Prague, Czech Republic: July 28, 2013 to July 31, 2013
10/14/2020
Travel
July 28, 2013
Getting to Prague was pretty standard – 13 hours of self-entertainment (watching movies [Side Effects {excellent psychological thriller}, Jack the Giant Killer, and some other one], reading, writing, listening to music, and always observing). Unique flight for me, all the wine, beer, and Baileys was free.
July 29, 2013
Finally, I get to Prague. To get to the hotel, the Mamaison Riverside Hotel, a taxi cost 984 Czech Crowns (100 Czech Crown = $5 USD, 200 Czech Crown = $10 USD, etc.). We found out after getting to the hotel that this was a rip off. Having taxis called from the hotel cost anywhere from 100-200 Crowns. Oh well, live and learn. After setting up shop in the room, I took a two hour nap – glorious glorious recharge! I awoke to pouring rain, lightning cutting violently across the sky. It was an interesting sort of light, clearly stormy, but light enough to see where you were going perfectly. I received a recommendation from the hotel staff to dine at Olympia. So, being driven mainly by hunger, but also a subsidiary need to explore and play in the rain, I ventured to the Olympia.
Along the way, I took pictures for s series that I am going to affectionately call “Prague at Night.” I am not sure if it was the iridescent glow of the city itself, the rain, or perhaps still sleep deprived, but what a site – the colors, though subtle, tell of the history and tribulations, and carvings and artwork covered the walls of almost every single building. Graffiti, at least as far as I have seen thus far, also makes its way onto this historical canvas. The graffiti here is not as fantastic as was the graffiti in Amsterdam, Denmark, or Sweden. Basically, it is the run of the mill, “I’m here marking my territory, pay attention to me,” rather than the “I have a skill, the world's my canvass, and by accident or choice you will see me.” One thing I did notice aside from the change in environment, flip flops were not common here, especially in the rain. Oh well, my feet dried quickly and no trench foot! Once at Olympia, I fell in love with it right away.
As I was watching those around me converse, I noticed that both men and women, though particularly the men, conversed differently than in the states. They sat next to, rather than across from, one another, allowing for their personal bubbles to overlap. The joint conversation was the center of this venn diagram of social interaction. My travel partner and I ordered two ducks, two wines, two cognacs, and an apple strudel for about $45 USD. Freakin’ cheap! The duck was amazing! I have never had duck; alligator, but no duck. With the duck was dark and light cabbage. Geez, even my food displays the dark and light side, good versus evil, the duality. Well, in a place with such a history of peace/violence, I suppose it makes sense such a contrast makes its way into the food. The strudel made my sweet-tooth sing. Simply superb and the gelato and apples it came with complimented it well. The spice and sting of the cognac paired with this insta-diabetes in every bite , which was a delectable pairing…that and what an effective potential sleep aid.
After dinner, I continued my adventure in the dark and light of the rain. It would have been neat to be one of the stars and those that were enjoying the warmth of the evening with me was wearing short sleeves, enjoying ourselves, not rushing to the next destination. In the distance and with the aid of my camera’s zoom, I spotted two dozen bats flying atop a building. I found my new target and directive. Turns out the bats dart in-and-out of the focus too sporadically, making their capture too tiresome for me. Once back at the hotel, I was out. Best sleep I have gotten in 8 years. Thank you Prague.
July 30, 2013
I started the morning with a healthy breakfast (sausage [no grease], eggs, fruit, and ham with of course some small pastries). The portion itself was smaller than I would normally eat in the states, yet as I found out later, it not only filled me up, but I remained fuller longer. I went on a 3.5 hour free tour. Best tour I have ever been on. It covered a vast amount of Czech history, the tour guide was very knowledgeable and was hilarious. Many of his jokes totally went over the other people's heads. Idiots. I found him hysterical. He even informed us that we can drink in the streets no matter what time of day. It was a tour, 400 crowns for my travel partner and I ($20). At the very end of the tour, it began to pour. i was drenched. This was probably only a problem for those, unlike myself, who do not adore the rain.
One of the notable attractions was the Nautical Clock, not because it was cool (though it was), but because of: 1) all the different components necessary to “tell time,” and 2) it was multicultural. The clock itself: There are four people that guard the clock that personify sin. On the far left is vanity. Next to him is a Jewish man to represent greed (anti-Semitic much?). On the right side of the clock, closest to the clock face is death. Lastly, there is rock and roll. The actual clock face is quite complex as far as clock faces go. The outer most numbers are Czech and refer to the actual time, the inner numbers are Raman and depict the month. The zodiac signs complete the three layers. Then there is a hand that points to the hour and has a sun on it. There is also a silver and black moon to correspond with the cycle of the moon and when to harvest. The bottom “clock” pictorially follows the top clock, but above each picture there is a number for the day of the month, a letter for the month, then above that there is a Czech name. The purpose of having a Czech name on the clock is this; in addition to one's birthday, they also have their own “name day” where, like a birthday, they celebrate and receive gifts. It is actually illegal to have a name that is not represented on the clock. If parents wish to give their child another name that is not represented on the clock, they must get special permission from the government.
I also saw the oldest surviving theater where Mozart played. He played at other theaters, but they have all been destroyed. On the tour there was also a statue of Kafka atop the shoulders of a “hallow suit.” This same suit he saw in a dream and it was chasing him. In the dream, the Hallow Suit did not hurt him, but put him on his shoulders. I suppose the Hallow Suit could symbolize many things. My take on it is it is faceless because this is how Kafka perceived himself, faceless, with no identity. No identity in the sense no one knew who he was nor did he think the world was ready for his style of writing, which I learned Americans made up a term to describe his surreal, philosophical, idiosyncratic, existential approach, “Kafkaesque.” Way to go America. Also, faceless because he had no face to his audience. He was worse than anonymous, he did not exist. He may have been handless because these were his tools (in part) to construct his craft.
Later, I went to the Dali exhibit which was fun, especially since my travel partner said one of his regrets while being in Barcelona last year was not being able to go to their Dali exhibit. After the Dali exhibit, we tried to get back to the hotel. We got lost and started exploring the Charles Bridge. Artists, caricature drawers, and those that drew portraits, photographers, wood workers, etc. were scattered all over the bridge. During this time we found where the Museum of Torture is as well as the Kafka Museum.
Once we got back to the hotel, my travel partner forgot the hotel’s umbrella at therestaurant we were at for dinner so we went back for it. This mild annoyance turned into a serendipitous moment. While crossing the bridge, I spotted down below lights of different colors and heard music and people cheering. Holy Hell! I discovered an underground concert! It was hidden away in the recesses of the part of the bridge that acted as the retaining wall on one of the sides. It was a receding portion of the wall that was in an archway. Literally as soon as I got down there it had ended. However, when I did get closer, I saw that this hole in the wall (literally) was a bar and the musicians were off to the side, allowing the audience to get their drinks, listen to the music, and dangle their feet into the river. Totally cool. I walked around and observed. People had their drinks in hand, friends to their sides, just dangling their feet over the edge. I wish we had this and this counter culture in the states.
July 31, 2013
Today was the big day. My presentation. Once we finally got to Charles University (yes, the same Charles that founded the bridge), I was greatly disappointed. It looked like a dormitory unit—drab,buoy-like, and multi-boxed. While setting up, the proctor, Darragh (Irish graduate student) approached me, stating he was REALLY looking forward to my presentation.
The presentation went as I thought it would; those 30 and below got it and those 35 and above missed the boat. A woman videotaped my presentation and took pictures of me. Flattered, but odd I suppose. My travel partner, Darragh , and I chatted for about 40 minutes after the Q&A session. Darragh stated he totally agreed with both of our presentations. He did say one interesting thing about our methodological presentation, “it'd make the social sciences relevant.” To get back to the hotel we took the sub. I am pretty impressed that we were able to navigate the sub-line in a foreign language, in a foreign country, to get “home.” At 8pm we went to JazzBoat where we listened to live jazz, which also included dinner and the boat tour. It was sort of cool arriving at a dam and watching the boat rise and sink depending on how high the bridge was and how much water they added and drained. The entire experience was entertaining for about the first hour and a half. By the three hour mark I was restless and the running joke became, “A three hour tour…a three hour tour…” That and the jazz band only played about 8 songs (if that) the entire night which I thought was a gyp even though I do not like jazz. Tomorrow we are off to Berlin.
Cultural Differences of the Czech Republic
Different approach to war and survival. Historically, they would ally themselves with growing/developing/established powers rather than fight for their independence to remain sovereign. More of a passive process (though nor the most part peaceful approach, e.g., Velvet Revolution) that may have contributed to the historic identity crisis leading into recent times where they are actively building up the Czech identity that is unique to them and not focusing on past external influences.
Because of the aforementioned identity crisis, or perhaps due to something else entirely, all the music I heard on the tour was 1) American (not necessarily meaning American bred, but listened to a lot in the states) and 2) retro (‘50s, ‘60s, but predominately ‘80s).
Speak several languages (Czech, German, English, and Russian). The exception being the Czech “mountain people” who were so isolated, they only spoke Czech.
Women frequently and comfortably walked the streets alone without being burdened by the “What if something happens to me?” paranoia that American women tend to tote around with them because of all the crime directed towards women.
Safer
Everyone I encountered were beyond nice and accommodating and didn’t carry the same level of paranoia/suspicion Americans seem to wear like a coat of armor.
