Done with Prague

I saw some beautiful sights, but this was a hard, hard day. Too cold, too much ice and snow underfoot, too much walking, too many hills and stairs. And the forecast for tomorrow night is cold and gusty with another 6-10" of the white stuff. Fortunately, I'm leaving just in time, although I'm not thrilled about the very long bus ride to Copenhagen. That's my last stop. Looking forward to a happy reunion with Tom and "the kidz" and some warm Florida weather!

Interesting...

I picked up a brochure from the Prague tourist office and was quite surprised with its contents. Let's see... There's information on where to find your embassy, emergency phone numbers, warnings about pickpockets, pictures of legal currency, and two pages of illustrations on how to accurately identify police officers. No kidding, it shows their uniforms, badges, ID's, and vehicles. And after all that, there's this lovely message from the mayor of Prague: "I hope that the information in this leaflet will help you enjoy your time in the capital of the Czech Republic, that all the memories you take away with you are good ones, and that we will see you again on your next visit." Say what?! (Okay, I'm wondering what might actually be going on now...)

When I first arrived at the hostel, I posted that the elevator didn't get me all the way to my room. I've since noticed detailed instructions in the lift that go something like this: "First floor rooms, take the elevator to the first floor and walk half a flight down; second floor rooms, take the elevator to the second floor and walk half a flight down; third floor rooms..." You get the idea. The hardest hit are those on the top floor. They have to take the elevator as far as it goes and still walk up two flights. It helps with the luggage, I suppose, but we can't call it accessible.

I went to the pizzeria next door for dinner last night. When I couldn't finish the advertised 31cm pie, the server asked if I'd like a go-box. I was surprised when it said "Lucky Lucianos Mafia-Style Pizza"--the latter in Czech--with a mug shot on it. (That's the only bit of Czech I've been able to figure out so far. It's a bizarre experience for me not to be able to understand a language at all.)

Climate Princess

You can see how much I like the weather here. Not. No idea what the purple spot is on my chin, as it's not in the other photos or on my chin. In any case, this will be the last photo posted here, as I've lost my shutter-release button again, this time somewhere in the snow. I bought a single-use camera ($16!!!) when I hit the very scenic Christmas market on the square, but I won't be able to post those photos until I get home. Was looking for dumplings at the market, but I spied a sign for jacket potatoes. I went for a look and saw what appeared to be chunks of baked potatoes, slices of sausage, and shredded cheese. I figured it would be warm and filling, so I ordered some. When I took a bite, I realized the "cheese" was actually sauerkraut! What to do at a moment like that? Wash it down with hot mulled wine, of course. We're going to call that the revenge of the jacket potatoes (for those of you who have been reading along since England).

I also visited the Mucha Museum today and marveled at his art nouveau masterpieces. Made it home in time for the 4pm sunset. I'd had enough of the weather and worrying about watching my footing. Hoping for better conditions tomorrow, although it's supposed to be bitterly cold tonight.

Good Morning from Prague

Here is the scene outside my bedroom window this morning. Conditions are bitter [for me], but I am also concerned about the slippery factor. Will test with my knee in a bit. I opted for the deluxe breakfast at $4.83. The lobby serving area was drafty, so I brought it back to my room, which is quite cozy. The desk in the corner is built on a treadle-sewing-machine base. I am also including a photo of the padded door. (Tom asked if they were trying to tell me something...)

As suspected, I got a rude surprise in the middle of the night when I rolled over and set off the motion-activated bathroom light. It was like a search light flipping on. After I recovered from the jolt, I pulled myself out of bed and shut the bathroom door.

This morning's good news is that I found the shutter-release button to my camera in the bottom of my bag. The camera is still in precarious condition, but I'm hope to get some photos of old Prague, if I can just get myself over there.

Czech-ing In

Today was my five-hour bus ride from Berlin to Prague. Once we left the German capital, the scenery consisted of snowy fields, snowy forests, frozen lakes, and a few wind farms. We pulled off the autobahn to pick up more passengers in Dresden. Shortly thereafter, I couldn't read any of the road signs, and I knew we had crossed the border into the Czech Republic. I dozed off for a bit and awoke surrounded by Prague.

I'm staying at a hostel with lots of character. There's a wonderful bricked cellar with a kitchen for our use, a pub, and a dark and cozy sitting area. I was thrilled that there was a lift, but it gets me only 3/4 of the way up to my room, and it's just as cold as outside. The hostel has the usual light timers, but they're set for something like 10 seconds here. I'm in the dark a lot. (Speaking of which, it was pitch black by 4:30 this afternoon.) My room, on the other hand, has a motion-activated light in the bathroom. It comes on easily and frequently--just walking by the bed will set it off--but it turns off just as quickly. It did so while I was, uh, "seated," and no amount of arm waving would turn it back on. Maybe that's why my room has a padded door...

I'm sampling a local bottle of two-buck Chuck (actually, a merlot that I got for $2.63). I'm trying to decide what to do for dinner. I'd love to go to the pizzeria two doors down, but that would require bundling up and venturing outdoors in way-too-cold-for-Pat weather. Or I could stay here and have the Portuguese dinner for $4.28. Think I'll go take a look before I decide.

Tomorrow morning I'll have a range of breakfast options. The cheapest, the so-called "real backpacker," is all of $1.61 for bread and water. More precisely, that's all-you-can-eat bread, one glass of mineral water, and jam. Perhaps the latter counts as the fruit of the day. I am seriously over bread, so I will likely have to upgrade to something with other possibilities.

Here's hoping we don't get the pile of snow forecast...

Berliners are Serious about their Grilled Sausages

This is for real. I saw several guys strapped into or wearing gas-fired grills and selling very fresh sausages. I suppose it keeps them warm in the chilly weather, but......

Museum Magic

My first two days in Berlin I had difficulty getting in to the museums I wanted to visit, leaving me frustrated and with a very ambitious wishlist for my last day in town. Fortunately, my stars aligned on Saturday, and I had a wonderful day visiting museums. The first was the Neues Museum on the Museum Island (five superb state museums at one place!) in the former East Berlin. The Neues ["new"] was seriously damaged during the second world war and only recently reopened after extensive reconstruction. The work left as much of the former structure intact as possible, complementing the exhibitions and even showing evidence of gunfire. The museum is known for its Egyptian collection and particularly its bust of Nerfititi:
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-47834.html (no photos allowed)

Then I went to the Jewish Museum, where the contemporary architecture was also used to reinforce the museum's message. The architect left several voids or empty spaces that extend from the lowest level to the top of the building. These represent lost individuals, as well as aspects of Jewish history that can never be shown in a museum. The lowest level is designed to induce disorientation in the visitor. (The slightly tilting floors did it for me.) One of my colleagues at Reinwardt Academy had worked at this museum and was responsible for the installation of the permanent collection. You can read more about the building:
http://www.jmberlin.de/main/EN/04-About-The-Museum/01-Architecture/01-libeskind-Building.php

Finally, I returned to the area between Potsdammer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate to see the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It's about five acres of uneven ground covered with rows of concrete slabs of various heights. You need to walk through them to find the entrance to the underground "Place of Information" that documents all of the lost lives, making many of them vividly personal and unforgettable. It was a powerful experience.

I exited about 5pm and needed once again to negotiate my way through the monument field, this time in the dark and biting cold. I met up with friends at a nearby Christmas market. We stayed only long enough to do a bit of shopping/sightseeing and get brats and hot mulled wine. Even that wasn't enough to warm us, so we hurried back to the hostel to pack for our morning departures.

Not Even Funny

I'm leaving Brrrr-lin for Prague this morning. The forecast for tomorrow there is HEAVY snow with a high of 29 and a low of 15. (If you use Celsius, that's wa-ay below freezing.) Prague may be beautiful under snow, but I lost the shutter-release button to my camera yesterday. Very disappointed at all the photos I won't get.

Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Another snowy morning with Christmas carols during breakfast. Now the hostel is decorated for Christmas--a pointsettia on the bar and a tree by the fireplace. Everyone in the university group I've caught up with is envious of my lunch yesterday at the Chrismas markets. There may be a repeat for dinner tonight. Busy day ahead with lots of walking. My main concern now is slippery surfaces. (In England I feared being run down by a car coming from the "wrong" direction, and in Amsterdam I was terrified of toppling down the stairs.)

Historic Day

Berlin is a city of museums, but there's one current exhibition that is generating much interest, both here and abroad. The German History Museum has broken a cultural taboo and curated a show on Hitler. The exhibition considers how Hitler became so powerful--and also how the German people let it happen. After hearing so much about it at the University of Leicester and Reinwardt Academy in Amsterdam, I had to go. Afterwards, I went to Potsdammer Platz to see remaining sections of the wall and then walked down to the Brandenburg Gate. The area around the gate and the Reichstag (German Parliament) was crawling with police because Putin is in town. I didn't get too close, but I did get a view of the building's spectacular glass dome:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_(building) [scroll down]
Tom would have loved it all.

It's been a cold and snowy day, and I'm happy to be back at the hostel warming up with some hot chocolate. For lunch today, I visited one of Berlin's Christmas markets and indulged in a popular combo of bratwurst and gluhwein (hot mulled wine). Sounds so wrong, but it was excellent.

Surreal Morning

I'm sitting in the breakfast room waiting for Ann to arrive for a work session. It's snowing, and the hostel has U.S. Christmas carols blaring. (Walkin' in a winter wonderland...) Should be able to post more later today.

White Thanksgiving

Not that we'll be celebrating here. Arrived in Berlin at 6am after an all-night bus ride through a nasty snow storm. I am now nice and cozy in front of a fire waiting for long-time friend Ann to get up. We should have a busy day of museums ahead. Now I'm most looking forward to breakfast.

Packing this Evening

I'll be off to Berlin later tomorrow. The weather for the rest of my break will most likely be below freezing, and there's some of that white stuff in the forecast. Brrr! (Note to self: drink more hot mulled wine...) Will post more when I am able.

Let the Season Begin!

I went out this afternoon to test my knee, and I ended up at the Winter Wonderland holiday market at the Leidseplein. Tom and I were there when he visited, but I was pleased to see a new hut offering gluhwein. During my winters in Belgium, I became fond of hot mulled wine. That's vin chaud in French and warme wijn in Flemish, but other European countries use the German term. So I ordered a nice, warm cup for cocktail hour and enjoyed it with a monstrous olie bol. The unfortunate translation is "oil ball," but think better than a donut hole and served in a mound of powdered sugar. This one was huge, easily larger than a tennis ball, and it left me covered in white powder. My quest now is to hit the Christmas markets in the remaining countries I visit. I'll be on a mission to find the best gluhwein out there.

I also passed through the flower market and ended up with my first souvenir. It was a spontaneous purchase, so try not to laugh too hard. (My feet have been cold in my apartment...)

Dinner, if I get around to it after the olie bol, will likely be a chunk of the delicious Dutch cheese I purchased. It's full of pesto and vivid green. Heel lekker! (Very yummy.)

Seen on the Tram

Folks freely take their dogs 'most anywhere here.

Bump in the Road

Or my not-so-excellent Satuday... First, I have to admit the my recent purchase of knee brace and big shoes empowered me, and I likely put in too much mileage on Thursday and Friday. I was feeling my knee as Friday evening approached, so I returned to my apartment, removed the brace, and sat for a long time with my laptop. The leg did not want to straighten when I finally stood, and I impatiently pressed on it a bit. I felt a twang, saw a few stars, and collapsed on my bed, using some of my best Dutch vocabulary. I was startled and concerned but hoped a good night's rest would do the trick.

Not so. I really couldn't walk come Saturday morning. Suddenly my excitment over my remaining sabbatical turned to thoughts of how I could possibly get through the next two weeks. (This is not like me at all.) Sadly, I decided to see whether it was possible to head home early. I spent several hours having no luck contacting the airlines. Eventually I gave up and decided to wait to see what Monday would bring. It's not Monday yet, but Sunday is much better--or certainly no worse that it had been earlier in the week. The very difficult lesson is that I need to pace myself, which I am not good at at all. (It just about killed me to waste a sunny, blue Saturday sitting in my apartment in Amsterdam. Not that I could walk, but still.)

It's another beautiful day here, and I plan to go out later to test the knee. I suspect I won't have to take the stairs on my butt, which I did yesterday. (And I thought it was bad enough that my black coat is constantly covered with dust from everything I'm leaning up against.) You've already seen the staircases, so I'm posting pix of the outside stoop and treacherous stairs (no railings). Don't even want to think about them with ice, and snow is in the forecast for later in the week.

More Museums

I visited two very different museums on Friday, spending most of my time at the Tropen Museum, which I also visited in March. This museum documents Nederland's colonial past but is known for doing so in a responsible and responsive way. (Community members were included in the interpretive process.) The museum has an incredible range of objects (art, musical instruments, shoes, groceries, coffins...) from countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. As I approached the imposing building, I saw banners announcing the current exhibition: ROOD! It's a thematic exhibition exploring emotional responses to the color red throughout the cultures represented in its collections. The exhibition was set up in a spiral. As I entered, I heard a throbbing heartbeat, but before long I was looking at a knitted red sports car! They even took on religion. Fascinating. I also enjoyed an excellent exhibition on Mexico where I sat in a "bar" watching El Santo and la lucha libre (Mexican wrestling). Another display of a spice vendor enabled the aromas to waft into the museum space. Very engaging.

Later I gave in to my fantasy and went to the Houseboat Museum, on an actual houseboat. The first thing I noticed was that the ladder down into the houseboat was easier to negotiate than the staircases to my apartment. Most visitors commented that it was larger than they expected, but I was stunned by the very small sleeping spaces that remained from the time when the vessel was a working barge. (A family of four slept there!) I welcomed the invitation to have a seat in the comfy living room, and I looked through a book catagorizing houseboats so I could pick out the kind I'd like. (That the fantasy part...)

Yikes!

Look what I found at the grocery store...

Staircase Complication

Last night was one of the first times I came back to my little apartment in the dark, and it added a level of intrigue to my climb up the stairs. Utility prices in Europe border on extortionist, so locals have come up with many ways to economize. Here there are multiple lights in the staircase, but I must hit each switch as I go by. And each is on a timer, turning off after a pre-determined number of seconds. Needless to say, my one-at-a-time approach to the stairs is not fast enough to beat the timer, so suddenly everything goes black as I am in mid-climb (or descent). I do carry a small flashlight, but that requires one of the hands that I am using to hang on for dear life. Within a week I'll be moving on to Berlin, where I'm pretty sure there's a lift at the hostel. Then maybe I'll stop having visions of cartwheeling down the stairs...

Improving Conditions

Today started bleakly, with me breaking off the plug on my converter as I prepared to turn on my computer. Well, that made one more thing to shop for. I strapped on my knee brace and headed to the center of Amsterdam. My top priority was finding some sturdy shoes to help stabilize my knee on all the uneven surfaces here. I succeeded at a Skechers store after trying on something like 227 options--or at least it must have felt that way to the young woman who was trying to help me. Remember the Bridget Jones movie and her "big pants"? Well, I now feel like I'm clomping around in big shoes, but my knee is feeling much better. (Just wish I could do some actual shopping here. Would love to get some clothes--and a new European kitchen, too...)

As I headed off to an electronics store, I got sucked into a McDonald's for lunch. The sign in the window promised two unique offerings: chicken satay and shrimp!!! Um, let's just say I regretted my indiscretion and think Mickey D's should stick to selling burgers. Not that they're good, or anything. To make up for all my trauma, I decided to treat myself to Ethiopian tonight, and it was delicious.

On the way to the restaurant, I picked out my dream home. Some of you know that I do fantasy real estate shopping most places I go. I'd been too distracted to work on it here until I turned the corner and fell in love. (I bet it has a nice kitchen.) Message to Tom: Win the lottery and then start packing. I'll be home soon!

My Day as an Expense Account

Or how to burn through 50 Euros ($68) in 6 hours...
24-hour tram pass - E7 ($9.40)
Admission to the Rijksmuseum - E12.50 ($17)
Lunch, uitsmijter and Coke - E9.60 ($13)
Admission to the Stedelijk Museum - E10 (#13.50)
Groceries - the rest of my coins

The total does not include my new knee brace (+$30), which I charged. As long as we're talking about expenses, I managed to find an open laundry yesterday. You bring in your clothes in a tote and pick them up a few hours later. How much? E7 or $9.40 a load. (Tonight I washed out a few things in the sink. 'nuff said.)

Biking is a Part of Dutch Life

Here, biking is transportation, and everyone rides. It's a way to go shopping, get to work, and take the kids to school. And people ride regardless of the weather. There are bikes everywhere and all kinds of bikes for a variety of uses. (And no one is fat...) Enjoy the photos!

This Evening

I'm watching the Belgian news in Dutch. (The channels from the Netherlands are currently showing game shows and soap operas.) All that rain I was complaining about has caused some flooding, particularly in Belgium. I tried taking a pile of dirty clothes to a stomerij (laundry/"steamery") late this afternoon, but it was closed. Consequently, I'm "steaming" some underwear on the radiator. I just had a massive dinner consisting of the world's largest meat ball and stoemp (say "stew" with an "mp" on the end). That's a hearty mash of potatoes and veg. One of the big reasons I got an apartment here was to be able to take some of my meals at home. (I have a microwave and a fridge.) Unfortunately, I'm not finding the nice selection of ready-made meals I enjoyed in England. I need to find an alternative tomorrow before I turn into a meatball...

BRICK House Boat

You can add your own punchline. I'm trying hard to avoid referring to the usual expression...

My Latest Home Sweet Home

The directions to my little apartment include turning right at the mural of the nude. (Welcome to Amsterdam!) My place is small, in the attic, 54 steps up. The stairs are narrow and steep. I have to place my size 7 (38) shoes sideways on the treads while one hand is on the railing and the other reaches out to grab anything available, including the steps in front of me (on the way up). A ladder might be easier, as there's not usually a twist in it. Seriously, this is a typical Dutch staircase. No surprise there--I booked before messing up my knee--but let's just say that I won't be drinking before taking on the stairs. (Is anyone dizzy just from looking at the photo?)

Because of the utter impossibility of negotiating the stairs with stuff, most old Dutch buildings were built with a hoisting beam at the roofline. These protrude from the front and are equipped with a hook for a block and tackle. As I climbed the ladder to look out my only window this morning, I saw one opposite in use. The view is pretty good, if it weren't for the ladder...