Blogs from Czech Republic, Europe - page 277

So, in Berlin I couldn't figure out the computer I was using so I didn't update. We had a good time there. We saw most of the monuments and cathedrals and castles and and and and and there. We went to the underground headquarters of the Gustapo, the Wall, and Checkpoint Charlie. I went to several museums that were fantastic. i saw so many Vemeers, Rembrandts, Van Eyke, Botecelli, Carravagio and so many others that I can't even mention them all. I also got to see the Temple of Zeus and the Ischar Gate of Bablyon! I was absolutely amazing!!! The next day we took a tour of Sauchenhausen (a concentration camp). That was facinating and the guide was great. We experienced a bit of the famous Berlin nightlife. They dance worse that me...which says a ... read more

Cemeteries always bring to my mind my own mortality. I expect it is the same with others. Today Nancy, Johanna and I took a long walk through the Sarka Valley and then up a trail into a residential area of Prague. There is a church on a high point there, visible for miles in the direction of the seminary. We walked to the church, which was locked, and then through the cemetery. European cemeteries have quite a different look than those I am familiar with in the States. The families take a much more active role in attending the gravesites by planting flowers or other plants where there is soil. Many are totally covered by stone or cement coverings. After strolling through the cemetery Johanna took us to a nearby restaurant, a real family run business, ... read more

I'd like to open this entry with a response to an anonymous "Matt," who apparently failed to notice the sarcastic tone behind my "criticism" of Turks for not speaking English. "Matt" left me a really angry message saying I'm the uneducated one. While I am a product of the public school system, I would hope that is not the case. I appreciate the attempts to cleanse my blog of its customary ethnocentrism, but I would hope that anyone bright enough to be offended would also be able to pick up on the subtlety of sarcasm. The inability to communicate with anyone has really brought home how helpless someone is in a foreign country, and it has made me feel like a huge moron for a large portion of this trip. When the lady in front of ... read more

There are many sights to see in Cesky Krumlov, some very old and some not so old. Certainly these chairs are on the lighter side. June 29th, our departure date for home, is rushing toward us very quickly. It has become obvious that we will not complete the reports of our time here before we head home, that we will add more once we are at home. For instance I suddenly realized we did not give a report of the castle in Krakow, nor have we given any report of our hiking in the National Park at Hrensko, on the German border. We are going to be very busy from now until the 29th, so I am not sure how many new postings we will be able to make before we fly home. Stay tuned. ... read more

Depois de todo o chá de cadeira em Viena, encaramos mais de 5 horas de trem até chegarmos a PRAGA, capital da REPÚBLICA TCHECA. O problema é que nossas reservas eram apenas para o dia seguinte e ainda eram, mais ou menos, 3:30 da madrugada. Achamos que se chegássemos naquele horário, eles certamente nos cobrariam uma diária a mais. Como nosso orçamento era limitado, decidimos fazer uma hora na estação de trem e seguir para o albergue quando amanhecesse. Estações de trem são lugares bizarros, que reúnem muita gente bizarra!!! Estávamos cochilando nos bancos, quando precebi dois policiais abordando de maneira truculenta os locais que também dormiam nos bancos da estação. O esquema era agressivo mesmo: chegaram chutando os pés dos caras e falando grosso, tipo "sai fora, vagabundo, aqui não é lugar pra dormir!". Só ... read more