0m4pLdAq5H0_oRsfdU9R57A/s400/DSCN4971.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497229131450786082" /></a>The Lennon Wall here in Prague- very cool place of rebellion from the Communist era.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLXdME0gvbMmO5sTW0S0DJCR6J1Ru5_7B0NKR4YYh3LGh55HQ5qfzqxfyaQ-lrYiCk7OnaWo0X1ScAyHnqytk7zWjj3Dxkce3MlYx1EsbVX_CCLYjLd0aTzp4wj8WS9zhnEG3yStONvE/s1600/DSCN4980.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 245px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLXdME0gvbMmO5sTW0S0DJCR6J1Ru5_7B0NKR4YYh3LGh55HQ5qfzqxfyaQ-lrYiCk7OnaWo0X1ScAyHnqytk7zWjj3Dxkce3MlYx1EsbVX_CCLYjLd0aTzp4wj8WS9zhnEG3yStONvE/s400/DSCN4980.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497229115619459522" /></a>Just enjoying life aboard the Gustav... and yes, those are my dirty, filthy, nasty, smell, holey, gross, worn, beloved Converse tied to my bag.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJhyphenhyphent5NMoHM1azrbLMx5yKdxN3pdhBkJpxkZXelE-Os4nqpsmbB1L358Y4gG7otg8Te6IT2ynkaL8QUh0lHdcpXSGDZGgRFzuV2l_etli8y-6z7tXMw5550OJ4oighOrjeDGjgwX6IQ4/s1600/DSCN4983.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJhyphenhyphent5NMoHM1azrbLMx5yKdxN3pdhBkJpxkZXelE-Os4nqpsmbB1L358Y4gG7otg8Te6IT2ynkaL8QUh0lHdcpXSGDZGgRFzuV2l_etli8y-6z7tXMw5550OJ4oighOrjeDGjgwX6IQ4/s400/DSCN4983.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497229108931533026" /></a>Ashley and I along the banks of the Vltava River after our farewell cruise (We actually look fairly close in height for once! Please note that in reality, she has a good seven inches on me).<br /><br /><div><br /></div><div>What is there left to say? Just this: na shledanou, Prague & ahoj, America!</div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-20632082192419174292010-07-20T07:30:00.002-04:002010-07-20T08:17:36.093-04:00Tea & Crepes & Modern Art<div><br /></div>Yesterday afternoon I spent several hours wandering around the Museum of Central European Modern Art with a friend from school. It was quite incredible- I really enjoyed exploring all of the exhibits there. They had several galleries full of Kupka's works, as well as other Czech, Polish, Slovak, etc. artists. I was thoroughly fascinated. Afterwards, we grabbed tea and crepes at a local bistro that is more or less the cutest place on the face of the Earth. An excellent day all-around.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfvRDw9j5ddG2tzuGaANBQClPVE9tGdAxgRrb4O7lFvVR-hyfe-VGgzdAW388rExsGIJ0xiTMgW0vRKC6NchfLSTsNVKTxV2DH_kBnaqLspzcx1aqtZyz0RkFH39f7PucRn7XbcvJj3g/s1600/DSCN4948.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfvRDw9j5ddG2tzuGaANBQClPVE9tGdAxgRrb4O7lFvVR-hyfe-VGgzdAW388rExsGIJ0xiTMgW0vRKC6NchfLSTsNVKTxV2DH_kBnaqLspzcx1aqtZyz0RkFH39f7PucRn7XbcvJj3g/s400/DSCN4948.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495955730238722834" /></a>Made out of rope<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Zg-fXAJ1zvxQ4ZW5NPr_yFoeAZhnm6d7ApDmQ4gfnR27UoNgQPVYk1cfuU31DbW5QPxIB4XDYOqJhBzNO5TMjusqUh0lSuxuQFecmQX6u7YcL3G1CWR3EwUuyljcPRq_m0vHs72zUBM/s1600/DSCN4949.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 306px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Zg-fXAJ1zvxQ4ZW5NPr_yFoeAZhnm6d7ApDmQ4gfnR27UoNgQPVYk1cfuU31DbW5QPxIB4XDYOqJhBzNO5TMjusqUh0lSuxuQFecmQX6u7YcL3G1CWR3EwUuyljcPRq_m0vHs72zUBM/s400/DSCN4949.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495955725969603842" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQ8NsqSz2zzO7JYYTyAL2BTzb4ZvTTi8j9XayzXypnnT3NJl_ycxzAiOnWxuk9cO-oO_lR33389GBNjJJeeGkjAu8WxDaaJcPIoy1i_tUG-R_y4i4ZV0YP6f4m69XAvT7KPe8ZlGXfNQ/s1600/DSCN4950.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQ8NsqSz2zzO7JYYTyAL2BTzb4ZvTTi8j9XayzXypnnT3NJl_ycxzAiOnWxuk9cO-oO_lR33389GBNjJJeeGkjAu8WxDaaJcPIoy1i_tUG-R_y4i4ZV0YP6f4m69XAvT7KPe8ZlGXfNQ/s400/DSCN4950.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495955719673864514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgGcuhWSltj5JJBdmtB7RkHwf2rsL88IpDovUz3uLhCrsExtVGYjoQwZkK1LZEInTtHEv3luycFANZ5m5IKvLPti2nRUyeTw4fQ1RlQqaKPbmvEwIembCBBnDRjpukDQBRe7admDZ2lo/s1600/DSCN4951.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgGcuhWSltj5JJBdmtB7RkHwf2rsL88IpDovUz3uLhCrsExtVGYjoQwZkK1LZEInTtHEv3luycFANZ5m5IKvLPti2nRUyeTw4fQ1RlQqaKPbmvEwIembCBBnDRjpukDQBRe7admDZ2lo/s400/DSCN4951.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495955709918731362" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMKKNkXDT1_HI0bIJnHW-u6_IK4ZJzFLTmmu6byYBXiJ6pJJXg3F9xHEzPlMOZgzYZckS7GZJO3rptQbX63dehCxaOpY6JRT0KcxTMQfdE-hh6KKzZIuAvxnSl-TZJdYE7Spptr_4nXQ/s1600/DSCN4953.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMKKNkXDT1_HI0bIJnHW-u6_IK4ZJzFLTmmu6byYBXiJ6pJJXg3F9xHEzPlMOZgzYZckS7GZJO3rptQbX63dehCxaOpY6JRT0KcxTMQfdE-hh6KKzZIuAvxnSl-TZJdYE7Spptr_4nXQ/s400/DSCN4953.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495951389013178450" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0XOpo9FXBUj7RajW2NXYYKOVLKWclfdaYdvP7mg-ACPUiAcwgcZPyoJRxh9-vwC8Jv9bx6JYBXfFqh1NbKj3oNCLIEoY8V8QlXd0vywQ9ShdcDTuiI0Cv0AXsU8Wy9TWq2kDwHheG-E/s1600/DSCN4956.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0XOpo9FXBUj7RajW2NXYYKOVLKWclfdaYdvP7mg-ACPUiAcwgcZPyoJRxh9-vwC8Jv9bx6JYBXfFqh1NbKj3oNCLIEoY8V8QlXd0vywQ9ShdcDTuiI0Cv0AXsU8Wy9TWq2kDwHheG-E/s400/DSCN4956.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495951379974834002" /></a>The only reason that my converse look so clean is because I bumped the contrast up while editing this picture... they are not nearly that white. You can, however, still see the growing hole on the left one... sigh. This is on the roof of the museum, looking down into the stairwell below.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZe6Wl9cA6kOLW6mmy5IX2O2Zu_cXYVBTdRUWke6xD9kGZVW0reLMgMpMkXG7bLI7bkPeBgQeCd8_crB0o-6OJIWeiK1GTLRTFLU-8K0DGFHIOehQ_CLooYdeui-iNg2sM0pIcv2Tjzw/s1600/DSCN4966.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZe6Wl9cA6kOLW6mmy5IX2O2Zu_cXYVBTdRUWke6xD9kGZVW0reLMgMpMkXG7bLI7bkPeBgQeCd8_crB0o-6OJIWeiK1GTLRTFLU-8K0DGFHIOehQ_CLooYdeui-iNg2sM0pIcv2Tjzw/s400/DSCN4966.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495951375308036354" /></a>Nadia and I on the work seen below<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMT8ihrN6X-u302cJDB7KJQ1xUMQQ_3r5McwCVt9qCG6DfjHTVB5dycif7gv5vrO23mjVZ7k-fjtYrzrVQyA09Oyo3DzSMlOpdZQWEYwY8WOMV1sclhkb5x_2ars4L7vAUa267mHLJf_Y/s1600/DSCN4968.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMT8ihrN6X-u302cJDB7KJQ1xUMQQ_3r5McwCVt9qCG6DfjHTVB5dycif7gv5vrO23mjVZ7k-fjtYrzrVQyA09Oyo3DzSMlOpdZQWEYwY8WOMV1sclhkb5x_2ars4L7vAUa267mHLJf_Y/s400/DSCN4968.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495951366672530434" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwg20zWr5xDNZLSay82WE4cgCraqfLRPk65Ytv4uVZN4uubVaHLMHdDX40mJ-ugdqxzS9EDVpnbxNCWkwba9A_YUc37tUC6KlV5cine0I5dApFAdc02xxtZ30xXtouA5UaUYVzBRwu2o/s1600/DSCN4970.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwg20zWr5xDNZLSay82WE4cgCraqfLRPk65Ytv4uVZN4uubVaHLMHdDX40mJ-ugdqxzS9EDVpnbxNCWkwba9A_YUc37tUC6KlV5cine0I5dApFAdc02xxtZ30xXtouA5UaUYVzBRwu2o/s400/DSCN4970.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495951361332586722" /></a>Oh, Prague, how I adore you.mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-6957669054486192572010-07-16T16:35:00.007-04:002010-07-18T05:57:36.935-04:00Šel jsem do zoo!That's right- I went to the zoo. Because of various unfortunate circumstances, I was unable to make it to the zoos in London, Berlin, Ljubljana, Wien, Amsterdam... or anywhere else that I have been. But, much to my great joy, I have now made it to the zoo right here in Prague. Obviously, I was really excited, because 1) I love zoos and 2) this is one of the best zoos in the world. Plus the prospect of learning animal names in Czech was super awesome.<div>So we pretty much picked the hottest day this week to go to the zoo... and the hottest time of day (two pm!). Prague is in the midst of a major heatwave at the moment. Today? 33 degrees Celsius, which is in the nineties. Apparently, heat like this happens in July sometimes... for a day. Then things cool off, and all is well again. Not so for the past week! It has been positively boiling. There's not a fan to be had in the city, and since it is so rarely this warm, air-conditioning is more or less a figment of my imagination. I've come to find that the coolest places are outdoors in the shade, but even that is ridiculously hot. Weather reports say that this should break soon, and by Sunday, we'll be back in the lower seventies again. Keep your fingers crossed! That sounds perfect.</div><div>The zoo itself was a ton of fun... I really enjoyed it. Although take that statement with a grain of salt, because I seem to enjoy virtually everything I do these days, and I always adore zoos. It was a really beautiful zoo, and the exhibits were rather nice. A lot of the animals were indoors because of the weather, and those parts weren't quite as nice, but I was still impressed. The animals seemed happy enough with their situation! And the ice cream was delicious, and not unreasonably priced like it seems to be in American zoos, so that was a very pleasant surprise! Despite the insane heat, it was a really wonderful way to spend the day.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9miNENmuEvhCMsV0DRVU4IIUmcYUxcAyiEyGaQGir41mfK7q-DijofGj4XC4KO6ruejhJA-WG_fCx0I_CqE52cGR0dIorqWcnuoV-0tgESKQLJr1tZ6NW-AdErvSiFEotiYQyC0RhhgQ/s1600/DSCN4838.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9miNENmuEvhCMsV0DRVU4IIUmcYUxcAyiEyGaQGir41mfK7q-DijofGj4XC4KO6ruejhJA-WG_fCx0I_CqE52cGR0dIorqWcnuoV-0tgESKQLJr1tZ6NW-AdErvSiFEotiYQyC0RhhgQ/s400/DSCN4838.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495182583073343906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTweZLHuEL2MniMoXhqw8aAw4nU3nowGWZv-hUAvvrjtHRqYgbRjG-4fN-dFvNOmgdqlu5-Et59XnAk2dc1Ty0o2d-D8vFp4Yi1i3Ys57jrHF6s7VCWVWwvmwyn_XYGDRO8cNYCmBbURg/s1600/DSCN4845.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTweZLHuEL2MniMoXhqw8aAw4nU3nowGWZv-hUAvvrjtHRqYgbRjG-4fN-dFvNOmgdqlu5-Et59XnAk2dc1Ty0o2d-D8vFp4Yi1i3Ys57jrHF6s7VCWVWwvmwyn_XYGDRO8cNYCmBbURg/s400/DSCN4845.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495182577968761074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFy7TWH-P3gs3HCLKByavnBHt8ZJTYWahCaDiy7LsUeDacdnc48cdmYgC-ITilArjjkMLQlBOxw7owjigYxnBqTvHxmL3mccI92xs21bJnDgAvRSQI7oY9q9FVxLDMI8OtHYvbrLyfjc/s1600/DSCN4842.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFy7TWH-P3gs3HCLKByavnBHt8ZJTYWahCaDiy7LsUeDacdnc48cdmYgC-ITilArjjkMLQlBOxw7owjigYxnBqTvHxmL3mccI92xs21bJnDgAvRSQI7oY9q9FVxLDMI8OtHYvbrLyfjc/s400/DSCN4842.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495182570521776834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAAOq4RaUqMFZCXWGcFoxTNGU2HW9H6keHCtucB4pc0VKFnkN7xhq_w_cqaFjXtse7xtSypYTRVxN3DgQ2bEWmiCP3uRMOYF8TJP47pTdNU6m-xoDB36H6P2VK_jlruzKVZtUnIixtmpE/s1600/DSCN4846.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLv1TcKTYXcEkwDo-crbM3HQR9KPkrrh-1ao9VRz536wntkotHg3SYlbPRMl9-ZXBGPtA7RKmQl4_HXl4LYQa9ATQ_whuapXE773aFMIQUhf1BS2yc_L8e0ernW3pFT5q-tequN2U6yJ8/s400/DSCN4899.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495005352031122146" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFK_IBSbyIsKhWVoi58-5e-XK88Iy63XVfN2w3Pk_PTGoAW6lKMcJ1WuUseKkOD-Z66XYF5nEPd5gQ-U2OUVfjH3MukL51VLEFpJw_o8ySK87VoOk9tCMUSA40zwxrLC7LLeWePs8wq2Y/s1600/DSCN4903.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFK_IBSbyIsKhWVoi58-5e-XK88Iy63XVfN2w3Pk_PTGoAW6lKMcJ1WuUseKkOD-Z66XYF5nEPd5gQ-U2OUVfjH3MukL51VLEFpJw_o8ySK87VoOk9tCMUSA40zwxrLC7LLeWePs8wq2Y/s400/DSCN4903.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495005339886814226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmlvN5YA74eH_aiPi5AST4eg1QhDy_UbKPDyHqr4uW6uFIw1pME4P6_xIpBzc2QrWdfap7b-zOvN55GtuB-eZpbJCyQQ7R9mSqxFsW9CfYWonzzX20QVrgBQeGQJX1TejnDJc2d5JjwA/s1600/DSCN4909.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmlvN5YA74eH_aiPi5AST4eg1QhDy_UbKPDyHqr4uW6uFIw1pME4P6_xIpBzc2QrWdfap7b-zOvN55GtuB-eZpbJCyQQ7R9mSqxFsW9CfYWonzzX20QVrgBQeGQJX1TejnDJc2d5JjwA/s400/DSCN4909.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495005333941938290" /></a><br />That night, I headed up to one of my favorite haunts, Vysehrad, with two sandwiches, two liters of juice, and a strong desire to watch the sunset over Prague. After wandering around in the golden sunlight, I settled myself onto one of the walls along the cliff and enjoyed the view. 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAr1VDQlT5HQmKIWIehfGmBMc5jhCVauYjE6gC30bZgMzBuCHYXzfK0H0LAmxks7gKAdcs-5DJOD0kZe-jyxvHUdSPcC2pOH0vbb3yRFa1FkcPtCStSd6Hr2G6ZSdHpIn9AaIzfUs7XuU/s400/DSCN4922.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494989802353746914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtaPziiSW9e-796Stgr1gSM-Bw7zLXO0WHHNz33jKpuG7cEGT9xPDOpQw3eqDmLLsTbqgqdHWjCkGQgCHpV_uUkAUHEMypvloY6P83FUG0Ib3B3FpSC2YhUwAnla66G7hEDRrGNpTYDU/s1600/DSCN4915.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtaPziiSW9e-796Stgr1gSM-Bw7zLXO0WHHNz33jKpuG7cEGT9xPDOpQw3eqDmLLsTbqgqdHWjCkGQgCHpV_uUkAUHEMypvloY6P83FUG0Ib3B3FpSC2YhUwAnla66G7hEDRrGNpTYDU/s400/DSCN4915.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494989799842121394" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHPDfx_NMlDilz9rAWrRHNaQP949cSaA8Iu_ZmxfgA0D7YFn0Bv8cDqt_ch7rcX82RPwUSsQdZHSDEC80MSlzisqZmJUgj4g2CpazmC_Kf-xxBUCM85JLJMHzKhvhrExraA3oE_6LfB8/s1600/DSCN4928.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHPDfx_NMlDilz9rAWrRHNaQP949cSaA8Iu_ZmxfgA0D7YFn0Bv8cDqt_ch7rcX82RPwUSsQdZHSDEC80MSlzisqZmJUgj4g2CpazmC_Kf-xxBUCM85JLJMHzKhvhrExraA3oE_6LfB8/s400/DSCN4928.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494989779289280994" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77swninngg0D8dmzkaqqC6YiDCRyIr7eMGNfmL8EJ1e75Y_YjObqy0Qe65KMCKEUnnc1rIWAEtRlwx1IIvqQWfIrqxWGRqnL_dGvFa9a2swMApoD8uHA1raL5LWDl8edXH0YUjyuQJf4/s1600/DSCN4941.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77swninngg0D8dmzkaqqC6YiDCRyIr7eMGNfmL8EJ1e75Y_YjObqy0Qe65KMCKEUnnc1rIWAEtRlwx1IIvqQWfIrqxWGRqnL_dGvFa9a2swMApoD8uHA1raL5LWDl8edXH0YUjyuQJf4/s400/DSCN4941.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494989771082870114" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczlN72a7eVPHhw0S5BiMXAle9TD9dNRUDXZrEqMbNcegR3TLE-rq3bAehr4Gw9hbO_2IeChBJ5e9sLjVrk6CiuglTl1HrrBg7aTIQjZRXy77zhleKw-LqMarEa-FLc81QkENJUvzfLVQ/s1600/DSCN4934.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczlN72a7eVPHhw0S5BiMXAle9TD9dNRUDXZrEqMbNcegR3TLE-rq3bAehr4Gw9hbO_2IeChBJ5e9sLjVrk6CiuglTl1HrrBg7aTIQjZRXy77zhleKw-LqMarEa-FLc81QkENJUvzfLVQ/s400/DSCN4934.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494985442490787010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9iNSJJz_7tk6YHcIRio9cb-GfzhtkbPjTiXtvWy5Wp0QSoEw7jLV7LzM86NQaUqLZ_c43wKrAjA2YW4LonkMcnszjMLVx_0o4AaxrrHkvVPBfiHPKkEtWUp36Z9r-J0C3AmZdRMRAew/s1600/DSCN4930.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9iNSJJz_7tk6YHcIRio9cb-GfzhtkbPjTiXtvWy5Wp0QSoEw7jLV7LzM86NQaUqLZ_c43wKrAjA2YW4LonkMcnszjMLVx_0o4AaxrrHkvVPBfiHPKkEtWUp36Z9r-J0C3AmZdRMRAew/s400/DSCN4930.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494985435919671554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Oj3fXJ50yzztqz11wWHpGdnOGqiHsAd7RSskzh0N-7EwVsoMcfqCgYA7JTsPoGBl-5A4eDtPywY04nM82-V62QUJhZhlXQ1kXaRW_QbAE17mLcJgZhGFSFLP5expns94ggl8PphUSus/s1600/DSCN4918.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Oj3fXJ50yzztqz11wWHpGdnOGqiHsAd7RSskzh0N-7EwVsoMcfqCgYA7JTsPoGBl-5A4eDtPywY04nM82-V62QUJhZhlXQ1kXaRW_QbAE17mLcJgZhGFSFLP5expns94ggl8PphUSus/s400/DSCN4918.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494985423707543458" /></a><br /><div>Today was a fairly quiet day. Most of my friends are out of town in Moravia this weekend. Originally, I had wanted to spend this weekend in Poland. I really wanted to visit Auschwitz- a fitting ending to my tour of Europe, I thought, particularly because in the history of so many countries, all roads lead to Auschwitz. It's that place that you can't escape, that you are drawn to precisely because it is so repulsive. On top of that, Krakow is supposed to be a terrific town. I was excited about this prospective weekend! But alas, it just wasn't meant to be. The night train to Krakow is notoriously dangerous- particularly for a teenage girl traveling solo- and so I wasn't willing to go by myself. And since so many people already had plans for the weekend, I couldn't find somebody to go with. It's okay- Auschwitz is supposed to be packed during the summer, and on a Saturday? I can't imagine the crowds. Frankly, that's not the experience I wanted. My desire for real Polish pirogies will have to wait for another trip... one day!</div><div>So I am spending this weekend in Prague! That is not such a bad thing. I do love this city. Today, I took a walking tour- I know, I know- who takes a tour after being in the city for two months?! Me, that's who. It's absolutely not normal, but then again, neither am I. I really enjoyed the tour. Yes, I knew a lot of the history, and yes, I had seen a lot of the places. But I was able to see the Jewish Quarter, which is something that I really wanted to do! And you always pick up on new bits of history along the way. Besides, those tours are fantastic ways to meet people. It was a really enjoyable way to spend a significant part of my day. The tour guide offered me a part time job giving tours- if only I wasn't leaving in a week! I would love to do something like that. Maybe I will, sometime (right, because I need more things that I am interested in doing!). She is a med student in Ireland who comes to Prague in the summers to give tours. Um, awesome life. I ate dinner at a little cafe near Old Town that I particularly like- salmon and spinach pasta, tea, and orange cake. So good. It was really quite pleasant. Originally, I was planning on going up to the castle to see the city at night, but I decided to back. My knee was bothering me, had a headache, the rest of the usual business... Turned out to be a good decision, because not long after I got back, it started to rain! It was supposed to rain all day today, and I was quite pleased that it held off. Wonderfully enough, the rain has dropped the temperature a couple of degrees! I'll sleep well tonight! The sound of the rain on the city streets... ahh, it's something wonderful. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpHGOCi61tDLxbGLlIzx8jq8B6hyEPfv1Mdfk0ebLMzAEHzdKZ89ZJM5HA2a9FEGQkyDl3MPp3jM3qrJq_gW2Kg2DJzziFI2UjWLxOF0e92ovGAdK1iU6_RQ0XiOl2UKnBgkKY21TQKc/s1600/DSCN4942.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpHGOCi61tDLxbGLlIzx8jq8B6hyEPfv1Mdfk0ebLMzAEHzdKZ89ZJM5HA2a9FEGQkyDl3MPp3jM3qrJq_gW2Kg2DJzziFI2UjWLxOF0e92ovGAdK1iU6_RQ0XiOl2UKnBgkKY21TQKc/s400/DSCN4942.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494985418961902370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0okMAPZmfKtsx2184vcGE9Olo_hooas66581xXfPNWO-biTQ2nU3_itndW8TLQpKksHBs7NqmvjXU_mk54XS1AKRoBbkyRiKF_PsQilhiR374Ofv-jrB1lGNtIaxLJVgKGMqxn8kTbvg/s1600/DSCN4943.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 322px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0okMAPZmfKtsx2184vcGE9Olo_hooas66581xXfPNWO-biTQ2nU3_itndW8TLQpKksHBs7NqmvjXU_mk54XS1AKRoBbkyRiKF_PsQilhiR374Ofv-jrB1lGNtIaxLJVgKGMqxn8kTbvg/s400/DSCN4943.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494985409181463746" /></a><div><br /></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-61620252152115066952010-07-13T13:56:00.008-04:002010-07-15T17:45:49.518-04:00J'aime la Belgique!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6t28BSCZ33CWgOutg8R4w7X6-JcAsmQTRmaWxMwR6Gjnu7IEIwh_bJDkrH2bdhlDa-N_9lqAT66h_KYaTrznXWOQYcoYUhiLtnmuM11QwBcs6Vs9cqHhLmZgHBjDdNWqIxmZ_xBAsfU/s400/DSCN4825.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 242px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494247950513928146" />...is incredible in every way.<div><br /></div><div><br />Oh my, what a wonderful weekend. Brussels- or Bruxelles, as the case may be- is absolutely fantastic. Of course, it helps that I was exploring such a glorious city with someone so incredibly awesome. Maddie and I had a blast going mapless in Belgium! That's right- we did not acquire a map for the weekend's festivities. We simply explored, and used the metro lines to get back home (with great success, I might add). The Metro was a little confusing at first, because it's about a billion times bigger than Prague- and probably not bombproof either, but that's a different story- but in the end, we always figured out where we were going. It was such an adventure, as our lives always tend to be!<div>One of the first things that we noticed about the city was how multicultural it was. It is quite possibly one of the most diverse cities I have ever been in, and it wasn't particularly segregated either. People from all over the world blended together, forming far more of a melting pot than America! After Prague, where diversity more or less consists of Asian tourists, it was almost overwhelming. Very cool, in a lot of different ways. To see people of all races, religions, and nationalities together in one city... it was awesome.</div><div><div>Maddie's French skills were put to good use as we navigated to our hotel- plane, bus, train, metro- we used them all, and it did get a little complicated at times! Then, we arrived at our hotel to find that it was a tiny little door wedged between two cafes. Unnerved, we entered, and were buzzed in through a second door. The woman at "reception" which was really just a tiny office with a bed, desk and fridge in it, spoke only French, and informed us to come back in an hour and a half. Whoever heard of a four thirty pm check in?! That's rather late. We didn't mind so much though, because we hadn't eaten lunch yet anyway. So we left our luggage in the office and set off. Because of the hour, some places were closed for an afternoon break, while others were open but not serving food. It was a little confusing at first, but after about ten minutes, we found this adorable little cafe where we enjoyed quiche lorraine and salad. It was fantastic! Belgian food has received an emphatic thumbs up from me! Not that anywhere has had subpar food... but still. It was great. After we wrapped up our meal, we checked in and headed to Bruxelle Les Bains, a riverside music festival that was a ton of fun! We indulged in churros with nutella, and got these really awesome souvenir cups with our drinks! After spending awhile enjoying that area, we headed up the street and, after quite a bit of walking (and trying to convince a very enthusiastic Belgian chattering at me in French that we did not, in fact, want to eat at his cafe) ended up at St. Michael's Cathedral. It was gorgeous, and was set in the middle of a beautiful park that Maddie and I hung out in for quite awhile. Just lolling about on the grass was quite pleasant. Eventually, we decided to head back into town for dinner. After much exploration of the metro system and coming to the realization that some of the trains were mislabeled and thus were lying to us about their destination, we arrived back where we wanted to be. At about nine, we found our way our way to this adorable little cafe in the heart of the city. It was a Danish tavern, and we were able to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. A milkshake, croque-monsieur, and delicious crepes rounded off a fabulous day. It wasn't until eleven thirty that we finished our leisurely meal. The pace was great- very laid-back and enjoyable. Not long after, we crashed. It had been a long day, and we were both exhausted!</div><div>The next morning, we decided that we wanted to start our day off right. Obviously, this involved eating waffles for breakfast. While we were waiting for the stand to open, we went by a candy store to purchase chocolate, cookies, and other such goodies. The Belgians love their sweets, so we got along grandly. Within a few minutes, the waffle stand was open, and we made a beeline for it Maddie selected orange ice cream and strawberries for her toppings, while I opted for strawberries and chocolate. It was positively heavenly. While indulging, we explored the Grand Place, which was chock full of stunning architecture, and ventured forth towards that legendary statue: the Manneken Pis, or the peeing boy. Honestly, Maddie and I were a bit perplexed with this phenomenon. It just seemed a bit... strange. A whole slew of people were posing for pictures in front of the fountain. We lingered in our puzzlement- and then realized that we weren't going to reach any real conclusions on the subject, so we carried on. Eventually, we meandered our way to the EU Parliament building. We also wandered through some second hand stores, explored the Parc de Bruxelles, found the American embassy, located the Belgian Parliament complex, found a sweet wooden sculpture that arched over the entire street, almost got hit by a bus, waltzed through a shopping mall and then.... then we headed to Mini-Europe. It was quite the trek on the Metro, but before long, we arrived, brimming with excitement. Yes, this was going to be incredible. All of Europe's highlight's- in miniature! It was great. We had a fantastic time exploring the sights on a smaller scale, and I was quite delighted to realize that I had been to many of these places! It was great. A rumbling in our stomach soon provided a friendly reminder that we wanted to eat, so we stopped at a Brazilian cafe just outside where we made a brilliant discovery: carbonated beach iced tea. Fantastic, in every way. I am addicted and want more. It will be one of several odd addictions that I'll bring back to the States, I suppose. But if you had some, you would understand. The omelet I had had was delicious as well (yum, champignons!). Afterwards, we decided to head back to the center of town and see where the afternoon took us. First, it took us to the outskirts of Brussels, because we inadvertently boarded the Metro in the wrong direction when we changed lines... oops. But it was really cool to see a different part of the city. Eventually, we ended up where we wanted to be. We purchased postcards, and procured the Holland jerseys that we wanted for World Cup final the next day- I know, I know, I should have bought one when I was in Amsterdam a few weeks ago but alas, it slipped my mind. We discovered this little cafe, where we stopped for some cold drinks and a bit of a/c, and nearly got caught in the middle of a whipped cream war! It was quite amusing. After some further wandering, we found a grocery store, where we procured some more sparkling iced tea... and I bought a mango. I haven't had a mango in months! Not because they aren't sold in Prague, they are (although they are a little pricey), I just haven't had one. And they looked so delicious. So we meandered our way over towards this cathedral and park, and sat on the steps with our drinks... and my mango. We got some interesting looks, but the mango was glorious and the company was even better, so I don't particularly care. After some more exploring, we decided we wanted to eat dinner, and latched onto the idea of grabbing gyros in the Greek Aisle (an excellent little pun on Maddie's part if I do say so myself)- basically a street full of Greek and other Mediterranean food. First we decided to drop our bags off at the hotel, and I wanted to wash my hands anyway- mangoes get sticky! We headed back out and settled in at a little cafe, indulging in these delicious feta gyros that were fantastic. Towards the end of our meal it started to rain- oh no! We were actually quite glad that it had held off so long, except now we were left without umbrellas. After quickly paying, we soon located another cafe that we spotted earlier. Actually, it wasn't the cafe that we noticed so much as the desserts! So we holed up inside with warm, gooey chocolate cake and tea and waited out the storm. Once the cake was done, it was still pouring.... so we had tea too. It was lovely. After about two hours, the storm passed and we headed back to our hotel. We had a grand time watching people from our window, and eventually fell asleep. It was going to be an early morning!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2Qd9rvlD9qhibN1tbXbU9sS56XuZnPsvjg9tXj1Hb286paI7MxUaU7rAfU76JzYlPnknDW4Te52z4yz0Bj9kjZHqqm33Mm78SpaVzbov3pkDvIriVHGva4LShOfwAw51OK6Rru3I6R4/s1600/DSCN4828.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2Qd9rvlD9qhibN1tbXbU9sS56XuZnPsvjg9tXj1Hb286paI7MxUaU7rAfU76JzYlPnknDW4Te52z4yz0Bj9kjZHqqm33Mm78SpaVzbov3pkDvIriVHGva4LShOfwAw51OK6Rru3I6R4/s400/DSCN4828.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494248533915346738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>The perfect way to pass a thunderstorm...<br /><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN10iXyJ56jTS3Bmg-D3pqHxbz8qQCDPRbVCx5YXx2tRE1Saf9tpHVesJ9JRggufuiCvxJGZ-YoQBn6589i6ylFzJaZOwxXzGJn8pLzluW4GakW86gGyC4BPXtl8rIhsjJWEyE9x6i2Mw/s1600/DSCN4798.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN10iXyJ56jTS3Bmg-D3pqHxbz8qQCDPRbVCx5YXx2tRE1Saf9tpHVesJ9JRggufuiCvxJGZ-YoQBn6589i6ylFzJaZOwxXzGJn8pLzluW4GakW86gGyC4BPXtl8rIhsjJWEyE9x6i2Mw/s400/DSCN4798.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494247945114973890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>Mini-Europe!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9a4SnAw6E36yPFPpSufkjzSsqueJdujWwEv8U4Suhjxz64p7W5FN97YWKDI6cWTygcIHBq4NbE5V2J7s2z4KonPhzMy3n9qm1VQSv0-FAV4SZLSKN0fTQtewRztvRFM5Cn9k3TJGitc/s1600/DSCN4793.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9a4SnAw6E36yPFPpSufkjzSsqueJdujWwEv8U4Suhjxz64p7W5FN97YWKDI6cWTygcIHBq4NbE5V2J7s2z4KonPhzMy3n9qm1VQSv0-FAV4SZLSKN0fTQtewRztvRFM5Cn9k3TJGitc/s400/DSCN4793.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494247938054474354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 400px; " /></a>Brussels Park<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYhgBTXhspYmIvCpAm7ovkI2rpQJ-gmVV1PqfVSGy6cQpJhrxykwXdDfDfUyceWVZPYfcBs59deKg9o_AJcZI2YxFC3bE3M3h89f77Go_qAVRobByMR2OZBA3bsBMi29vfd3DRBW4qQY/s1600/DSCN4790.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYhgBTXhspYmIvCpAm7ovkI2rpQJ-gmVV1PqfVSGy6cQpJhrxykwXdDfDfUyceWVZPYfcBs59deKg9o_AJcZI2YxFC3bE3M3h89f77Go_qAVRobByMR2OZBA3bsBMi29vfd3DRBW4qQY/s400/DSCN4790.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494247927642749394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYvq-1Ms4dBapHD-xNQmm0zlpOdYlgNZthoNDJxv_Vwlt0jMnG2x-6mPpORijfOQg63TqeQovI7NwvfbTzGqCnza7q4S2hiGEr3OtvROFAkuGQY7ragpqgZtwMnvfp4hDg8BInQ3mxXQ/s1600/DSCN4788.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYvq-1Ms4dBapHD-xNQmm0zlpOdYlgNZthoNDJxv_Vwlt0jMnG2x-6mPpORijfOQg63TqeQovI7NwvfbTzGqCnza7q4S2hiGEr3OtvROFAkuGQY7ragpqgZtwMnvfp4hDg8BInQ3mxXQ/s400/DSCN4788.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494247919526465874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The Grand Place</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOQQWcPW-DbAnkTzQN7lIryFgpKMompKBh5GIvko9U4X1PuK-ez2GkLTf6sGBtZhQQM-RrummF639oieH4l4-8J-LBWpyppp0VBIu5ZnmZAWexgIV_bBuDA1GcGMt1YUMTxakID6fum4/s1600/not+about+to+be+hit+by+a+bus.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOQQWcPW-DbAnkTzQN7lIryFgpKMompKBh5GIvko9U4X1PuK-ez2GkLTf6sGBtZhQQM-RrummF639oieH4l4-8J-LBWpyppp0VBIu5ZnmZAWexgIV_bBuDA1GcGMt1YUMTxakID6fum4/s400/not+about+to+be+hit+by+a+bus.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494243308759885250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 371px; " /></a>On the cobblestone street in front of Parliament<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGOvIBerwp4J2-Vy529aUgfGwcdgFKvBoSr_m9iMO14D43EzTrl-ZahKmh0qr4WQWcuM8sX-KdW1T4HSy5-3T5d1jRcn3GJAovLBvcPiJ1cA4Qf4suBLWLP8Y0hLbW2F4nPadq8EdvIg/s1600/lost+in+the+brussels+metro,+again.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGOvIBerwp4J2-Vy529aUgfGwcdgFKvBoSr_m9iMO14D43EzTrl-ZahKmh0qr4WQWcuM8sX-KdW1T4HSy5-3T5d1jRcn3GJAovLBvcPiJ1cA4Qf4suBLWLP8Y0hLbW2F4nPadq8EdvIg/s400/lost+in+the+brussels+metro,+again.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494243301300670690" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 400px; " /></a>Waiting for the Metro- not quite lost, but not quite found either.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1S1kfV8P3HmYv_ICFKkAnRJYigh4UkS2x58oV1xMjnuk1368D5hdJfHrVGR83V7vph1C0WXRefShm5uZRJXOIlaAteaIr8JY9tO_1IuRyDRfoD78-no1jbSCccm9ICz3LKBcNV5fkAE/s1600/big+oil+babes.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1S1kfV8P3HmYv_ICFKkAnRJYigh4UkS2x58oV1xMjnuk1368D5hdJfHrVGR83V7vph1C0WXRefShm5uZRJXOIlaAteaIr8JY9tO_1IuRyDRfoD78-no1jbSCccm9ICz3LKBcNV5fkAE/s400/big+oil+babes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494243295711570626" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>Yeah, we're big oil- and we're proud.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day, we headed to the train station early and made our way back to the airport. It's amazing how quickly you make friends when you're wearing a jersey! It made security a breeze- good thing the agents were all pulling for the Netherlands! While waiting in the airport, we ate quiches for brunch, and afterwards I indulged in another waffle. Delicious. Also free, because the vending machine wasn't operating properly- what a pleasant surprise! The flight was nice and easy, and before long, we found ourselves back at home in Prague- yay! Maddie and I made plans to meet up that night for dinner at Bohemia Bagel, an expats' haven that is one of the few places in the country that you can find a bagel. After dinner, we grabbed some ice cream and headed to the game. People were singing to us in Dutch, and enthusiastically voicing their support for Holland. The atmosphere of the World Cup in Europe is incredible... It's really a phenomenal experience. People were mistaking us as Dutch all night- which is a really huge compliment, because Dutch girls are gorgeous, in a very effortless way. One such conversation:</div><div>Brecht: //smiles at us, speaking in Dutch//</div><div>Maddie and I: "Uhh... do you speak English?"</div><div>Brecht: "What?! You are not Dutch?!?!" //looks quite shocked</div><div>Maddie: "No... we're not"// laughing</div><div>Brecht: "Ohh..."// He pauses, looking confused. // "But you are pulling for Holland, yes?"</div><div>Me: "Yes, of course we are!" //Nah, we're just wearing these jerseys because we thought they looked cool. I mean... they do look cool, but that's not relevant.</div><div>A few moments later, after thinking about our lack of Dutch citizenship apparently, he taps me on the shoulder.</div><div>Brecht: "So you are English, then?"</div><div>Me: "No, we're not... We're American. We live here, but we're from the States."// amused</div><div>Brecht: "You- what?! You're American?!"</div><div>He was more surprised that we were American that he was that we weren't Dutch, much to my amusement. Not a bad situation to be in. I don't mind the least bit when people don't realize that I am American! Not long after, we befriended a group of Dutch guys (conversation sparked after Maddie and I began to laugh hysterically at the way Czech people dressed like Texans- it was for this band's pre-match concert, and it was ridiculously entertaining), and that made for a very entertaining evening... until Holland lost. We were so sad, and so was everyone else. Well, except for the Spain fans. But quite frankly, the Dutch were very gracious losers (much more so than the Spanish would have been, given the fact that they were bandying around a replica championship trophy before the match even began!). After the game ended, it was quite late, so I headed back to my apartment.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIWmuMDtJTz5ykcIEjBhTO9j_x2hFj3-OIjFkqqc_KJj7VUARyGruX7TgI9Bu5EP68DUKh22ntiY5LgkWMM8aphttSHBdSU8KD0QbHPKGc2MITa-LMGvv14D4znR9hCVYQ90fSlld4k4/s1600/hup+holland+hup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIWmuMDtJTz5ykcIEjBhTO9j_x2hFj3-OIjFkqqc_KJj7VUARyGruX7TgI9Bu5EP68DUKh22ntiY5LgkWMM8aphttSHBdSU8KD0QbHPKGc2MITa-LMGvv14D4znR9hCVYQ90fSlld4k4/s400/hup+holland+hup.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494243289488099698" /></a></div><div>Hup Holland Hup!</div><div><br /><div>Monday morning, I watched The Pianist in my Political Film and Novel of Europe class, and it was a great movie about a Jewish pianist, Szpilman, who survives the Nazi occupation of Poland. Afterwards, I went grocery shopping, and did some of my reading for one of my other classes in a park- where I found the Dutch boys from the evening before! It was a very pleasant surprise, and we ended up hanging out for a bit that afternoon. It was their last night in Prague, and then they were off to Budapest. It was kind of cool to be able to advise them on the city's best sights! This week, I also watched Downfall, another war movie, in that class. It centers on the last ten days of Hitler's regime. A very moving film, I found that it had a very interesting perspective. I've been learning quite a lot in Czech class as well- lots of new verbs to memorize- oh dear! In my Gender class this week, we went to a local cafe for tea with a former student of my professors' who is now quite involved with a fundraising organization for women's rights groups in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as a magazine that seeks to promote various women's rights issues. She was a fascinating woman, and I really enjoyed meeting with her. Afterwards, we finished our class by exploring more of Vysehrad, the castle complex near school. We wandered through the cemetery and saw sculptures of all sorts of legendary figures. This morning I headed to the Museum of Communism with my Film and Novel class. It was a good museum, quite fascinating. But the best- and worst- part of it was this little room off to the side where they showed a film that was a composition of all sorts of footage from the Communist era. It was devastating to watch. To see people being treated so brutally, when they simply wanted to protest peacefully.... the screamings, the beatings. Being able to see that, and see it happening in places I recognize- the place I live! It was beyond moving.</div><div>Later on, I met up for lunch with Maddie. Lunch was actually pie and iced tea. And it was wonderful. We followed that with some vintage shopping, exploration of Prague, and milkshakes from Ben & Jerry's. Then I had a Czech test- ack! Conjugating verbs! But it's alright, I did well- I hope! Tomorrow we're going to the zoo for class, and I can't wait! It should be fantastic. I have just nine days left here in Prague- and that makes me so indescribably sad. I plan on making the most of every one of those days, of course, but I just don't want to go! I'm sitting in the window of my apartment across the street from the Karlin theater, and I'm so content. Sure it'll be nice to have air-conditioning and screens on my windows and other such things, and seeing friends and family will be wonderful.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>But I know I'm going to miss this.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo14Ze6Mi0TbKWxD_hjU4yexpiM20SDkCQpfLnU_yb62kiKKXP4BzOCn2GZqZ-p0GBTrcmIn8yoOAkOK6QkbBJ-PCH4YHrZaK0y9a8Xr5QljQhXbKbyduvw5rg5ZAH4_SQUeoN8PTK4FY/s1600/DSCN4833.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo14Ze6Mi0TbKWxD_hjU4yexpiM20SDkCQpfLnU_yb62kiKKXP4BzOCn2GZqZ-p0GBTrcmIn8yoOAkOK6QkbBJ-PCH4YHrZaK0y9a8Xr5QljQhXbKbyduvw5rg5ZAH4_SQUeoN8PTK4FY/s400/DSCN4833.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494243315034354514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIWmuMDtJTz5ykcIEjBhTO9j_x2hFj3-OIjFkqqc_KJj7VUARyGruX7TgI9Bu5EP68DUKh22ntiY5LgkWMM8aphttSHBdSU8KD0QbHPKGc2MITa-LMGvv14D4znR9hCVYQ90fSlld4k4/s1600/hup+holland+hup.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIWmuMDtJTz5ykcIEjBhTO9j_x2hFj3-OIjFkqqc_KJj7VUARyGruX7TgI9Bu5EP68DUKh22ntiY5LgkWMM8aphttSHBdSU8KD0QbHPKGc2MITa-LMGvv14D4znR9hCVYQ90fSlld4k4/s1600/hup+holland+hup.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIWmuMDtJTz5ykcIEjBhTO9j_x2hFj3-OIjFkqqc_KJj7VUARyGruX7TgI9Bu5EP68DUKh22ntiY5LgkWMM8aphttSHBdSU8KD0QbHPKGc2MITa-LMGvv14D4znR9hCVYQ90fSlld4k4/s1600/hup+holland+hup.jpg"></a></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-30482985457681323632010-07-08T16:54:00.004-04:002010-07-08T19:04:51.882-04:00This time that's left is flying by...<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizif_ILO7qVebUgmHL9l5CDmo0EYWO1yY0fiz_Y6aVKtf6mZcIPiefB0E1eDt6HpFdY_OIiTKzdNz7P_jY0kgPFwE0arLKtTisudQdIpuCNJEtdk0aFNQJh5oaFQgWBOe3VSIx43txMEg/s1600/DSCN4695.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 278px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizif_ILO7qVebUgmHL9l5CDmo0EYWO1yY0fiz_Y6aVKtf6mZcIPiefB0E1eDt6HpFdY_OIiTKzdNz7P_jY0kgPFwE0arLKtTisudQdIpuCNJEtdk0aFNQJh5oaFQgWBOe3VSIx43txMEg/s400/DSCN4695.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491673491250296002" /></a></div><br />Wow, I'm fast approaching the end to another week... Where is the time going? In two weeks, I'll be done with exams and heading back to the States- home. Or is it? I suppose I don't really know. It doesn't particularly matter, either. But I'll be heading back to family and friends, and I certainly am excited about that! <div>This week felt particularly short largely because I simply had two days of class, thanks to the fantastic Czech national holidays that allowed me to travel over the long weekend. It's not always a Monday-Tuesday holiday- it's designated as the fifth and sixth of July. This year, however, it worked out perfectly for travel!</div><div>Croatia was incredible. I think, out of all the places I have been, it has been the one with the most distinct culture. Almost immediately, I could feel that the atmosphere was different. Not that other places aren't different- I don't mean that at all. I just think that it was in Croatia that I was finally far enough away that the differences compounded into something a little more tangible. One thing that I noticed straight away? There were very few cobblestone streets. The main area of the town was paved with these square white tiles instead. It was a little strange to get used to! The architecture in Rijeka was beautiful. And it was old, just like countless other European cities. But it also felt more neglected. The buildings had a worn look, to the point where other buildings- those seen as the "gems" of the city I suppose, such as the Opera house, or St. Vitus' Cathedral- look out of place because they were so well cared for. It was the kind of culture where people would talk to each other across the street from the windows of their flats, or simply stand there and watch the world. Laundry was strung across narrow streets, and the bakeries on every corner gave the streets a wonderful smell. Cafes were everywhere. No matter the time of day, they were always filled with people- mostly locals, since Rijeka isn't exactly a big tourist city (it's more of a place to pass through than a place to stop at, for most people)- content to enjoy some casual conversation with friends or to watch people on the streets. It's not about the food or the drinks; it's about the people you're with and the atmosphere. It's a very comforting way to pass the time, and very relaxing too. Also, I greatly appreciated that everyone spoke beautiful English! English is by and large the second language of Europe, which is interesting to me. It is the de facto means of communication in an international crowd- and when it saves me having to muddle through Spanish, German, Czech (and heaven help the person trying to understand an attempt on my part to speak French!) or some other language I barely know, I quite appreciate it! Communication, even with a true language barrier where neither of the parties involved can say anything in the other language, is not so difficult if both people are patient and try (tell that to some of the ticket agents at train stations!). It's like a game of charades sometimes. On the whole, I've found that there's no reason to be afraid to try to communicate with someone. You'd be surprised how feasible it is. That being said, I still want to learn more languages. I don't want to be comfortable with English and sub-par Spanish and mere broken bits of other languages. I want to actually be able to carry on a conversation! So that will be another life goal of mine. Something to work towards. </div><div>After leaving Croatia, I spent a lovely afternoon and evening enjoying Ljubljana. I turned in fairly early, but I spent quite awhile enjoying the beautiful river, and the glorious weather. It's a wonderful little city. They call it Europe on a human scale. I thought it sounded strange, until I saw it for myself. It truly is that same ornate European style... just on a much smaller scale. It gives the city a quaint, almost cozy feel. I rather liked it. And early the next morning- after sneaking into the hostel's kitchen early so I could grab breakfast- I hopped over to a local bakery to grab food for the train, and then left for Prague. It was so good to finally make it back home to my apartment!</div><div>This week hasn't been too crazy. I've spent what felt like a lot of time in class, but that's really not so bad. I enjoy my classes quite a lot! This session, I'm taking Political Film and Novel of Europe, Czech Language II, and Gender and Post-socialist Transformation. They are all fascinating, and very different. I feel like through the combination of all of them, I have really gained a feel for Czech culture. I really do love it here. This place is wonderful.</div><div>I was able to share my love for Prague with a friend of mine, Claire, who came to visit Prague! As you may recall, we met a few weeks ago in Amsterdam. She's been traveling around Europe since then, and I was delighted to be able to meet up with her here! She's staying at our apartment for a few nights while she's here. We ate dinner at a cafe together the other night, and then went to watch the game in Old Town Square. Poor Deutschland. I was quite sad about Germany's loss (as were the hundreds of Germans in the square with us- but all of the Spain fans were ecstatic). It has been wonderful to hang out with her- my favorite part about traveling is the people you meet! I have met some incredible people on this journey.</div><div>I look forward to continuing that trend when I head to Brussels, Belgium this weekend! It should be a fantastic adventure- obviously, since I'm going with Maddie! We're going to have a great time, as we always seem to. Something will probably go dreadfully wrong (oh- it already did! we discovered that our bus tickets were entirely wrong and would have brought us back into Prague Saturday morning instead of Monday, because the bus doesn't run on Sunday nights! So we are flying instead- which will probably be far more pleasant anyway). I am ecstatic about the waffles and chocolate and mini-europe and the peeing statue and the festival and the flea market and parliament and parks and all the wonderfulness that constitutes Brussels. It should be glorious!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW95csv2NRZ-WDhzs9EW0zgmB9mueQUp4lz-iNHVcLakNuJlwmcjzTDNubO_AlKgnOSjFmClgu32_2kLm6PG_4YjRZ3O9bbuoImTGYPNjvDV-0Ez-WPqAMD4NRKU6zgwJbbzeppU6U6OI/s1600/_MG_5005.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW95csv2NRZ-WDhzs9EW0zgmB9mueQUp4lz-iNHVcLakNuJlwmcjzTDNubO_AlKgnOSjFmClgu32_2kLm6PG_4YjRZ3O9bbuoImTGYPNjvDV-0Ez-WPqAMD4NRKU6zgwJbbzeppU6U6OI/s400/_MG_5005.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491674297757874178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>Yes. This weekend will be fantastic.</div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-16764706102054342582010-07-06T14:09:00.004-04:002010-07-06T18:02:18.153-04:00How to amuse yourself for hours on end.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXGg0JMyRKHiL9PYR2uqBZqi4Bl7RxovzFBUdgGPn72QcJoJF4ulfvD-ussY2rlB6waLkBe9jvWwfKShH6TG8GjTvSSzUhJAmzuTKh-_KAtD175AA9LUOzFA5oNtrM4bUMY5_idaLasA/s1600/DSCN4764.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXGg0JMyRKHiL9PYR2uqBZqi4Bl7RxovzFBUdgGPn72QcJoJF4ulfvD-ussY2rlB6waLkBe9jvWwfKShH6TG8GjTvSSzUhJAmzuTKh-_KAtD175AA9LUOzFA5oNtrM4bUMY5_idaLasA/s400/DSCN4764.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490914685606749874" /></a>Amusingly enough, I came to Slovenia at sunrise... and I left Slovenia at sunrise.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJ0aARKVjt3e7yd9XYKyggUKzTgPkF7DECWeDexdJQr1QqXVzP5v3WIj3hRLpTEtiZL_EO99Wk6VGSKTjdcS6Jj64e2M6muZjj7rBJlHqkKHk0di2hVh9lFmKrYLxNBqHM9esBWCsOr0/s1600/DSCN4772.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJ0aARKVjt3e7yd9XYKyggUKzTgPkF7DECWeDexdJQr1QqXVzP5v3WIj3hRLpTEtiZL_EO99Wk6VGSKTjdcS6Jj64e2M6muZjj7rBJlHqkKHk0di2hVh9lFmKrYLxNBqHM9esBWCsOr0/s400/DSCN4772.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490914676062061666" /></a>It was so indescribably wonderful.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoLFuUvnXNqNqRKypuwBASlihJ9HT0YL3qK9a65kiKWge1xXQSDSDy0gpL_cjLsOhjHMOv3ow-sK7GWfS3CgeJR4kkPtolJG24K5eLkuB5-gG-naB8Vbq0aE-cc7DQtRwEGoSVyAWoNc/s1600/DSCN4773.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoLFuUvnXNqNqRKypuwBASlihJ9HT0YL3qK9a65kiKWge1xXQSDSDy0gpL_cjLsOhjHMOv3ow-sK7GWfS3CgeJR4kkPtolJG24K5eLkuB5-gG-naB8Vbq0aE-cc7DQtRwEGoSVyAWoNc/s400/DSCN4773.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490914672064082162" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDWQiUDHu_DQbECX43KnNGN4vw1PXncIs7xSCg9NRPNrBiiCiSpZIwitsEBGu9yZe9EpqprReMZdhoW6gMv3FnmO8pALszlUheKSDNriVG5_2OJs-oFgcyAeCQSyWXxe07AybTanQMOU/s1600/DSCN4774.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDWQiUDHu_DQbECX43KnNGN4vw1PXncIs7xSCg9NRPNrBiiCiSpZIwitsEBGu9yZe9EpqprReMZdhoW6gMv3FnmO8pALszlUheKSDNriVG5_2OJs-oFgcyAeCQSyWXxe07AybTanQMOU/s400/DSCN4774.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490914663758997634" /></a>It was a quiet ride from Ljubljana to Villach (Austria)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTzqwjRJidtBvBqR0gc-2qQQoGPa8QpqCeSa94XFMHPnAjsyeo5eX-EX6I-Z-f779tiGRzsw1GlqQmBRMGZto0mEg8gknwOoevslCZ54WIjWgSvele1dEmmM2Ua6UIWxW7knwwXhyphenhyphenozE/s1600/DSCN4775.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 336px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTzqwjRJidtBvBqR0gc-2qQQoGPa8QpqCeSa94XFMHPnAjsyeo5eX-EX6I-Z-f779tiGRzsw1GlqQmBRMGZto0mEg8gknwOoevslCZ54WIjWgSvele1dEmmM2Ua6UIWxW7knwwXhyphenhyphenozE/s400/DSCN4775.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490911727104902194" /></a>Austria makes me so happy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShSNscxS8AMZg2Zy9TP7Hgt0w1fr4cvbZp2a2eQC7xM_SXlELRnDkx1ImiIiJp3OYH_62TL8_5wgsAzCZuO1JWCn__dtxTVNPDTuCGbA1j6wZQ_I738SVkV4DP5HFiYqr-12GY4dhfqw/s1600/DSCN4779.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShSNscxS8AMZg2Zy9TP7Hgt0w1fr4cvbZp2a2eQC7xM_SXlELRnDkx1ImiIiJp3OYH_62TL8_5wgsAzCZuO1JWCn__dtxTVNPDTuCGbA1j6wZQ_I738SVkV4DP5HFiYqr-12GY4dhfqw/s400/DSCN4779.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490911714048944930" /></a>I tried and tried to get pictures of the Alps that appropriately conveyed just how incredible they are... but no luck.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2juqWcIPQhyphenhyphenPC_L0KHc7D09sBEADrum8UETHxfh1OfW0E-WTmn9r9GflNPHuiT6qbJH8SFf7cmvfSi-L5vfOdg3iw-5nospSZlh7xO8nIA066sL7DXJlT458ZCqcQDuesVXDop00GzI/s1600/DSCN4780.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2juqWcIPQhyphenhyphenPC_L0KHc7D09sBEADrum8UETHxfh1OfW0E-WTmn9r9GflNPHuiT6qbJH8SFf7cmvfSi-L5vfOdg3iw-5nospSZlh7xO8nIA066sL7DXJlT458ZCqcQDuesVXDop00GzI/s400/DSCN4780.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490911708698574866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4Jx9jtJDN78qLdWbnsU5suSI1-rq575OStpD99kjQAEkKvjVGe4jh9h4GoDHo1KOvXHO_TRvo3u6avZgvM_-nPtb2Hmoe2e6z8YkQy78xdL8yph5uxl9AZBCc6zp4x8IcyMzEc9J12k/s1600/DSCN4786.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4Jx9jtJDN78qLdWbnsU5suSI1-rq575OStpD99kjQAEkKvjVGe4jh9h4GoDHo1KOvXHO_TRvo3u6avZgvM_-nPtb2Hmoe2e6z8YkQy78xdL8yph5uxl9AZBCc6zp4x8IcyMzEc9J12k/s400/DSCN4786.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490911701998282866" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><br />Twelve hours on a train was quite the adventure. If you ever find yourself in such a situation, here are some ideas for things you can do:<div><ul><li>Watch the sunrise</li><li>Listen to music</li><li>Touch your toes. Calisthenics are very important!</li><li>Attempt to photograph the landscape</li><li>Abandon photography and just watch the landscape</li><li>Go through really really really really really reallyyyy long tunnels</li><li>Make faces in the mirrors of the car</li><li>Sort out minor crises via cell phone with the help of the ticket woman. Insist you are not traveling with your husband... or anyone else, for that matter. </li><li>Read a six hundred page novel</li><li>Befriend Austrian teenagers and discuss, in a broken mixture of English and German, whether the tourists in the aisle way are American or British (they were, for the record, American, and the Austrians were quite impressed with my astute observations- or maybe just my valiant attempt to speak German)</li><li>Observe the beautiful lake outside the window- Faaker See Lake, if my geography is right. Absolutely stunning. Bright blue, nestled in the Alps... sigh.</li><li>Change trains. Bonus points for making the transfer in under two minutes, preferably out of necessity rather than mere insanity.</li><li>Eat a delicious snack (fresh baked sweet roll from a Slovenian deli... terrific)</li><li>Befriend a small child. I had the luck of finding the cutest seven year old on the face of the planet, and we watched a Disney movie in German together. And she shared her cookies. </li><li>Play Robot Unicorn Attack</li><li>Solve expert level sudoku puzzles. </li><li>Play solitaire</li><li>Make up stories about the random people standing on the platforms</li><li>Play Uno</li><li>Marvel at the random castles that seem to pop up all over the place</li><li>Play Boggle</li><li>Think about how desperately you are still procrastinating on that four page paper you have to write</li><li>Check the time</li><li>Check the train schedule</li><li>Check the time again</li><li>Check the train schedule again</li><li>Spend a moment appreciating the Austrians for both air-conditioning their trains AND coherently announcing each stop. Alas, not everybody is so considerate. </li><li>Eat lunch</li><li>Giggle with the aforementioned small child</li><li>Drink juice</li><li>Change trains- again, rapidly. Because life is more fun when you're under pressure... right?</li><li>Give up and write the paper (this, regrettably, took less than an hour)</li><li>Watch the rain</li><li>Read another novel</li><li>Chant "home, home, home, home, home" over and over again in the hopes that it will soon grace the horizon</li><li>Befriend the Jack Russel who wants to eat your food</li><li>Yawn. Repeatedly. But don't sleep! You might miss something! </li><li>Joyfully note Prague emerging in the distance!</li></ul>Ahh, it is good to be back home in Prague. My own apartment, and my own bed! I have to say though, I am very proud of all my independent traveling! I had a blast... and in just a few days, I'm off to Brussels with Maddie!</div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-28828349282770965822010-07-05T15:59:00.005-04:002010-07-05T16:47:34.106-04:00A stopping point<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPx_YhHg1HRco5_Hf8nNcTDbP3nGq7y10_Dfzk_HwCvl841vvjoIzzyYr2s6dRQOCTSJLN8OdH1k293HBFupMxPuiHrZVF11RhdzPdrxVoQAZtzV8HJRkbWuAwjzQcWIlCdunMfQf_7g/s1600/DSCN4763.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPx_YhHg1HRco5_Hf8nNcTDbP3nGq7y10_Dfzk_HwCvl841vvjoIzzyYr2s6dRQOCTSJLN8OdH1k293HBFupMxPuiHrZVF11RhdzPdrxVoQAZtzV8HJRkbWuAwjzQcWIlCdunMfQf_7g/s400/DSCN4763.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490525286722634514" /></a>My beloved Converse are starting to fall apart (meaning they've reached that perfectly broken in stage where you can visibly tell that they are loved. also, they really smell)... and are kind of nasty looking inside. Alas, parting will be such sweet sorrow. They have taken me thousands of miles!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJZztKfq8kTpIH6VvJvk8nHLiCgno3IX2gDrzVhsAOmvzYj1gsEd9u3u95l5wIY4F3DxVcr0fbcOWctQEjA6RdqPtsCfaP-wsLFmBKfd__jA82wbCj5tRELjvOhYkfUN5s48Wl7P7p1I/s1600/DSCN4761_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJZztKfq8kTpIH6VvJvk8nHLiCgno3IX2gDrzVhsAOmvzYj1gsEd9u3u95l5wIY4F3DxVcr0fbcOWctQEjA6RdqPtsCfaP-wsLFmBKfd__jA82wbCj5tRELjvOhYkfUN5s48Wl7P7p1I/s400/DSCN4761_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490525272142274946" /></a>The dandelion's distant cousin<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqjleXkaMXP8x7A40YPJfmwdWi9SoEOSdqsIWYJqjqd99JLCFAl0tpBdkRdJR-XWLwwovevGtaKPhcSVzgaA5p8UAXixVq_CUrZ7mWTRaXO8VfgejyLEhITKfiuIQ4nvtpjkXmK3OQ2g/s1600/DSCN4760.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqjleXkaMXP8x7A40YPJfmwdWi9SoEOSdqsIWYJqjqd99JLCFAl0tpBdkRdJR-XWLwwovevGtaKPhcSVzgaA5p8UAXixVq_CUrZ7mWTRaXO8VfgejyLEhITKfiuIQ4nvtpjkXmK3OQ2g/s400/DSCN4760.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490525247446123218" /></a>Emily Dickinson, love.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAeLyxFBW-ycJzVnYNLc8Dw8208lkNlyGnqIJr-mWro_ulHqGHHGLGTbgSs30fQa1g8U3ICWZ5SeqY0EooWHTO623unoNiQZD_K7mKDacldZIL5eGOglrdQkG8LE696DLH3NVIGqeBBk/s1600/DSCN4758_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAeLyxFBW-ycJzVnYNLc8Dw8208lkNlyGnqIJr-mWro_ulHqGHHGLGTbgSs30fQa1g8U3ICWZ5SeqY0EooWHTO623unoNiQZD_K7mKDacldZIL5eGOglrdQkG8LE696DLH3NVIGqeBBk/s400/DSCN4758_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490525224384906850" /></a>Self-portrait? Cut my head off, called it art.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGd9sFKK2Kk4DN7LD9oKhYmVxMhnASO46MEvnZ5ysS77biUHdOXp1wQwu7kJUlToMqqZ1kR-Pm_fv1VkMvGnpRI_m9goOSuKNs49T5aQlfYrzVVVczcidkDkQ9AJq5lC7Gg8oqQlpyKc/s1600/DSCN4756.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGd9sFKK2Kk4DN7LD9oKhYmVxMhnASO46MEvnZ5ysS77biUHdOXp1wQwu7kJUlToMqqZ1kR-Pm_fv1VkMvGnpRI_m9goOSuKNs49T5aQlfYrzVVVczcidkDkQ9AJq5lC7Gg8oqQlpyKc/s400/DSCN4756.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490525210603198482" /></a>Ahh, the Ljubljanica River. A beautiful place to wile away the hours.<div><br /></div><div><br />I have lots of cultural reflections but no mental capacity. You guys can get a real blog update soon. But for now, just know that I am safe and sound in Slovenia! Just spending the night here- well, the night, and the glorious late afternoon prior to it. I leave for Prague tomorrow morning. Twelve hours on a train... oh boy. <div><br /></div><div>Bring it.<br /><div><br /></div><div> </div></div></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-25594585418546862492010-07-04T13:58:00.004-04:002010-07-04T16:49:22.454-04:00Well I'm going to be honest here: last night was a little bit rough. I was upset about a lot of things- finding myself suddenly alone in a faraway land being one of them- and was feeling a bit apprehensive about the rest of this trip. I've just been warned so many times about being alone in foreign countries. It's been ingrained in my head that I am a girl and this is a fact that simply makes the world a more dangerous place, particularly when I am alone. In case you couldn't tell from my last entry, I was feeling rather scattered. But as a good friend reminded me (thank you, Chris, for all your insight!): everything looks better in the morning. And it did! My outlook was considerably sunnier this morning when I woke up. Yes, being alone isn't the greatest thing. But my momma's taught me well! I know how to keep my wits about me. I'm good at blending in, and looking more confident that I actually am is a (very useful) skill of mine. Besides, I'm in Croatia! This is awesome! And I wanted to make the most of it. I decided that today, I wanted to go to the beach. I also contemplated climbing up to the castle, but wasn't sure about that. I just had one thing on my mind: beach. Because really, who doesn't love a good relaxing day at the beach?! I set off with my newfound friend here in Rijeka, Andy the Australian, towards the beach on foot. Apparently it is possible to take a bus there- but where's the fun in that?! I prefer walking whenever possible. After about thirty minutes, we arrived in Pecine, a suburb of Rijeka that was once very exclusive, but now looks rather forgotten. The beach however, is spectacular. It's primarily used by locals- tourists frequently travel to nearby islands- if they end up in Rijeka at all. Rijeka is not much of a tourist city. Split and Dubrovnik, much farther south, are far more popular for tourists. Thankfully, plenty of people still speak English- hallelujah! Of course, we happened to show up just as it started to rain. Fortunately, the storm passed very quickly, and we soon settled ourselves on the rocky coastline. It was a small lagoon, enclosed by high rocky walls, and the view of the sea was nothing short of dazzling. After a few moments just enjoying the atmosphere, I slipped into the water. It was a bit chilly, but not difficult to adjust to. Andy was surprised at how warm it was- I suppose he's not accustomed to swimming in the balmy Gulf of Mexico! Regardless, the water was great. It became very deep very rapidly, yet still remained crystal clear. From a distance, however, it appears a deep blue-green in most places. I read for awhile, and then went back in. I climbed on a rock, and contemplated life. I also got a pretty solid scrape climbing up there... but it was worth it. Not long after, Andy headed back to the hostel. I decided that I wanted to stay a little longer. And so I did, quite happily... and then it started to rain.<div>For the first two moments, it was fairly light, but then that all changed. Suddenly, I was caught in a major downpour. Thunder rolled in, echoing off the mountains, and there was little I could do but huddle against the cliffs with a towel over my head (funny thing about towels... being absorbent and all, they aren't exactly great rain-shields), hoping and praying that it would pass. And pray I did! Had a great little chat session with God about storms in a metaphorical sense. I feel like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw">this song</a> says it all. So have a listen. I have really missed going to church. It's been far too long, but it's just so hard when you're traveling constantly, especially since I'm not Catholic, and language barriers can be a bit problematic. I am incredibly blessed to be a part of an amazing church in Columbia, and I can't wait to go back (just six more weeks!). Anyway, back to the rainstorm in Croatia. It was just a very good moment. I was sitting there, finding myself positively soaked to the bone and shivering from the cold and still praising Him for everything awesome that's going on in this world and then I realized how miserable I was again, and was just like "God, should I cut my losses and head out?" And He pretty much told me that you can't run from storms- you are going to get wet whether you try to run, or whether you stay put right where God has put you. So I stayed put, and in a few more minutes, the rain eased off. It was quite cathartic, if I do say so myself. But I did decided then that it was a good time to head out. It was starting to get late, and I wanted to be dry!</div><div>On my way back, I passed a guy- probably en route to a hostel in that area- who smiled as he passed me, saying "Howdy!" I was so shocked that I couldn't even respond. It has been a long time since I've heard that sort of greeting! I wanted to ask "Who are you- and how on earth did you end up in Croatia?!" but I was a little slow on the ball. Still, it made me smile. Howdy. Too funny.</div><div>Later on, I stopped at a french fry place- called Surf n Turf, of all things- that I had found last night. It smelled positively heavenly. For just 12 lira (not the actual name of the currency, but that's what they call it. Not sure how that all works exactly), you get a giant cone of the most delicious fries on the face of the planet, with two little cups of sauce, any kind you want. I went with the Mediterranean sauce, since that one was marked as the most popular, and who am I to doubt the voice of the people?! And the people did not fail me. It was an all-around incredible experience. And can I also say that I love the cafe culture here? There are far things in this world more pleasant than sitting outdoors with a cup of tea while watching the world go by. It is perfection.</div><div><br /></div><div>So yes, today has been good. I've enjoyed it quite thoroughly. Tomorrow afternoon, I head back to Ljubljana, where I'll spend the night before heading back to Prague on Tuesday. The twelve hour train ride should be an interesting end to my adventure. Yes, I've made the trip once before, but I had the fortune of being able to sleep through most of it last time! It should be fine though. Food, water, a good book, a paper to write, and beautiful views... I'm sure I'll keep myself occupied! Plus I get to enjoy Vienna one more time- if only for thirty minutes!</div><div><div><br /></div><div>And let me end with some patriotic inspiration from one of our most eminent forefathers and my personal favorite, Thomas Jefferson: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">One travels more usefully when alone, because he reflects more."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Not entire sure if I want to travel "usefully" but I do agree about increased reflection. And do you know what? It's wonderful. It really is.</span></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPkviDLKGnKieGq0-_-8G_mVnyEu3lTbWmRXY4G1W0VmfQMLySaT80WylOrjegvYNoa8oi0ks69nkvKrKfddaNUw29zHKFUYZx8cXn_jVMpLIbI06tEbLkZL3zpB1CFxWEKud6mfUP_4/s1600/DSCN4742.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPkviDLKGnKieGq0-_-8G_mVnyEu3lTbWmRXY4G1W0VmfQMLySaT80WylOrjegvYNoa8oi0ks69nkvKrKfddaNUw29zHKFUYZx8cXn_jVMpLIbI06tEbLkZL3zpB1CFxWEKud6mfUP_4/s400/DSCN4742.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490155110681979618" /></a>One of the largest rocks<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVIuLCe7hMwy3oxcVwo9SfFl-v4EGqOyXiJ_j58yL9BUTUWwQ7iwurRYeej7CeWC1elSyi3URlgFDvfFaHldsrfRtf_ThYs1TH5J3n-Qu9CuxMXeLz9Sb4BjmrLtXt7WrzKrwdXOg6pU/s1600/DSCN4745.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVIuLCe7hMwy3oxcVwo9SfFl-v4EGqOyXiJ_j58yL9BUTUWwQ7iwurRYeej7CeWC1elSyi3URlgFDvfFaHldsrfRtf_ThYs1TH5J3n-Qu9CuxMXeLz9Sb4BjmrLtXt7WrzKrwdXOg6pU/s400/DSCN4745.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490155105775133826" /></a>The beginning of the storm<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtvwka_h-e01GFNVPsPsfERFh0sOBe0gNQDdezboCiAXc03blU4nIhmFI2SkeZjOyQuK3dW7NPXqzKQKdCbAC-gfXMMYW0uCGLCjdiCPFuSQVsib2gTFhZRsXXV0nU_CTms04ealjV9M/s1600/DSCN4747.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtvwka_h-e01GFNVPsPsfERFh0sOBe0gNQDdezboCiAXc03blU4nIhmFI2SkeZjOyQuK3dW7NPXqzKQKdCbAC-gfXMMYW0uCGLCjdiCPFuSQVsib2gTFhZRsXXV0nU_CTms04ealjV9M/s400/DSCN4747.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490155097350640562" /></a>People began to flee the waters- can't say I blame them!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTHurngiCXe7Kko_oB2ZTbcTdEfC5hCIr-E4CWLfNQtN9zlwAnZcLd7V0OJoHcqP8JNMoAfFG1NAPi7HjDL-3s0G4DnG96WGfX2Njz756POLT5rOhbNJC-OeK2voN5mKDPZTYOtd65a4/s1600/DSCN4748.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTHurngiCXe7Kko_oB2ZTbcTdEfC5hCIr-E4CWLfNQtN9zlwAnZcLd7V0OJoHcqP8JNMoAfFG1NAPi7HjDL-3s0G4DnG96WGfX2Njz756POLT5rOhbNJC-OeK2voN5mKDPZTYOtd65a4/s400/DSCN4748.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490153778991425842" /></a>It really was quite the storm!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rVG6G43vvmKQGOgLX2KmviDSymzKu2FnHK6om9FXcCB2QQ6rg4DlwoSen7CMrJEcyJIvuGDB5aSof7YsAWMkZ1_NqRhYrqBVW5ow9oocry43Cvn-4xShZtkvMvkrFg3sZs2cxFK-__s/s1600/DSCN4749.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rVG6G43vvmKQGOgLX2KmviDSymzKu2FnHK6om9FXcCB2QQ6rg4DlwoSen7CMrJEcyJIvuGDB5aSof7YsAWMkZ1_NqRhYrqBVW5ow9oocry43Cvn-4xShZtkvMvkrFg3sZs2cxFK-__s/s400/DSCN4749.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490153766548034658" /></a>Soon it began to pass.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrdytKGT2YrC-QS0uJJcrkiXgC9pY85Nhi0votd6JsPVayoJYTUJ8Du8XCFnczrd9ikgkhEURI1M9po5ndt5V63teQvV_iMSVADkeWLrrN8dYqH9y4oo1ohNfpzkFLTf7laNf_t_Lxb8/s1600/DSCN4750.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrdytKGT2YrC-QS0uJJcrkiXgC9pY85Nhi0votd6JsPVayoJYTUJ8Du8XCFnczrd9ikgkhEURI1M9po5ndt5V63teQvV_iMSVADkeWLrrN8dYqH9y4oo1ohNfpzkFLTf7laNf_t_Lxb8/s400/DSCN4750.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490153749611976626" /></a>Stony beaches and beautiful water<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VOq9fNZCfVi8awp7fjkjDZTi5_E6p7nxcWzeVXn_9TjN4nd5NCfFf4CHqxwVj8l25F3zZDY6RwjNO0pOgOBCzqzrl2xBYI9aWLimP5Gc_kT7yvWHCOzilvP5art5HYEw6LXPEJtELPU/s1600/DSCN4751.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VOq9fNZCfVi8awp7fjkjDZTi5_E6p7nxcWzeVXn_9TjN4nd5NCfFf4CHqxwVj8l25F3zZDY6RwjNO0pOgOBCzqzrl2xBYI9aWLimP5Gc_kT7yvWHCOzilvP5art5HYEw6LXPEJtELPU/s400/DSCN4751.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490153741259729890" /></a>The lovely lagoon<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfdcoa431xMeHO2PGd1VqjkRd4wPbSEmJd19KJkjleZCKARmpalx5jchQCnJS0tlJbpykTVYphnyAnTXT0YZr9OmYfkyTHVqIHPk8ene62k0my9yLX4CW-PUzqGWPynVIq9bzJ5KnJu4/s1600/DSCN4753.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfdcoa431xMeHO2PGd1VqjkRd4wPbSEmJd19KJkjleZCKARmpalx5jchQCnJS0tlJbpykTVYphnyAnTXT0YZr9OmYfkyTHVqIHPk8ene62k0my9yLX4CW-PUzqGWPynVIq9bzJ5KnJu4/s400/DSCN4753.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490153732872746338" /></a>The outskirts of Rijeka, a small part of the harbor, and a view of the castle on the hill. This town is beautiful.<div><br /><br /></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-14254104029283306692010-07-03T17:55:00.005-04:002010-07-03T18:43:22.105-04:00Coherency? Questionable.First of all, you should know that even the Slovenians admit that the US should have won that game. Not that it's relevant. Not much of an update today. Ate these cottage cheese rolls for lunch that were great. Little doughy pastries filled with cheese. Lots of sidewalk cafes, in both towns. Blueberry ice cream? Terrific. Explored Ljubljana. Had a cupcake here in Rijeka that was glorious. More like a little scone. Strawberry jam inside, and some very pleasant frosting. Figuring out dinner was confusing, because there are cafes everywhere, but people don't seem to eat there. Did some research, turns out lunch is a big meal. Dinner is usually leftovers. Sometimes supplemented with snacks from the street. But relaxing at cafes is a major part of the culture- I like it! Croatia is stunning. I think I'm going to like it here.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7-Cnk381PY4c8HI-14rRyIYl7V6wInsn2tLZaWbbE8XlKw0HdlTcmt3eUex-o1qxADxSSau-iaHzAx2QdtkL6J_9NbxshaSQXJ05MZe9y_Kx9W19Be62O5Q_l2uE-S9PRyGVX-Zvtnw/s1600/DSCN4727.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7-Cnk381PY4c8HI-14rRyIYl7V6wInsn2tLZaWbbE8XlKw0HdlTcmt3eUex-o1qxADxSSau-iaHzAx2QdtkL6J_9NbxshaSQXJ05MZe9y_Kx9W19Be62O5Q_l2uE-S9PRyGVX-Zvtnw/s400/DSCN4727.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489813676871016242" /></a>I wandered around Ljubljana, and then found a caste just hanging out in Tivoli park. Ljubljana is like the rest of Europe in miniature- I love it!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8K0X5IkgB1NPeYxmHCsEOfneTEKyjPZ-xlwj2M4rB4IHC_6JFuGZV1yO_J8iSGxDLC4pTKCvDa-pq2P8cERB7H1NnmpossEqQcTjk9jXgr34vtja0-F9vfpWGVyQBArgviV3RdSEsKTE/s1600/DSCN4732.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8K0X5IkgB1NPeYxmHCsEOfneTEKyjPZ-xlwj2M4rB4IHC_6JFuGZV1yO_J8iSGxDLC4pTKCvDa-pq2P8cERB7H1NnmpossEqQcTjk9jXgr34vtja0-F9vfpWGVyQBArgviV3RdSEsKTE/s400/DSCN4732.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489813662269847234" /></a>Sweet graffiti... Creative.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_EsWrGqIe73qbzchPn9slzEybQ0Oe5Q_UFuWqxS5poEjJzU1VuNaskBxaF0TCIvjZTfRLyaNg9VdotRC4hI7RglqyA3NZKK1JODXpuq6vSd6mAik7ENlDxfc2lohg3TLZO9seyN0i94/s1600/DSCN4733.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_EsWrGqIe73qbzchPn9slzEybQ0Oe5Q_UFuWqxS5poEjJzU1VuNaskBxaF0TCIvjZTfRLyaNg9VdotRC4hI7RglqyA3NZKK1JODXpuq6vSd6mAik7ENlDxfc2lohg3TLZO9seyN0i94/s400/DSCN4733.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489813651940253874" /></a>University of Ljubljana<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r7pd3oDD6Fp5DmDTaYsSEaHYaB6lwvYf147TcxWY1ZJdZoG38FQJibBDdkGTIeRyZ7krZ3PHl5g7M1xoA5JHEGDholMN27thJqYA6TJUiuJZv0SULfIRfwxlrYKJ7dSedBf20Ad6dvQ/s1600/DSCN4735.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r7pd3oDD6Fp5DmDTaYsSEaHYaB6lwvYf147TcxWY1ZJdZoG38FQJibBDdkGTIeRyZ7krZ3PHl5g7M1xoA5JHEGDholMN27thJqYA6TJUiuJZv0SULfIRfwxlrYKJ7dSedBf20Ad6dvQ/s400/DSCN4735.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489813643968292082" /></a>RON WEASLEY!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9g8BRybMrye7qqLoR7dDseeYlsUc_evjEeXjpkQVxjHPZz1alXtxPzx-3SpyZUkSso5xrK8dejh29BPTMDq8tKD9f6OMaN-0LvUzT-6wS0K2YN11sfOfPPYo7a2illPvFnSrnfjzdkI/s1600/DSCN4736.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9g8BRybMrye7qqLoR7dDseeYlsUc_evjEeXjpkQVxjHPZz1alXtxPzx-3SpyZUkSso5xrK8dejh29BPTMDq8tKD9f6OMaN-0LvUzT-6wS0K2YN11sfOfPPYo7a2illPvFnSrnfjzdkI/s400/DSCN4736.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489812003661314466" /></a>First view of Croatia from the train! We went through some incredible mountain ranges to get here.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEDNYwX5c9NPV8ApE3sBgA2jnIItqshcF0YBQzQL9iXESE05VJ6azix0SO-lwDOrH5-C8DnJepxJtov3AVL-Ki0f5ss28D7nqbIZ1W9ZYaXtYrMi6fwuUcaKgyDNMoNi_3mgaYOSTVKk/s1600/DSCN4737.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEDNYwX5c9NPV8ApE3sBgA2jnIItqshcF0YBQzQL9iXESE05VJ6azix0SO-lwDOrH5-C8DnJepxJtov3AVL-Ki0f5ss28D7nqbIZ1W9ZYaXtYrMi6fwuUcaKgyDNMoNi_3mgaYOSTVKk/s400/DSCN4737.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489811996429491346" /></a>The streetfront near part of the harbor.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qiA4XBx06IZmSPWRvB4C5xbbraG0GvaiKqoAIkT2d4NY4yCLHOJBCEgcNUk0Q07V-Rzqb1RL5Lq2bZyZ1A8pLrfxrbKsQpDvuMOCWyB8o5nOWDex8WARXoxe2BRD02r6FZqjgh37ws8/s1600/DSCN4738.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qiA4XBx06IZmSPWRvB4C5xbbraG0GvaiKqoAIkT2d4NY4yCLHOJBCEgcNUk0Q07V-Rzqb1RL5Lq2bZyZ1A8pLrfxrbKsQpDvuMOCWyB8o5nOWDex8WARXoxe2BRD02r6FZqjgh37ws8/s400/DSCN4738.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489811992219654770" /></a>Sunset!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGEyXC88TKhEolmXG5LQAJ_reg2LVieJ0Pw8HObtHzgJZPx-yAc6qnUBWEL931er8EJDp5dSbWZps7jY58CW9mTqZw48DBT7wpG4NT6fde1E9rOsBQIdfhhmflAVrTHrLEYV6qcDMhNk/s1600/DSCN4740.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGEyXC88TKhEolmXG5LQAJ_reg2LVieJ0Pw8HObtHzgJZPx-yAc6qnUBWEL931er8EJDp5dSbWZps7jY58CW9mTqZw48DBT7wpG4NT6fde1E9rOsBQIdfhhmflAVrTHrLEYV6qcDMhNk/s400/DSCN4740.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489811982864005954" /></a>This place is phenomenal.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtVujy7RA_sJGjKwrQmRAh6LJZKN7F8wXKitrBkyK4KOFedbPZNNt4UcYIaOK7hJCk65I6xLqEKAwNzg5XqKZwzdZ8ZkuJ7xAHDn5HkQ_9VjvI4rn9Y9LDeCLGNQP8J5U1Lbni-reYUU/s1600/DSCN4741.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtVujy7RA_sJGjKwrQmRAh6LJZKN7F8wXKitrBkyK4KOFedbPZNNt4UcYIaOK7hJCk65I6xLqEKAwNzg5XqKZwzdZ8ZkuJ7xAHDn5HkQ_9VjvI4rn9Y9LDeCLGNQP8J5U1Lbni-reYUU/s400/DSCN4741.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489811975023455634" /></a><div><br /></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-19562493580694087742010-07-02T17:16:00.004-04:002010-07-02T18:41:55.045-04:00safe and sound in sLOVEniaI survived thirteen hours on a train, and arrived in Ljubljana, Slovenia just before six this morning. Staying in a sleeper car was quite a novelty. It's more or less like a hostel on tracks... just a bit smaller! I ended up with the top bunk- I am a top bunk kind of girl- but that also meant I had the least space. It was a little cozy up there! But then again, this is coming from a girl who seriously considered moving her bed into the closet... so yeah, I kind of liked the close quarters. On the train, we met a couple from Greenville who was en route to Zagreb (then Brussels!) and two British guys that were absolutely hysterical. I crashed fairly early- despite the fact that I was feeling better, I'm still a bit run down, and I slept surprisingly well. The directions that we had to our hostel were good (phew!) and we arrived there with no trouble at all. We were able to leave our luggage there until check in, and set off exploring the town. Ljubljana is fairly small- population of about 270,000- so the city is easy enough to see. After wandering a bit, we headed up the mountain to the castle- which didn't open until nine. So we spent about an hour, if not longer, exploring the grounds- there was plenty to see! At nine, we headed in. After exploring the art exhibit in what was formerly the main entrance to the castle and checking out some pretty sweet cannons, we bought tickets to go up to the viewing tower, visit the virtual museum (actually a 20 minute, 3-D historical tour of the city, very neat), and enter the Slovenian history exhibit, which was fascinating. Everyone working there was very helpful- they all spoke at least a little bit of English (phew!) and they made the whole experience even better. On our way back, we stopped at this open air market that is, as a passing tour guide put it- their pride and joy. And I can understand why! The fruit was absolutely beautiful, the vegetables looked delicious, and the flowers spilling out of the stalls were just stunning. And so cheap! I bought a nectarine and raspberries and they were so juicy and delicious- absolute perfection. I haven't had fresh fruit other than bananas and strawberries in such a long time! They were wonderful.<div>When I return to class on Wednesday, I have a book review paper (yes, they apparently still make you write those in college) due on Milan Kundera's novel <i>The Joke.</i> It's quite a good book, in my humble opinion, and after spending a very relaxing afternoon in the part reading, I've made excellent progress. I'm planning on writing the paper Tuesday on the train, but I do have to finish the book before then. With less than fifty pages to go, this is more than doable. I also picked up another novel at the last minute before leaving Prague. I spontaneously decided to drop by one of the English bookstores, and it's a good thing, because I'll need something to keep me busy! It's a spy/thriller type novel, and who doesn't love a good spy story?<br /></div><div>I also had the privilege to watch a musical theater group rehearse. Right now, there's a festival called Ana Destnica going on here, and basically, it just means there are a ton of freestreet theater performances, all day long! It's pretty awesome. The group- who happen to be staying at our hostel- were pretty awesome (far better than what I watched tonight... but more on that later). Eventually, I decided to head back inside and settle into my room. There is just one other person staying in my room with me. She's a Swedish freelance journalist, and is such a fascinating person. Very kind, and very knowledgeable. We chatted about a whole slew of things, and eventually parted ways (she was off to a jazz performance that she was writing about, and I was just setting off on yet another adventure). I soon found myself at a cafe, and quite happily spent (a delicious) dinner people-watching and sipping tea. The couple that ran the place were so sweet, and the ice cream there? Fantastic. I took a cone with me as I headed towards the main square, and savored every bit of it.</div><div>I apparently eat my ice cream cones like a freak, but hey, it keeps me happy. The cone has always been my least favorite part about ice cream in a cone, but you allegedly have to eat it last. Well, who am I to follow standard protocol? I've take to licking (never biting, ever) the ice cream until it's about level with the top of the cone, and then eating the cone from the bottom up. Yes, it's a risky move. But I like living life on the edge. And it is so much more satisfying! I hung out in the square for quite some time, making friends and watching the world go by. Eventually, a group began to perform the the square. I didn't understand a bit of it (neither did the Ghanan guy standing next to me- I'm glad I wasn't the only one baffled). It involved a forklift and strange music and a round cage and fire (clearly the best part) and a random telephone and some guy who was dressed in robes and apparently controlled the music with his hands. I am not sure if speaking Slovenian would have helped me to understand it... I think probably not. Not long after, I headed back to the hostel to settle in for the night. Originally, we were supposed to go to Trieste, Italy tomorrow morning. But as far as I'm aware, the only bus there leaves at 5 am, and all the trains there take 5-6 hours (the bus only takes 2). So we would have to wake up wicked early AND miss the free breakfast here at the hostel. Instead, we're just going to take a train to Rijeka tomorrow afternoon. I think it will be far simpler, and much more pleasant! It would have been cool to make it to Italy, but I think Italy is going to be a giant trip later on down the road for me (Want to come along? You're more than welcome. We'll have fun!). I would love to explore more of Western Europe... well, and Eastern Europe too. I want to see it all! All in good time, I suppose. All in good time.<br /></div><div>For now, I am exhausted, and still sicker than I would like to be! But before I leave, enjoy some pictures! </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hfK-fN4UIhxwyNJhYHHaJZL1LF5HQkLJmEXpvNuIspeR03fiLDm3yWoN_8ieUC7Uyv4jk8xdNCBfFtjOXg_U5TEeSLkCGDHs3I90wt6fL6KEduxwPPS-xvjLNsU2B9Q0FoSQw8zvz2A/s1600/DSCN4677.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hfK-fN4UIhxwyNJhYHHaJZL1LF5HQkLJmEXpvNuIspeR03fiLDm3yWoN_8ieUC7Uyv4jk8xdNCBfFtjOXg_U5TEeSLkCGDHs3I90wt6fL6KEduxwPPS-xvjLNsU2B9Q0FoSQw8zvz2A/s400/DSCN4677.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489437394770732194" /></a>Feel free to add this to the list of reasons why you love me. Discovering dino gummies? Major high point of my life. Waiting at Hlavni Nadrazi (Central Train Station) in Prague for the platform number to be announced.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl562xLBoGwmwNGi0Tfg-x0ThyphenhyphenLmnefWxpWy-kOlIBzZ6IYEaEG0ZgbE9sWuG1l4jb1sU-zz0Qs_0YCKv0TKgXfVoQQJWpa5JbJ5ysrn5F5iYqC6bOoLZjrVyH5SmBZZ6emCt-f4y1lTI/s1600/DSCN4678.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl562xLBoGwmwNGi0Tfg-x0ThyphenhyphenLmnefWxpWy-kOlIBzZ6IYEaEG0ZgbE9sWuG1l4jb1sU-zz0Qs_0YCKv0TKgXfVoQQJWpa5JbJ5ysrn5F5iYqC6bOoLZjrVyH5SmBZZ6emCt-f4y1lTI/s400/DSCN4678.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489437382742471554" /></a>Sunset over the industrial part of Cesky Budovice<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK-t95o4VODa_-WtExQ6sbov2xcxXzl_CDW6MhWtaH9U2avcasFtV4pWaxDn94bW0UjUJEnLEo5KyMJutfgYuWbIoJTE4a2ZabtPlF7iMDSREyp3Dof68Ex9V5FcitTecyvFfRCimrsE/s1600/DSCN4686.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK-t95o4VODa_-WtExQ6sbov2xcxXzl_CDW6MhWtaH9U2avcasFtV4pWaxDn94bW0UjUJEnLEo5KyMJutfgYuWbIoJTE4a2ZabtPlF7iMDSREyp3Dof68Ex9V5FcitTecyvFfRCimrsE/s400/DSCN4686.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489437379569339042" /></a>One of the four dragons on the Dragon Bridge<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOP45UFwJbp5UFdzgARwtoahbXaR36r5etWi5omZzBlcszw_8MikJOxiGFvmfmWoAjn05p5IKX5deoDPEBS6V1YVJLNDH1-sDm-kjG4_I_oKAUNVmcbHflJykpwcFh0G45LphLBBOu6-M/s1600/DSCN4690.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOP45UFwJbp5UFdzgARwtoahbXaR36r5etWi5omZzBlcszw_8MikJOxiGFvmfmWoAjn05p5IKX5deoDPEBS6V1YVJLNDH1-sDm-kjG4_I_oKAUNVmcbHflJykpwcFh0G45LphLBBOu6-M/s400/DSCN4690.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489437140896948178" /></a>The Ljubljanica River from the Triple Bridge<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSJ0vRQImFugr3L4ubc6j7rFI_W2ncT04TqmfTsCpJfe5Q-Xl-MDrz5QDcXz87omLmwV8CRc3-YNHr0veNCo4pjaoLzN13GIlHvz8Ojgka-A4gPkm-OABifVVYKXPAgQt0NujhXWAiGw/s1600/DSCN4692.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSJ0vRQImFugr3L4ubc6j7rFI_W2ncT04TqmfTsCpJfe5Q-Xl-MDrz5QDcXz87omLmwV8CRc3-YNHr0veNCo4pjaoLzN13GIlHvz8Ojgka-A4gPkm-OABifVVYKXPAgQt0NujhXWAiGw/s400/DSCN4692.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489437136659773362" /></a>The Triple Bridge, part of Ljubljana, and a hot air balloon!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVDjDBS14ei0Qj386zaEFRtnJiwn3pmAnRqtVF92AuncMbxlybyz4bDNqa3nYxVZEzYE_pgue9LQhsNUTiNTiuJoWPvK6D4eorzsDQZI85l1TZi3JCoV1n535cZWLmmcBVF5xPyHEDWM/s1600/DSCN4706.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVDjDBS14ei0Qj386zaEFRtnJiwn3pmAnRqtVF92AuncMbxlybyz4bDNqa3nYxVZEzYE_pgue9LQhsNUTiNTiuJoWPvK6D4eorzsDQZI85l1TZi3JCoV1n535cZWLmmcBVF5xPyHEDWM/s400/DSCN4706.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489437124678608850" /></a>"the servants have the power" inscribed on the pavement at Ljublanski grad, the Ljubljana castle<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxa80JYtx2lkHxIpFpmEJcQ8bXexLgCcnwJq0OjQthAULHB7oiWU6G3sH5irdnjaKALsFwtxdtKE-Mp8Bj0u5gZRGZ1byXDWkHMWSc8hZCT1RW61FGtzzSjhoMx-tPJDV5QIFoxgWq0TM/s1600/DSCN4708.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxa80JYtx2lkHxIpFpmEJcQ8bXexLgCcnwJq0OjQthAULHB7oiWU6G3sH5irdnjaKALsFwtxdtKE-Mp8Bj0u5gZRGZ1byXDWkHMWSc8hZCT1RW61FGtzzSjhoMx-tPJDV5QIFoxgWq0TM/s400/DSCN4708.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489437120035973794" /></a>Stairway to heaven?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmdemjxm2VvqrgN8oc2yFOzZba7CR5DAUQoSSJA2-mL1L-OiPPPyxK4Oqxut8eT6hUGUh3H_HUVo8rAL1OIJt06A5xiPwJ-vBQpeFfdMeysyeAvQXYkRRcq1EHnEoRYRG9Qsdra6DbVg/s1600/DSCN4724.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmdemjxm2VvqrgN8oc2yFOzZba7CR5DAUQoSSJA2-mL1L-OiPPPyxK4Oqxut8eT6hUGUh3H_HUVo8rAL1OIJt06A5xiPwJ-vBQpeFfdMeysyeAvQXYkRRcq1EHnEoRYRG9Qsdra6DbVg/s400/DSCN4724.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489437112540558866" /></a>Ljubljana and the Alps- stunning much?mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-10545834623683596802010-06-30T19:14:00.002-04:002010-06-30T19:20:00.268-04:00Is it really being lost if you like it?To earn credit for the field study, I had to write a five page paper that was some sort of reflection on the experience as a whole. Mine is mostly marginally coherent philosophical mumbo-jumbo about loss: of possessions, of location, of self, of nations. Maybe you'll enjoy my perspective? Or maybe not, but regardless, I hope you don't find it too painful. Double-spaced, Times New Roman font for your viewing pleasure. My apologies for any and all grammatical mistakes; I never actually proofread it. Oops.<div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Being lost in a foreign country is simultaneously one of the most terrifying and exhilarating experiences that traveling the globe has to offer. One wrong turn can force you out of your comfort zone in the blink of an eye. Sometimes, the maps simply do not accurately depict the city, and language barriers make asking for directions no small feat. The prospect of remaining permanently lost in a land you do not understand is daunting, and the fact that it is in fact an unrealistic scenario does not seem to ease the disquiet that comes with such a situation. Despite how unnerving going astray can be, I have discovered that it is one of the best ways to discover new places and new people. Part of the joy of travelling is expanding your horizons and breaking out of your comfort zone, and endeavor that frequently involves losing the map and losing yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Being lost physically is clearly a more changing experience than mere wandering. This is because truly being lost involves losing not only your current location, but also your sense of self, your culture and the mindset that comes with both of those. Being lost takes you off the beaten path; it keeps you from following mule-trains of tourists trekking from one must-see historical site to another. It inherently opens your eyes and your mind to another culture and another way of life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is interesting to consider, too, the fact that the countries we explored have all suffered an identity loss of their own. All but Austria were located behind the Iron Curtain after the close of World War II. Even Austria suffered greatly though, as the Hapsburg’s Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved after World War I, then taken over by Hitler’s Nazi Germany, occupied at the conclusion of World War II, and finally freed as an independent, neutral nation- albeit a significantly smaller and considerably less powerful one than four decades earlier- in 1955. Today’s Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia all underwent similar dramatic metamorphoses during the twentieth century, with the addition of the Soviet regime’s significant influence to consider. The loss of identity- personal, religious, national, or otherwise- is a common theme in all of their histories. However, as governments changed hands and people changed their minds, a string of revolutions have enabled these countries to find freedom and a renewed sense of self in this modern era. And that, perhaps, is the most valuable lesson, particularly when applied to one’s personal journey. It is the hardships that most dramatically shape ourselves, and it is only when we experience loss that we find ourselves seeking. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Český Krumlov was an excellent place to start such a search in my own expedition. While it was a completely new town, I was still familiar with the language, which made navigating far less complex. Additionally, it was small, cozy, even, which ensured that there were fewer alleys to inadvertently wander down. While looking for ice cream during the evening, we wandered in the rain for quite some time. We always knew where we were, but where we were in relation to the ice cream stand seemed to be a perpetual mystery. In the end, we finished the evening soaked to the bone without any ice cream, but it didn’t seem to matter. We were perfectly happy just exploring the new place we had found ourselves in- and trdelník proved to be an absolutely delicious replacement for gelato! By leaving the main town square and setting off, we encountered incredible views of the palace at night, and experienced beautiful café lights strung over the Vltava. Suddenly, the beautiful sight rising before our eyes made enduring the frigid deluge and the confusion of navigation worth it. Awestruck, we gained a new appreciation for the majesty of this medieval town. Somehow, when you discover something for yourself, it becomes far more beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Of course, all good things must end, and as you know, we next traveled to the stunning city of Wien, or Vienna. I found Vienna to be just as impressive as Český Krumlov, just in an entirely different way. While Český Krumlov was quaint and quiet, Vienna’s splendor is almost overpowering. It seems as if there are extraordinary architectural feats around every corner, each building more striking than the last. This does, however, contrast with the grittier area near our hostel. Still beautiful, to be sure, but perhaps a little less well-maintained over the years than other parts of the city. That being said, I feel as if exploring these parts of the city- parts that remain largely undiscovered by the casual tourist- is what really adds to the experience of the city. To truly get a feel for a place, you can’t just see the highlight reel. You have to see it all, and that is precisely what I set out to do. In Vienna, we did not get lost per se, but rather, engaged in what I’ll call directed meandering. With a specific destination in mind, we proceeded to wander with limited use of a map until we arrived. It was in this manner that we arrived at the Spanish Riding School. As an avid equestrian for well over a decade, this was a must-see for me while stopping in Vienna. Seeing a place that had been such a part of my childhood rise before my very eyes was indescribably moving. I could have stood there in awe for hours, but I realize that the place does not hold the same magic for others. So we reoriented ourselves, and proceeded to make our way back to the hostel following a route different from the one we used when leaving. It is, after all, a bit bland to see the exact same sights over and over when there are so many new, fascinating places just waiting to be discovered. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Next on the list of enchanting places to discover was the Hungarian capital, Budapest. The Hungarians have a long and dramatic history as conquerors, and being conquered left a deep impression on them. Much of the twentieth century composes a dark and grim record of cruel regimes. The House of Terror, a museum dedicated to the memory of the horrifying terror created by the Arrow Cross Party- the Hungarian Nazis- and the communist State Security Police, both of which had their headquarters in the building where the museum is located- 60 Andrassy Avenue. I have seen some incredible museums around the world, but this is one of the most moving I have ever been to. Something about actually following in the footsteps of those who invoked immeasurable fear, standing in the shadows of a building with such a chilling purpose shook me to the core. From the shocking brightness of the propaganda room to the dark damp of the basement prison cells, it was easy to feel a fraction of the emotional turmoil of the era. Even that was difficult to handle. When we finally emerged into the gray, rainy Budapest aftertoon, we were emotionally drained. As we walked down the street, we pulled out our maps in an effort to determine where we were- and where we were going. We paused on a busy corner, trying to orient ourselves, when an older woman approached us, asking “Are you girls lost? I speak some English.” We were blown away by her kindness and her offer to help, something that rarely happens, regardless of what country you are in. If you ask for directions, most people are willing to help, but it is indeed unusual to have someone come forward voluntarily. She helped point us in the right direction, which we greatly appreciated. To me, it was a valuable reminder that we are all lost and searching at one point or another. Helping a stranger find their way in this world doesn’t take much time or effort, just a bit of compassion and consideration- and that helping hand can go a long way. Later that evening, we had another lesson in consideration, this time with regards to the language barrier. I must say, the Hungarian language posed quite a challenge for us all. We were hesitant to speak out of fear that we would butcher the language and inadvertently offend someone. But then, while searching for dessert, we stumbled upon a delicious looking bakery- where the workers spoke no English. The set-up was confusing, but we muddled our way through, causing much vexation amongst the ladies running the place. After we had all retrieved our various cakes, I stepped up to another counter to ask for tea. Stone-faced, the woman on the other side prepared the tea, then, after muttering something in Magyar, set the mug in front of me. She was not rude, but she certainly wasn’t going out of her way to be friendly. Then, I thanked her, saying “Köszönöm!” She looked up, surprised, and suddenly her face broke into a wide smile as she laughed. All it took to change her demeanor was one word, and a smile. That too, is part of the value of being lost: learning to step outside the comfort of what you know- your language, your lifestyle- so that way you can embrace something new and different. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>In Bratislava, I encountered an entirely different type of loss. Somewhere in the market, I inadvertently set down my camera and forgot it somewhere. Getting lost directionally or philosophically, I can handle, but this was unexpected. In my efforts to locate my missing camera, I set off on a journey across the town: through the market, restaurants, the information center, and even the magistrate’s office. My broken Czech was good enough to communicate my point in Slovakian- and when my language abilities ran out, there were people around me more than willing to help me continue my inquiry. The girl working in the magistrate’s office made several phone calls to various local police stations, and one of the girls working in the market gave us directions to several places that she felt we should check. Everyone I spoke to was sympathetic, and helped me along my journey. Did I find my camera? No. But I did gain a respect for the genuine kind, openhearted nature of these people. And that, perhaps, is just as valuable- if not more.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>In the end, I’ve found that in loss, you inevitably gain. Loss shapes the identities of individuals, as well as their nations and culture. Getting lost is about more than merely being turned around. It comes down to reshaping your view of yourself, and of your world. Expanding your horizons is a priceless experience, but it’s something only you can do for yourself. Perhaps others can impose loss upon you by taking what you hold dear- your freedom, your religion, your individuality- but only you can choose what you fill that empty space with. You determine what you become: where you find yourself, and where you go.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-85416263703956830082010-06-25T17:02:00.007-04:002010-06-30T19:13:40.158-04:00My life is a whirlwindI know, I know: it's been far too long and you've been dying to hear about all of my glorious adventures. Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, reuniting with Maddie back in Prague, meeting new friends who are here for the second session, this week has been crazy but extremely fun. Unfortunately, I've been extraordinarily sick, so bear with me here!<div><br /></div><div>Vienna was, as I said earlier, absolutely incredible. On our first day there, Sunday, we took a tour of Schonbrunn, a Hapsburg summer cottage that was breathtaking. Afterwards, we checked into our hostel- very industrial, and not the nicest I've been in, but it was clean and comfortable, and that's all I really want anyway! After just a few minutes there, our group walked through Vienna to an area that was once a hospital- many, many years ago- but now is a park and part of a university there. There are also a few restaurants there. We had delicious soup and schnitzel as a late lunch, and then continued out our tour. We saw City Hall, the old Imperial Palace, Parliament, and St. Stephen's Cathedral, among other places. After that, we were free for the afternoon and evening. After taking a peek inside the cathedral, a group of us decided that we wanted to warm up and find a cafe somewhere to grab coffee/tea/hot chocolate. It was exactly what we needed! Vienna was chillier than we expected. Afterwards, we went back to the hostel. But en route, we stopped to buy postcards- and to visit the Spanish Riding School! I couldn't go to Vienna and miss that. I didn't get to see them training, because we weren't there at the right time, but just seeing the stables was phenomenal. I miss riding quite a lot, and to visit a place that has been such a part of my childhood love for the sport was priceless. We continued on back to the hostel, resting for about an our before gathering ourselves to head back out. At about eight fifteen, I went to dinner with a few other girls from the trip. We ate in a back corner of this delicious cafe. I had spinach and ricotta ravioli, and it was incredible. It was so fresh! Afterwards, we split a tropical ice cream sundae- a good decision, because it was enormous! There were four flavors of gelato and all sorts of tropical fruits in it... it was wonderful. We returned to the hostel by 10:45, and then hung out there for the evening. The next morning was slower, which was nice! We loaded up the bus, and then traveled to Belvedere Palace in the rain. After walking through the gardens, we headed to the monument that the Soviets erected after conquering the Nazis, and from there, we went to a theater and that Opera- both incredible buildings. Once there, we had some free time before meeting again for lunch. I went to the Jewish museum with one of the girls. Not what we expected, but I thought it was fascinating to learn about Jewish history outside the context of the Holocaust. After exploring a little more, we stopped at a cafe for a snack. I had a ricotta strudel- sounds a little odd, but it was delicious. Lunch was, once again, excellent. We ate at The Centimeter, and had vegetable soup, fried chicken, and these sliced potatoes in a honey mustard/vinegar sauce that were incredible, followed by an apple strudel that makes my mouth water just thinking about it! Once that was done, we were back on the bus and off to Budapest. Literally every one of us slept through that bus trip. We were exhausted already! After several hours of (very pleasant) sleeping, we were awoken because we were almost there, and we needed to learn some Hungarian before arriving.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me tell you about Magyar. It is more closely related to Finnish, and it is crazy. I have a fairly good ear for languages if I do say so myself. But this one? Could not get the swing of it. After two days, I was capable simply of nula (zero... if only because it's the same word in Czech), jo napoc (hello!) and k<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">öszönöm (thank you). Not much, but it was enough to help, because they really do appreciate it when you attempt to speak the language (they'll laugh at you first, but then they'll smile and be significantly friendlier... this is true most places, but even more so than in western Europe). After depositing out bags at the hotel, we regrouped and headed out for a late dinner. The sun was setting over the Danube as we set out, and it was positively spectacular. Budapest is a stunning city. I really didn't know what to expect, but it was incredible. Dinner was delicious- as per usual- and I had a fantastic time getting to know some of the new kids. Afterwards, we took a tour of the Buda Castle (Budapest was actually two cities back in the day- Buda and Pest, on opposing sides of the Danube). The castle itself was incredible, but even better were the views of the city! All the bridges are lit up at night, with round white bulbs dripping along their cables... the city is beautiful when the sun is shining, and even more so once it sets. We arrived back at the hotel late, and crashed- I certainly was thankful for the opportunity to sleep! The next morning, after an absolutely fantastic breakfast (a dramatic improvement over the bread and cheese from Vienna), we set out towards the baths. Let me remind you: the weather at this point was still terrible. In the fifties... and raining. Hard. We walked through the central street and several main squares until we reached the Heroes' Square, built in 1896 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the arrival of the Hungarians in the area. There are countless buildings and structures that were created in honor of this important year. One of the most notable? The Metro. One of the first in Europe, Budapest's system of underground transportation is surprisingly accessible and simple (purchasing tickets was not, but that's a different story). Of course, all the the cars they use have been replaced since 1896, but the system is nonetheless impressive. When we exited the Metro, we walked through a park, saw a few churches, and then lo and behold! We arrived at the baths! No, we did not cancel this expedition because of the weather, and though we felt a bit ridiculous gallivanting around in our bathing suits in such unfortunate conditions, the baths were surprisingly fun. The water was warm, and the rain had eased off. After spending a few hours exploring the hoards of pools spread throughout the complex, a group of us decided that we wanted to enjoy another aspect of Budapest (andddd put on some warm, dry clothes too). So we changed back into clothing appropriate for the environment, and set out across the city. We decided that we wanted to go to a museum called the House of Terror, which is literally one of the most incredible museums I have ever been to. Located inside the building that was home to the headquarters of the Hungarian Nazis- the Arrow Cross Party- and their followers, the communist State Security Police, the museum documents the horrors that took place within those walls. It is both a living memorial to the victims, and a reminder of just how rapidly tyrannical governments can emerge. The combination of music and visual contrasts was incredibly moving. If you ever find yourself in Budapest, go to this museum. Afterwards, we wandered to this cute little cafe for lunch. I ordered something I had never heard of off the sandwich menu, and I got brie cheese with apples encrusted in walnuts with blueberry sauce. Unexpected? Yes. It was fantastic, too. We decided to head back to the hotel for a few minutes to drop off our wet towels and bathing suits and such, but were slightly turned around. When we paused at a street corner to sort ourselves out, a sweet Hungarian woman approached us, asking us- in delightfully comprehensible English- if we needed help. She pointed us in the right direction and we were soon back at the hotel (after struggling to purchase Metro tickets from a man who spoke no English whatsover, and who didn't have very much change either- something quite problematic when using a currency where 200 forints are equal to just one dollar). After lightening our bags, we set off towards the market, which was absolutely fantastic. SUCH a great place. Three stories of fresh food and all sorts of exciting souvenirs. The place was jam-packed with stall after stall of incredible things just waiting to be discovered. I purchased a thin leather bracelet with blue stones set into it. I was just delighted to find a bracelet that actually fit my wrist! My wrists are ridiculously tiny, and I hate bracelets that dangle and slide around- they just drive me crazy. I also purchased a thin black headband with all sorts of colorful beading. After spending an extremely long time happily wandering around, we decided we wanted gelato. It was delicious! Well, who am I kidding? Everything is delicious. Then, we went to tour St. Stephen's Basilica, and visit Parliament. Both absolutely stunning buildings. After walking back down the waterfront, we chowed down on some gyros for dinner. Some more exploring of the city as the sun went down, and then we decided we wanted desert. This, of course, entailed some wandering. Then we stumbled across this adorable little bakery chock full of tasty-looking treats! A cup of tea and a slice of Budapest cake- some sort of decadent chocolate and cream concoction- served me well, and then we went back to the hotel to settle in for the night.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The next morning, we set off for Bratislava, Slovakia. Driving into the city, my jaw literally fell to the ground, not at the overpowering beauty of the city, but because of the apartment complexes. Imagine the stereotypical Soviet-era apartment blocks. Plain, grey, concrete, rectangular buildings probably come to mind, right? One after the other? Yeah, that's exactly what was in front of me. I was surprised, I suppose because I've never seen such a uniform series of buildings present in front of me before. But before long, a familiar sight emerged on the horizon: yes, another castle! We toured the grounds of the beautiful Bratislava Castle, and from there realized that there was more to the city than grey blocks (phew!). The heart of the city is quite beautiful, much like Cesky Krumlov, in fact. The square, though small, is extremely beautiful, and is home to a lovely little market. Sadly, it was in this square- I believe- that I lost my beloved camera. Honestly, I'm not sure what happened to it, if I just set it down and forgot about it, I just don't know. I was crushed to discover that it was missing. I searched everywhere for it, and asked a slew of very helpful people all across the city, but nobody had seen it, and I knew chances were slim that I would ever be reunited with my camera. Because it wasn't actually stolen from my person, there wasn't anything the police could do. I did leave my number with a girl at the Information center in case someone turned it in, but alas, no luck. I was devastated, obviously, but I also refused to let the loss of a material possession ruin my trip or my impression of Slovakia. Quite frankly, it was my own fault that it went missing, and everyone who I talked to was indescribably kind and helpful. So I ate my pirogies for lunch (glorious. I do adore pirogies) and settled myself into the reality of my newfound life without the camera I was so accustomed to. I do, fortunately, have my smaller camera with me, and that will be more than sufficient for my journey. After lunch, we drove to the ruins of the castle Devin, which were spectacular. I love visiting ruins, and they seem to be everywhere in Europe, much to my excitement. We frolicked a bit, my friends convinced me to pose on a pillar as a gargoyle (which ended with very little bloodshed), we sang into the very deep well, and then we crashed on the bus back home- well, home-ish. But as one last surprise, Jan, our program director, suddenly emerged from the front of the bus with a string of paprika around his neck, toting these enormous loaves of bread. He sliced them for us, and we ate this delicious bread with Hungarian sausage. It was fantastic. It was at this point that I first started feeling run-down, but I really didn't think anything of it. Just a sore throat, no big deal.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; ">Nearly as soon as we arrived in Prague, I headed back out with some girls to watch the game in Old Town Square, which was quite fun. When we came back, I scraped together a late dinner for us, making the most of the pasta that was hanging around our kitchen. The next morning, I took several people on an adventure to Tesco. I needed groceries anyway, and it was easy enough to bring people along with me to show them the ropes. After a few hours, I made it back to my apartment and enjoyed my first peanut butter and jelly sandwich in over two months. It was glorious. Plus, I had purchased the bread I used to make it for just eight crowns (that's less than fifty cents) and this was a loaf the size of a small child. It was a fantastic experience, made even better by the fact that just minutes later I received a call from my fabulous roommate from school, Maddie. She was about to head to Tesco- so of course I ran back there as fast as I could! I took her and her friends around the store, offering my infinite wisdom (haha... yeah right) free of charge. It was so great to see her! I went back to her dorm- sweet digs she's got there- and we made plans to meet as soon as possible, aka the next day. I had dinner with the new crew at a terrific cafe that was quite literally a hole in the wall. A popular student hangout, there was not so much as a sign out front. But the food was delicious, and the atmosphere pleasant.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; ">On Friday, I had to wake up earlier than originally planned so that way I could pick up the paperwork necessary to renew my Metro pass. Unfortunately, renewing the pass was not as simple as our program directors professed it to be, because my old pass was issued as a Junior (under 19) pass rather than a Student one. Since I turned 19 last week, I needed a Student pass, but that meant I needed proof that I was actually a student. And my ISIC card wasn't good enough- I needed proof that I was a student here in the Czech Republic. Well, I certainly wasn't convincing anyone that I was a native with my broken Czech. Fortunately, I was able to get everything straightened out in time to meet up with the group for lunch (you know I love free food), and pick Maddie up first so she could come along with us! We tried the cauliflower pancakes- yes, it does sound a little strange, but they were fantastic. Sort of like latkas, just with cauliflower instead of potatoes. Afterwards, we spotted a sign for an international music festival of some sort, so we went to my apartment to check it out online. We figured out where it was, and then decided we wanted crepes first. Maddie opted for banana and nutella, and I picked apricot- both fantastic choices. The music festival was a ton of fun- a really enjoyable atmosphere. It rained for a little bit, but eventually the rain eased off, and we explored the islands a little bit. On another island, we found this spectacular children's park that was absolutely too much fun. Eventually, we wound up eating dinner at a sidewalk cafe near Wenceslas Square. The food was fabulous, and people-watching provided entertainment for an extensive period of time. After we finished eating, we stopped at a nearby store called Pylones. I had been inside this store in Berlin, and thoroughly regretted not purchasing a bicycle bell there. Well, guess who now owns a bell?! Next purchase: the bicycle. The store is fantastic: filled top to bottom with bright, unique goodies that just scream for you to purchase them. From there, we went to Old Town Square to watch the game.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; ">Maddie and I obviously wanted to hang out again Saturday, and we did! I was feeling sicker at this point, but I still didn't think it was a huge deal. Besides, we had grand plans to go picnicking and cherry picking, and I was not about to let some little germs get in the way of that! Our directions to the tram we needed to catch failed us, but in our wanderings off the beaten path (I took us in a serpentine pattern across the area), we did discover a spectacular produce market. Since it was getting later, we decided to picnic right there: peanut butter and jelly, chips, and cookies in the grass- sheer perfection. It was wonderful! From there, we reoriented ourselves, and were soon on the tram we needed. The monastery we went to was stunning. Founded in 993, the architecture there is mostly Baroque. The ponds and orchards are beautiful, and it was just so peaceful! The cherries weren't ripe, as we were disappointed to discover, but nevertheless, we had a wonderful time exploring the area. For dinner, we went to Bohemia Bagel, which is sort of like Panera, except slightly nicer (and missing Missy and Morgan!). It's a major expat hangout, mostly because it's one of the few places in the region that you can find bagels.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; ">Though I thought I would maybe be feeling better Sunday, when I woke up, I very rapidly discovered that this was not the case. A deep cough had joined my plethora of other symptoms, and I didn't go anywhere all day. Maddie- my hero- brought dinner to me, and we cooked pasta and ate delicious chocolate cake together. Monday, I had to rouse myself for class, and it did indeed take significant effort. Nevertheless, I think I will quite enjoy the class. I was exhausted after walking around town to purchase books, and promptly fell asleep for five hours. I roused myself to cook dinner, and then collapsed again. Tuesday wasn't much better- I just added one more class (and woke up early to purchase train tickets to Slovenia for this weekend!). Today was a little better- I think I'm finally making a turn for the better. Just in time!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvrsMx23WkmCw9ZmVMI4sdeTlX-S3W_WlKoAjyeVgQiMQ2xnVymghgndcM8d8_Es5FX5dqhxK44FwdIcP8qxbxZMP0vP-nIIfs1W2NIzqqA443GqRmb-SpsMnL1gPHiuJVkJatcJ5MTc/s1600/gargoyle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvrsMx23WkmCw9ZmVMI4sdeTlX-S3W_WlKoAjyeVgQiMQ2xnVymghgndcM8d8_Es5FX5dqhxK44FwdIcP8qxbxZMP0vP-nIIfs1W2NIzqqA443GqRmb-SpsMnL1gPHiuJVkJatcJ5MTc/s400/gargoyle.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488708428223357506" /></a>A gargoyle at Devin<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXrTXDsqPrtrUvx3ybiMvfPh8q8pV2G74xRnYKuXI8wcvuz5maIOw8EI_sta2UWAOGWKW4m5OgjuT3uKdCinBD93DtCJ5nHYpJUf5hixAvvpI1Xy_f7oSU5tHucoGBA9Kp2X7w8FUNXs/s1600/cherry.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXrTXDsqPrtrUvx3ybiMvfPh8q8pV2G74xRnYKuXI8wcvuz5maIOw8EI_sta2UWAOGWKW4m5OgjuT3uKdCinBD93DtCJ5nHYpJUf5hixAvvpI1Xy_f7oSU5tHucoGBA9Kp2X7w8FUNXs/s400/cherry.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488707788773404690" /></a>Not picking cherries.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3I7PqQQ0Pykga3baezE8TIlzBvqGD_B6xZ3oVTGwxoaVwugIY3tDJ7hXzvQOsoMU93cyR5o5znz44hpGe_L7Zk9Tac2AzrhId8tJQloGOiaGA1lm9Onhnl5-NxU0p6suXM9Db8evrBic/s1600/united+islands.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 257px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3I7PqQQ0Pykga3baezE8TIlzBvqGD_B6xZ3oVTGwxoaVwugIY3tDJ7hXzvQOsoMU93cyR5o5znz44hpGe_L7Zk9Tac2AzrhId8tJQloGOiaGA1lm9Onhnl5-NxU0p6suXM9Db8evrBic/s400/united+islands.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488707787530696306" /></a>At the United Island Music Festival<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jtIVibhYYrkIzCV_6O6Aie_kvF1-aZyuoC6xtNDsHgF6hyiXLGBNvz8GrUNkodx3JVpxheHLCOu-D4_blCb8yXaHaQrzuCwBzPgRSXbXu4BP1ZCEFmKUAwFJQaNSsWDFQOSZB_EbsiE/s1600/strudel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jtIVibhYYrkIzCV_6O6Aie_kvF1-aZyuoC6xtNDsHgF6hyiXLGBNvz8GrUNkodx3JVpxheHLCOu-D4_blCb8yXaHaQrzuCwBzPgRSXbXu4BP1ZCEFmKUAwFJQaNSsWDFQOSZB_EbsiE/s400/strudel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488706656126804578" /></a>Being excited about Viennese apple strudel!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9tNbg32JgV8p1Ws0YvW9NfGMBXnmkHXiJUG4fAfThRMuDoI3T-C_tHGKMfoRT-UhB_bTUlqESDKMv7kF1mv4VeTTKWF3NibFq2sIATj7D3P5ExNFjg6O13BviSUwKOPfsAUp5r976xc/s1600/metro.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9tNbg32JgV8p1Ws0YvW9NfGMBXnmkHXiJUG4fAfThRMuDoI3T-C_tHGKMfoRT-UhB_bTUlqESDKMv7kF1mv4VeTTKWF3NibFq2sIATj7D3P5ExNFjg6O13BviSUwKOPfsAUp5r976xc/s400/metro.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488706650705815266" /></a>The Hungarian Metro<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tiIOb5TPM6HKs55xIvwXpBxx6W9YKYJd-bQm8JodoyCRAja_KXn8mzd1c7R3x8cOIbH8SDkdv34EAK-DXzcGfJhk8aUmbtqEmn2JFO5lPx69SaLJik72iAwC1MZ85AHvb8touVGvvso/s1600/budapest.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tiIOb5TPM6HKs55xIvwXpBxx6W9YKYJd-bQm8JodoyCRAja_KXn8mzd1c7R3x8cOIbH8SDkdv34EAK-DXzcGfJhk8aUmbtqEmn2JFO5lPx69SaLJik72iAwC1MZ85AHvb8touVGvvso/s400/budapest.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488706640964536194" /></a>Budapest by night!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_M838rSwGteYeT9P1iwUbXgTLdQEXjQ1dX-sWvJwytOHaxpUFnnIM4JEyVaAHMBTKFjvlsE2x-_ZGxqffJuE3yzaD9wc6MPeqgUIhKvOrUYHu_G8qTxdSKYlEK6s8j9gQ_jOXQ_Vfw78/s1600/baths.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_M838rSwGteYeT9P1iwUbXgTLdQEXjQ1dX-sWvJwytOHaxpUFnnIM4JEyVaAHMBTKFjvlsE2x-_ZGxqffJuE3yzaD9wc6MPeqgUIhKvOrUYHu_G8qTxdSKYlEK6s8j9gQ_jOXQ_Vfw78/s400/baths.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488706637933170962" /></a>Some of the girls at the baths<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_4NBqdWZzwGrakcSqUslzO_8bJH9SOpc67TTD24c8xdWVeOo00tGIT9MW5AlzA3GbT793n_ZhH9V4EV3p7ULdqGNrTO-LuTHZ4MbghRNy5xgVaXbCaEiwSgHGRc9B8704qlZ34fiA10/s1600/bratislava.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_4NBqdWZzwGrakcSqUslzO_8bJH9SOpc67TTD24c8xdWVeOo00tGIT9MW5AlzA3GbT793n_ZhH9V4EV3p7ULdqGNrTO-LuTHZ4MbghRNy5xgVaXbCaEiwSgHGRc9B8704qlZ34fiA10/s400/bratislava.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488706635067503874" /></a>Bratislava!mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-73183841331615791142010-06-20T17:43:00.005-04:002010-06-20T18:02:56.382-04:00I rather like it here.So I'm in love with yet another European city. Not much time to write, but I do have a few pictures. This is just a taste (honestly, you guys know me... I did not take just five photos here!). Vienna- Wein- is stunning. I don't ever want to leave. I wish I was here longer than just one night but alas, our time is short. We will have some more free time in the morning. Good thing! This place in phenomenal.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqic64SG_ThCBxEg6H_Q4hq_8_eOtaFUWbPXGAqxRfb1kYtrpMkDZ-jJ_KIArKkbBeR1I56SQgAbq78F4B_s85ELZvSEqyegjgh-8r_hyphenhyphenHJ87a5aMDXVZCaL7gWRoJ-DfwxY4Nzajo-4/s1600/DSC_0355.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqic64SG_ThCBxEg6H_Q4hq_8_eOtaFUWbPXGAqxRfb1kYtrpMkDZ-jJ_KIArKkbBeR1I56SQgAbq78F4B_s85ELZvSEqyegjgh-8r_hyphenhyphenHJ87a5aMDXVZCaL7gWRoJ-DfwxY4Nzajo-4/s400/DSC_0355.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484977534071820258" /></a>Sch<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">ö</span></span></span>nbrunn Palace- a "summer cottage"- and a view of Vienna<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxlyg3WXfNI6JmNfZONPA4tl4aFarDPGxZWC0tu7FVwSKiQflgpPguZKJinSDhLrLCFT0ui_Num7FzlyDfeheiSRpX1MPeRPlZ0j37UuntYsY8S6gCfALXCeFgtS6_C6aTLfWQ4uT-XQ/s1600/DSC_0427.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxlyg3WXfNI6JmNfZONPA4tl4aFarDPGxZWC0tu7FVwSKiQflgpPguZKJinSDhLrLCFT0ui_Num7FzlyDfeheiSRpX1MPeRPlZ0j37UuntYsY8S6gCfALXCeFgtS6_C6aTLfWQ4uT-XQ/s400/DSC_0427.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484977498247521410" /></a>Part of the old Imperial Palace- now the National Library<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_MfCr77IQs-AErQXENk-AOOiM67NR1xrVaC-e8agL6O93xvUcl-3AynQLbPF4W24wP4HxAymbwcTzfbr8_Wfw-4lUloUzHMub_uhIRqXVPUIhDEJI5_1Vzp4aZYmLw57oGor85J0Kuc/s1600/DSC_0459.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_MfCr77IQs-AErQXENk-AOOiM67NR1xrVaC-e8agL6O93xvUcl-3AynQLbPF4W24wP4HxAymbwcTzfbr8_Wfw-4lUloUzHMub_uhIRqXVPUIhDEJI5_1Vzp4aZYmLw57oGor85J0Kuc/s400/DSC_0459.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484977484463591698" /></a>Oh, just the stables at the Spanish Riding School. Nothing fancy or anything. Obviously I couldn't miss this stop (after how many hundreds of times I wanted The Miracle of the White Stallions?! Good grief!). I wish I could have seen them training, but the timing just didn't work out. Still, I was glad I could make a stop there!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzx8EM-8vNMVBARqB_Rnojz-nzTcqsQTNq2zv7uNEW_C2klTONgsKcDkhP37DEccSQLJp0Afri7uzhh0no2-IQyNvPmxKYnEjUOgOhFOPHu9r6eUDLyo8XSKD-Y8NwOkKWraCpNPmNbE/s1600/DSCN4661.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzx8EM-8vNMVBARqB_Rnojz-nzTcqsQTNq2zv7uNEW_C2klTONgsKcDkhP37DEccSQLJp0Afri7uzhh0no2-IQyNvPmxKYnEjUOgOhFOPHu9r6eUDLyo8XSKD-Y8NwOkKWraCpNPmNbE/s400/DSCN4661.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484977478430618434" /></a>Pretending to be a guard at the Imperial Palace... It was too good of an opportunity to pass up! You know you like my serious face. Also, it takes more than spikes to stop me. Even if I did hit my head on them...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BFqCmSDeT6tspYG6vU38TZa9yKqRYImNaImAe_p-oTEM0uEFUNHJxHfvmMt-Gi2_OQ6wey62Iv-3nchSNcgis3kZwAxq2DJhfyLJKKYQz6G9tZAsbel9rtDzNoed7uj0AIjHuNhHTvA/s1600/DSCN4664.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BFqCmSDeT6tspYG6vU38TZa9yKqRYImNaImAe_p-oTEM0uEFUNHJxHfvmMt-Gi2_OQ6wey62Iv-3nchSNcgis3kZwAxq2DJhfyLJKKYQz6G9tZAsbel9rtDzNoed7uj0AIjHuNhHTvA/s400/DSCN4664.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484977464735981650" /></a>I wish I could remember what this building was... but it as absolutely stunning. Vienna was gorgeous during the day, and even more incredible at night. Also, listening to a cellist play Con Te Partiro in a square on my way to dinner: major highlight. It was beautiful. Speaking of dinner... I'll fill you guys in on that another night. Right now, I need sleep! Good night, world.<div><div> </div></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-65599459479769922682010-06-19T17:49:00.004-04:002010-06-19T18:30:48.771-04:00Stepping back in time<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Just a quick update from the beautiful town of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Český Krumlov, in southern Bohemia. We're spending the night here before moving on to Vienna (Wien), Austria tomorrow morning. The weather here has been less than pleasant- cold and rainy all day long- but that simply can't dampen the striking setting that we've found ourselves in. A UNESCO World Heritage site, all of the buildings here in </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-family:georgia;font-size:medium;">Český Krumlov are from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The castle that gives the town its name is absolutely stunning. It is incredibly well preserved, and imagining people from another era living here is easy enough to do, particularly because we arived during Slavnosti, the Five-Petaled Rose Celebrations that commemorate the Rosenburg family that once maintained control </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">of the region. It's sort of like a Renaissance Fair, with the addition of a spectacular backdrop. The palace here is unbelievable. There are still bears guarding the moats, and it has been restored- when necessary- quite comprehensively. It was an interesting contrast to what we saw earlier in the day: Hrad </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><em style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Dívčí Kámen, or Maiden Stone Castle, which simply consists of ruins overlooking the Vltava River. I, personally, love ruins. In many cases, I almost prefer them (although seeing such a well preserved castle as </span></span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-family:georgia;font-size:medium;">Český Krumlov is a rare treat). Some people gripe about climbing so far- it was almost a mile hike, up steep and slippery rocks in the cold and rain- especially to just see crumbling piles of rocks. But as most of you know (cough- Kate), it takes more than distance, weather, and danger to deter me from such adventures! I loved it. We didn't stay long, because even I agreed that the weather was miserable. After we left the ruins, we ate a late lunch at a wonderful pizzeria here, toured the castle, and then were set free again. I have another scarf now- a plain dove gray that I know I'll get a lot of use out of, especially since it's light enough to wear with just a t-shirt on warmer days. We endured the rain to do some serious exploring, then came back to the hotel for a quick nap. Dinner was in the main square- garlic soup in a bread bowl for about $2.25. It was filling and delicious like no other. After watching some belly dancing, listening to music, and adventuring around some more, we caught the fire parade (yes, my inner pyro was quite pleased). We had planned to watch the fire show as well, and then stay out to watch fireworks, but we were all soaked to the bone and frigid. Instead, I'm watching them through my window right now. Not a bad way to end the day!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXVKusDpAZcgY8yv4hvin4AcLvkRRSwCLtliz7RzqcGHzhohJzYuTYYlLjufvJMk1izmjIEV61ZG8LcrkgSMZmNUMIhCmNUUonG-7y8qzfZh0SBhwuth6cycg2xFPdlFpFct6iVyP6G8/s1600/DSCN4648.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXVKusDpAZcgY8yv4hvin4AcLvkRRSwCLtliz7RzqcGHzhohJzYuTYYlLjufvJMk1izmjIEV61ZG8LcrkgSMZmNUMIhCmNUUonG-7y8qzfZh0SBhwuth6cycg2xFPdlFpFct6iVyP6G8/s400/DSCN4648.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484615447522311954" /></a>The ruins from a distance<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2GiPNVdhhk31s18TjW_RH-ZFAk2ZAI4Pu9mXyFntbPmFOJ_0UZd6pQUteoqisg9Mt3JE_IVoh77vzzJWyjwqoehaevd3Ye6nuLcxlBVG-T32BTvCEsNnmjSBcCeqB73xJ-nxpTRoS6LE/s1600/DSC_0298.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2GiPNVdhhk31s18TjW_RH-ZFAk2ZAI4Pu9mXyFntbPmFOJ_0UZd6pQUteoqisg9Mt3JE_IVoh77vzzJWyjwqoehaevd3Ye6nuLcxlBVG-T32BTvCEsNnmjSBcCeqB73xJ-nxpTRoS6LE/s400/DSC_0298.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484614410380529762" /></a>This town is jaw-dropping.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9RBffgXk4ZmMr-hCeXfiM892px8d22BQrmG8D5CQKQuWejQtM1Sv9vJuYHGJMWK65uDQXD9ZrD1She3Yy1byiV9Ar-_DZTc3bhXzzl7fay4x1tcL69XosHVqS-IS_5wSHGAgvXn7iBg/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9RBffgXk4ZmMr-hCeXfiM892px8d22BQrmG8D5CQKQuWejQtM1Sv9vJuYHGJMWK65uDQXD9ZrD1She3Yy1byiV9Ar-_DZTc3bhXzzl7fay4x1tcL69XosHVqS-IS_5wSHGAgvXn7iBg/s400/DSC_0301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484614400970846738" /></a>With friends on some very artsy steps- we got one of our new visiting professors to take this for us! She's very sweet, and will be teaching my Political Film and Novel of Europe class, which I'm very excited about!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYlmp8EvxAVbU3eqf8wdZBOgkLZJkGTt3tbZU-QlR9rCP2TvFSzF0lgz9XWiLoMLo6zhXSrBQeecM6YXo_qIzU881jD03bULIhDdFY91vIVYJGRnpOrXWGaX908uM5Zq72MMt5fuLZTs/s1600/DSC_0306.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYlmp8EvxAVbU3eqf8wdZBOgkLZJkGTt3tbZU-QlR9rCP2TvFSzF0lgz9XWiLoMLo6zhXSrBQeecM6YXo_qIzU881jD03bULIhDdFY91vIVYJGRnpOrXWGaX908uM5Zq72MMt5fuLZTs/s400/DSC_0306.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484614395236941586" /></a>With the castle and some of the town in the background<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IakFisTi1NXAOCKCxSpr4iY7WBUZsevBsCAXhKkXBzyq4aZQoE7qkZX-w3Qp9Mo2Lj5TnSBeEYuOw50RKmMpyj-Pmz1Lwxat5GyBS3ppfj-Of62zJwvK4DiAGeIOS9m7KHCADCcLcb8/s1600/DSC_0318.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 278px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IakFisTi1NXAOCKCxSpr4iY7WBUZsevBsCAXhKkXBzyq4aZQoE7qkZX-w3Qp9Mo2Lj5TnSBeEYuOw50RKmMpyj-Pmz1Lwxat5GyBS3ppfj-Of62zJwvK4DiAGeIOS9m7KHCADCcLcb8/s400/DSC_0318.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484614373999257266" /></a>The Vltava at night<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh0vcb_rPIBQ0LnzO3Ik3H0KeWefJJsf1TyBcsuSW2tPuMlu1-FQ-OAfncnYfmfKiq-ViTdEwchUiBc77nsX8s_I3__1RW6qP_Y2PPKMJGBERCauSSNYcwPEj9x80vOsE3P-9ysO8hPQ/s1600/DSC_0334.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh0vcb_rPIBQ0LnzO3Ik3H0KeWefJJsf1TyBcsuSW2tPuMlu1-FQ-OAfncnYfmfKiq-ViTdEwchUiBc77nsX8s_I3__1RW6qP_Y2PPKMJGBERCauSSNYcwPEj9x80vOsE3P-9ysO8hPQ/s400/DSC_0334.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484614357907501506" /></a>A juggler at the Fire Parade!mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-36563160940747760692010-06-18T18:52:00.004-04:002010-06-18T19:25:59.421-04:00You have to end to begin.Today was an interesting one. Not a particularly good one on the football/soccer front: the Germany game was rough at best, the US got robbed- but didn't play well in the first half either, and then England simply didn't hold their own playing against Algeria. In spite of it all, though, I still enjoy watching the games here. The atmosphere in just incredible, and I look forward to three more weeks of screaming at a screen in multiple languages while enduring bone-crushing agony, heartbreak, and other forms of emotional turmoil in the hopes that my team emerges victorious. Anyway, enough about the World Cup (for now). Back to my day. After a slow morning, I went to lunch with my wonderful roommates at the Italian place down the road. We've gotten to know one of the waiters there well, and despite the fact that he doesn't speak much English, it's always nice to have a familiar face! Afterwards, we headed to our photography final- we wanted to get there early so that we we could wrap it up and go to the game! And what a game it was.... it was agonizing! And to have our win torn away like that- oooh, that hurt. Afterwards, I ran by Tesco. I wanted some travel-sized soap and shampoo to take on my next adventure, and I wanted some granola bars too. I also grabbed a pastry for breakfast tomorrow morning! I also found a giant bottle of lemonade. I was thirsty, and two liters of lemonade was four crowns- as opposed to nine crowns for a third of a liter. So lemonade it is! And it was delicious. Once I came back, we hung out around our apartment until we met up with the new crew who came in today. The kids going on the field study showed up- five more will be coming next week, I believe. We were very excited about meeting them, and upon bursting out of our front gate and seeing a herd of kids our age gathered, I eagerly asked (in that characteristically enthusiastic fashion of mine) "Are you our new friends?!" which provoked great laughter. Icebreaker? Check. They seem like a lot of fun- I'm very excited about getting to know everybody! We ate dinner with the at the bar downstairs. More Czech food- some kind of meat, venison maybe, and fried potatoes... I think. I'm not sure. It was delicious, regardless. Cleaned my plate. I suppose I'm not a particularly picky eater, which is sort of surprising to me. I mean, I won't eat things with eyes still attached, and I prefer to avoid heads and limbs that still appear operational (with the exception of crab, obviously. But really, I enjoy nearly everything. I've gone almost six weeks now without a bad meal! Either food is better here, or maybe the food at Carolina Dining just isn't that spectacular. Hmm... maybe it's both. Anyway, we had a wonderful time meeting and greeting. We did have to say some goodbyes though, and that was very sad. We've made such wonderful friends here! Tomorrow morning, we leave for Cesky Krumlov. Then, we're off to Vienna, Budapest, and Bratislava. I can't wait to see all these new cities!<div><br /></div><div>Photos for the day: my final photography portfolio. A focus on sunshine and natural lighting. You've probably seen all- or at least most- of them before, but here they are, compiled.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjef336XV_7pVJnEwoHiAthfKTw1TvPP8agra-ZdP7QtMZDDDRBQd0RJy7SHRXviPi53T4bw7PK15orA41caqVYKgCWnOjZfrghAMaFmSqFURT2bHRBqc9Vks9PDv9zgDzhdUd8B2s2XO4/s1600/DSC_0944.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjef336XV_7pVJnEwoHiAthfKTw1TvPP8agra-ZdP7QtMZDDDRBQd0RJy7SHRXviPi53T4bw7PK15orA41caqVYKgCWnOjZfrghAMaFmSqFURT2bHRBqc9Vks9PDv9zgDzhdUd8B2s2XO4/s400/DSC_0944.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484252610663679970" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yr1v6ObI8k36RggvJW1cmii6D5WsfPtvbRAJ__JgKROrHB16ZvMl852g3K07UmxCfMo0eibh1X0blNfh0ShvRE9YhNudDKnymKp5XG3dGl9sMu9d928SUM6svIEsWtJZPO_ZlFhV8yU/s1600/DSC_0828.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yr1v6ObI8k36RggvJW1cmii6D5WsfPtvbRAJ__JgKROrHB16ZvMl852g3K07UmxCfMo0eibh1X0blNfh0ShvRE9YhNudDKnymKp5XG3dGl9sMu9d928SUM6svIEsWtJZPO_ZlFhV8yU/s400/DSC_0828.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484252594734069490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUFmA0Be-m3X1qX7GKj82oc4jhNVOKFs8w1WSZ2glEwUsMnjXLfJ4mux9U5ViXcGV_axvqE43zPWuKmFz7ExbbAOSQmqtHkpKePZvDbnYJZn06yLc1uol_iZTeiwIBodk6U7ZbQ29snU/s1600/DSC_0813.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUFmA0Be-m3X1qX7GKj82oc4jhNVOKFs8w1WSZ2glEwUsMnjXLfJ4mux9U5ViXcGV_axvqE43zPWuKmFz7ExbbAOSQmqtHkpKePZvDbnYJZn06yLc1uol_iZTeiwIBodk6U7ZbQ29snU/s400/DSC_0813.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484251342728616098" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoattZ6nSg6prBLS57d6qJaV8hcsSFUFE8LzkwhJgfgcpg3x_RHZY-Q9VmSjUujML3vOnhFBo20EKmkfr_XkHDUXFqooK8Y-99xijZKl7F7Tsj74lwU7JZm6bw-wkAF4aRQgeMQkIu1aQ/s1600/DSC_0468.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoattZ6nSg6prBLS57d6qJaV8hcsSFUFE8LzkwhJgfgcpg3x_RHZY-Q9VmSjUujML3vOnhFBo20EKmkfr_XkHDUXFqooK8Y-99xijZKl7F7Tsj74lwU7JZm6bw-wkAF4aRQgeMQkIu1aQ/s400/DSC_0468.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484251340302105330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblJfhYgcVG5gGRqUwvNpHU6LMvTXDPWbXfG-FmHZoSkjpHADfjJuIKCTTA3qtPXUM55Mwg-E4hJsUFW7BfHFCF97dhbKk0_iRO1mIMhXd-T9jx9vZl_N3IuSlNkfw89JQ1JKNRa_3cPs/s1600/DSC_0250.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblJfhYgcVG5gGRqUwvNpHU6LMvTXDPWbXfG-FmHZoSkjpHADfjJuIKCTTA3qtPXUM55Mwg-E4hJsUFW7BfHFCF97dhbKk0_iRO1mIMhXd-T9jx9vZl_N3IuSlNkfw89JQ1JKNRa_3cPs/s400/DSC_0250.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484251332166079922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHAhq4knSDE2CghnNoTGgIgr9s-zr9mjP0QsCuqUvStHSxdktJY9W9LNe_UB-rdfjdY1nJ_mnpqbXaykARfQfcNwm9Fv6gUVDrsvxgQoNpAOCeghkcfdtETEYx1Ugtgr0t43y4fPVn88/s1600/DSC_0173.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHAhq4knSDE2CghnNoTGgIgr9s-zr9mjP0QsCuqUvStHSxdktJY9W9LNe_UB-rdfjdY1nJ_mnpqbXaykARfQfcNwm9Fv6gUVDrsvxgQoNpAOCeghkcfdtETEYx1Ugtgr0t43y4fPVn88/s400/DSC_0173.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484251323253090274" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurFhH_mQzzliD9OTQaGeqwpwvqtF-x1eAVLwzxmdyUeMuCYvVtm46U2-smfwig4G7TWMtLYYfeYR7Ex2B9zzwseDwHghgkyZt2lVuR0d14yppzq_vbR3VZmkrDxs8Zt3r2F3DGH19cn4/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurFhH_mQzzliD9OTQaGeqwpwvqtF-x1eAVLwzxmdyUeMuCYvVtm46U2-smfwig4G7TWMtLYYfeYR7Ex2B9zzwseDwHghgkyZt2lVuR0d14yppzq_vbR3VZmkrDxs8Zt3r2F3DGH19cn4/s400/DSC_0015.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484251310296470674" /></a><br /></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-75563985357400314792010-06-17T07:24:00.009-04:002010-06-17T20:45:50.625-04:00I Amsterdam... and I am nineteen too!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibG_cqqRJQidleT1Hk4zjci8bizKzmlcJuTnamNdx-uA9_AkcfrOSsvKKsrQ_ssm5NYwlkaEbaIfidBSvNO0VCpKnw7nxvtF6wJH-LtG3EA33TOuLCTt7lj-o32h65WQ0Su5WnpV3qD5c/s1600/DSCN4640.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibG_cqqRJQidleT1Hk4zjci8bizKzmlcJuTnamNdx-uA9_AkcfrOSsvKKsrQ_ssm5NYwlkaEbaIfidBSvNO0VCpKnw7nxvtF6wJH-LtG3EA33TOuLCTt7lj-o32h65WQ0Su5WnpV3qD5c/s400/DSCN4640.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483904904397768370" /></a>Every day, I find more reasons why I love Prague.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j-BjwUZimXKi6DJWi3LMT6KyYy8pYh5cyEnE2cFBiaRPGRpbMPNx0O1eFd8AgaE4qEFKPPhFX4bNx_o2m820oktxOTaB3N4DIwVlL7ha5c-pbUlsW7kpycwysgR5xMpicJxe9Z2Ifhc/s1600/DSC_0279.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j-BjwUZimXKi6DJWi3LMT6KyYy8pYh5cyEnE2cFBiaRPGRpbMPNx0O1eFd8AgaE4qEFKPPhFX4bNx_o2m820oktxOTaB3N4DIwVlL7ha5c-pbUlsW7kpycwysgR5xMpicJxe9Z2Ifhc/s400/DSC_0279.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483904892673382914" /></a>My beautiful and delicious birthday cake, which says something that we hope means "Happy birthday!" Apparently the workers and the bakery spoke very little English, but between their little bit of English and my friends' little bit of Czech, they managed to get this wonderful cake! I would consider that adventure a rousing success- I have such great friends!<div><br />No, I did not forget about you guys! I need to get better about this blogging business. My biggest problem? I take too many photos! And then I'm too much of a perfectionist to allow subpar, unedited photographs loose on the Internet. On top of that, it's exam week here in Prague! Not quite like exams back in the States, but still a bit stressful. I had exams in Czech and Art History, a six page paper, and a photographic portfolio. But now that's all wrapped up, and I'm going to be able to enjoy my next few days! But here I am today, with one giant update on my life.<div><br /></div><div>On Friday morning, we left early for Amsterdam. Getting there was a little bit crazy: we took the Metro to catch a bus to get our plane. Once arriving at Eindhoven Airport- just outside of Amsterdam, since it was cheaper than Schiphol- we caught another bus to the train station (where we stopped for kebabs for lunch, since kebabs are delicious). Instead of taking the tram in Amsterdam, we just walked to our hostel, because it was fairly close. It was very nice! I preferred St. Christopher's in Berlin, but it was still a great place to stay. It was right near the Red Light District, and we all agreed that the next time we're in Amsterdam, we'd rather stay in another one of the main areas between Leidesplein and Rembrandstplein. It was only a fifteen minute walk, so it wasn't too far to walk, but that area was considerably classier and had better food. On the upside, though, our hostel was very close to some great shopping! By the end of our stay, we were very familiar with the city from all of our walking (and from all the time we got lost!). Amsterdam is a winding city, with lots of alleys that take you unexpected places. It's an absolutely stunning place. The canals are gorgeous, and it's surprisingly clean and safe. Yes, after dark, certain places have a sketchier feel. But honestly, I think that the general increased awareness in Amsterdam- both from visitors and from the Dutch living there- contributes greatly to safety there.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Friday afternoon, we wandered around a little bit, and eventually grabbed dinner at this Chinese place called Wok to Walk. It is literally the greatest thing ever. I want to put one in Columbia (as well as a kebab stand, of course!). Basically, you choose your base (egg noodles, rice noodles, white rice, brown rice, etc etc), which comes with some vegetables, and sauce, and then you can add all sorts of tasty things like meat, peanuts, specific kinds of vegetables- the possibilities are endless. They cook the food in a giant wok right in front of you, and serve it in an very large orange Chinese box. I was so in love with this phenomenon that I ate dinner there Sunday night as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Several people went out that night, but I wasn't feeling up to it, so I headed back to the hostel. I was planning on a quiet night in when I met a girl in the lobby. She was getting directions to a variety of places around the city, and I just asked if I could join in- and that is how I met my Canadian friend Claire! We spent a few hours just exploring the city. None of the destinations on our map were really places we wanted to stop, but it was a very fun way to see a variety of places. Eventually, we started to get cold (it is quite chilly over here!) and we found this quiet little cafe and bakery to stop at. I had tea and a slice of some sort of chocolate peanut butter pie, and Claire had an apple strudel with her tea- both were delicious! The man working there was a very chatty expat from Iraq whose family owned the business. It was really cool getting to know someone who had lived in the area for so long. I had several experiences chatting with Dutch people- they are all incredibly friendly (and thankfully, most speak English!). What's interesting to me is that almost all of them are very clear that they do not do drugs. Marijuana, while technically not legal, is decriminalized, and "coffeeshops" are everywhere. Other drugs are also very easily accessible. This creates great profit for the government, from taxes on drug and food sales, but is really more part of the tourist culture than anything else. Interestingly enough, a very conservative government was recently instated, and by 2015, 95% of the windows that make the Red Light District so famous will be closed down. Seeing that whole aspect of the city was interesting, because it was so different, but also very sad. The women range in age from 18 to 83, and come in all shapes and sizes from all walks of life. Most, however, are not in fact Dutch. A lot of them are Eastern european girls who see it as a way to make a lot of money fairly quickly without needing any sort of education. People argue that it's part of the culture, that they choose this lifestyle, but I also feel like that can't possibly be entirely or universally true.</div><div><br /></div><div>Beyond that aspect of Amsterdam. On Saturday morning, we grabbed some pastries and watched an international sand soccer competition! Afterwards, we headed to the Anne Frank House. The line was of an extremely intimidating length, but we braced ourselves and queued obediently- this was something we all wanted to do! And we left the house incredibly thankful that we did. It was a phenomenal experience- so indescribably moving. I got chills walking through there. Actually being in Anne's house... It gives the book so much more depth and meaning. Traveling Europe has made history very real for me. Suddenly you see everything coming to life, and you're no longer talking about facts and events but people and families and reality. It gives the world a very different perspective.</div><div><br /></div><div>After that museum, I parted ways with the group and headed to the Rijksmuseum, one of Amsterdam's greatest art museums. I particularly enjoyed the way that it blended Dutch history with the artwork. It was absolutely fascinating. I'm so glad I went! And even better? Since I was 18, I got in for free! I spent a few very pleasant hours exploring the works there. Afterwards, I went to an international skateboarding competition called Amsterdam RampJam, which was a ton of fun! I (obviously) have a ton of respect for sports where crashing is just a reality of life- it happens, you get back up, and you keep on going. There were some really great skateboarders there, and I happily watched until the sun began to sink lower. I decided to meander my way back towards the hostel, since I hadn't been able to meet up with the group for dinner. The way I went was probably two or three times as long as the "right" way, but I was being stubborn and didn't want to use my map. Besides, I don't mind walking. After a detour for dinner (crepes with strawberries and tea), I made it back safe and sound... and then a friend called telling me that they were at a pub watching the USA vs England game- and how could I miss that?! So I headed over to hang out with them and their new Swiss friends that they had met earlier while touring the Heineken brewery. Fortunately, those guys speak English better than we speak French (that is to say, not at all. Scratch that, mon petit chouchou, I can count to fourteen, name my parents, and ask if you can speak French- not a particularly helpful question for me, come to think of it... Hmm. French is on the agenda, for the record. Between Belgium and my life plans, I'd like to know a smidge more than I do now!). But regardless, you'll be interested to know that despite all stereotypes, the Swiss are not neutral when it comes to football! They were pulling for England, but we forgave them, since they were quite a lot of fun to hang out with! England should have won that game anyway (but they didn't- ha!). We were more or less the only Americans there, but that's okay. There will probably be more of us at the game here in Prague tomorrow! Anyway, back to Amsterdam. We had a great night, made some awesome friends, and, while heading back, Ashley and I went entirely in the wrong direction, found the guys we had just left, and then stopped for some delicious pizza. When you're hungry, you're hungry. It tasted delicious.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sunday morning, we slept in for a bit. Ashley, Jessalyn, and I found this adorable little cafe where we got a full English breakfast for a fairly reasonable price. It was so delicious. I love me some England! Of course, I had tea with my breakfast. I can't help myself. It was fantastic! Afterwards, Ashley and I took a free walking tour of the city, which proved to be very fascinating. Our tour guide was hilarious, as were the three Dutch kids who were along for the adventure, and it was a very enjoyable four hours. Afterwards, we headed towards a friend's hostel to meet up so we could grab food, when we heard voices calling our names behind us. We were puzzled- who knows us here in Amsterdam?! Lo and behold, it was our Swiss friends again! We were very excited to see them again! Later, Ashley and I met up with some other people from our program, as well as some other friends we met in Amsterdam. We ended up parting ways fairly quickly, and Ashley and I stumbled across a bead shop on our way to one of the main squares. I bought a bracelet for myself: thin brown cord that wraps around my wrist four times, with a white carved fish in the middle. Yes Mom, my rubber bands are finally off of my arm! We then continued to wander in the direction of food, when we found a cool looking clothing store that had some great sales. Guess who finally bought some more warm clothes?! Amsterdam was very cold, and Prague is Prague- you never know what you're going to get! But now, I have another sweatshirt, long sleeved shirt, and sweater. Hooray! We grabbed Wok to Walk on our way back to the hostel, which we promptly devoured with some very nice Americans backpacking around that we met in line. Once back at the hostel, we reorganized ourselves, and the girls headed down to Rembrantsplein to find a place to watch the Germany/Australia game. It was awesome! I really enjoyed it. We ended up meeting some British guys and going to a karaoke bar with them, which was quite the adventure. We knew we would have to leave our hostel by 6:30 the next morning, so we didn't stay very long. All in all, though, we had a wonderful time in Amsterdam.</div><div><br /></div><div>We woke up early to catch a train to a bus to a plane to another bus to the Metro to home sweet home! It was a long day of traveling- eight hours- followed by class, yikes! But we made it! This week has been a little bit crazy, what with it being exam week (two exams, a six page paper, and a portfolio). But I have made some time for myself- between discovering a new sandwich stop near Tesco, exploring the Modern Art and Cubism museums (I love modern art. It's hands down my favorite... perhaps because it is so up to your own interpretation. It truly is what make it!), eating dinner- in Czech!- with my Czech language class, and enjoying football and the beautiful gardens of Prague, exam week isn't so bad! I survived, and made it to my birthday!</div><div><br /></div><div>My friends surprised me with a cake and a little party before we left on our farewell cruise down the Vltava. It was so much fun- they totally fooled me!- but a little bittersweet, since most people are leaving tomorrow or Saturday. I am so thankful that I am staying two sessions. I can't imagine leaving now. I feel like I'm just settling in. There is so much that I want to see and do still! I have people to meet and places to go and food to eat (obviously a high priority of mine, in case you hadn't already noticed!). Breakfast today was- just so you know- a strawberry-orange tart with chocolate drizzled on it. It was glorious on so many levels. I adore this city, for so many reasons. It probably sounds strange to hear me call it home- but it just feels like that for me. Of course, "home" and "from" have always been sort of relative for me because of moving. I just really enjoy living here. I'm glad I have five more weeks! </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVjWX9MPZu-kBNT0XWXlg0UceEW2hRpJOMS_YRgIqv2c-mLtTC9X6MhNw1PtauXDl_YMrqeg4E28JEmqSc7b4Rs1933QTuwCsJn52P2pyMsylCMMjDDEZxuOh0QsEDFaK9r-kZuPAUs8/s1600/DSC_0250.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVjWX9MPZu-kBNT0XWXlg0UceEW2hRpJOMS_YRgIqv2c-mLtTC9X6MhNw1PtauXDl_YMrqeg4E28JEmqSc7b4Rs1933QTuwCsJn52P2pyMsylCMMjDDEZxuOh0QsEDFaK9r-kZuPAUs8/s400/DSC_0250.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483900078286611570" /></a>Walking back from class along the river<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb0ePuiRuoPsRYaPaYHc3HM-dRlx7tLLtkkHHy3LVgABbHcnvpp_67fuSvKkcNI3H3fXlWDHWlNAz8hF2J3Zj6ttEhB5yQFTA_7qfwuVssSVVmJPn-PRokcjAt4HQXnmhvWsZee1B0Q8/s1600/DSC_0173.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb0ePuiRuoPsRYaPaYHc3HM-dRlx7tLLtkkHHy3LVgABbHcnvpp_67fuSvKkcNI3H3fXlWDHWlNAz8hF2J3Zj6ttEhB5yQFTA_7qfwuVssSVVmJPn-PRokcjAt4HQXnmhvWsZee1B0Q8/s400/DSC_0173.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483900072091945378" /></a>At the Amsterdam RampJam competition!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CADuWFZa6uvINPWumoNHw2DiJyeKB4G8_lv64bFCqXtA5W7voqPVlF5UW3zirN_oXRgOlWJ9sdUioDjSrH1uwG8BAHpblYe79OFbFnSqZB-50f8CppGL1Sd-FOabMkFa-lpMJlJnPls/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CADuWFZa6uvINPWumoNHw2DiJyeKB4G8_lv64bFCqXtA5W7voqPVlF5UW3zirN_oXRgOlWJ9sdUioDjSrH1uwG8BAHpblYe79OFbFnSqZB-50f8CppGL1Sd-FOabMkFa-lpMJlJnPls/s400/DSC_0102.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483900064723191298" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrd5r8Mx_fMeVWagEerYxiQldm-6YrypQ77ELUfGTc0qwyp8ICKyA0DOphPdCJho9eUhvrBhXp0lm-LOro99_xRIoW16uwVqIvx3CShGRFRkaMPM-zTNSZyNfmr0TPb6ARvWp_HjWYVW4/s1600/DSC_0129.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrd5r8Mx_fMeVWagEerYxiQldm-6YrypQ77ELUfGTc0qwyp8ICKyA0DOphPdCJho9eUhvrBhXp0lm-LOro99_xRIoW16uwVqIvx3CShGRFRkaMPM-zTNSZyNfmr0TPb6ARvWp_HjWYVW4/s400/DSC_0129.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483893757008324434" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNSGqwaxYJ6__pWrL-aqstBqSwQTAPg07HCWx44K1mo5Nxzd8TBoTNjTztg-4tgrszbrm8tCHiFCxJCJ4fC0NVHOnlhViwTLSQNnw7KBAnYTC_kyJ2KKxgRr7Ta60eBB5KNDoj5dsvUs/s1600/DSC_0103.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNSGqwaxYJ6__pWrL-aqstBqSwQTAPg07HCWx44K1mo5Nxzd8TBoTNjTztg-4tgrszbrm8tCHiFCxJCJ4fC0NVHOnlhViwTLSQNnw7KBAnYTC_kyJ2KKxgRr7Ta60eBB5KNDoj5dsvUs/s400/DSC_0103.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483893750054961906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMgMSMzx8CeRi7miPINlNrRUpAuUJDCsKnBr8ZssEuoR05wE1NN_CeLy0WppYKKSnsBtfPd9HDfIPBngHAeMPHc3tga4zztSN0Kfnqf8TmucGlMfiEGwgKan_ErBcbDbP_12lCINt6-U/s1600/DSC_0039.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMgMSMzx8CeRi7miPINlNrRUpAuUJDCsKnBr8ZssEuoR05wE1NN_CeLy0WppYKKSnsBtfPd9HDfIPBngHAeMPHc3tga4zztSN0Kfnqf8TmucGlMfiEGwgKan_ErBcbDbP_12lCINt6-U/s400/DSC_0039.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483893746500530498" /></a>It wouldn't be Holland if there weren't tulips!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdxK4T2IxBrJbkWUpuJ_DDmf80yGyo2V4vHWOv780ZRuI6CSsw3pGmIQmeKuiXG85KxJsnPhx2RRuL9Gx2Mf6d2go3YQcPciYgYikA2BTHa4H0X1HnURAY_GdHfao-CcCUouw1d7lXF8/s1600/DSC_0041.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdxK4T2IxBrJbkWUpuJ_DDmf80yGyo2V4vHWOv780ZRuI6CSsw3pGmIQmeKuiXG85KxJsnPhx2RRuL9Gx2Mf6d2go3YQcPciYgYikA2BTHa4H0X1HnURAY_GdHfao-CcCUouw1d7lXF8/s400/DSC_0041.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483893738870138194" /></a>The entrance to the Anne Frank House<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhecnUd3hgresJ2XemCBNRkPJnF5Vx-q2bJQSlopMzTLYX3RXvbvRiHGPwbGA6Ml3SY89-Csc9SDdhsO9DfrdEuV78xnoFWMpKC3enklWVd0-lDWT89S8W7fsg1qOy-7bHJaBDMamKFyk/s1600/DSC_0063.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhecnUd3hgresJ2XemCBNRkPJnF5Vx-q2bJQSlopMzTLYX3RXvbvRiHGPwbGA6Ml3SY89-Csc9SDdhsO9DfrdEuV78xnoFWMpKC3enklWVd0-lDWT89S8W7fsg1qOy-7bHJaBDMamKFyk/s400/DSC_0063.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483893728906458978" /></a>I inadvertently stumbled into a "Free Iran" rally. Lots of shouting in Farsi.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hyvHDkfZ2a5SEZn_nATnHWcksQfVegPl9_L4SQRGHDJa65IBXXcOFJTmsKnyAyRWkBaJOYcyOwGib49rkE0KRY1UtvMk6y7Dh91z1bOgsZ2DE0T-ZsNIfp742A7QcDmckkjY2RlfAaU/s1600/DSC_0066.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hyvHDkfZ2a5SEZn_nATnHWcksQfVegPl9_L4SQRGHDJa65IBXXcOFJTmsKnyAyRWkBaJOYcyOwGib49rkE0KRY1UtvMk6y7Dh91z1bOgsZ2DE0T-ZsNIfp742A7QcDmckkjY2RlfAaU/s400/DSC_0066.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483889928918108802" /></a>Looking at the Rijksmuseum and the I amsterdam sign!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XyDsNSahdxj4MlxLnCzkYBqVH8LXDtZ_WMd4DIScEavl3KbINltSnktj1T50YM5Avwvpig9c_7eUvQgpEcNZP41FB-KnfPklF0Cb4QBXTxZCmlAdKIyHKMMPhN7jJW_eQuYlXx1rKBc/s1600/DSC_0208.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XyDsNSahdxj4MlxLnCzkYBqVH8LXDtZ_WMd4DIScEavl3KbINltSnktj1T50YM5Avwvpig9c_7eUvQgpEcNZP41FB-KnfPklF0Cb4QBXTxZCmlAdKIyHKMMPhN7jJW_eQuYlXx1rKBc/s400/DSC_0208.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483889919184070690" /></a>Orange was EVERYWHERE. The Dutch are very proud of their team. World Cup fever doesn't even begin to describe the environment! Hup Holland Hup!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwHnsjV9pB9o_x3dM0YMYFSYWavwS5Q4-BNDrUZ7qyR_N1AYs6dUbuuYciOEJ7SNZFcPAO7HIHJrUZUUXq207MqpvaWwCd8MT2SszfwnLiUBVIh9t_HUg5cBGduFoZWm3a9Q3cLoIWYw/s1600/DSC_0214.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwHnsjV9pB9o_x3dM0YMYFSYWavwS5Q4-BNDrUZ7qyR_N1AYs6dUbuuYciOEJ7SNZFcPAO7HIHJrUZUUXq207MqpvaWwCd8MT2SszfwnLiUBVIh9t_HUg5cBGduFoZWm3a9Q3cLoIWYw/s400/DSC_0214.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483889908301181282" /></a>The hooks are because Dutch staircases are so narrow and steep that you had to use a pulley system to move items to upper floors. The buildings lean forward over the street so that the items don't swing and hit the lower windows. It wasn't for many years until they started building longer hooks... And buildings that leans sideways are simply crooked, the result of building on land that isn't really land. Over fifty percent of the Netherlands is reclaimed land from the sea, which, as our tour guide put it, gives the Dutch a real says that "God created the world, but we created Holland!" They are very proud of their small and beautiful country!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVd-0qMewZuhmZf42nF0FasADwUwC4ObOxcjKtWOnk_Rc3E4cQMjVkSWYJF9JXGR9BZHcCCZfQQKBsKgOiJSJSj1xC6F-8UqR9JbAy10kYeWn8gP60JFKI4lMeXTj4bRWJaheLAaZyns/s1600/DSC_0226.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVd-0qMewZuhmZf42nF0FasADwUwC4ObOxcjKtWOnk_Rc3E4cQMjVkSWYJF9JXGR9BZHcCCZfQQKBsKgOiJSJSj1xC6F-8UqR9JbAy10kYeWn8gP60JFKI4lMeXTj4bRWJaheLAaZyns/s400/DSC_0226.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483889901484021074" /></a>Graffiti and bicycles outside of one of the houses where squatters live. The Dutch cycle everywhere! There are more bikes than people in Amsterdam- and there are over 750,000 people there! They pull over 25,000 bikes out of the canals each year, and it is estimated that over half of all bikes on the streets have been stolen at least once. Regardless, virtually everyone ends with a bike one way or another.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s4Cf8EsoJQsISpOAQbzZwxOWMhb55x34Co2iLK4yiJ5uOgJT5O-N9Q_-ZHI25l0TBPuBKaoRu20XLQ_sDX3bzXqt7TLxrlUDfFcAxHeETYSo3KqMXk3r-pvXQH-dH2EdIgv-HVhZnGc/s1600/DSC_0234.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s4Cf8EsoJQsISpOAQbzZwxOWMhb55x34Co2iLK4yiJ5uOgJT5O-N9Q_-ZHI25l0TBPuBKaoRu20XLQ_sDX3bzXqt7TLxrlUDfFcAxHeETYSo3KqMXk3r-pvXQH-dH2EdIgv-HVhZnGc/s400/DSC_0234.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483889895351869026" /></a>The hammock store: such a glorious find. I loved them all!</div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-73711595889582700582010-06-10T14:13:00.006-04:002010-06-10T16:30:52.450-04:00This week in Prague...<div>A few more pictures from this weeks adventures!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tgzvVTF1KlGItAZimf6r7PzXykqBAbIzp90qf9yDvI4Ld3KUH5Ge51hgn-XSi8BLSK9HN3x-xrc7yQTCvK5zm0HTD9cNc0fsuQ-kycMg8WVRSor78TXIMGQHSMb1V4l0q0AUXpyXmaQ/s1600/DSC_1015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tgzvVTF1KlGItAZimf6r7PzXykqBAbIzp90qf9yDvI4Ld3KUH5Ge51hgn-XSi8BLSK9HN3x-xrc7yQTCvK5zm0HTD9cNc0fsuQ-kycMg8WVRSor78TXIMGQHSMb1V4l0q0AUXpyXmaQ/s400/DSC_1015.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481243595783301362" /></a>Statues in the gardens at Prague Castle<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQVj7ueB94GZ3BGBh5GOsTabHsRs33PCQGEOk5V25brKn57pFBHc0K1FhYhE7SZ4CoHBMPUsWMPQEV_3gGQBXdTQkulophyphenhyphenlZ7A5kgZZVQvwInF0tbxQkBUtwgPkbhlTjDsnSPfvprJo/s1600/DSC_1013.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQVj7ueB94GZ3BGBh5GOsTabHsRs33PCQGEOk5V25brKn57pFBHc0K1FhYhE7SZ4CoHBMPUsWMPQEV_3gGQBXdTQkulophyphenhyphenlZ7A5kgZZVQvwInF0tbxQkBUtwgPkbhlTjDsnSPfvprJo/s400/DSC_1013.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481243584904219938" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcbemORCO_U2DJ140G-lX7rUVwNncHUnqzxnLhXDuo12MbXaNGzI6qCFtqxbTQVNCfigN_ZAHsnKxpDVmbGZ-00gGhm65UC4uDKkCD0G-8wPI5KZUViUGCMMi25Msua_YfkMQesJm688/s1600/DSC_1010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcbemORCO_U2DJ140G-lX7rUVwNncHUnqzxnLhXDuo12MbXaNGzI6qCFtqxbTQVNCfigN_ZAHsnKxpDVmbGZ-00gGhm65UC4uDKkCD0G-8wPI5KZUViUGCMMi25Msua_YfkMQesJm688/s400/DSC_1010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481243565773995042" /></a>At the bird exhibit... They had all kinds of hawks and falcons there too; it was pretty cool to see, although rather sad.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTf_YlTLF6i7rt8iM99bFpfkuHBU_Siqymx-Jar4x7QUtAtcBPudm8vI4u_ShNe1mo2fFpZ1iLQkN8E3sxsstLOtt3N1crUIvKluSN3E1pyIBqQGAEOuzOnJ0tnQ68j5IWcuk8b37HIS0/s1600/DSC_1004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTf_YlTLF6i7rt8iM99bFpfkuHBU_Siqymx-Jar4x7QUtAtcBPudm8vI4u_ShNe1mo2fFpZ1iLQkN8E3sxsstLOtt3N1crUIvKluSN3E1pyIBqQGAEOuzOnJ0tnQ68j5IWcuk8b37HIS0/s400/DSC_1004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481243553704248722" /></a>A fellow I rather liked. We might whilst exploring yet another art museum.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZdvN0DDtqe612_D1SM_xyh_vNJrWF-hUIpmMsJZERcaA6xsU7AlB3sD4q9HA6zLTofLAPq8z52zJT-_looG7HpfWNWxbC6EbtFJLVLao1-diIh7_vuq0hAxcr58jCdH0eqnost59NOs/s1600/DSC_0994.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZdvN0DDtqe612_D1SM_xyh_vNJrWF-hUIpmMsJZERcaA6xsU7AlB3sD4q9HA6zLTofLAPq8z52zJT-_looG7HpfWNWxbC6EbtFJLVLao1-diIh7_vuq0hAxcr58jCdH0eqnost59NOs/s400/DSC_0994.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481242008824263250" /></a>Oh, Prague.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVYPZRf3zIFPxBaOJMiBCTZxLFykSDiuCX8KQHc1abQu1AWmy33NLWkx_k-nFJAv2HadyAgMfx-fyYUgnE8tySKSfaDWdJ-_n4KH6NyGcfz0mA5JDfBWKj0aSTYxvbYYbptbIhjmjFvA/s1600/DSC_0981.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVYPZRf3zIFPxBaOJMiBCTZxLFykSDiuCX8KQHc1abQu1AWmy33NLWkx_k-nFJAv2HadyAgMfx-fyYUgnE8tySKSfaDWdJ-_n4KH6NyGcfz0mA5JDfBWKj0aSTYxvbYYbptbIhjmjFvA/s400/DSC_0981.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481241988142126482" /></a>Inside St. George's Basilica. A lot of my indoor photos from the churches/castle didn't come out very well because my hands were shaky that day. Oh well. So it goes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdQYzNwAfQhxerq4FGviUAx53O7IZposP6nRdLzze-Jq4ScTobetmcTzjz23J6Qv7iKb42hs55W4cOc6x-0F3xKQqmqh6ONmIIRMkmCkQ_-Cn-x1yPRm_TTTKHQUV7j3L8L_-CkQr_Os/s1600/DSC_0979.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdQYzNwAfQhxerq4FGviUAx53O7IZposP6nRdLzze-Jq4ScTobetmcTzjz23J6Qv7iKb42hs55W4cOc6x-0F3xKQqmqh6ONmIIRMkmCkQ_-Cn-x1yPRm_TTTKHQUV7j3L8L_-CkQr_Os/s400/DSC_0979.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481241980361416450" /></a>The exterior of the Basilica.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_EB1y1WSASG09zHlCGfn6k_g8ccb0XNh12j14o_BlYOn24IE8-IjLWHYI5hY9DBWCrKS8vimy7wsO9QOqAV6qq_zuGdGOp8EEEYewFh8dTFXqTnFf51Wcc_TjnHBj7B0ubXa4Ts4lHE/s1600/DSC_0975.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_EB1y1WSASG09zHlCGfn6k_g8ccb0XNh12j14o_BlYOn24IE8-IjLWHYI5hY9DBWCrKS8vimy7wsO9QOqAV6qq_zuGdGOp8EEEYewFh8dTFXqTnFf51Wcc_TjnHBj7B0ubXa4Ts4lHE/s400/DSC_0975.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481241971974890754" /></a>Guards!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZA1uCYEqGo6JMG2yPlLGk3C7rCg3aJl1PhoyuKGAACZ6VpDBqc1iTFmLCSy9Oa5iotcSUmzWe2ikC0i8PbyK5zCP2tmLEO-hRNncIhpHhoZ1rCfo-1U7PQdeb0rrpZMqjmKNVcmukG8o/s1600/DSC_0971.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZA1uCYEqGo6JMG2yPlLGk3C7rCg3aJl1PhoyuKGAACZ6VpDBqc1iTFmLCSy9Oa5iotcSUmzWe2ikC0i8PbyK5zCP2tmLEO-hRNncIhpHhoZ1rCfo-1U7PQdeb0rrpZMqjmKNVcmukG8o/s400/DSC_0971.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481241962719360386" /></a>Inside St. Vitus Cathedral<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQOF6nyL0GA1nENHt6NYI0lCLfkmpLlzx8FL_GrykryDsXiBr8dPBluAGDVJ1EOnw7Jd5_AJrPL07Gz1KxCyoAWeB4_uF99ijFYLWy3AJ32mmbRBthnPMkA-Z4CRrY5B9Ffg0VktUwjQ/s1600/DSC_0958.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQOF6nyL0GA1nENHt6NYI0lCLfkmpLlzx8FL_GrykryDsXiBr8dPBluAGDVJ1EOnw7Jd5_AJrPL07Gz1KxCyoAWeB4_uF99ijFYLWy3AJ32mmbRBthnPMkA-Z4CRrY5B9Ffg0VktUwjQ/s400/DSC_0958.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481236775515962930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdNdj9SUsnPjDcB9ebDmDc53AvlQ_Rc2E8Koy1wIFD0NClSWOiWRt7rY_D8kaKsz5xPdMSAH4CH8s9gPeAtRPL7wX3qQ8tFy2MK_qejYo_nhsVXfa3MK71nEaecfQWfyLGiFjwC180os/s1600/DSC_0944.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdNdj9SUsnPjDcB9ebDmDc53AvlQ_Rc2E8Koy1wIFD0NClSWOiWRt7rY_D8kaKsz5xPdMSAH4CH8s9gPeAtRPL7wX3qQ8tFy2MK_qejYo_nhsVXfa3MK71nEaecfQWfyLGiFjwC180os/s400/DSC_0944.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481236769984066658" /></a>The exterior of the cathedral<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTQWDsNrA3ZLrtZNNoDRHTg8mN_X_U2uwZxHbxN92-s4hCo5EeivgwDY3yfHRdzlbtrDX2lXXhpgnA13wtuWlkVPGqAmckTEhU5umKbItYur2p-Ek3jQCq_lLSmrXEuLfwIUG72VSUsg/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTQWDsNrA3ZLrtZNNoDRHTg8mN_X_U2uwZxHbxN92-s4hCo5EeivgwDY3yfHRdzlbtrDX2lXXhpgnA13wtuWlkVPGqAmckTEhU5umKbItYur2p-Ek3jQCq_lLSmrXEuLfwIUG72VSUsg/s400/DSC_0002.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481236764833560178" /></a>Charles University botanical gardens<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTn3LvmIoj_h-u0sGu4ADta6mhQTpcjPLu8AScaKwrpeclsL4qdGq99OIWzGGILsZL4ij87RWTQuZ9Lw5kXLE_JaBPskgg4rH2T7Yqm-ql5eCXG3_xH_OidBlQlq2dnkTx3buZWmKvzAY/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTn3LvmIoj_h-u0sGu4ADta6mhQTpcjPLu8AScaKwrpeclsL4qdGq99OIWzGGILsZL4ij87RWTQuZ9Lw5kXLE_JaBPskgg4rH2T7Yqm-ql5eCXG3_xH_OidBlQlq2dnkTx3buZWmKvzAY/s400/DSC_0004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481236752723720850" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXovcn5geIvGovrcBNoUxJJckOngzr5YAeB5JmCAxxNS9Udjl6uIjAg4A5GtGzmRhBLrBGpq-dciSLQ_5VQoSnWrT1wPrx0Dh0fiP7nzab9ifqppxUzE-Arxn6D1N1QhlZGAK65xMZ3s/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXovcn5geIvGovrcBNoUxJJckOngzr5YAeB5JmCAxxNS9Udjl6uIjAg4A5GtGzmRhBLrBGpq-dciSLQ_5VQoSnWrT1wPrx0Dh0fiP7nzab9ifqppxUzE-Arxn6D1N1QhlZGAK65xMZ3s/s400/DSC_0008.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481236747345936274" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwyEcCGcOXHp1wlpTJovzxMpYneON1u5vCkNEselvbL7TSUAVTX_T8uiU-KWajOFkjsTCJaD8PJlzwERG5QTLfCexpUhz_I0HXaypcB2yZWfswh3Btrci7rhrEWGLz5hbDTVoKG9mXxk/s1600/DSC_0010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwyEcCGcOXHp1wlpTJovzxMpYneON1u5vCkNEselvbL7TSUAVTX_T8uiU-KWajOFkjsTCJaD8PJlzwERG5QTLfCexpUhz_I0HXaypcB2yZWfswh3Btrci7rhrEWGLz5hbDTVoKG9mXxk/s400/DSC_0010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481232364857858050" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWp0YAoQiLDqjXBWLHbNl9L_xlopACPzJZHlljcnOPoUamfeAs5DkRHfhfMZqgVipArUYJWMW4-PZqQEL4uEMTYZ9bbSOlf8H8riTyCAJ9ylT4lEYf1UqoNSbCF7F3SAOPECzIVAUI1A/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWp0YAoQiLDqjXBWLHbNl9L_xlopACPzJZHlljcnOPoUamfeAs5DkRHfhfMZqgVipArUYJWMW4-PZqQEL4uEMTYZ9bbSOlf8H8riTyCAJ9ylT4lEYf1UqoNSbCF7F3SAOPECzIVAUI1A/s400/DSC_0012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481232356238244994" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn6g9UnZyi80g4Hd_MtCF01TIUPtHXeVNxhNNrR-u3WXAm1-XKwxNxCCnHGOeH27kIXFQrKXBxiktl84KzjOILsZ4WfKHIFeNwWWZWvyH-Wzr2O7W-A9_yCaCOWFk_2RKtmt2ADRfSlI/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn6g9UnZyi80g4Hd_MtCF01TIUPtHXeVNxhNNrR-u3WXAm1-XKwxNxCCnHGOeH27kIXFQrKXBxiktl84KzjOILsZ4WfKHIFeNwWWZWvyH-Wzr2O7W-A9_yCaCOWFk_2RKtmt2ADRfSlI/s400/DSC_0015.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481232347411257026" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YrF735rgC4EyY3b8Hq8mwDGdL6fE_kghlnHRFLhVvQB_72gnrqIuCiv0v49PneXbKMFsLzaiI5acPgXkbGK9VRjH07gsRhyphenhyphenMEZ4xBy0-Gfqqji_LrJ_yHKhol_Qfwfx3I6vnJJByqZ0/s1600/DSC_0028.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YrF735rgC4EyY3b8Hq8mwDGdL6fE_kghlnHRFLhVvQB_72gnrqIuCiv0v49PneXbKMFsLzaiI5acPgXkbGK9VRjH07gsRhyphenhyphenMEZ4xBy0-Gfqqji_LrJ_yHKhol_Qfwfx3I6vnJJByqZ0/s400/DSC_0028.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481232337814030722" /></a>The Municipal House<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIRVvyuulMps6jLYH4P4m11BPM6eCffBR2zR_ucVuIPZ3tlIfjkBjgR02Xoa1FqXjjVxX2X_s8KjTO6sEW7lxtX5RedBmo2FdaBk6W46G_ZEnTBWijVyd9xzJfJBIVizW9xU1TT8Y6Lk/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIRVvyuulMps6jLYH4P4m11BPM6eCffBR2zR_ucVuIPZ3tlIfjkBjgR02Xoa1FqXjjVxX2X_s8KjTO6sEW7lxtX5RedBmo2FdaBk6W46G_ZEnTBWijVyd9xzJfJBIVizW9xU1TT8Y6Lk/s400/DSC_0024.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481232331447530162" /></a>The only cubist lamppost in the world.<div><br /></div><div>Now, I have to go pack for Amsterdam!</div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-83846617923259268762010-06-09T16:21:00.009-04:002010-06-10T14:11:03.028-04:00Where does the time go?So I have been in Europe for over a month now: nearly five weeks. I've been to four countries, and have at least four more on the table. As of yet, it's been a crazy whirlwind of an adventure, and I am genuinely loving every minute of it. On Friday, our group took a trip to a local town called Kutna Hora. First, we toured the bone chapel there. Then we moved on to two other local churches, and we given a break to eat lunch and explore the town. I particularly loved that bit- you guys know how much I love to explore! After we met up again, we took a tour of an old silver mine, which was really awesome! It was very dark and very cramped, but I didn't particularly mind- not even when our guide flicked the lights off, which really unnerved several people. It really was pitch black in there- you couldn't see anything at all. But utter darkness doesn't really faze me (thank you life experiences), so I just thought it was cool. After we returned to Prague, we made a quick dinner and packed for Berlin, our next adventure.<div><br /></div><div>Our bus left Prague at 11:55 but fortunately, the bus station was right across the street from my apartment, which makes it very accessible. The trip was really nice, as bus rides go. There weren't many people, so we could all spread out and attempt to sleep. Apparently the midnight bus is a favorite of American students abroad because we met another group headed our way as well. We all had to wake up at about 2:00 a.m. when we crossed the border. I was disappointed that I didn't get my passport stamped, but apparently, they just like to verify that you entered another EU country legally. The Czech woman at customs at the airport very helpfully stamped my passport on the very last page, so the border agent literally had to go through the entire thing. He was very nice though- unless, of course, you were a Russian smuggler trying to get into Germany with invalid papers. Then he became a bit stricter- but still, on the whole, very pleasant. I probably would have been far less well mannered in that sort of situation (smuggler, doesn't speak English or German, no papers, 2 am, etc etc) but I guess that's his job!<div><br /></div><div>Our bus was supposed to get in at about 6 am, but we arrived over an hour early. This would be a very pleasant surprise under different circumstances, but somehow I found arriving in a foreign country at 4:45 a.m. with about an hour of sleep under my belt to be a little rough. No worries, though, I had written down directions to our hostel the previous night, so we successfully maplessly navigated our way to the hostel. And what a hostel it was! We stayed at St. Christopher's, part of a chain of hostels across Europe. It's associated with a bar called Belushi's- remember that delicious hamburger I ate in Bath? Yeah, I got to enjoy another one of those this weekend (yum!). The hostel was beautiful, and an all around great place to stay. However, since we rolled in at 6, we decided to go explore Berlin a little bit (and get some breakfast). We wandered over towards Alexanderplatz, and found ourselves a crepes place (I had nutella and bananas on my, which is simply a heavenly combination) as well as a Dunkin Donuts. Around eight, we wandered back to the hostel, where we sort of marinated in our exhaustion before changing and heading out to the bike tour at 10. I was so excited about this bike tour- regardless of the fact that the last time I rode a bicycle, I completely destroyed my face. Minor detail. You will be relieved to know that my bike adventure across Berlin did not result in any major injuries. I did inadvertently crash into a few pedestrians- my bad, guys- but everyone was fine. And I didn't fall off my bike!</div><div><br /></div><div>We saw literally all of Berlin on our tour. Five hours of casual biking across one of the world's major capitals. It was incredible. First of all, this makes me feel significantly better about my life plan involving a bicycle with a wicker basket. But secondly, and more importantly, I absolutely love the city of Berlin. There is something so very human about it. Parts of it are beautiful, and other parts are clean, and clearly impoverished. The ultramodern contrasts with the historical, and the broken sits next to the rebuilt. It's a major city, but there are parks absolutely everywhere. While biking through one of those gardens, we took a break at a local beer garden for lunch. Guess who ordered entirely in German? Yeahhh, that was pretty sweet. Black tea and bratwurst: win. After lunch, we continued biking around the city, seeing even more sites. We wandered around a little more after we finished the tour, and then grabbed dinner at the hostel. Afterwards, we went to a square next to the opera house where there was a huge screen set up so that the public could watch the opera live. It was very cool- even though we understood very little, since the opera was in Italian, captioned in German, we were still able to grab the gist of the plot. I thought it was an awesome experience! I hung out at the hostel that night when some of my friends went out on bar crawls, and I was able to get to know some other kids who were staying there, which was a lot of fun.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Sunday, we had a laid-back morning with breakfast at the hostel, and then got ourselves rolling. We explored the city a little bit more (we joked that we were eating our way across Berlin. Sad? Yes, but very accurate, and my stomach certainly wasn't complaining! The strawberry cheesecake that they have at Starbucks here is delicious, and who can resist a good kebab?!) and eventually wound up back at a portion of the Berlin Wall. We went to a museum there called the Topography of Terror, a free museum located where the SS headquarters stood. It was both fascinating and devastating to go through. It chronicled the rise and fall of Hitler and his Third Reich, the rapid progression from a weak and poor but free country to a cruel dictatorship with incredible strength. After further meandering through the city, we arrived at a park, and stopped to watch a football [soccer!] game for a bit. Who's getting excited about the World Cup?! I literally cannot wait! It's going to be awesome. Anyways, we left that park and our group split up. I went with my roommates to get ice cream and sit in yet another park. After people watching for a bit, we headed back to the hostel, where we ate again. Not part of the original plan, but it worked out well because we could get currywurst- apparently a very traditional dish here, there's even a currywurst museum- fries, and a salad for 3.50 euros, which is very cheap for dinner! Later, Ashley and I headed out with two friends, Scott and JJ, in an attempt to find the free concert that everyone else had gone to. Unfortunately, we couldn't meet up, but we did get to watch an incredible sunset over Berlin as we wandered through several other parks. Eventually, though, it was time to head back to the hostel, because our bus was leaving at midnight again. On the way back, one of the guys suggested that we stay another night. At first, we brushed it off. It just seemed crazy. But to indulge JJ, we let him make a few phone calls in the time we had left. We still weren't sold on the idea, and Ashley and I actually ended up saying goodbye to them and walking down to the subway to catch the U-bahn. As we stood down there waiting, we were just incredibly sad about the whole situation, and it dawned on us: when are we ever going to be able to spontaneously spend the night in Berlin ever again? Isn't that what studying abroad is all about? So we did it. At 10:50 at night, we waltzed back into the hostel, and asked for two more beds. We switched our bus tickets, and we decided to stay another night. I couldn't have been happier with my decision.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>After wrapping of the business of rearranging our travel plans, we set out into the city of Berlin again. After grabbing some drinks and snacks (including the aforementioned package of waffles), we found a bench to hang out on. We spent a long time just talking and watching the people go by. Eventually, we relocated to a Lebanese restaurant that was close by, and ate chicken shawarma- essentially the same thing as a kebab, or a gyro. So many names for such delicious food! We crashed from sheer exhaustion at the hostel that night, and slept incredibly well once again. The beds were so comfortable- far more comfy than the one I have in my apartment! We ate breakfast at the hostel, stored our luggage in the room they had there, and then ventured forth into the city one last time. First, we went to the East Side Gallery, the longest portion of the Berlin wall still intact. The graffiti there is all newer, and it's the legal artsy type. I really enjoyed walking through that area. It was quite incredible. After that, we went to a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch. The lady serving us was so sweet, and the food was delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! We headed back towards Alexanderplatz for a little more exploring before coming back to the hostel. Scott had to leave before the rest of us, since he was taking a train to Frankfurt before heading home. We timed our departure carefully, so that we wouldn't have to buy two more two hour passes, and once it hit 3:15, we were off to Tiergarten again. After some much needed frolicking (followed by even more necessary flopping down in the grass), we proceeded to the bus station, after grabbing some sandwiches for the road.</div><div><br /></div><div>The bus ride back was fairly uneventful. They showed Ice Age III and Couple's Retreat, so that made the time pass by quite quickly! We had a short stop in Dresden. What an incredible town! I would love to return at some point. It was absolutely stunning. We watched the sun set over the Elbe- another beautiful German sunset- and then continued on our way. I was a little unnerved by the fact that we didn't have to stop at the border. Czech authorities are apparently pretty chill about these sorts of things. We drove through this huge complex, and I thought it looked like a border crossing, but we kept going so I figured that maybe it was something different. Maybe German rest stops are just strangely official looking? Nope, that was the border. Suddenly everything was in Czech again. Go figure.</div><div><br /></div><div>We arrived back in Prague right around 11, and then I had class again the next morning. Fortunately, it was just my art and architecture class, and we were taking a tour of the Prague Castle. It was good day to be able to relax and take things slowly! The castle complex was beautiful. It truly afforded a glimpse into another area, as did the tour of the Municipal House (that was this morning. We got to listen to the Prague Symphony Orchestra rehearse while we were there. Um, that made my day!). On Wednesday, I desperately wanted to go out to get tea, so after relaxing in the University's botanical gardens and going to Tesco to pick up a few groceries, I ventured out towards Old Town Square. I wandered through a market, found a second hand store- where I got a really cute tunic for less than ten dollars!- and finally found a place to my liking for the tea adventure. Black tea and fruit crepes, delicious! So maybe crepes aren't exactly scones, but they are very delicious, so who am I to complain? I was perfectly happy with where I ended up. And then I decided to be a bit experimental when I cooked dinner. I was envisioning something along the lines of a frittata, and I think that actually ended up vaguely happening- go figure! Macaroni, eggs, bacon, olives, lots of cheese... It was wonderful. I was very proud of myself! It feels like in the past few days, I've really been able to piece together Prague and get a feel for how the city fits together (which can be a bit difficult when your preferred mode of transportation is the Metro- aka the subway). I'm starting to really know my way around (beyond my general feel for directions). I even gave someone directions yesterday! Isn't that crazy?! She asked me if I lived in Prague- and I said yes (which was exciting in and of itself!), although I was a little apprehensive about helping her find her way. Luckily I knew where she needed to go, and I was able to point her in the right direction, phew! I guess that must mean I'm starting to settle in!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfwva2KrnPa0qxeyJ3NS8H7HNHGYFPm_iW6Ug4OD0PJoFx8NseGcSoQjUZZfLdLiT3CN3yefOK9jtq_AxE3JRNkX-gW7uTV-0LFK2q3sJoXmy_f-YfLfQF1PXYSQoFtkpxe8s2qYwHAU/s1600/DSC_0607.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfwva2KrnPa0qxeyJ3NS8H7HNHGYFPm_iW6Ug4OD0PJoFx8NseGcSoQjUZZfLdLiT3CN3yefOK9jtq_AxE3JRNkX-gW7uTV-0LFK2q3sJoXmy_f-YfLfQF1PXYSQoFtkpxe8s2qYwHAU/s400/DSC_0607.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481207369828383554" /></a>Neptune!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mjioTcAmpdNGeY-3rl97qWgHEreH_Jwny40lAmWcYVjDO0XE6oQicVkA1Zc6G67r7h9vxyP9z2XZD3FD3BCLvzY61WntCVdn6xLFMhuPQLhVv9O2KVT5BkYIxKBgvto5wsW3g35zY34/s1600/DSC_0610.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mjioTcAmpdNGeY-3rl97qWgHEreH_Jwny40lAmWcYVjDO0XE6oQicVkA1Zc6G67r7h9vxyP9z2XZD3FD3BCLvzY61WntCVdn6xLFMhuPQLhVv9O2KVT5BkYIxKBgvto5wsW3g35zY34/s400/DSC_0610.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481207361438829810" /></a>Going on a bike tour of Berlin? Excellent choice.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BwCIPFn_pbCZq0g0decmifsRUC8OfsYJ_luh0S2KDgrglFxezsQoXXROZ-OA3xkL8SifYA7Ti16C2msHG95_EMu4_sTcAespfXOsaxg5dWrUQfDnyFfLML3bPd1n8myKuYz6AZY6VYI/s1600/DSC_0622.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BwCIPFn_pbCZq0g0decmifsRUC8OfsYJ_luh0S2KDgrglFxezsQoXXROZ-OA3xkL8SifYA7Ti16C2msHG95_EMu4_sTcAespfXOsaxg5dWrUQfDnyFfLML3bPd1n8myKuYz6AZY6VYI/s400/DSC_0622.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481205956211085330" /></a>Oh hey there, Marx and Engels. Nice to meet you. (Yes, this was in East Berlin)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWtzS6V-h09ASo2m2sdVBwKdqgjDkXdJe6K7KcQXWqMaemvwR-N9naGvvZSNJvx32CrkHwrom0YiKf4DXduZp-o-f6u-G0dIfNdHlyxGs4gSXzEgPWdUTaCEiGrQ1V3vI9x5OQT5nWx8/s1600/DSC_0630.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 246px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWtzS6V-h09ASo2m2sdVBwKdqgjDkXdJe6K7KcQXWqMaemvwR-N9naGvvZSNJvx32CrkHwrom0YiKf4DXduZp-o-f6u-G0dIfNdHlyxGs4gSXzEgPWdUTaCEiGrQ1V3vI9x5OQT5nWx8/s400/DSC_0630.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481205948165369154" /></a>Opera for everyone! Can't beat that!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54WTZwGVDzAegd4BqsYfLdpv_gudhOOZlB5r9DkseYYfCaPvq2CXtk_GGRPEw3Lbd2f4aH4fGkwUbZyXMGpHDRAv8a8S-P0PQxMKsfofR8Th5INPkglOfpfdC97sIgJm87ETnyQmbums/s1600/DSC_0677.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54WTZwGVDzAegd4BqsYfLdpv_gudhOOZlB5r9DkseYYfCaPvq2CXtk_GGRPEw3Lbd2f4aH4fGkwUbZyXMGpHDRAv8a8S-P0PQxMKsfofR8Th5INPkglOfpfdC97sIgJm87ETnyQmbums/s400/DSC_0677.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481205938362107650" /></a>At the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It was really incredible; I'll have to show you guys more pictures at some point. These huge grey stones (self cleaning, so they're always pristine) just tower over you. They are set into even rows, but the uneven heights make it feel very mazelike. It's easy to get lost in there.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_xRJTD8VgtHye78vLUmpNO9O_ueOROYxWoHNmRKEHnBUoOhskoBEFD2U9WNllZR-eKR3CDoMCNQ0UcynFIfeth43nBL6n0l8XyJElJN4ZsbvVomDo-Dg103Q2OdbSleBW3BbuRbTqyY/s1600/DSC_0683.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 279px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_xRJTD8VgtHye78vLUmpNO9O_ueOROYxWoHNmRKEHnBUoOhskoBEFD2U9WNllZR-eKR3CDoMCNQ0UcynFIfeth43nBL6n0l8XyJElJN4ZsbvVomDo-Dg103Q2OdbSleBW3BbuRbTqyY/s400/DSC_0683.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481205928044640002" /></a>Brandenburg Gate<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeeGZnam8tWUXJQruWU35Cd_5TtOv-TLso1b_ShIqxV2TITLJcQKjUK5sI_ufStLsqXzdjK22IqOZh6zE_Uc1Cq0DK37bzKhS5E-mIct-UpXJqCC0PBaFBEz5Iva2H-MqgiXe4NFfQUE/s1600/DSC_0699.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeeGZnam8tWUXJQruWU35Cd_5TtOv-TLso1b_ShIqxV2TITLJcQKjUK5sI_ufStLsqXzdjK22IqOZh6zE_Uc1Cq0DK37bzKhS5E-mIct-UpXJqCC0PBaFBEz5Iva2H-MqgiXe4NFfQUE/s400/DSC_0699.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481205917248950770" /></a>The beer garden where we ate lunch... and where I managed to order entirely in German!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cb45ywm22V3bBjVA4hEmcwAzehYcQ-zwdrvhCczsYNtypRYaZkVINO3NEvdDaKLL3SiaTLJP2T42ElXxOWnLkLgbUm95mbaeeuiw7qeP0VjCugmqjpL9hoD7hqNBTDpBjzwRprXo_X4/s1600/DSC_0717.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cb45ywm22V3bBjVA4hEmcwAzehYcQ-zwdrvhCczsYNtypRYaZkVINO3NEvdDaKLL3SiaTLJP2T42ElXxOWnLkLgbUm95mbaeeuiw7qeP0VjCugmqjpL9hoD7hqNBTDpBjzwRprXo_X4/s400/DSC_0717.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481146377397481090" /></a>And this is where Chancellor Angela Merkel parties it up from nine to five (translation: this building is the German equivalent of the White House)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_59pAdGlXCir4GFzxtYuGNXVwC_icp5GjfVJoDnj9U5bPiGZaIls-34Wf_0ZGxGR7I33JWMoKMGE3RWKo8XhAK08ehvZWVSD1ItQhjjZE3SLODD3zEWgYVXmb4L4n4YuE-YGp09QvV5A/s1600/DSC_0753.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_59pAdGlXCir4GFzxtYuGNXVwC_icp5GjfVJoDnj9U5bPiGZaIls-34Wf_0ZGxGR7I33JWMoKMGE3RWKo8XhAK08ehvZWVSD1ItQhjjZE3SLODD3zEWgYVXmb4L4n4YuE-YGp09QvV5A/s400/DSC_0753.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481146373845408610" /></a>One of several markets that we explored<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO0RnLnFVonO8eRKxLSeLe5Xpc6IbR1GCnM5e7U-FFzVa-uz9W7iu7FiXNk86SZXrYJX9tQi_Y16n9pPnt9CIqm7HVIu-Q-3A-ZzNNkxqnmap2jcl2NbulMWV1t3y6pCIdcCobEfR-I4/s1600/DSC_0773.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO0RnLnFVonO8eRKxLSeLe5Xpc6IbR1GCnM5e7U-FFzVa-uz9W7iu7FiXNk86SZXrYJX9tQi_Y16n9pPnt9CIqm7HVIu-Q-3A-ZzNNkxqnmap2jcl2NbulMWV1t3y6pCIdcCobEfR-I4/s400/DSC_0773.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481146363614772066" /></a>Checkpoint Charlie!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXQmBU4KrUBab7K4vJ8S-NopfTFonY50NUnjcDlPaBOk8v9h4xZCeRPaLBiNfNIVn1pCCHkYrSidv0a5BXaG3rggxtD4zBUV91BAeHAd7hc3F9utJLuGdQMT4YeqnVG4GmDhQrX1UIyI/s1600/DSC_0775.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXQmBU4KrUBab7K4vJ8S-NopfTFonY50NUnjcDlPaBOk8v9h4xZCeRPaLBiNfNIVn1pCCHkYrSidv0a5BXaG3rggxtD4zBUV91BAeHAd7hc3F9utJLuGdQMT4YeqnVG4GmDhQrX1UIyI/s400/DSC_0775.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481146355433243954" /></a>The ruins of the former SS headquarters, with part of the Berlin Wall in the background.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5IBMGvQmCRy3zOOrdGc5rL6XkZ70nmylHSfYF12OwCNYgIUtDue4U3pi7N_Jm6_e0HB9Db2q6BxiqI6GtcJUvfY2HvoLLMICKO1RPIOykOuLLjw6EPBrktHNl4xv7nGx_uA1FH3WJNM/s1600/DSC_0801.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5IBMGvQmCRy3zOOrdGc5rL6XkZ70nmylHSfYF12OwCNYgIUtDue4U3pi7N_Jm6_e0HB9Db2q6BxiqI6GtcJUvfY2HvoLLMICKO1RPIOykOuLLjw6EPBrktHNl4xv7nGx_uA1FH3WJNM/s400/DSC_0801.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481146340911039954" /></a>Discover Football- who's excited about the World Cup?! I know I am!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJz1uof8X2KLuaSivX7CELNcdKCdTG0SsmE2bMN6H-TtxaEzrw9yEMF_J0Jpi7ydhHMSUfOJPwDmi9ZBUZkl0x1ZuxCi7J2j1ukOdP91uSsO0A1lT2h8hmhs_EZy7Ae-TPpCwWl1Oytng/s1600/DSC_0817.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJz1uof8X2KLuaSivX7CELNcdKCdTG0SsmE2bMN6H-TtxaEzrw9yEMF_J0Jpi7ydhHMSUfOJPwDmi9ZBUZkl0x1ZuxCi7J2j1ukOdP91uSsO0A1lT2h8hmhs_EZy7Ae-TPpCwWl1Oytng/s400/DSC_0817.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481144432845132130" /></a>The "ampoule man" signal is rather cute, if I do say so myself. They actually originated in East Berlin- ironic because they've become a highly commercialized icon and are currently a key part of capitalism in Berlin.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp0SP6eWmLlQpAZh542VvaUmrgTSOMpKfxBdfKsCAgzs1L0kKPprq49393iwsYcH-qEr8-UpC4x6g_hL9aEsrNgv3nwNvPlhPnRKUT-NR3etPrv79G67Cdq27hmEaDP_WzFrQjsqe4Jo/s1600/DSC_0827.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp0SP6eWmLlQpAZh542VvaUmrgTSOMpKfxBdfKsCAgzs1L0kKPprq49393iwsYcH-qEr8-UpC4x6g_hL9aEsrNgv3nwNvPlhPnRKUT-NR3etPrv79G67Cdq27hmEaDP_WzFrQjsqe4Jo/s400/DSC_0827.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481144423793525426" /></a>The sunset was jaw-dropping.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPburYqhF7XGvMAFzQ0hRXZOg6i-YOauujlesB7N4Oq0LCFwq5JL7jYaqyheni_eIGI5yE8ttVdXsV-moR5OQqtU2WacfL16VcRQ_-pW4dlzIoX4EeeTJAsQXunfYxgLgXbTz3iUpfGI/s1600/DSC_0828.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPburYqhF7XGvMAFzQ0hRXZOg6i-YOauujlesB7N4Oq0LCFwq5JL7jYaqyheni_eIGI5yE8ttVdXsV-moR5OQqtU2WacfL16VcRQ_-pW4dlzIoX4EeeTJAsQXunfYxgLgXbTz3iUpfGI/s400/DSC_0828.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481144415950068178" /></a>Sunset over the Royal "Chapel"<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aVpiSX5Q1kgEt-J3EUAJEEh-lK7-4rQMKeUQf1KcKp9LKQdeoR4423LWvKPPaiP_jIfbTWTYYrPmH-sbwQWxtUycRxlJcGmVgwtlDCiRpdz2QqYWoq4jhWvhd0G8oF3SeQv5sygDlMQ/s1600/DSC_0909.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aVpiSX5Q1kgEt-J3EUAJEEh-lK7-4rQMKeUQf1KcKp9LKQdeoR4423LWvKPPaiP_jIfbTWTYYrPmH-sbwQWxtUycRxlJcGmVgwtlDCiRpdz2QqYWoq4jhWvhd0G8oF3SeQv5sygDlMQ/s400/DSC_0909.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481144408802757826" /></a>One of my favorite sections of the wall... and Marco, haha<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_PFYkfr9ycoBqzfjUE2OytC79CBK1mbCUewkJbjxuD_dnfvAe713M7dDjSY-nRUujDh9QBcN-hkdmGtvsxkROzmqgwIMcGYHf-1v_PQxLA_yvOjOnaVFLv9VQIzw03zqEM3WHC3HfkA/s1600/DSC_0925.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_PFYkfr9ycoBqzfjUE2OytC79CBK1mbCUewkJbjxuD_dnfvAe713M7dDjSY-nRUujDh9QBcN-hkdmGtvsxkROzmqgwIMcGYHf-1v_PQxLA_yvOjOnaVFLv9VQIzw03zqEM3WHC3HfkA/s400/DSC_0925.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481144398105066722" /></a>St. Christopher's! The hostel where we stayed was absolutely wonderful.<div><br /></div><div><br /><div><div>And I leave you with a quote that really sums up my mood of late: </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif; border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 0, 0); ">"Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe."- Anatole France</span></div></div></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-39591240789299840032010-06-07T17:09:00.003-04:002010-06-07T20:07:14.091-04:00Ich liebe Berlin!Once upon a time, I went to England, fell in love, and never wanted to leave. But in the end, I had to go.<div><br /></div><div>From there, I went to Prague. Once more, I fell in love with the place and didn't want move on. But again, I left.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then I went to Berlin. Like with the others, I found that I loved this place too, and I hated having to leave.</div><div><br /></div><div>So after very sadly standing in the U-bahn with Ashley waiting for our train to catch the midnight bus home, we changed our plans and stayed another night. Why not?!</div><div><br /></div><div>It was one of the best decisions I have ever made (followed by the decision to buy a package of belgian waffles from a convenience store at approximately one am that night). Score one for spontaneity! Of course, I did have to leave Berlin eventually... but I enjoyed every minute of my experience there. The hostel? Wonderful. The bike tour? Incredibly fun. The city? One of my favorites.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know you are practically salivating with anticipation for the details of my adventure. Patience- they're coming, I promise. But for now, enjoy a little taste of Berlin...</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmClwPijxCvWKkRPur4-xBExQuTvQidctLLh0xSTNyGj9d1Is6zElOmEGuOoNzwRHJ_SyBDWDpvecx2onLEMWuJ-OevYxd_DXM7gQva8A24NJQA45IJ5DmLK4MktWXT1xVVIcbtA_nftk/s1600/DSC_0813.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 291px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmClwPijxCvWKkRPur4-xBExQuTvQidctLLh0xSTNyGj9d1Is6zElOmEGuOoNzwRHJ_SyBDWDpvecx2onLEMWuJ-OevYxd_DXM7gQva8A24NJQA45IJ5DmLK4MktWXT1xVVIcbtA_nftk/s400/DSC_0813.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480187049489153314" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9a17Mf9Hco-kX1AgXirBsmO0lOhUOMS-xyjDsY0o1mPODXmwnY4p79xE34VtjLza4i5RIXn2d8l48GOMLsqZW4IqNHl1ymwIFEXnn2eXavBc_vErbGh2zw1a6zW1el_YU8aCjUN1-AY/s1600/DSC_0760.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9a17Mf9Hco-kX1AgXirBsmO0lOhUOMS-xyjDsY0o1mPODXmwnY4p79xE34VtjLza4i5RIXn2d8l48GOMLsqZW4IqNHl1ymwIFEXnn2eXavBc_vErbGh2zw1a6zW1el_YU8aCjUN1-AY/s400/DSC_0760.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480187040825355026" /></a>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-55850691568437884162010-06-04T15:37:00.005-04:002010-06-04T17:07:52.350-04:00Dropping by Kutna HoraQuick update before I head off to Berlin- catch everyone Monday!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5enCSSC026qqBcEL2k_9KpQc1ylfvqPcamyUfd_bJrxYkKPM3CLnDCtKox0z_SKlKYkVDq92ADCSdRCb0B8y5VR3cm3VBBHm5_N-WS0k4zhBZ-BYvX2ruW7TTWeO8_e103KAHaTMwLA8/s1600/DSC_0169.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5enCSSC026qqBcEL2k_9KpQc1ylfvqPcamyUfd_bJrxYkKPM3CLnDCtKox0z_SKlKYkVDq92ADCSdRCb0B8y5VR3cm3VBBHm5_N-WS0k4zhBZ-BYvX2ruW7TTWeO8_e103KAHaTMwLA8/s400/DSC_0169.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479027653479499362" /></a>The Bone Chapel!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYCZgaZ53ig8Wic2BGoc_Uv4_ea0ERtKXdJoHwDzdyaicIfrqXVd_BfuDNaMnt0tdn2n9XrQNT5oyFTsK5KUCr7JaixV0Z-vBsr6b74p_Ap8W9pUDMV7WAoqY8i2P0qqJlWzhhHTxEzY/s1600/DSC_0167.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYCZgaZ53ig8Wic2BGoc_Uv4_ea0ERtKXdJoHwDzdyaicIfrqXVd_BfuDNaMnt0tdn2n9XrQNT5oyFTsK5KUCr7JaixV0Z-vBsr6b74p_Ap8W9pUDMV7WAoqY8i2P0qqJlWzhhHTxEzY/s400/DSC_0167.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479027651394999794" /></a>Over 40,000 bodies were used to create this building.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EivfIzspr0GRG1lnITOZNx8bnUX5KjihG0SnapfNZZOssLPCfnwTARgr3Mo7rEgL15GGLtVkvh-HjN5TfFRbn_xTrvE8oVbzSx2f18Gl0zwD-Cm5xgYHXspDHjqYyYLm_yd7Bghusus/s1600/DSC_0180.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EivfIzspr0GRG1lnITOZNx8bnUX5KjihG0SnapfNZZOssLPCfnwTARgr3Mo7rEgL15GGLtVkvh-HjN5TfFRbn_xTrvE8oVbzSx2f18Gl0zwD-Cm5xgYHXspDHjqYyYLm_yd7Bghusus/s400/DSC_0180.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479027643556781458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqbVPXBIt5OgLskrM8ELAnWU0M6uzluDIDbZTt6LLwylZzvuzYTiu1Opq4hYxNrxHTt2nj9_E7a1XF60QriO01DYtd-yFnIohcjGLQC-7Om9EXlOq9STjqM3R8sJr-D8r3QMHQa3EZ80/s1600/DSC_0212.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqbVPXBIt5OgLskrM8ELAnWU0M6uzluDIDbZTt6LLwylZzvuzYTiu1Opq4hYxNrxHTt2nj9_E7a1XF60QriO01DYtd-yFnIohcjGLQC-7Om9EXlOq9STjqM3R8sJr-D8r3QMHQa3EZ80/s400/DSC_0212.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479027633156359394" /></a>A Baroque-Gothic cathedral we visited... I loved the yellow.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzHsdPVLPm5TxtgLhb1YEtNH9cAHLqVXAk903YoCj4ElXOnkwTQ1nPgN0qaCNpdRppPjtZ9tOeHz3yEzldswZoY3TPliznRRd9-Et-NsVe2GhYh06K6EmApNDhaMhbuZD0OIjwGegkAQ/s1600/DSC_0249.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzHsdPVLPm5TxtgLhb1YEtNH9cAHLqVXAk903YoCj4ElXOnkwTQ1nPgN0qaCNpdRppPjtZ9tOeHz3yEzldswZoY3TPliznRRd9-Et-NsVe2GhYh06K6EmApNDhaMhbuZD0OIjwGegkAQ/s400/DSC_0249.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479027620819571506" /></a>Someone locked the stairs to the organ while I was up there (guess I shouldn't have gone, oops)... but it was really cool to see.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikcZ24vK7gzsAWPW9VZ3OPX6vQXKTCXQU8BOHkUeIn8V-YJUvMbLOBupK3gHw-WrPU1zVQseXpTzwgs5BmF0gmhHJlUegyRg8ndPgKjHjOpQGmb4q_8G43JHdjZJcnyvbwZVQaFzyrE0/s1600/DSC_0346.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikcZ24vK7gzsAWPW9VZ3OPX6vQXKTCXQU8BOHkUeIn8V-YJUvMbLOBupK3gHw-WrPU1zVQseXpTzwgs5BmF0gmhHJlUegyRg8ndPgKjHjOpQGmb4q_8G43JHdjZJcnyvbwZVQaFzyrE0/s400/DSC_0346.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479023949767407570" /></a>Overlooking Kutna Hora<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRxIewtI7Bv8OzwfQ0LQ8k1epuMSZZcQVGfX7iB0MmyhYB0AMSBwotlHBA7pR7yU4opVVTosgR1UajuXhuVucfyg7TVVGbyuqKr6g1LSav2n1qQZ-VLg8ldPwzt2WHSDowhwv0edfmTA/s1600/DSC_0355.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRxIewtI7Bv8OzwfQ0LQ8k1epuMSZZcQVGfX7iB0MmyhYB0AMSBwotlHBA7pR7yU4opVVTosgR1UajuXhuVucfyg7TVVGbyuqKr6g1LSav2n1qQZ-VLg8ldPwzt2WHSDowhwv0edfmTA/s400/DSC_0355.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479023941168506898" /></a>Raspberry tea for lunch... I just loved the cup!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnXPAvspKhIHSQ79XruPG7-cLZZet4y1xB5JI7il8MEZZB4B7kc94m-zwejsvTdXmTeQMZ_1pCsr6h2DScAPbc1dQH9pKCtCEPEICgOdRgiKeSA3s70oHc2dy8ahUZ4zira2-T0u9O7Q/s1600/DSC_0413.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnXPAvspKhIHSQ79XruPG7-cLZZet4y1xB5JI7il8MEZZB4B7kc94m-zwejsvTdXmTeQMZ_1pCsr6h2DScAPbc1dQH9pKCtCEPEICgOdRgiKeSA3s70oHc2dy8ahUZ4zira2-T0u9O7Q/s400/DSC_0413.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479023935448212306" /></a>St. Barbara Cathedral<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qqOM2xFcFe9xS1kNdNSJt-KSEUlvdPAny2rmdEr7LB92_qyP0XcekSkYihN2UHuf4qpPCHOiYkv9EsO8R4WUxbbnYkKnC72Mlp0odCvrRWvewU2V4uyuTThq327Ox5ZJ7G9T4AmiRFU/s1600/DSC_0429.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qqOM2xFcFe9xS1kNdNSJt-KSEUlvdPAny2rmdEr7LB92_qyP0XcekSkYihN2UHuf4qpPCHOiYkv9EsO8R4WUxbbnYkKnC72Mlp0odCvrRWvewU2V4uyuTThq327Ox5ZJ7G9T4AmiRFU/s400/DSC_0429.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479023927761477442" /></a>Yum, gelato!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YSI_qgnL3eC-ND9LLDGl8n6u5udrTajft0ZaqwTvKvEgXp-I23llxMaaCTG0uGP2HZ6dDLgmEJNl4gTmeryQnn1hw-yESqLLGooVKXZR9w9IKMNx881VynjqFMnTZEeP991pBlpZgwo/s1600/DSC_0437.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YSI_qgnL3eC-ND9LLDGl8n6u5udrTajft0ZaqwTvKvEgXp-I23llxMaaCTG0uGP2HZ6dDLgmEJNl4gTmeryQnn1hw-yESqLLGooVKXZR9w9IKMNx881VynjqFMnTZEeP991pBlpZgwo/s400/DSC_0437.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479023918943985234" /></a>Down in the silver mines!mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-56972255834761332242010-06-03T15:42:00.006-04:002010-06-03T19:22:59.418-04:00Meet Megan, Chef Extraordinaire.I know what you're thinking right now: what on earth could Megan, the one who is notoriously lacking the culinary skills department, have possibly concocted worthy of that title?<div><br /></div><div>Split pea soup.</div><div><br /></div><div>With bacon.</div><div><br /></div><div>And rolls.</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so I didn't bake the rolls. I bought them from a local bakery. And I didn't have to cook the bacon... it was already done in the soup mix. And the soup mix really was just that: all I had to do was add a liter of cold water, mix well, bring to a boil, and simmer for five minutes. And voila, split pea soup with bacon and rolls!</div><div><br /></div><div>Really though, this was more of a challenge than it sounds like. Why? The directions were all in Czech. But never fear- if you find that your Czech language skills aren't quite up to snuff, feel free to try reading the instructions in Slovak... even though Czech and Slovak are so similar, that if you can understand one, you can understand about 95% of the other. Not intimidated by the language barrier? Here's another hurdle for you: there is no measuring equipment in the kitchen. Good luck figuring out how much a liter is. I attempted to measure out 4.23 cups in our electric pot, and ended up just guessing. Keep in mind that this adventure was to be both my lunch and dinner- I had other options, but this was what I wanted. Dinner was particularly interesting, because when I pulled it out of the fridge to reheat it on the stove, it looked more like split pea jello than anything else. The color? Intimidating. It looked like a bowl of boogers. The texture? Not much better. It smelled tasty enough, but the visual was rough. But I decided to be brave, and was rewarded for my courage and valiant efforts in the battlefield of the kitchen. I had found myself with a thoroughly delicious bowl of soup. Mission accomplished.</div><div><br /></div><div>So right now, you're really proud of me, I know. After all, I'm the girl who has been scarred by baking (Literally. This is not a joke. Those raspberry chocolate lava cakes were worth the pain though.). I have nearly lost fingers in the kitchen. I light things on fire. I destroy birthday cakes. Really, it's quite terrible. So I'm currently basking in the joy of a successful endeavor in the kitchen. But you- knowing that my soup didn't exactly require my slaving over the stove all day- are probably wondering what else I could have possibly done with myself during the remainder of my waking hours.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was cold and raining again today, so I bundled up, and headed to school around 8:30. Sweatshirt, jacket, scarf, the whole nine yards. Turned out to be a good idea, because today I had my art and architecture class, which meant that I spent a fair bit of time gallivanting around the fair streets of Prague. First, though, I had my midterm. Oh, if only all midterms could be that easy. All we had to do was identify the time period of various paintings, sculptures, and buildings. We didn't have to have the four eras (Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Mannerist) memorized, and our teacher had slides on a screen to show us the pictures to ID. It was simple enough. Aced it! Then, after studying Baroque works for a bit longer, we set out into the rain. We visited three churches today, although we could only get inside St. Nicolas and St. Francis, and took a walk across the Charles Bridge through Lesser Town. It was really fun! We're really starting to get a feel for the city. We vowed to come back next week after we visit Prague Castle- hopefully it will be sunny and we'll be able to explore. We found a park- the oldest preserved park in the Czech Republic- that I really want to wander around. I might come back on my own if need be. After that, I ventured home for my soup. I left again for class a little bit early, because I only had five crowns to my name and needed some cash (FYI, five crowns is about 25 cents). Originally, I had planned to go to a bank we were at the other day, but I couldn't remember what tram stop to get off at. Somehow, I found myself at the train station (for the record, it's quite nice), and that worked out just fine for me, because they have ATMs there. Of course, it was a German bank.... so the ATM machines all spoke German. But fortunately, I managed to change it to English- after navigating through the first three or four screens. I then successfully navigated my way back to school, just in time for Czech class. I really have to commend our professor, Lenka, for her patience with us. Next week, we'll be learning food words on Tuesday, and then our class is going out to dinner Thursday night! I am so excited! Today, we continued working with numbers, and learned days of the week, noun cases, and a few other handy-dandy phrases. Taking this class was such a good decision. I have to say, it's fun to be able to ride the Metro and understand some of the things that I hear people say on the Metro. I don't catch much at all, but hey, I'll take what I can get. I still think it's kind of cool!</div><div><br /></div><div>Other good news: warm weather is apparently headed our way! It will be so nice to be able to venture out without a jacket! Not sure when I'll update this again. Maybe tomorrow night, if I'm have enough time before I leave for Berlin. If that doesn't happen, then I'll catch up with you guys on Monday instead.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xOb9lqSrmfvwmJIvHa2Po8CP_p90bRHMRoXE5GoVkqo5XIR3UPKDDR4LEYVZK5QpocZaXIW3kw1eifozfJh12EX5q2VQt5DRg6_4Bipcu5lVMsTLeJ9lOwtd9dljgr8C47nMIAVDEFU/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xOb9lqSrmfvwmJIvHa2Po8CP_p90bRHMRoXE5GoVkqo5XIR3UPKDDR4LEYVZK5QpocZaXIW3kw1eifozfJh12EX5q2VQt5DRg6_4Bipcu5lVMsTLeJ9lOwtd9dljgr8C47nMIAVDEFU/s400/DSC_0001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478690177971192210" /></a>The national library<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEA4WmWmJMJ40TojiwSMi55wol7WwyPZN7aJG1PW5jygTMdft_9bLbnTia5pTMCCXamI5di2xEM7_z5JofHZ3kj6Z5_guQbUTZePOWsB1yUUHUOeTWn75riiUh4_zt-P20tBRnnPBS64/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEA4WmWmJMJ40TojiwSMi55wol7WwyPZN7aJG1PW5jygTMdft_9bLbnTia5pTMCCXamI5di2xEM7_z5JofHZ3kj6Z5_guQbUTZePOWsB1yUUHUOeTWn75riiUh4_zt-P20tBRnnPBS64/s400/DSC_0024.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478690172745817250" /></a>A rainy day on the Vlatava River<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDSEM6UGTTEtAkFcrCYTF6-KDC5meNSbSKcy5x4UUx8MCknH6OfVs5mjLvGznZx7LI1Kb8MMMC_NT_N79KtzTyuAuDzGI3c_0FM7_V-DR9e5MgmROjHjdP7yyJXm8fXmIWXxB0pG9wgs/s1600/DSC_0035.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDSEM6UGTTEtAkFcrCYTF6-KDC5meNSbSKcy5x4UUx8MCknH6OfVs5mjLvGznZx7LI1Kb8MMMC_NT_N79KtzTyuAuDzGI3c_0FM7_V-DR9e5MgmROjHjdP7yyJXm8fXmIWXxB0pG9wgs/s400/DSC_0035.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478690167421624050" /></a>I have approximately one billion photos of statues on the Charles Bridge... but this one is the oldest one there. St. John of Somewhere-that-begins-with-N, who was tortured and drowned n the river.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjCo4NT5lgnXv3xem3wCWYLDyloMN1HdM6entsTpY1fwhGfWu-urVTUrabhAH6Ok4dyZPM2Zok8Y1RM4nApmabMVraeQDBvLmGtgTpRDoD4VKJULNySsga_ghHpZOYCasW99l7Y_84nI/s1600/DSC_0041.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjCo4NT5lgnXv3xem3wCWYLDyloMN1HdM6entsTpY1fwhGfWu-urVTUrabhAH6Ok4dyZPM2Zok8Y1RM4nApmabMVraeQDBvLmGtgTpRDoD4VKJULNySsga_ghHpZOYCasW99l7Y_84nI/s400/DSC_0041.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478690161780373378" /></a>There was just something about this that I liked.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QW6uSUmRe40q_kTesl2Cxjz8-pfvtXZXdFQqpOCBoaQvf_q2z8ill1fqY4fm_VyWTcfqJOUbt4-OhCYpr7GNDjOdg9nRTh7AzARK__wNG3zpL7yQhf9whebj1-LDWZQhtwlVJpRVuyI/s1600/DSC_0044.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QW6uSUmRe40q_kTesl2Cxjz8-pfvtXZXdFQqpOCBoaQvf_q2z8ill1fqY4fm_VyWTcfqJOUbt4-OhCYpr7GNDjOdg9nRTh7AzARK__wNG3zpL7yQhf9whebj1-LDWZQhtwlVJpRVuyI/s400/DSC_0044.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478690151562387586" /></a>Andddddd I get to live here for two months?! Still hasn't sunk in!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-ploUIbe-F5oO3G8rA8z4ZX6UAlUoos9Dg5mRNksUDbfSlujNZbEFRu7xuvDQPBYh8fpDFT6_bSQtUiotQITrgiG_oyxVBc9rDzrmz7QX9bT8WnlCPKRmQSZqc9WfOpqvyK5anllcao/s1600/DSC_0061.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-ploUIbe-F5oO3G8rA8z4ZX6UAlUoos9Dg5mRNksUDbfSlujNZbEFRu7xuvDQPBYh8fpDFT6_bSQtUiotQITrgiG_oyxVBc9rDzrmz7QX9bT8WnlCPKRmQSZqc9WfOpqvyK5anllcao/s400/DSC_0061.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478683943406313394" /></a>St. Nicolas was an absolutely stunning church! Fun fact: the "marble" seen in these pictures is fake, and the "stone" statues? Yeah, they're wooden, painted with chalk.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiw6NwqnnQKDFI31BZv6AEzUMVTCm_wo0WqzouLuKRJ1hIy1_0msc_TeeAtayVEtnJPqMpIoUe-beuYUkYdw4lqdC0GXQmpsDB7yeR9j6B24f0JbIqwGu7sTB7DvHqrX4UNUhlxeVJew/s1600/DSC_0079.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiw6NwqnnQKDFI31BZv6AEzUMVTCm_wo0WqzouLuKRJ1hIy1_0msc_TeeAtayVEtnJPqMpIoUe-beuYUkYdw4lqdC0GXQmpsDB7yeR9j6B24f0JbIqwGu7sTB7DvHqrX4UNUhlxeVJew/s400/DSC_0079.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478683929494752690" /></a>The illusion paintings were incredible- it really was difficult to tell where the architecture ended and where the painting began.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36krGq9uv_GdcFuiLIrWtX0UtzOqYbwWr4ZFxmO-y16SezX1Vydbtz4Wd_FFzelGsS2cVJe0U4Yr_RerJQXU4dK9XO4c3gopv-dU8pEj1frd07WwKB1-PPPwey7pW-RKWu0TFVSQsJRQ/s1600/DSC_0081.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36krGq9uv_GdcFuiLIrWtX0UtzOqYbwWr4ZFxmO-y16SezX1Vydbtz4Wd_FFzelGsS2cVJe0U4Yr_RerJQXU4dK9XO4c3gopv-dU8pEj1frd07WwKB1-PPPwey7pW-RKWu0TFVSQsJRQ/s400/DSC_0081.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478683920543650882" /></a>Taxi!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DD8Jl8eBg3CmrkxThxTtXfUcZiQlT7n17Fqmk6mM5-XeVwpopxkdkMqMuM2LXzye2my73BNiCxaOfXXlRo9ooQBbXTdcN01UmufnDm2khaPC83pTYKRRgxL0BvvYT4D7i77nT1w-uQk/s1600/DSC_0083.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DD8Jl8eBg3CmrkxThxTtXfUcZiQlT7n17Fqmk6mM5-XeVwpopxkdkMqMuM2LXzye2my73BNiCxaOfXXlRo9ooQBbXTdcN01UmufnDm2khaPC83pTYKRRgxL0BvvYT4D7i77nT1w-uQk/s400/DSC_0083.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478683915377015666" /></a>I will return to this park. Yes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaoxtCCMLGuLkXVerx0eX0S9lPuVOinyX0TBOusPrx5uyfdKrOXQ3TI8BNGw_qbYIF6UrJ_DO6VNzzNsEgtlLdUlilZbm710U0k2h6SF1oUOpfizQcB-O0WDfZB1vaQCXelLQ7wyKaZE/s1600/DSC_0090.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 312px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaoxtCCMLGuLkXVerx0eX0S9lPuVOinyX0TBOusPrx5uyfdKrOXQ3TI8BNGw_qbYIF6UrJ_DO6VNzzNsEgtlLdUlilZbm710U0k2h6SF1oUOpfizQcB-O0WDfZB1vaQCXelLQ7wyKaZE/s400/DSC_0090.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478683908072347154" /></a>Yum. Also, please enjoy the fact that the pot looks like it's smiling.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCC52N_oqnCuoRDJq99W2zjhJf-xITawfA-S67kSDjn_7TMtVwGp89mNIweWJsg5IMKEddkodDyXesxTGfMmjAgnTix16CgRS2sBsBmn2zQdpskE2F7cEFeSDhWnIiA_V_S6ltI0aSxpI/s1600/DSC_0094.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCC52N_oqnCuoRDJq99W2zjhJf-xITawfA-S67kSDjn_7TMtVwGp89mNIweWJsg5IMKEddkodDyXesxTGfMmjAgnTix16CgRS2sBsBmn2zQdpskE2F7cEFeSDhWnIiA_V_S6ltI0aSxpI/s400/DSC_0094.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478680724066955538" /></a>Lunch!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWDgK4AZ8LlZJQD3DC4xOkuvDjGdQt0bzzuKePXewV78N0bgWsVu8fNvK05zpfHAHRg__MvJgh8E-EPC06FZxOT6lZap6j7KT8uieOzt5p_tdA9NJa70nerp-aJOlAiWiSs4004hQJKg/s1600/DSC_0111.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWDgK4AZ8LlZJQD3DC4xOkuvDjGdQt0bzzuKePXewV78N0bgWsVu8fNvK05zpfHAHRg__MvJgh8E-EPC06FZxOT6lZap6j7KT8uieOzt5p_tdA9NJa70nerp-aJOlAiWiSs4004hQJKg/s400/DSC_0111.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478680710497475954" /></a>So I began my egg project today (until I broke the egg... my bad). I need four photos: one for identification, one for advertising/symbolic meaning, one that conveys esthetic impact (translation: artsy fartsy photo), and one that appears 2 dimensional (which I do have somewhere, but it needs a little more editing, so it isn't on the blog).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY4ZTtV_caeG6dfjwMA3OhWPYbDjF6Xkn-93_xmLpsgoC2GUPc1nzUUG_p08MVXoxVBku1ePr1N95dLzBOsrQhj1qofL6UuzAzOAgk6wncGP9MnHZGnp1-FED1l4Aki90wTPIV0oGW0o/s1600/DSC_0114.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY4ZTtV_caeG6dfjwMA3OhWPYbDjF6Xkn-93_xmLpsgoC2GUPc1nzUUG_p08MVXoxVBku1ePr1N95dLzBOsrQhj1qofL6UuzAzOAgk6wncGP9MnHZGnp1-FED1l4Aki90wTPIV0oGW0o/s400/DSC_0114.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478680699859073730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1IG1yH_MbvCoYOc5SC7KWWwfOJGr4h6ZEe_wUwZNWcGCZalzS07ewNgYDwlljIJOxAJOO7_6sSMB4fkTAmKDHqeXP4tZIXdhEtCe9YewMqh4VZPX5kte2i3BgfYWmgRWHKIvP0Jp34E/s1600/DSC_0125_3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1IG1yH_MbvCoYOc5SC7KWWwfOJGr4h6ZEe_wUwZNWcGCZalzS07ewNgYDwlljIJOxAJOO7_6sSMB4fkTAmKDHqeXP4tZIXdhEtCe9YewMqh4VZPX5kte2i3BgfYWmgRWHKIvP0Jp34E/s400/DSC_0125_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478680683170013618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilXl8Qo8pDmzf6BAbQEf9xtF6qXB3ZsALOqVo7NvQyFc22Dc7v9hQA6s89f-F_dMiSgnuhNCBOHRFcRZbbScfSmvQ0m88vofsCV5XPLcbrOA3uLC_2kDcQ5sn5mGWmw5EZpCdJHKxeeA/s1600/DSC_0129.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilXl8Qo8pDmzf6BAbQEf9xtF6qXB3ZsALOqVo7NvQyFc22Dc7v9hQA6s89f-F_dMiSgnuhNCBOHRFcRZbbScfSmvQ0m88vofsCV5XPLcbrOA3uLC_2kDcQ5sn5mGWmw5EZpCdJHKxeeA/s400/DSC_0129.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478680663929277506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDOkgNRU78GFIJtGFM2ZnOD3Pz3HxLmcW_C02E7buCz0QKM775EwranoTCUVr99NWeyii6OevEMFPNbHPkDMzSiMsK6u6DJ0IhWeMPUH8mpHr2LGFW3AFojqb_4BLW-7gMaCpcamU62s/s1600/DSC_0141.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDOkgNRU78GFIJtGFM2ZnOD3Pz3HxLmcW_C02E7buCz0QKM775EwranoTCUVr99NWeyii6OevEMFPNbHPkDMzSiMsK6u6DJ0IhWeMPUH8mpHr2LGFW3AFojqb_4BLW-7gMaCpcamU62s/s400/DSC_0141.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478674700801610386" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxM3Edqds267piS6BUdqB324VMocp92P51uLB2QwGPYrRyUVndFwBIFN7fjzln2hS6wQ7mIX5Y_ZDu-KPr6gSMbXrux-UTzG3lIdIn8IqKV6vmcvDLkZqWzWlBifEnc1_7fVBM7jXqJps/s1600/DSC_0149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxM3Edqds267piS6BUdqB324VMocp92P51uLB2QwGPYrRyUVndFwBIFN7fjzln2hS6wQ7mIX5Y_ZDu-KPr6gSMbXrux-UTzG3lIdIn8IqKV6vmcvDLkZqWzWlBifEnc1_7fVBM7jXqJps/s400/DSC_0149.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478674688915152402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6zcr0G-CLIY_e0oom4v7D5rVicyjWu1q6kJs73d3ju8Salfjf4ceWhX9ajkqRkPzgAywgvsnYPGL6d3A3jiQFL1ee2k2D6vJ_ZT4xv2g4G09SKOhvfk-pqwWtiR6O1-ZCG9n6LnjChc/s1600/DSC_0154.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6zcr0G-CLIY_e0oom4v7D5rVicyjWu1q6kJs73d3ju8Salfjf4ceWhX9ajkqRkPzgAywgvsnYPGL6d3A3jiQFL1ee2k2D6vJ_ZT4xv2g4G09SKOhvfk-pqwWtiR6O1-ZCG9n6LnjChc/s400/DSC_0154.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478674679981051554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB7T46Vn2E2x-xnQGe770Sr_DHfVZ1ELq4BcIG9NoObxMIShUGYlePhhee3OJ9wNdCJnW-b0XVBtvzHotff91xkzQuO8iRQ1bXlaNJGKQr2CnR8qMGTAoHd6io52Si1CTdpx9sX9V970/s1600/DSC_0157.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB7T46Vn2E2x-xnQGe770Sr_DHfVZ1ELq4BcIG9NoObxMIShUGYlePhhee3OJ9wNdCJnW-b0XVBtvzHotff91xkzQuO8iRQ1bXlaNJGKQr2CnR8qMGTAoHd6io52Si1CTdpx9sX9V970/s400/DSC_0157.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478674672554716290" /></a>Ooh, symbolism. Make of this what you will.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBT6HzAv94CglLTI3eFycJCltY-hso2KcC2YfXmf4E56QsFqXlcBvSQTgqdwPbf1aBFr-NSxmiMgi6OBhx-f1Mmio7R05Q9lMFxAkbuLyI9JjZKfGMgwwpJ6StgBrVgzVVM56XQUvMhA/s1600/DSC_0165_3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBT6HzAv94CglLTI3eFycJCltY-hso2KcC2YfXmf4E56QsFqXlcBvSQTgqdwPbf1aBFr-NSxmiMgi6OBhx-f1Mmio7R05Q9lMFxAkbuLyI9JjZKfGMgwwpJ6StgBrVgzVVM56XQUvMhA/s400/DSC_0165_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478674670742050706" /></a>Oh, just chillin' in my window, contemplating the meaning of life.mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-81835696684335826402010-06-02T17:15:00.005-04:002010-06-02T18:37:55.676-04:00Going bananas.Another rainy day in Prague... but I wasn't going to let the dreary skies get me down. So after a slow morning (and successfully hand-washing clothes, hooray!), I decided to head out. Of course, my umbrella broke a week ago, and no longer says open if I don't hold it tightly. I opted for wearing a sweater with a hood underneath my jacket, and that turned out to be a good idea anyway, because it's still quite chilly here in Prague. I just can't get over the weather! I am so incredibly thankful for my jacket and scarf! I would be freezing otherwise! But anyway. I headed to (you guessed it) Tesco. I was originally planning on exploring another area of town, but I wasn't such a huge fan of doing that in the rain. Nobody likes to be cold and damp and lost! Besides, our orientation guide said that Tesco had cheap clothes... and my program directors did not let me down. I am now the proud owner of two more pairs of skinny jeans! Hallelujah- I've missed having them. I didn't bring any to Europe, and I probably should have. But that's okay- I got to go shopping here. Both pairs were on sale- under $10 each! They have no pockets (but the outlines of pockets are stitched onto them, which is rather amusing). Regardless, I'm thoroughly happy with my purchase. I also got a shirt, and then I headed downstairs to get groceries. While there, I met two British guys who were grocery shopping in Prague for the first time and were thoroughly lost. I wasn't much help to them, but I was able to direct them to the tea aisle. And I finally found the granola bars today! I considered it a success all around... even if I did forget to buy the eggs that I needed for photography class. No big deal. Once back to the apartment, I played around with my camera, just doing a little experimenting with light and whatnot. Afterwards, I watched Glee with my roommates. I was planning on heading to a classical music concert tonight at Municipal Hall, but the group decided to pass since concert tickets were $40 instead of $25. I missed the memo, so I ended up trading in my dress for jeans and a sweater, and headed to a local pub with some of the girls from my apartments. There's a place downstairs, but Lucie the bartender (she's the one who first taught us how to count, and the gestures that go along with the numbers) was insanely busy, and the place was packed. Since the rain had settled down, we headed to another place around the corner. I ordered wiener schnitzel- I know, I'm going to Germany in two days, but it just sounded so good- and it was fantastic. And the mashed potatoes... oh man. I tried the goulash soup that one of the girls ordered, and the penne con pollo, and it was all terrific. Definitely a place I would go back to- even though the waitress ripped us off by adding a 111 crown "service charge/tax." Tax is included in the prices here, and with a group of five, there shouldn't be any type of service charge. Oh well. I enjoyed the food, the friends, and the atmosphere, and it was really only a dollar extra for each of us. There are far worse things in life!<div>There's supposed to be heavy rain tomorrow, but at least it will be a smidge warmer, and by Friday, it's going to be sunny with a high of twenty! Excellent weather for our field trip to Kutna Hora. First, though, I have to make it through my midterm tomorrow morning. It should be pretty easy, but everyone else has been studying like mad, and I am sort of vaguely wondering if I should jump on that bandwagon. Our professor told us it would be easy (just identifying time periods based upon photos) and I glanced over my notes. Eh, it's all good.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVzw0zQn1p-rp04FaTBh0ECkKONYJBr469h0IrsNQPSdQwUzBQLS8Wsk7YVjHtvqc1WwG6w2HvEQtCfkX0PlsoKZQQ-UUWXw0tVvlqgOEc07f3RyFVP4JiZGSKMIeIVzQAxuEnpVmw8Q/s1600/DSC_0544.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVzw0zQn1p-rp04FaTBh0ECkKONYJBr469h0IrsNQPSdQwUzBQLS8Wsk7YVjHtvqc1WwG6w2HvEQtCfkX0PlsoKZQQ-UUWXw0tVvlqgOEc07f3RyFVP4JiZGSKMIeIVzQAxuEnpVmw8Q/s400/DSC_0544.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478307604716752882" /></a>I found this creation at Tesco... some sort of fresh-baked chocolatey goodness. Delicious. The building in the background is the Karlin Theater, right across the street from my apartment.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIIGl4wYchtxZ_8GOBl6rM7Nw4tzgmB7WcIsp7NEeHRzVv3AAuNQMFnzi5hlOHYRFSSM2KxxN-6vneSmQnGQCBBGa0j9U_KzfPwIPIrpTL2nW75pliT0aAOwPsE2V3lKKl2tNIdo4cbk/s1600/DSC_0549_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIIGl4wYchtxZ_8GOBl6rM7Nw4tzgmB7WcIsp7NEeHRzVv3AAuNQMFnzi5hlOHYRFSSM2KxxN-6vneSmQnGQCBBGa0j9U_KzfPwIPIrpTL2nW75pliT0aAOwPsE2V3lKKl2tNIdo4cbk/s400/DSC_0549_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478307592983970994" /></a>Juice!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aLUgAFERSco8uOdHh_0HeHHT8UfnwOga0id1yLnTWFkYjZhh2aYbOx78x-OqZoAYvOVjxl6ttHi97EP7_zdVQVJFsVcnIbgYqaTP5W4XZ6VF98jMdMkK5MjsC3-95jVHDp9rjUaXjMQ/s1600/DSC_0550.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aLUgAFERSco8uOdHh_0HeHHT8UfnwOga0id1yLnTWFkYjZhh2aYbOx78x-OqZoAYvOVjxl6ttHi97EP7_zdVQVJFsVcnIbgYqaTP5W4XZ6VF98jMdMkK5MjsC3-95jVHDp9rjUaXjMQ/s400/DSC_0550.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478306518956638434" /></a>It's sort of like V-8, except tastier, cheaper, in a larger bottle, and with apricots. Victory all around.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5GVN0zsRsraUNW4KJFFNewTWZZn9hF6JhBQdOk9jFqMByFEZDU9nNYm4OrohD1RCZ4LV08lBk0WX82ojhuV_M1nB1MRaVC9LEVSUW8YU7sb-ZodL1xg9Gb2QX3XTaCyrjX_ax_4sJyU/s1600/DSC_0552.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5GVN0zsRsraUNW4KJFFNewTWZZn9hF6JhBQdOk9jFqMByFEZDU9nNYm4OrohD1RCZ4LV08lBk0WX82ojhuV_M1nB1MRaVC9LEVSUW8YU7sb-ZodL1xg9Gb2QX3XTaCyrjX_ax_4sJyU/s400/DSC_0552.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478306511118575666" /></a>Hello, meet my four bananas.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaASbLBN7oYVxCtiJz2X3clzMCgMO8muZYzZ20eruNPPuDrnKam9NfecZGvmWtkcO9dgqytAhsDStFrc_b4xLqOAS55VlGeZf-v8rZqSa5HQAzQF7oB4C7UXQ7xH6hch7kbl8YAMz4BnI/s1600/DSC_0554_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaASbLBN7oYVxCtiJz2X3clzMCgMO8muZYzZ20eruNPPuDrnKam9NfecZGvmWtkcO9dgqytAhsDStFrc_b4xLqOAS55VlGeZf-v8rZqSa5HQAzQF7oB4C7UXQ7xH6hch7kbl8YAMz4BnI/s400/DSC_0554_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478306503614176930" /></a>I'm probably far too easily amused for my own good, but it was rainy and I did not want to be bored.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQ7szhz8bYGfG9UvZH35TI2vJYWIAUDiazxj8JEXuQcTujii0zks-zSRUkq1aZRgoNjZdVR3jORuqaMYd3PWkTsrLQIQ14SYEaJYlyHs_wS_XNWQkoLaEKwOP-zgqaM-v0uepQQ5P1Do/s1600/DSC_0560.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQ7szhz8bYGfG9UvZH35TI2vJYWIAUDiazxj8JEXuQcTujii0zks-zSRUkq1aZRgoNjZdVR3jORuqaMYd3PWkTsrLQIQ14SYEaJYlyHs_wS_XNWQkoLaEKwOP-zgqaM-v0uepQQ5P1Do/s400/DSC_0560.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478306496149454258" /></a>This picture seems very sad to me, and I don't know why.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfllUONwwoeuwmjmCOgr6vQZBGGcHHSRp5FGUiY8vf6aURI3S1e7bgLdHAfgiljusYIbWsazdjStvrTkwvx6TugDLzz3TxlNHtQrevde8rBXI8SefmcfqRWmdpJzLz64qtpLpDnU1RrNA/s1600/DSC_0568.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfllUONwwoeuwmjmCOgr6vQZBGGcHHSRp5FGUiY8vf6aURI3S1e7bgLdHAfgiljusYIbWsazdjStvrTkwvx6TugDLzz3TxlNHtQrevde8rBXI8SefmcfqRWmdpJzLz64qtpLpDnU1RrNA/s400/DSC_0568.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478306486018587090" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOwpE7yppINy6zX9nyfUgf8OX5Jo8l33IcxLkIRqR7MbiGZmdvJE8_ExVah27WoGW-Vr-TF5GM0_AApLfD0Q9Ow7c4kCzCuitXGWZeqw3jLLxIN5KZEuoSIwD3nHUbDJYtm7k-eP80oE/s1600/DSC_0572.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOwpE7yppINy6zX9nyfUgf8OX5Jo8l33IcxLkIRqR7MbiGZmdvJE8_ExVah27WoGW-Vr-TF5GM0_AApLfD0Q9Ow7c4kCzCuitXGWZeqw3jLLxIN5KZEuoSIwD3nHUbDJYtm7k-eP80oE/s400/DSC_0572.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478303683403385490" /></a>Bananas, seated.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkXrP6J_Plh3mZM59Mr7a8zbmRmv1g6Ne3541SiBCsAQlifv0CBklyOm2mCWdhTGDEIYHqv14sPPV-jdRl1yPXnkySd_uSh5053OhRHNJfKy67RSRj72k0T0jr29kFwhTDyBT7yk9ZH8/s1600/DSC_0573_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkXrP6J_Plh3mZM59Mr7a8zbmRmv1g6Ne3541SiBCsAQlifv0CBklyOm2mCWdhTGDEIYHqv14sPPV-jdRl1yPXnkySd_uSh5053OhRHNJfKy67RSRj72k0T0jr29kFwhTDyBT7yk9ZH8/s400/DSC_0573_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478303677862086402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3i000oOHnTJdGK-Afl17k8gypSXeliChYz3x_F1dkm6ku6ZVkTTCuVm9D0t_47qNri6PFVnwdR7i7ksrobJN-8n9ysh33qCwkPFeZ1vRmIYnQQiPGSEn8phgdMI1-I4AgjIbUNX5EhQ/s1600/DSC_0583_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3i000oOHnTJdGK-Afl17k8gypSXeliChYz3x_F1dkm6ku6ZVkTTCuVm9D0t_47qNri6PFVnwdR7i7ksrobJN-8n9ysh33qCwkPFeZ1vRmIYnQQiPGSEn8phgdMI1-I4AgjIbUNX5EhQ/s400/DSC_0583_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478303668999722370" /></a>Bananas are often seen as a symbol of imperialism and oppression. Thought you should know.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9cmH1bN70v23VgXn1n0lOz2Fe707b_0dWSnq5S3EQ_xVlKM9I4p99H-vmu2040PI3L4mSmjg_Yo_XTN2ihdxxKffOKDmkSQYIM9VJCNWKiRhEsPcaHRP8vq_LwJSg5iNVm1OPqM5FDs/s1600/DSC_0584_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9cmH1bN70v23VgXn1n0lOz2Fe707b_0dWSnq5S3EQ_xVlKM9I4p99H-vmu2040PI3L4mSmjg_Yo_XTN2ihdxxKffOKDmkSQYIM9VJCNWKiRhEsPcaHRP8vq_LwJSg5iNVm1OPqM5FDs/s400/DSC_0584_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478303665893222754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30GJKdSCi4eXAdLKt-PtYL0iz94APWxDQ7LXVJSNjuQrI87RiZtyBaAVhihGwPtIWjC4EmWsHr-0ClXzMkDDm33u9QdAZJwT_TIfMXpXbNV6KS5twi_XQy8qmlXD4RfQhrWt1V7fo-Rw/s1600/DSC_0589.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30GJKdSCi4eXAdLKt-PtYL0iz94APWxDQ7LXVJSNjuQrI87RiZtyBaAVhihGwPtIWjC4EmWsHr-0ClXzMkDDm33u9QdAZJwT_TIfMXpXbNV6KS5twi_XQy8qmlXD4RfQhrWt1V7fo-Rw/s400/DSC_0589.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478303655786496402" /></a>Ghost bananas! This wasn't supposed to turn out this way, but my hands were still kind of shaky after hauling my groceries home (it's kind of a far trek, and I got both juice and milk, so my bags were a little heavy, and my body did not appreciate that). Not the greatest decision of my life, but I always forget about these sorts of things. Oh well... My groceries and I made it back, and the picture looks cool!<br /><div><br /></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-87386540231284897562010-06-01T16:03:00.004-04:002010-06-01T19:14:12.516-04:00Wait... this is what month?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">June dawned warm and beautiful, with the sun streaming in and- oh wait. I must be thinking of a different city... because June in Prague feels more like early March. High today was 12 degrees Celsius, and that's about 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Brr! Good thing I have my jacket and scarf... because honestly, I never expected this kind of weather. On the plus side, it's supposed to be sunny in the seventies in Berlin! I'm very excited for that adventure- but I have a few more days of fun before I get to that point. This morning, I started off with my art and architecture class. After reviewing the Renaissance and Mannerism eras, we struck out towards Valdstein (Wallenstein) Palace. On the other side of the Charles River from my usual hangouts, it was very cool to explore a new area. The palace was beautiful- a chateau-style architectural masterpiece that blends Baroque, Rennaissnce, and Mannerist styles. It also happens to be the location of the Czech Parliament, which was really cool to see. In the basement, there was an exhibit of many of the treasures that had been given to the Czech Republic as official gifts. Exploring the stunning gardens was very cool as well. The dripstone wall was incredible, and provided a startling contrast to the pristine hedges and fountains that shaped the rest of the garden. There were even peacocks wandering around! After we finished exploring, I went to a local cafe for lunch with my roommates. I had a tomato and mozzarella croque that was just a mess of gloriously cheesy goodness. Czech language class was later in the afternoon. I left a little early for class so that way I could grab a pastry on my way to class. I am always hungry. It's ridiculous. But it's all so good... and I've acquired a fondness for all things meru</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ň</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ka. I just love apricots all of a sudden. I don't know why. Another one of those inexplicable things that comprise my life, I suppose. So I purchased a meru</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ň</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ka pastry before class. Excellent decision. Class was fun, but the Czech language is such a formidable beast. Good heavens! It's absurd. Today, we learned how to count, how to ask how much something costs, how to tell time, etc. It's all fun and games until someone sets the clock to 4:44. Four is the most terrible number in Czech. And when you start putting all those fours together, things get very rough very quickly. Please note that that time is spelled something along the lines of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">čtyři čtyřiačtyřicet. Looks like a mess, doesn't it? Some pronunciation tips: č is "ch" (but ch in Czech sounds like the ch in loch), y sounds like the i in hit (but with an accent, it sounds like the ee in feet), ř is something describable only vaguely as rzh- with the r rolled, of course. There's a little more to it, but enjoy that little primer/tongue twister. Czech is the life of the party. In all actuality, though, I really do like it a lot. I've always enjoyed learning languages, and I'm up for a challenge (but shh, don't tell Russian that!). The cool thing about Czech is that even though it looks very harsh, it's actually about subtleties. The letters are nearly all pronounced, but sometimes, it's just a hint of the letter, rather than the entire sound. It's hard to explain, mostly because I'm still figuring it all out. I mean, come on, guys, I didn't master the entire language in a week and a half. Let's be reasonable. Maybe this time next week. Or, you know... maybe not. Whatever.</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; font-size:medium;">Tonight, we booked plane tickets for Amsterdam next weekend. I'm very excited about exploring the city. Traveling with friends is awesome! That's all the independent traveling that I will be doing this session- the rest will be on trips organized by USAC. I would tell you where and when, but I can't keep my life straight anymore. Eh, who needs a functional brain anyway?</span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpJuO7_WDy1bdESP6MrYBk-jq_b5dNNDJJvx3llzB8HHIwixVb_dBVwpCwVKX7il6uBbVsikdyZjJ03h6rbrZJsSxkNU6Ib8sdiD-D8_hPry22qg_6vkgWs-dBROM3JxUHkR8HmvqZSw/s1600/DSC_0467.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpJuO7_WDy1bdESP6MrYBk-jq_b5dNNDJJvx3llzB8HHIwixVb_dBVwpCwVKX7il6uBbVsikdyZjJ03h6rbrZJsSxkNU6Ib8sdiD-D8_hPry22qg_6vkgWs-dBROM3JxUHkR8HmvqZSw/s400/DSC_0467.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477945348520434066" /></a>The Charles Bridge over the Vlatava River<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCmahnyyo0Qua3KK25P-zeSSzSObu1qTXgtxct_ghcUOI_zBsRcxP0GBhhn_bytEcEXsAU0NyhaWzMqx6s0yjQv5xxOCffWuRkSPAu-pDtECGuB-sHvHX5HQEgj0T4PvT2cuT_EV8Au0/s1600/DSC_0470.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCmahnyyo0Qua3KK25P-zeSSzSObu1qTXgtxct_ghcUOI_zBsRcxP0GBhhn_bytEcEXsAU0NyhaWzMqx6s0yjQv5xxOCffWuRkSPAu-pDtECGuB-sHvHX5HQEgj0T4PvT2cuT_EV8Au0/s400/DSC_0470.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477945343177588514" /></a>Prague Castle<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Fd0kxqoiCdkZMn2uW-Zylc-NLGl1kLxGD7KGuO3gC8mRATOP0PTruw7OU-FhgNAyKScyffh8QZ0HAlDQ0HUFspD-MM80WS4MSujHopk-aUD3qxE05Q2niuv7XEWy00PUxmpIjACs6u0/s1600/DSC_0482.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Fd0kxqoiCdkZMn2uW-Zylc-NLGl1kLxGD7KGuO3gC8mRATOP0PTruw7OU-FhgNAyKScyffh8QZ0HAlDQ0HUFspD-MM80WS4MSujHopk-aUD3qxE05Q2niuv7XEWy00PUxmpIjACs6u0/s400/DSC_0482.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477945337382341234" /></a>The Czech Senate<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlMvYA-MYKpUEsw_uC_e1hFzKkqhBoehDcIhQyglzsfknZp8qOcNbDe3ZbPSWMJJwwCn7BY7GV6qWpgPSz_ULQWu74ipM8aTSkyF3TfTprFM1RSuPYfrbruYDvPFA-sXPfXq1cB_xr9Q/s1600/DSC_0485.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlMvYA-MYKpUEsw_uC_e1hFzKkqhBoehDcIhQyglzsfknZp8qOcNbDe3ZbPSWMJJwwCn7BY7GV6qWpgPSz_ULQWu74ipM8aTSkyF3TfTprFM1RSuPYfrbruYDvPFA-sXPfXq1cB_xr9Q/s400/DSC_0485.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477945329314857506" /></a>Snake in the dripstone<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDBtlLTl5gPYslnum5fiRhAh1eHzvpYvQOwSITaKCv6XVIfOIYzj_jqQNTCjC0F5-X6cSCxEVbiYvYqhYexT2BgcsaTig2vWZCRvrrV-q3jLxy7j8p6dAdRvBu62rNnpUtghZ6JogWIM/s1600/DSC_0498.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDBtlLTl5gPYslnum5fiRhAh1eHzvpYvQOwSITaKCv6XVIfOIYzj_jqQNTCjC0F5-X6cSCxEVbiYvYqhYexT2BgcsaTig2vWZCRvrrV-q3jLxy7j8p6dAdRvBu62rNnpUtghZ6JogWIM/s400/DSC_0498.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477938245772482514" /></a>Searching for faces and creatures within the dripstone was really entertaining<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEtLLr2vbbOZYaZcKx8a9Mu9isxFjFFWasJmzf4jSGTLyNLMm0tSPlZCTmWCsetUs88WzvqIjMiZ1DncxscJyY_Et4UjlQev7B1jl8gMWDjxooNWRlTYF0vFQWyZDoq861BG9EMQ9rrY/s1600/DSC_0511.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEtLLr2vbbOZYaZcKx8a9Mu9isxFjFFWasJmzf4jSGTLyNLMm0tSPlZCTmWCsetUs88WzvqIjMiZ1DncxscJyY_Et4UjlQev7B1jl8gMWDjxooNWRlTYF0vFQWyZDoq861BG9EMQ9rrY/s400/DSC_0511.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477938235992837490" /></a>The peacocks were all over the garden<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgInfrAxiQMxLJFVnpzC-PrMB3r0nqSYKKP-MLLgBomI_K9QhyphenhypheneMrou-H2GQwODHm_UQYpLCAXLmMvMhIiGWXCsMsZfTH4fpS8TDeW2yhr0KTFQF3l2g_eDqA6UCiOs5IMKq2zG92FTc/s1600/DSC_0517.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgInfrAxiQMxLJFVnpzC-PrMB3r0nqSYKKP-MLLgBomI_K9QhyphenhypheneMrou-H2GQwODHm_UQYpLCAXLmMvMhIiGWXCsMsZfTH4fpS8TDeW2yhr0KTFQF3l2g_eDqA6UCiOs5IMKq2zG92FTc/s400/DSC_0517.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477938229383364914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5fJfb7OAsKehnJKjVcRf1AWS8yoLcLPpoMEfQrQ-5YEz68O-FMQrux9RuPWCnlYM4v6bx33ZLw0myxzd-TmEsR2I1N3ZKIgFDLlFmU1nr4EllSv_HouM92jZkH044dzSlbgw12ltDUs/s1600/DSC_0524.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5fJfb7OAsKehnJKjVcRf1AWS8yoLcLPpoMEfQrQ-5YEz68O-FMQrux9RuPWCnlYM4v6bx33ZLw0myxzd-TmEsR2I1N3ZKIgFDLlFmU1nr4EllSv_HouM92jZkH044dzSlbgw12ltDUs/s400/DSC_0524.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477938225378356034" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvUNZJNhMKZZ3ONFVgsEx900xA2mSkoRs8m_PL51Ri6poRSnJ0p8h-Tebig87ehrr_XvltJjlBfW7zDiNPbDjHtjQCs3BWl_7IChutjLuoRwFEfo3R2VeevoxlOQygQz8X-kFO9kNZEc/s1600/DSC_0534_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 243px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvUNZJNhMKZZ3ONFVgsEx900xA2mSkoRs8m_PL51Ri6poRSnJ0p8h-Tebig87ehrr_XvltJjlBfW7zDiNPbDjHtjQCs3BWl_7IChutjLuoRwFEfo3R2VeevoxlOQygQz8X-kFO9kNZEc/s400/DSC_0534_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477938214002760962" /></a>This wasn't sideways when I uploaded it... I dunno. Cock your head and call it art.mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-36691029133551543952010-05-31T15:15:00.003-04:002010-05-31T17:47:34.627-04:00Quiet day.Nothing too exciting on the home front today, world. Sleeping in, cleaning, laundry (operating a Czech washing machine is no small feat), consuming our milk before it expired. It was a lazy start to a nice day. I had photography from 4-8, and I left around 2:30 with my roommates for a late lunch. We found a little restaurant near school, and I- yep, you guessed it- enjoyed it immensely. Spinach soup and jacket potatoes (for some reason, they chose to use the British phrase for baked potatoes- although they were really just little potatoes, halved) with red onions and sheep cheese. The waiter originally gave us our menu in Czech, which I'm sure we would have managed, but when he realized we were speaking English, he brought us one we could understand. That was just fine by me! The service was very good, and I feel like it's a place we can definitely come back to. Class was pleasant enough. He critiqued our first assignment, and it was really interesting to hear his perspective. He liked all of my photographs (hooray!), and I was glad to find out that even my least favorite photo wasn't bad. We had to have four photos: two focused on depth of field, and two focused on motion, with an overall theme of first impressions of Prague. The ones I chose were the graffiti shot from May 26th, the guy in the band jumping and the people walking through Old Town Square from May 25th, and another picture that didn't end up on my blog... I'll pop that up here at the end. My least favorite was the one of people walking. I can't explain it, but I feel like it just lacked a certain spark. It had movement, to be sure, but what it was missing was feeling, perhaps. My teacher agreed, saying he didn't dislike it, but that I was far better than that, which made me smile. Class dragged on for awhile after that. It was interesting, but I would rather learn about technique in conjunction with seeing the effects produced. We see all of these incredible photographs- abstract art, and images that just draw you in- but when it comes to replicating those styles, we're on our own. I don't mind this too much, because I enjoy experimentation, but at the same time, a few hints would be nice. Oh well. One of these days, I'm going to go off on my own and have a little photography adventure. I need a creative outlet. I have to say, though, I think this week's project will be good for that. It's an interesting concept: we take one object (an egg, for example) and present it four different ways. He outlined them, but honestly, I'm in no mental state to convey that sort of thing right now. I'll explain later.<div>I've been thinking a lot lately, about church and friends and being away from home and things like that. I have a lot to say, but I sort of feel like my brain is mush right now. Must be the conglomeration of German and Czech floating around in my head (proof that I really am crazy, if anyone still needed it)... oh, and the giant knot that has blossomed in my back might be playing a role too. I don't want to ramble incoherently, because I feel like I might actually have something valuable to say, and that might get lost in translation. Maybe tomorrow!</div><div>Czech word of the day: rhododendrons go by the same name here too! Also, I saw another group of foreign exchange students very excitedly discussing ananas in the grocery store, and it made me smile. I'm glad other people enjoy that word just as much as I do!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XfueSAk75roaRgm8P_rCPX9GAO0GdfVC6s_8VaE0sL68UaFp-z_o4jM90CkGL5mXn2ntQ4eCyk9-OHiYXthyBeYsYRVZRz9eDjokuirKQGTk5fbZCpmToj4-Fl6bPdnzhe2J9AXoGxI/s1600/DSC_0028.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XfueSAk75roaRgm8P_rCPX9GAO0GdfVC6s_8VaE0sL68UaFp-z_o4jM90CkGL5mXn2ntQ4eCyk9-OHiYXthyBeYsYRVZRz9eDjokuirKQGTk5fbZCpmToj4-Fl6bPdnzhe2J9AXoGxI/s400/DSC_0028.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477552973722793810" /></a>My depth of field shot for my photography assignment<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKoHtRm2iz0kLwodi-FJ6WIUWCf0NzhhPX8QJnWVEh_aoAhyI9D0DmowdxHzuKn3kPFXIyW0olUfKbYckcSiaL6x3ND1teF0CzCYTdHZX2JdD6Q3_6O3aUyHEz4q1w6xqmQxLdgj-NUg/s1600/DSC_0466.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKoHtRm2iz0kLwodi-FJ6WIUWCf0NzhhPX8QJnWVEh_aoAhyI9D0DmowdxHzuKn3kPFXIyW0olUfKbYckcSiaL6x3ND1teF0CzCYTdHZX2JdD6Q3_6O3aUyHEz4q1w6xqmQxLdgj-NUg/s400/DSC_0466.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477552968183622866" /></a>Spinach soup for lunch, yum! It was so pretty that I just had to take a picture.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxzJJ7GhFgYWFbyr8UN_woBlTB_BD__lQ3WiEa-VHrU0bhbxeovR9aU0mC0sIV9UEHiqBNHTaNz3h-y1ecFyaQloN1XWItyzmtTvcMRRo50d3YcGHR-EcIzJF8Akrs2f6nX_kZGU-sxM/s1600/DSC_0372_2.jpg"></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxzJJ7GhFgYWFbyr8UN_woBlTB_BD__lQ3WiEa-VHrU0bhbxeovR9aU0mC0sIV9UEHiqBNHTaNz3h-y1ecFyaQloN1XWItyzmtTvcMRRo50d3YcGHR-EcIzJF8Akrs2f6nX_kZGU-sxM/s1600/DSC_0372_2.jpg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxzJJ7GhFgYWFbyr8UN_woBlTB_BD__lQ3WiEa-VHrU0bhbxeovR9aU0mC0sIV9UEHiqBNHTaNz3h-y1ecFyaQloN1XWItyzmtTvcMRRo50d3YcGHR-EcIzJF8Akrs2f6nX_kZGU-sxM/s400/DSC_0372_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477552964463644946" /></a>The church on top of the hill in Mikulov</div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693093231331722823.post-57294276840463412762010-05-30T13:13:00.008-04:002010-05-30T18:49:41.717-04:00A missed opportunity.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6gqYy8AYakBkgcyhN9eD4H3513jSnMNitVq7kU54PhRlqzIDpTIKfhmaIpQ5h3Q7auVLjiqrm5pMcjk7ch2h6-wWSN61sj-lFDt1_HvxyGxGDGQ5J4c8RhfkHtlhFTKNPlrGPQ52OI0/s1600/DSC_0345.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6gqYy8AYakBkgcyhN9eD4H3513jSnMNitVq7kU54PhRlqzIDpTIKfhmaIpQ5h3Q7auVLjiqrm5pMcjk7ch2h6-wWSN61sj-lFDt1_HvxyGxGDGQ5J4c8RhfkHtlhFTKNPlrGPQ52OI0/s400/DSC_0345.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477197610326130642" /></a>A statue in the main square of Mikulov<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVkqXsKanpIru5T8VIKiZWIunNs7vBENXvpSw9BEd2alzOEc6IQT-QjXLIhCUYmhSlYdPrdFtg7XGIRRkwmNC2VvequXLdb2VTeO9ZEMLpejEOrfopLNiRQWUhZELz76iCJgrESNtSd8/s1600/DSC_0384.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVkqXsKanpIru5T8VIKiZWIunNs7vBENXvpSw9BEd2alzOEc6IQT-QjXLIhCUYmhSlYdPrdFtg7XGIRRkwmNC2VvequXLdb2VTeO9ZEMLpejEOrfopLNiRQWUhZELz76iCJgrESNtSd8/s400/DSC_0384.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477197599604706866" /></a>Vineyard!<div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">With reference to today's title: A missed opportunity to attempt to illegally immigrate to Slovakia and/or Austria, that is. It probably wouldn't have been the greatest decision, given the fact that we are (legally) going there in a few weeks, but still- it would've been cool to say we did! And it probably wouldn't have been </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">that </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">difficult, given the fact that we were less than 10 km from both borders during the field trip to Moravia. Even without sneaking into foreign lands though, it was an incredible trip, and I am so glad that I decided to go! Originally, I wasn't going to, but it turned out to be an awesome choice. First on our stop after leaving Prague: Moravsky Krumlov, and the Alfons Mucha museum there. He is more or less the father of the Art Nouveau movement, and while there is a museum dedicated to him in Prague, Moravsky Krumlov is home to his Slav Epic: a series of twenty enormous paintings that chronicle the history of the Slavic people (click </span></span><a href="http://www.mkrumlov.cz/slovanska-epopej-obrazy-394.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">here </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">to see the entire series and read more). His works were positively incredible- the detail was astounding, as were the facial expressions: you could feel the emotions emanating from the paintings. It almost seemed as if you could step into them. Below is the group of us who went on the trip together: one professor, Geiger (who is sort of like a TA, except he doesn't teach any specific courses- but he knows the history, speaks Czech, and has plenty of connections- definitely somebody good to have around!), and six students. We managed to get a picture with a painting because Geiger is good friends with one of the girls who runs the museum!</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfidZ0PCj06ebpVSCftvSsG-bJdyk0YIfXgPS974zuBfT0xIUbpEdBfdibY6-nQFIIUD9iZKUX426wY943WtGDw72z6MIuSULSMFFC1Kg63yZO8HxewesIRWHVvSm9uvVqSd6zuSqHuuo/s1600/DSC_0339_2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfidZ0PCj06ebpVSCftvSsG-bJdyk0YIfXgPS974zuBfT0xIUbpEdBfdibY6-nQFIIUD9iZKUX426wY943WtGDw72z6MIuSULSMFFC1Kg63yZO8HxewesIRWHVvSm9uvVqSd6zuSqHuuo/s400/DSC_0339_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477114861901616818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After we finished our tour there, we headed to Mikulov, a small town near the Austrian border, for lunch and a short break. Very helpfully, the restaurant we went to offered the menu in two languages: Czech and German. German is on my list of languages to conquer in the near future (but the again, I need to get this Czech business down, refresh my Spanish, and pick up some Russian and French too.. so we'll see about that). After lunch (I had garlic soup and fried cauliflower), I climbed the town's hill with the girls. It was no Tor, but it was still fairly imposing and afforded a beautiful view of Mikulov and the surrounding valley. Best part? Making it down the hill and rewarding ourselves with ice cream. For just 10 koruna- fifty cents- you can get a cone that is just th</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e right size. I opted for the apricot flavor-meru</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ň</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ka- and it was glorious. I feel like every day, my vocabularly grows a little more- I can also say chocolate, vanilla, tea, and salsa curry (but that's another story...).</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Before long, we were back in the van and on our way to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Strážnice </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">and Bzenec. Originally, we planned on touring an outdoor museum of sorts in </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Strážnice</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, but it was closed by the time we got there. We decided to return in the morning, and just headed on to Bzenec. After dropping our belongings off at our hotel (which turned out to be beautiful- an incredible surprise given the fact that we thought we would be staying either in a hostel or a wine cellar), we picked up the wineman and toured his vineyards. The sun was sinking low over the Carpathians as we walked through the narrow paths, learning about the grapes and how they were processed. It was fascinating to hear about, but even better was being able to see the owner's pride in his work. You could just tell that he was passionate about his wine, and- despite his stoicism- was pleased to share. After seeing the fields, he walked us to his wine "cellar," which was actually an airy second story room in his house. The group tasted twelve different wines- and by tasted, I mean that by the end of the night, all bottles were empty- and to eat, we had sausage, followed by salami (which, for the record, there seems to be no standard for here- you never know what exactly you are going to get), cheese, grapes, and bread. We didn't get back to our hotel until nearly two am- and we started eating at eight or so! It was a lot of fun, although I felt a little bad because I can't drink, and that makes things awkward sometimes. First, because in this culture, it can be rude not to drink, and I never want to offend my host, but secondly, since alcohol flows so freely here, being the one who doesn't drink is very visible. People are always noticing and asking, and it can be a weird situation to explain. People are curious, but summing up the details of my life succinctly is no small feat. Sometimes, I feel like it would be easier to just wear a sign that says "Brain Damaged: Doesn't Drink" in a herd of languages. Oh well. I am who I am.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We dragged ourselves out of bed in the morning and grabbed breakfast from a local grocery. We spent an hour or so taking a tour of the museum in </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Strážnice- which was a collection of homes, some original and some reconstructed, from the 17th century on. It was really cool! Afterwards, we took an hour long canal ride, which was a very relaxing way to spend some time. Then, we began our return trip to Prague. It took about four hours, and let me tell you- the roads to Prague are not the least bit smooth. Just when you start to doze off, you find yourself jolted awake. Thank goodness for my iPod! I was able to spend those hours rockin' out to some excellent music (you would expect nothing less than excellent, I know). We had a quick stop for lunch at McDonald's... So not a fan, even if it is a little better here. They are crazy here though! No real organizational system at all... Mostly, it's just a bunch of people pushing to the front. Kind of overwhelming. I haven't had McDonald's in years, and for good reason. When you have to eat though, you have to eat. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I did have a chocolate shake though... For me, that is the one item that serves as both celebratory and conciliatory, depending on the situation. It's not often that I want one (probably a good thing...) but when I have one, it just feels like everything's good. And it is! I'm in the Czech Republic, and I've survived my first week! Of course, I inadvertently picked the wrong sauce for my chicken nuggets, but hey, these things happen. And, incidentally, kari/salsa curry doesn't actually taste as strange as it sounds. I kind of liked it. Go figure. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We made good time back to Prague, and I've spent the afterno</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">on relaxing, and then split a pizza with Jeri, one of the girls upstairs, for dinner. Not sure what exactly is on the agenda for tomorrow. Museums are free the first Monday of each month, so we might head to the National Museum. We'll see. Photography class is tomorrow afternoon.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Oh, and more good news! I've booked a bus trip and a hostel with some friends for this weekend- I'm going to Berlin! It's a night bus, which should be great, and it's far cheaper than train or plane! It's a bit slower, but that's not really a big deal at all, since we're traveling overnight anyway. I'm incredibly excited! I don't speak any German! Well- I can count, and say hello, and I know a nursery rhyme. Maybe a few other phrases. So let me amend that: I don't speak any practical German. But I hardly speak any practical Czech, so no big deal. I'm sure it'll work out just fine. Doesn't it always?</span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3v6ceH9h02obBF2KTddMgPDN3WWnArXGF4uSriUB8JmVp1_8UT1c1pWoKBjeIvRMkmQwW7iewTHmukvU4HSwgGtJU0JFUF6DwpbiA_tnD2Asaj66Kn0OS5sZCVhArx7X29q6MazbjHr4/s1600/DSC_0368.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3v6ceH9h02obBF2KTddMgPDN3WWnArXGF4uSriUB8JmVp1_8UT1c1pWoKBjeIvRMkmQwW7iewTHmukvU4HSwgGtJU0JFUF6DwpbiA_tnD2Asaj66Kn0OS5sZCVhArx7X29q6MazbjHr4/s400/DSC_0368.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477194032984417250" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Overlooking Mikulov<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCo0bLyKHOH832GVmdPNS2ljqey2-K-V-O7pWx4Yljr7-gbWIP9yI4EUVZN6jsK903YI4Z-q3ty12h4hMSSdaXBe8cfR6wac4PEjdm0j8NYihJMaHzok3YclS_EBd-RdQ5H_EJtfm3FQ/s1600/DSC_0369.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCo0bLyKHOH832GVmdPNS2ljqey2-K-V-O7pWx4Yljr7-gbWIP9yI4EUVZN6jsK903YI4Z-q3ty12h4hMSSdaXBe8cfR6wac4PEjdm0j8NYihJMaHzok3YclS_EBd-RdQ5H_EJtfm3FQ/s400/DSC_0369.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477194025031364018" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The girls on top of the hill, in front of the church. Gotta love the self-timer! The hike wasn't too bad- but it would be a little far to climb to church regularly!<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M_ScOG2YYVrxDsrsZm_XugZZ86up-5l0LYg-BfZohy_XbEO1nQ5rLdpwJVF9xMpomKbPYLnO-H96T3f7Uq2cyd-aeq_eSsdA-xdRK9bmmJLSYL_2uohedDlSbvD7Xq-vZWJiNDWVXhw/s1600/DSC_0388.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M_ScOG2YYVrxDsrsZm_XugZZ86up-5l0LYg-BfZohy_XbEO1nQ5rLdpwJVF9xMpomKbPYLnO-H96T3f7Uq2cyd-aeq_eSsdA-xdRK9bmmJLSYL_2uohedDlSbvD7Xq-vZWJiNDWVXhw/s400/DSC_0388.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477194016109159714" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The wineman in all his glory (slash stealth photography at its finest)<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLhgo0OhaUWallsr4fQ3L8RfjW9tpiAHSXhnJPpIDeAbda7kMJDPYYTaGbwfZ_EmagSS3V1MKhKQDaJUPqyTNMmL2G1Q8AlxawNY4JW0_P_YQicfJ-3RyrDY7mWnQNgbOaaKdQ5Nr68k/s1600/DSC_0407.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLhgo0OhaUWallsr4fQ3L8RfjW9tpiAHSXhnJPpIDeAbda7kMJDPYYTaGbwfZ_EmagSS3V1MKhKQDaJUPqyTNMmL2G1Q8AlxawNY4JW0_P_YQicfJ-3RyrDY7mWnQNgbOaaKdQ5Nr68k/s400/DSC_0407.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477191875192866514" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Vineyard<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKiGp82eJ_suH5cGPElXuf6Sl7D9mLm-S14PDlMLJxr9fQQKft3FWxQqXNZGBXUGqVYwvZHAiL1pVAVdL31qvXmQVIXxtWQViBoiVFXV2JC5W4rswUl-uGeY4Nm62VdPWpZ71zu9fZ2k/s1600/DSC_0409.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKiGp82eJ_suH5cGPElXuf6Sl7D9mLm-S14PDlMLJxr9fQQKft3FWxQqXNZGBXUGqVYwvZHAiL1pVAVdL31qvXmQVIXxtWQViBoiVFXV2JC5W4rswUl-uGeY4Nm62VdPWpZ71zu9fZ2k/s400/DSC_0409.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477191869599632162" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Overlooking even more of the vineyard- it was enormous!<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEBe9Nu4m_neFFdlOp1ozBuGLT8YermZBNBv5f6rObXNEv1LO94VlUpaSwTnVflGrj99AIDlKUGdoDCM4u_uUokrGq2bzkFXYNfISwLrplmL25xuUtUvWk2iFPckOUN-VHoqJ-bzPX-M/s1600/DSC_0431.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEBe9Nu4m_neFFdlOp1ozBuGLT8YermZBNBv5f6rObXNEv1LO94VlUpaSwTnVflGrj99AIDlKUGdoDCM4u_uUokrGq2bzkFXYNfISwLrplmL25xuUtUvWk2iFPckOUN-VHoqJ-bzPX-M/s400/DSC_0431.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477191861807543778" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The little village... did you know that the thatched roofs lasted an average of twenty years?<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4lbZzM0yygkdh7pXdmiQ2argXX5_c29I3fefmjd35s_NUrGh4WwnzvkEAM1RL5cd3xDDW7bIEV5AIowSR-ikyf6uIchZrYTcWGzgAbCM2tczBNP2_RXWxaMec4WpkRjxbvlhyphenhyphen_Hp_LE/s1600/DSC_0439.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4lbZzM0yygkdh7pXdmiQ2argXX5_c29I3fefmjd35s_NUrGh4WwnzvkEAM1RL5cd3xDDW7bIEV5AIowSR-ikyf6uIchZrYTcWGzgAbCM2tczBNP2_RXWxaMec4WpkRjxbvlhyphenhyphen_Hp_LE/s400/DSC_0439.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477191857344962690" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I just found this picture too amusing not to share... The irony of it just made me smile- a kayak, a swing set, and a very old boat sitting on the grass. The "yacht club" was, for the record, on the other side of the path.<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojvTL9sNIAxVDotp8Zr9CQUdzlVqUPgSsyE4k6EWkUFZYtBK3sgXUmo2vIfhOuAa0S0Boge4m1Jrn6tBDDFqGHxGOGdZj90GQ82d-T1wbX85A1JX2rf3d4ix9NWsz9gqr2KAquNl2NUg/s1600/DSC_0464.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojvTL9sNIAxVDotp8Zr9CQUdzlVqUPgSsyE4k6EWkUFZYtBK3sgXUmo2vIfhOuAa0S0Boge4m1Jrn6tBDDFqGHxGOGdZj90GQ82d-T1wbX85A1JX2rf3d4ix9NWsz9gqr2KAquNl2NUg/s400/DSC_0464.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477191849091664354" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A shot from our canal boat ride</span></span><br /></div>mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00746570601557813915noreply@blogger.com0