Blogs from Czech Republic, Europe - page 12

I have just received a belated present. Saturday. 3 pm. The latest excellent publication by one Daniel Gray. I note with interest that his biography on his website boasts marking Gordon Strachan's son out of a game. What would my footballing pinnacle be? Evening Gazette ......when Evening still applied .....Schools Penalty Prize. I still wonder how that penalty missed the crossbar and hit Row 25 of the East Stand seats. 22,046 witnessed my embarrassment. I still sent the keeper the wrong way though! There is still some satisfaction in failure. "Big" John Hickton showed everyone how to do it in the "real" event immediately afterwards. In a world where football is now very much at the whims of the TV schedules or perhaps even personal decision of some uninvolved broadcasting executive, Daniel sets out a series ... read more

Geo: 50.0878, 14.4205... read more

I will bet you would never come up with Antonin Dvorak as the real Father of American Music. You might guess George Gershwin, or Stephen Foster, who died at the age of 37 with 38 cents to his name. My guess would have been Chuck Berry or Buddy Holly. Antonin Leopold Dvorak (dvorr-zhak) was a Czech composer of romantic music. His most famous works are his New World Symphony, the Slavonic Dances, "American" String Quartet, and Cello Concerto in B Minor. And for your edification, I thought there was a "z" in his name for the longest time! Antonin Dvorak in 1868 Fast forward to his arrival in the United States where he became director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City in 1892-1895. He ... read more

Franz Kafka was born in Prague, now Czech Republic on July 3, 1883. He died on June 3, 1924 near Vienna, Austria. He was born into a prosperous Jewish middle class family. He was drawn to his maternal ancestors because of their spirituality, intellectual distinction, piety, and delicate physical and mental disposition. He became the oldest child after the death of his two older brothers. Ottla, the youngest of his three sisters, became closest to him. Kafka was overshadowed by a tyrannical, successful, but overbearing father, who worshipped financial success and social advancement as a shopkeeper. He attempts an autobiography (Letter to Father) in 1919 in a letter that never reaches the addressee. He blames his father for his failure to marry and enter fatherhood, as well as his escape into literature. He felt his will ... read more

The boot camp was in full swing the next day. Breakfast was set for 8. After the experience of yesterday getting into the pension, nobody quite knew what to expect of the breakfast fayre. The Other Half had some more bad things to say about the bedsheet, which she described as being exfoliated all night. Who needs Liz Earle? The brekkie spread transpired to be quite amenable, although the hot dog type sausages were not exactly Czech in standard. The TV was showing a rerun of Czech's Got Talent or the equivalent. Fritz and his backing dancers pranced about to a tuneless number. It was a measured success, given that his wig didn't fall off. I suspect looking like a badger worked against him in the scoring. The railway station wasn't exactly round the corner, so ... read more