We're coming home...

Well, not quite yet. But the program is over and Daniel and I now have a couple of days left to just wander around and soak in a little bit more of Prague.

The program ended with a nice big party with an open bar and some good food. I must say, I'm beginning to feel like an old woman! While everyone else was getting drunk at the open bar, I sipped my juice and enjoyed a few last conversations with our Czech friends. Oh well, I'm okay with being "old." Means that I woke up the next morning without a hangover!

Of course, the first thing I did was go to the John Lennon Wall and leave my mark:

My additions to the John Lennon Wall in Prague

Before I had even finished, there was a woman taking a picture of my little white-out masterpieces... so that's kinda cool. It's weird to think of part of my "tourist" experience also being a part of someone else's tourist experience. A nice girl, who sounded Australian, took this pic for me and I passed on my marker and white-out so she could leave her mark. It all felt very perfect for the moment.

Daniel and I spent the day mostly doing tourist-y things we hadn't done yet... like taking goofy pics of ourselves on the Charles Bridge:

We also finally went to go see this inside of the St. Vitus Cathedral, in the middle of town. Though it was a truly impressive building, like all big gothic Cathedrals are, my favorite part was the Mucha stained glass window:

A close up on the middle detail...

So, we've really just been walking around, seeing little things and then looking at each other and asking, what's next?

I have to admit, after a month of fairly regimented scheduling, I almost feel loss in the lack of responsibilties! However, Daniel and I keep agreeing with each other that, if nothing else, just enjoying the beauty of the city is stuff to do enough.

We're both ready to be home but know we'll miss Prague-- and I can't shake the feeling that we'll be back here soon. We've just both loved it so much. So, we'll see... for now, we're trying to soak it all in, and prepare for the trip back home.

So much... so quick!

This past week has flown by!

I feel like when we first got into town I wanted to relax and really soak in the experience. But now that we're so close to the end, I feel like I need to fill every single second with something. Of course, life gets in the way... but let's go back, I've lots I haven't mentioned.

I guess the big thing was our trip to Terezin. This concentration camp was one of the first and has a long and twisted history that made our visit extremely surreal. Terezin was originally built as a fortress and was used as a prison for many years before it became a concentration camp. As a camp, it held the dubious honor of being known as the "show" camp, the camp that was used to show the visitors from the Red Cross that Hitler wasn't treating the Jews too badly. Obviously, this was pure propaganda. We even watched parts of a propaganda film that was made of the camp called, "The Town Hitler Gave the Jews."

Needless to say, the entire trip was surreal. To see the film, to see actual people walking in the areas we were walking in, seeing pictures of the day the camp was liberated.... just being there...

In high school, high school the first in El Paso, I was in a performance of the play "I Never Saw Another Butterfly," that was about the children in this camp. The drew art, wrote poetry, put on plays... because they were supposed to make others believe nothing was wrong. We saw some of the art and writing... and though I didn't cry, couldn't cry, my insides knotted up.

There is no way I will ever understand that.

I'm not sure I can say anymore about that.

So, the day after Daniel and I decided to take a happier more carefree trip to Pilsen, the home of Pilsner Urquell, one of the oldest beers still around. It was like the Disneyland for beer. The tour was a little simplistic, hey-the Jack Daniels Distillery tour has us spoiled, it was still fun. We also got to try some special beer made in a traditional way on site.

After that, it's been classes and work and unfortunately, the sick. I had it, now Daniel has it... so, we're calling it an early night.

Tomorrow, we leave on a trip to Cesky Krumlov and Cesky Budejovice (also known as the home of the REAL Budweiser). So it should be a great weekend.

After that? Only one more week! Tell the kitties we'll be home soon.

My, how time does fly...

And look! The program is almost over!

Tomorrow is my last day of workshop with Mark Jarman and, I must say, I'm a little sad. I know it's only been two weeks but I've really enjoyed working with him and felt a real sense of understanding. However, I do look forward to working with Maxine Chernoff. I don't know her well but I know that she will most likely be the most different kind of writer I've worked with. So, that should be exciting.

On a different note, today Daniel and I went to the screening of the documentary "Fighter," about Jan Wiener and Arnost Lustig,  Czech Holocaust survivors (and Communist survivors for that matter) and their retracing their steps in the Czech Republic. Here's a little more info on that. Anyhow, Arnost was there and he was actually really funny. In a weird way it was a good introduction to what we'll be doing on Saturday, going to Terezin.

So wow, I can't say I'm "looking forward" to that... but it will happen. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Other than that? I've been doing some good writing here, thinking some big thoughts, and getting a wee bit homesick.

Also? Spending too much money... such is vacation, right? I'm sure by the end of the month I will have spent at least $200 on water (as it's not free at restaurants and it's WAY TOO HOT), $200 on beer... because this is Daniel in Prague we're speaking about, and who knows how much on accidentally over-priced food--because walking around in the heat all day makes you give up looking for the cheapest place all the time.

But hey-- what are we to do? You only live once and Praha is worth it, despite the heat and money! Let's hope I can get an extra part time job when I get back :)

A bit of the doom and gloom, and beer...

I swear I meant to up-date this a little more often but, as you can probably imagine, things have been busy. In addition to this, weather has been in the 90s with no A/C anywhere... so we've all been exhausted! But, we've still managed to see/do some amazing things.

Last weekend we ended up making it to another brew-pub and the Vysehrad Cemetary. Now, I won't say much about the brew-pub because if you read Daniel's blog I'm sure he's written about it- I will mention that I had Nettle beer for the first time and thought it was AWESOME because it was bright green :)

The beer sampler at Pivovarsky Dum.

The cemetary, though was far more interesting for me.

The Vysehrad Cemetary is home to the resting places of such greats as Dvorak, Capek (the man who invented the word robot), and Mucha, to name a few. The most interesting part for me though was that on many of the graves, the top was built up so that it was like a planter. Many of the graves had beautifully carved headstones that were accented by flowers or other greenery spilling out over their edges. I thought it was a beautiful way to paint an image of life coming from death. It also had another amazing view of the city.

 The mosaic work here is phenomenal.

After that, we went on a tour of the five synagogues in town with the teacher of my Jewish Studies class. I didn't really take pictures, but I will tell you I was extremely moved. The Pinkas Synagogue is actually a monument to those Czechs who died during the Holocaust. The entire first floor of the building is white but covered in the names of the dead. I was in there for literally about a minute and a half before I was just completely overwhelmed with emotion. To think, that all those names added up to only about 1% of those who were murdered.

I must say, one thing I truly respect about the Czechs I've met is their intimate relationship with their history. No one mentions Hitler without also calling him a bastard-in a weird way, I really respect their frankness.

After that, we walked around the Old Jewish Cemetery, which was another insanely moving place. It is one of the oldest cemeteries of its kind and also in the best condition. The insane thing is that they're all jagged, here's a picture I stole off-line:

Among the thousands, buried here is the legendary Rabbi Loew, fabled creator of the Golem.

After that, we went to the other synagogues which had some beautiful textiles and were really interesting... but I must say, the first place we went has stayed with me the most.

So, it's been a bit of an emotional week... Saturday we'll be going to Terezin. I've been fighting with myself about whether or not I wanted to go. When it comes down to it, I don't want to go but I feel I need to. I may not be a religious Jew but I feel the need to pay respect to my heritage because, as always, the more I learn about it the more I want to learn.

And with that, we're almost half-way done with our time here! Unbelievable!

Mucha!

For years, I'm been fairly addicted to art from the Art Nouveau period but, I've never really learned much about it.

As it turns out, Prague has tons of Art Nouveau architecture and the Czech Republic is home to Alphonse Mucha, one of my all time favorites! So, yesterday, between finally buying a fan (yay!) and going to a crazy pub called PUB (more on that later) Daniel, our friend Laura, and I went to the Mucha museum here.

This is part of a four piece series on the arts. It is, of course, the one entitled "Poetry." Needless to say, I had a great day yesterday.

Today, Daniel and I will head out to the St. Vitus Cathedral here which houses a stained glass window designed by Mr. Mucha as well! Color me happy :)

First week has come and gone!

Sometimes it's hard to believe how quickly a week can come and go!

This week has been amazing. Let me try to re-cap all that has happened.

Of course, I've had more classes. Mark continues to be a wonderful workshop leader and I feel like, hopefully, a mentor that I can keep in touch with. Tomas continues to be a fascinating research of Jewish and Czech history, in part because of an impressive ability to tell the story of history in a way that we all can grasp the big picture.

In addition to our normal classes, we've started our lectures. One was the Czech Lit. professor, who basically talked non-stop for an hour and half, barely breathing, and was hilarious. Did I mention he was wearing a Monty Python t-shirt? Then Gerald Costanzo talked about the history of publishing and where it's going. Which totally got me excited! I even went to talk to him about how I want to study New Media after the lecture and, I gotta admit, it was probably the most emphatic response I've gotten from a creative writer.

We also had the first two nights of readings. The first was an Irish ex-pat who lives here in Prague who was charming. It was a little bizarre to hear him read Czech in an Irish accent but he had one of the most memorable lines of the night where, in a poem, he recounted how his son once punched him in the balls and said it was "the Batman way," how great of a writing moment is that? Then a playwright from MTSU read and she was also very good.

Then Thursday night was amazing, Mark read with Stu Dybek (who is now pronouncing his name closer to Dybbuk-this became a topic of conversation). Both are amazing talents and you could tell everyone was really in awe.

And finally the student reading was last night. And I got to act! I was asked by Adam Pasen, one of the playwrights, to be a part of his play. I have to admit, I miss acting. I think it was obvious because I had so much fun, people were coming up to me all night complimenting me. So, of course, I had to thank Adam for my Prague Theatrical debut :)

Between all this class-work, I promise I've been seeing the city too! Daniel and I have become fond of just walking around at dinner time until we find a random place whose prices aren't too bad and just stopping there. It's led to some really fabulous evening walks that have allowed us just to take in the city and I can't stop repeating just how beautiful it is!

I mean, seriously. There will probably be about a hundred pictures of the area around the river by the time I'm down, but it doesn't stop being pretty.

We also went to the Kafka Museum which was a haunting experience. The museum is designed in a way to envelop your senses. With different music and sounds as well as projected images and tactile displays, it was a really interesting way to learn about such a monumental figure in modern literature. Especially after this, I feel that Daniel and I are seriously considering learning German together. There's just so much interesting German texts and philosophy, Kafka's is just one more push in that direction.

There's also been some of the most fascinating street-art here! Which has kinda been a hobby-study of mine for awhile but learning about Kafka helps me look at the art here differently. This country has such a strong sense of history but it's equally mixed with it's self-mytholigizing.

Anyhow, we got a new battery charger so there will be more pictures. Make sure to look on facebook.

xoxo

First day of class!

As the title of the entry suggests, today was the first day we got down to the business of the trip and I went to class!

First up was the workshop with Mark Jarman. He is absolutely kind and laid-back and we met up a little earlier than class at a local coffee place, Paneria... sound familiar?, and chatted about class. We also talked a little bit about Ken Smith, an ex-honorary-professor of mine who passed away not too long ago. I find, even when missing someone, it's nice to be able to remember them with someone-especially someone who knew them in a completely different way even.

Anyhow! Workshop was really good, I feel like I've already learned quite a bit just by observing Mark's teaching style in workshop.

Then, I went to my Jewish Literature class and I was just even more blown away. The teacher, Tomas, is a lawyer, Executive Director of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Prague and, despite the fact that he felt the need to remind us often that he is not a professor, the teacher of this class. As is usual, we went around and introduced ourselves as the beginning of class and his introduction included the story of his parents- who are BOTH Holocaust survivors. Both of them were in Terezin in addition to other work camps and his father even escaped to Budapest! Needless to say, the story was fascinating.

After that, Daniel met up with me and we went to see the friend's apartment that John and Katie are staying at. It was really nice to see residential Prague. We went to dinner at a little pub down the street and I must say there was some prime people watching. The Czech people love dogs, beer, and a generally relaxed way of life. In other words, if I learned the language I could TOTALLY see loving it here.

Despite the hot weather we've been having and my pathetic ankles being sore from walking all day on cobblestones, this continues to be a great trip. Now, if only we could get the camera battery to charge, but that's another story that's not really worth telling.

xoxo