GoJeronimo

OK, so no passport stamp from the Czech Republic last weekend, so let's try it again, this time in

GERMANY!

Yep, we have a 3 day weekend, and since Jill is still 'oot 'n a boot with the girls in Budapest, Kelly and I are going to Berlin! Kelly also has to renew her tourist visa, as her school hasn't helped with her work permit fully either. (Is there a trend here?).

Thanks to Mikael Christensen, again, I've gotten in touch with another one of his friends, Charles, who is happy to show us around a bit! This will be my first trip to Germany (I knew there was a reason I held on to my digital camera!-sorry Jill ;-)

Wish me luck on the passport stuff!

Until next time, do widzenia and:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

AND

ALL SAINTS DAY

Well I haven't written much about Polish food on this site for awhile, partially because we've had few successes in finding really good food, of any ethnicity. But I've learned several words in Polish so I know what to look out for when I'm shopping at the neighboring grocery stores: the Select Market (owned by Shell Gasoline, and it's not even a gas station-go figure!?) and Marc Polo (unlike most 'c's in Polish, this one is anglo-cized to a 'k' instead of a 'ts' sound).

Granted, Jill and I are vegetarians (she does eat fish, though), but in a city of this size and worldliness, you'd think it wouldn't be that hard to eat here.

But it is.

Tonight I'm eating Pierogi Ruskie, a potato/pasta dumpling that is filled with spices and (cottage) cheese.

Usually.

Even armed with a Polish dictionary and/or asking some of the few employees who understand 'does this have meat?' or 'I'm a vegetarian' you still can't win.

Once again, my cute, little pierogies, of which all the ingredients are listed and decipherable in my dictionary, have some damn meat in them. Sometimes it's bacon-ish, sometimes it's beef/chicken or who know's what-ish. Tonight it's bacon-ish.

Grr.

Time for another plug for Krakow, where when out to eat they have way more options for vegetarians, and you get what you expect...another sad sign that the capital is here and not there-the former political, artistic, education and cultural capital of Poland.

Ho hum, you were right, Chirs N.

:-(

Place your bets!
It took Carolyn Nelson 5 years of living here to finally give in to the dark side.
How long will Jill and I last?!

Good night, Prague!

Charles Bridge and a thousand birds

Look out!

Autumn sunset

"Fred & Ginger" by Frank Ghery, on the bank. See also: http://lava.ds.arch.tue.nl/gallery/praha/tgehry.html

near the bridge. Dawn's best friend had saved money for a year for a 3 week trip to Prague...in 2002, she came during the floods and was trapped and couldn't visit any sights. :-( Glad we had good weather!

azzzzure

Click to enlarge! The beige stone monstrosity was a Soviet-era hotel, with a big red star on top...now guess who owns it? Holiday Inn, and they changed the red star to green!!!

Great Scot! Unlike Warsaw, Prague seemed barely phased by the Ruskie occupation...until we looked out east (paint jobs are post 1989, too). What a shame, the holy men and rulers surely had a fantastic, far-away view before the middle of this century

Stone (gneiss?) roof shingles, this sucker was really built to last!

Flying buttresses, oh my! We climbed the 200+ crowded spiral steps to the southern tower. Impressive view of all surrounding Praha-the castle/parliament grounds are massive

Wow. That was all we could say

biggus windowus

Jakub, our Bohemian tour guide. He said most of Czech Republic is full of aethiests, and didn't have the religious revival that Poland did while under the Ruskies (of course the Pope popped out of Poland...)

One of the many 100' high windows, all Catholic interpretations of the bible

Prague Cathedral's MASSIVE interior, purely Gothic in style, the rest of the surrounding castle went up in Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, etc. as the centuries passed, and was never destroyed in any wars (very unlike Poland!)

Off to the castle!

The 'Lennon' wall, put up while under communist rule, and this area was home to some impromptu punk rock music shenanigans, protests and general hooliganism

Best coffee we found in Prague, but we spaced buying beans to go...just another reason to go back this winter!

THIS IS OUR HOSTEL!!! The Imperial Hotel, with the 'only porcelain interior like this in the world.' Rooms were decent and the location fine, we'd stay again, it was only $20/night each

In the Jewish quarter, on Pariszka street (Paris), where all, well most of the fancy shops are, where we did find some amazing ice cream we could afford! Yummy, and real sugar cones, too (unlike Poland-again!)

This is one of the coolest things I've ever seen in my life. If it could waddle back and forth across the plaza, I'd have to have it, just to ride to the grocery store down the street!

Would you let these women teach your children? (who's scarrier, the girls or the guy munching in back?)

Armed Man Hole!

And now for something completely different! These 2 copper men swivelled at the hips, spreading their flow evenly around the pool. Their penises also went up and down as their hips swivelled!

West end of Charles Bridge

There were two statues that weren't black (old weathered stone), I'm not sure if they're post war replacements yet...tremendous monumentality in this one, though

The Propeller Heads!

Go west, young man. (He really is pointing west!)

Center of the bridge, upriver side (always facing the sun)

One of over 2 dozen statues lining the bridge (Was Before Sunrise filmed here?)

J & DM, about to brave the masses heading to the infamous Charles Bridge, along the Royal Way to the castle

Praha Castle and the Vtlava river, which flooded to insane heights in 2002. (about 15' or higher than present) Click to enlarge and you'll see the fortifying that they're still doing across the river

We should have gone to this theater (re)...but instead we went to one of the many 'black light' theaters.

There were also 'story telling' dolls everywhere. I wonder who was the next doll inside?

And yet so bad in Poland?!

Just got back to Warsaw from our (my) speedy 2 day trip to Prague.

WOW, what an amazing city! Nearly untouched in WWII (and most wars), the city is in immaculate condition. And, for better or worse, Hitler wanted the Jewish quarter in Prague to remain as-is, to be a future 'musuem of the extinct race.'

Gulp. What a focker.

Fortunately...not the case, yet, similar to Krakow/Kazimierz, there are only a handful of Jews who actually live there anymore. (120 or so in Kazimierz, less than 100 in Prague)

This was a spontaneous trip for us in the sense that no one had time to research ahead of time. Instead of busting butt to get from one tourist sight to another, we just wandered aimlessly much of the time and got to soak up the city, it's 1200+ year old stone streets, it's amazing frescos, the massive Gothic Catholic cathedral and grounds (where the President still lives!), unique bridges and other impressive archaic and modern sights.

But, on Sunday we did get a tour guide for a little while. Jakub Dostalek, who's name Mikael Christensen passed on to me (thanks, Mikael!), met us after numerous email and text message attempts, out on Charles Bridge, a very impressive bridge lined with numerous religious statues, linking the old town with the castle burg. Jakub is Czech, yet has lived in the states twice, for school and research. He helped pull us off some of the main drags and away from the INCREDIBLY HUGE AMOUNT OF TOURISTS!
Even Jakub said that this was a ridiculous number of tourists for this time of year. It was also unique in that it was extremely warm (and is here, too in Warsaw 60+ F).
What was also interesting to all of us, was the tremendously prevalent use of English?! Woah, we ain't in Poland anymore, Toto!

We did buy some art, we did see a show (more on this later), we ate a lot and our wimpy, non-touristy feet didn't hold up so well at the end of each long day hoofin' about. We were a party of 5, which became 3 and 2 rather quickly, and the gals all reunited this morning for their trip to Bratislava, Slovak(ia). (Though Jill just emailed me and said Bratislava isn't so happening (especially compared to Prague) so they're heading to Vien(na) as a day trip tomorrow, then off to Budapest, which should have more than enough to entertain them.

Anyhoo, another point of interest. They didn't stamp my damn visa going either way on the train! Grr! I'll be an illegal touron in a few days! Woo Hoo!
Oddly, though they did stamp Jill and crew when they went in to Slovak Republic. I think it's a sibling rivalry kind of thing (We got the US passport stamped before you did! Nanny nanny poo poo!)

Anyhoo hoo, did you vote yet?

Lots and lots of pics to come.

I worked today and got observed by my director of studies...we'll see what Joanna/Asia (either name works for her) thinks of my lovely and ever so impressive teaching abilities ;-)

Talk more soon, I'm sure...Jill's gone all week, and all I got was this lousy flat to fill up with myself.

jr

The detailing was very different than anything in Poland, and there was a surprising number of Art Decco highlights throughout the city

mmm, St. Nick's, I think?! (Jill still has the guide book!)

Self portrait, in about 40 years or so

Reminds me of Little Shop of Horrors!

meow my darling, Ga Ga Gabor eat your heart out!

Thousands of toys and other odds and ends along one market street

He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he. Did you see Being John Malkovich? Praha is the marionette capital of the world.

Great Halloween costume!

The Whincy Chicks (the sun just isn't as bright in Warsaw!?! (Jill, Julie, Dawn W, Dawn M)

Close up of the dreary sculpture

Jan Hus (lone figure), burned at the stake, another Christian reformer bites the dust (or the charcoal?! ash?! doh!). Prague's (Praha) main square with the Town Hall looming above

still waking up, looking for our hostel as the sun was rising and we were experiencing the calm before the storm...

Choo Choo! Praha Hlavni train station at way too early in the morning after a mostly sleepless, noisy rickety train ride. ugh.

A spider's web of misfortune

Howdy!

Another beautful Friday here in Warsaw. Fortunately, most times it rains, it's at night-so our days have been sunny, hazy or overcast, but little precip (I'm dry every day I ride to work!).

I finally got my absentee ballot yesterday and voted for or against some ridiculous people and measures back home. For entertainment value, check out The Stranger. They're a little pissed with those who don't GET OFF THEIR BUTTS AND VOTE...
http://thestranger.com/current/city.html

So Seattle for the umpteenth time is attempting to get rid of the never-happening monorail...how many times does this have to go the ballot? Seattle's the last large city on the west coast (not including Anchorage) that doesn't have a high speed line, whether at grade, above or underground (our puny World's Fair line doesn't count-it's too short to serve commuters). Besides, Scott and Susana will surely capitalize on the future monorail station in north Ballard!

Here in Poland, the Poles are also anxiously awaiting the US Presidential election, as they were one of the 'coalition of the willing' assisting with the 'liberation' of Iraq. Currently, the locals are about 75% in favor of bringing home their troops immediately...and the Secretary of Defence, Jerzy Szmajdzinski stepped out of line and told the media that the troops will be home by the end of 2005 at the latest. Prime Minister Marek Belka was a little pissed, since he and the rest of the cronies have stated that they aren't coming home 'until the job is done.'

There's 2,500 Polish troops in Iraq, and 17 have come home...
in coffins.

Belka and President Aleksander Kwasniewski have been trying to make it easier for Poles to travel and/or move to the USA over the last year (greater restrictions since 9/11), but despite their assistance in Iraq, Bush has shot down all their requests.

Hmm, would Kerry treat them any differently???

and besides, don't you think the Red Sox beat the Yankees for a reason? (sorry, Josh)
Will the Astros beat the Cardinals?
Will the World Series really be Texas vs. Massachussetts?!

Off to Prague tonight with the girls. Hopefully some nice pics to come!

VOTE!
VOTE!
VOTE!
VOTE!
VOTE!
VOTE!

For more info go to:
www.MoveOn.org
www.TheNation.com
www.WorkingForChange.com
www.Harpers.org
www.lcv.org (League of Conservation Voters-check out Bush's environmental report card!)
www.electoral-vote.com (See who's ahead according to polls-Kerry's ahead today 271 vs 257!)
http://slate.msn.com/id/2108497/ (Of course, Slate's polls show a different story (271 to 267 Bush wins)
www.RealClearPolitcis.com (see the polls results for yourself-Bush ahead in the spread by 2.8)
www.RockTheVote.com
www.EatTheState.org
www.DemocracyForAmerica.com (Go Dean!)
www.MichaelMoore.com (you may hate him, but few people are mustering more young people to vote than him right now-promising a 3 pack of underwear or a case of Ramen Noodles to new (college-aged) voters!)
http://www.electoral-vote.com/info/senate.html (How's your Senate race this year?!)
http://projectvote.org/index.php?id=126 (absentee receiving dats for all 50 states)
www.AirAmericaRadio.com
www.AtomFilms.com (real Political films and cartoons)
and since I lightly beat on the Yankees loss, pick out one of these nice pics by Josh Terrell:
http://jltimages.com/

I'm sure I missed a few hundred others...

sorry, well not really.

PLEASE DO THE WORLD, ALL IT'S PEOPLE AND IT'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT A HUMONGOUS FAVOR.

VOTE KERRY!

You're grandchildren will be much happier you did.

jeronimo

Howdy!
Our internet connection has died at our flat...and I just lost one of my teaching lessons, at the cell phone repair company, Sacel. I'll miss the money but I won't miss the commute-2 buses there and a psycho boss racing me back to our school in time for my next lesson. I'll live another year longer now!
So I'm typing from my school, where the connection is OK, but not the greatest. I also can't print from here, which makes it harder to plan some lessons. Grr.

Anyway, just wanted to say Hi.

Jill, Dawn M, Dawn W and Julie and I are heading to Prague this weekend! I get my new tourist stamp, and they go on to Bratislava and Budapest. Lucky ladies!

TTFN!

jr

Julie (PA)about indulge in one of Dawn's amazingly rich Urban S'mores! THEY WERE DANGEROUSLY ADDICTING, TOO!