Please forgive me for the amount of time in between posts recently. If it wasn't clear, it has been quite a whirlwind of the past two weeks, and I'm finally just getting around to getting my feet back under me. I realized that I had promised a post by last night, but a cold that I have been fighting off with alcohol and adrenaline finally caught up with me, and I hit the hay pretty early.
Let's get right into it. Prague. I haven't been to many, but it might just be the best city ever. Easy, efficient public transportation, beautiful architecture, AMAZING food, delicious beer (and wine for that matter), cute shops with great clothes and shoes, a fun nightlife, friendly people, and completely walkable. I traveled with my friends Lauren and Mo, and as soon as we arrived in Old Town Square after a quick bus ride and a few stops on the metro, I knew that I was going to love Prague. Here are the highlights:
1) Our bartender friend and Lucerna: The first night we were walking around after dinner looking for a place to just sit and have a relaxing evening, but we weren't exactly sure about the pub/ bar culture. There were definitely drinking establishments, but they all seemed like small, personal gatherings. As we were walking, I saw this empty hotel bar with this bartender all alone and I said, "Why don't we go in there and chat up the bartender?" My friends agreed, so we just sat down and started talking to him. We don't know his name, but we definitely learned a lot about him, and had the BEST NIGHT EVER because of him. He asked us what we were doing later on, and I just said, "we have no plans. Do you have any recommendations?" And then he said, "well, there's this place right up the road called Lucerna. It's an 80s and 90s dance club. It's very fun." Mo then looked at me with a twinkle in her eye and said, "I love 80s music!"
So we head over there and we walk in to the sound of "Be My Lover" by La Bouche. We just danced the whole time because we knew every song. There was certainly more 90s music than 80s, but some of the highlights include "We Like to Party"(of Six Flags marketing fame), "Summer Nights"(Grease) , "Time of My Life" (Dirty Dancing), "Mamma Mia", "I'm Too Sexy"(Right Said Fred), and "What is Love?". After we had been there for about three and a half hours I said to the girls, "Next song we don't know we're leaving." A half and hour later, we pulled ourselves away from the awesomeness.
2) Mulled Wine, Beer, and Czech Sauvignon Blanc: AS we were walking up the hill to see the castle and St. Vitus (two big landmarks across the river) there was a man with a cart and a percolator of mulled wine every 100 feet. I couldn't help but think, "If Notre Dame had mulled wine carts scattered around campus, it would be a much happier December through February". There is also very delicious beer ( or pivo as the Czech say) all over the place. My personal favorite was the beer they had at U Fleku, which was a dark brew, but tasted like the cross between a Guinness and a Duvel. At the risk of sounding like I have a problem, the girls and I split a bottle of Czech Sauvignon Blanc at 7 Angels, the restaurant my parents recommended to us, and it was some of the best wine I've tasted (but again, in the grand scheme of things, haven't tasted much wine).
3) The Architecture and the history: Prague is amazing because it has survived all of the political unrest that has surrounded it throughout the ages. There is a stunning church on every corner, and there are establishments that have been in service sine the 13th century. As I previously mentioned, we crossed the Charles Bridge to get to St. Vitus and the Castle on Saturday, and then we went to the Jewish Quarter on Sunday. The Jewish quarter is fascinating because Hitler collected all sorts of Jewish artifacts and sent them to Prague to make a museum of stupidity, but when Prague did not get bombed, all of the things were saved. The Jewish museum was shocking because it is a synagogue with all of the names of the Jewish victims of World War II painted on the walls. Picture the names on the Vietnam Memorial painted on the walls, but with more wall space in a smaller font. We also saw the Jewish cemetery, which - without trying to sound dramatic - almost made me cry. There are 12,00 tombstones piled together in this tiny cemetery and it is thought that in some places the cemetery is at least twelve people deep. Heart-wrenching.
4) Old Town Square: I would have spent five days in Prague just so I could eat everything in Old Town Square. We decided to make our last meal an Old Town Square meal, so we got sausages and crepes. There were also all sorts of pastries and kebabs and I just wanted to stay there forever. It was so delicious and there was always an accordion player, who simply completed the ambiance.
All in all, my trip to Prague just gave me this burning itch to travel. The feeling of seeing new places and eating new foods and meeting new people is indescribable, and I'm dying to do it again.
But for now, my goal is to get back in touch with London. My mom asked me when I got back on Sunday, "Do you still feel like you're on extended vacation or do you feel like London is home?" and I had to answer the latter. It almost feels so much like home that I realized that I was starting to take it for granted. However, I went back to the Tate Modern yesterday and I went for a run through the parks today, and I'm planning on hitting the Imperial War museum this weekend as well as another market, so hopefully London will forgive me.
Life Is Too Short to Drink Bad Wine
I'm back! I don't think I've gotten so many requests to write another post before, but it makes me glad that people want to keep reading. Count it! Sorry that the "Bitch Blog" has sat there on my page for a while now, but I'm happy to say that while yes, these things still bug me, I just returned from a lovely weekend in PARIS that will definitely prove to be more positive material than what I was working with last week.
PARIS - I stayed in an absurdly luxurious hotel, thanks to the generosity of one of my travel companions, drank delicious champagne and red wine, and ate decadent food. I could see the Eiffel Tower out of my bedroom window, and when I walked out of our hotel and looked right, I was staring straight at the Arc d'Triomphe. Since both girls I was traveling with had been to Paris previously (and not in below-freezing temperatures) I split off to do some more touristy things while they took advantage of the Marais district, which is full of funky boutiques (I eventually met up with them - I can never totally pass up shopping). I hit the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Musee d'Orsay, and Notre Dame on Saturday, and then the Eiffel Tower, the Sacre Coeur, and the Montmarte district Sunday.
While the sights were stunning, I completely underestimated the swarms of people that would be in Paris on VALENTINE'S DAY weekend. And not just people. Face-sucking couples. I would be lying if I said that my weekend couldn't have been better, since it would have been nice to have my shugah there with me, but I powered through. The worst might have been Sunday morning walking down the steps of the Sacre Coeur with a man playing a harp and all of these couple sitting and listening to him. The swarms of couples also made it impossible for me to get into the Musee d'Orsay (I tried twice), but that just means I'll have to go back, which is totally fine by me (preferably in the summer).
I would say that my most positive experiences in Paris were my interactions with the locals. I don't have many means of comparison, but the French guys seem to have found a good balance of being friendly and outgoing, but not creepy. The first night we stopped into a hole-in-the-wall bar around the corner from the restaurant we ate in, and when we went to order drink, the bartender was American! He'd lived in Paris for about 12 years, but he's from Cleveland originally. We turned around and then this guy (Julian) leans in and say to me, "Excuse me, my friend Stephen is trying to practice English. Will you speak with him?" We all start chatting and the interaction is very normal and not creepy at all. Then at one point, Julian says something-something "Barney Stinson". I whip around and say, "You know who Barney Stinson is?" And He says in this awkward French accent, "Haaave you met Ted?" It was hilarious. Talk about How I Met Your Mother bringing people together. The following night we were at The Social Club - the cross between a rave and a normal bar - and we were almost immediately approached by our new friend Gaber who bought us B-52s (flaming shots) and then invited us to his table for drinks. We chatted with all of his friends and just had a really fun night. When we left the club, these two guys who were outside for a smoke helped us get a cab for 45 minutes. I don't remember their names, but they were also just genuinely nice. Re-reading it,this paragraph sounds somewhat naive, but I think my instinct are pretty good about that kind of thing, and nothing bad happened. New friends that I'll never see again. I call that a win.
I guess I have deviated a little from my "New Things", but I am returning with a little installment called "Monday the 15th of February 2010, the Best Night Ever".
First, I got to see Anne Marie! (She's visiting London this week before she heads to Venice for her study abroad program) So we go out and get a drink and catch up at The Dovetail, and then head over to one of my favorite place ever, the Exmouth Arms. It's a small pub with a really friendly regular staff, and they do student discounts on Monday nights. Clutch. Kevin, my bartender friend, is working, and he and I have a common passion for Guinness. Whenever I go there, I always order a Guinness, and he says, "I love a woman who loves her Guinness". As the night went on, I was standing at the bar and I said to him, "Hey Kev, do think that before I leave in May you would teach me how to pour a Guinness?" He says, "Give me five minutes." Five minutes later, Kevin pulls me back behind the bar, and he teaches me how to pour a Guinness! Not only did I pour a Guinness, I basically helped him tend bar the rest of the night, and as a nightcap, Kev gives me a free Guinness. Not too shabby! I'll keep you posted on if they actually decide to hire me, because I think they were legitimately considering it...
Those have been my past few days. I'm headed to Prague on Friday, and have some (gasp!) homework to do for Monday and Tuesday, but hopefully I'll have another post for you on Tuesday! Also, I appreciate the nagging about posting. It keeps me in line. And you informed.
PARIS - I stayed in an absurdly luxurious hotel, thanks to the generosity of one of my travel companions, drank delicious champagne and red wine, and ate decadent food. I could see the Eiffel Tower out of my bedroom window, and when I walked out of our hotel and looked right, I was staring straight at the Arc d'Triomphe. Since both girls I was traveling with had been to Paris previously (and not in below-freezing temperatures) I split off to do some more touristy things while they took advantage of the Marais district, which is full of funky boutiques (I eventually met up with them - I can never totally pass up shopping). I hit the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Musee d'Orsay, and Notre Dame on Saturday, and then the Eiffel Tower, the Sacre Coeur, and the Montmarte district Sunday.
While the sights were stunning, I completely underestimated the swarms of people that would be in Paris on VALENTINE'S DAY weekend. And not just people. Face-sucking couples. I would be lying if I said that my weekend couldn't have been better, since it would have been nice to have my shugah there with me, but I powered through. The worst might have been Sunday morning walking down the steps of the Sacre Coeur with a man playing a harp and all of these couple sitting and listening to him. The swarms of couples also made it impossible for me to get into the Musee d'Orsay (I tried twice), but that just means I'll have to go back, which is totally fine by me (preferably in the summer).
I would say that my most positive experiences in Paris were my interactions with the locals. I don't have many means of comparison, but the French guys seem to have found a good balance of being friendly and outgoing, but not creepy. The first night we stopped into a hole-in-the-wall bar around the corner from the restaurant we ate in, and when we went to order drink, the bartender was American! He'd lived in Paris for about 12 years, but he's from Cleveland originally. We turned around and then this guy (Julian) leans in and say to me, "Excuse me, my friend Stephen is trying to practice English. Will you speak with him?" We all start chatting and the interaction is very normal and not creepy at all. Then at one point, Julian says something-something "Barney Stinson". I whip around and say, "You know who Barney Stinson is?" And He says in this awkward French accent, "Haaave you met Ted?" It was hilarious. Talk about How I Met Your Mother bringing people together. The following night we were at The Social Club - the cross between a rave and a normal bar - and we were almost immediately approached by our new friend Gaber who bought us B-52s (flaming shots) and then invited us to his table for drinks. We chatted with all of his friends and just had a really fun night. When we left the club, these two guys who were outside for a smoke helped us get a cab for 45 minutes. I don't remember their names, but they were also just genuinely nice. Re-reading it,this paragraph sounds somewhat naive, but I think my instinct are pretty good about that kind of thing, and nothing bad happened. New friends that I'll never see again. I call that a win.
I guess I have deviated a little from my "New Things", but I am returning with a little installment called "Monday the 15th of February 2010, the Best Night Ever".
First, I got to see Anne Marie! (She's visiting London this week before she heads to Venice for her study abroad program) So we go out and get a drink and catch up at The Dovetail, and then head over to one of my favorite place ever, the Exmouth Arms. It's a small pub with a really friendly regular staff, and they do student discounts on Monday nights. Clutch. Kevin, my bartender friend, is working, and he and I have a common passion for Guinness. Whenever I go there, I always order a Guinness, and he says, "I love a woman who loves her Guinness". As the night went on, I was standing at the bar and I said to him, "Hey Kev, do think that before I leave in May you would teach me how to pour a Guinness?" He says, "Give me five minutes." Five minutes later, Kevin pulls me back behind the bar, and he teaches me how to pour a Guinness! Not only did I pour a Guinness, I basically helped him tend bar the rest of the night, and as a nightcap, Kev gives me a free Guinness. Not too shabby! I'll keep you posted on if they actually decide to hire me, because I think they were legitimately considering it...
Those have been my past few days. I'm headed to Prague on Friday, and have some (gasp!) homework to do for Monday and Tuesday, but hopefully I'll have another post for you on Tuesday! Also, I appreciate the nagging about posting. It keeps me in line. And you informed.
There are Bad Days...
...even in London. It could be that the initial magic of feeling like I was on an extended vacation is beginning to wear off, or it could be that I've had a ten page philosophy paper hanging over my head, but the past couple days have just been bad. I think it started off with my Saturday, which I dedicated to applying for summer internships. Talk about a buzzkill. I'd actually be totally stoked if I got any of them, but nothing makes me feel more like I'm becoming a real person than thinking about employment and the future. And becoming a real person is not something that I want to be doing anytime soon, despite its inevitability.
Sunday was the quintessential "Think about (fill in gerund form of task that you have to do, have been putting off, but don't necessarily NEED to start)" day that all procrastinators are familiar with. I spent the majority of the day telling people that I had to write ten pages of philosophy and thinking about writing ten pages of philosophy but not actually sitting down and writing ten pages of philosophy. However, I ran up into a new part of town and did a little exploring, and I also had a traditional English lunch which was delicious.
Just to switch up the structure a little, my Monday and Tuesday can be summarized by a list: Things That Bug Me. I'll try and keep it to the things that bugged me yesterday and today, but no promises.
Things That Bug Me
1) Professors that think your world revolves around their class.
My philosophy prof. started class by saying that he was going to be half an hour late to class on Wednesday because he had to go to a meeting, but then proceeded to tell us that are already horribly painful 75 minute class was going to be extended that day to make up for it. The whole time I'm thinking, "Are you out of your mind?! Well, obviously because you have devoted your life to talking in circles and not coming to any real conclusions about anything, but seriously? I have things to do! Like eat. And write the paper you assigned!"
2) Performances that are longer than 2 hours.
As someone who has been to and been involved in many performances, I have developed a rule: any performance, of any kind, that is longer than two hours, should not be. Edit the play. Cut the dance sequence. Don't play the encore. Two hours is a long time to sit in one seat, even if you are riveted by what's happening on stage, and it's an eternity when you are hungry and the string orchestra has sounded the same for the past 26 minute piece. (I went to the Britten Sinfonia for my contemporary music class and the last piece was 26 minutes long. And that started after the 2 hour mark). I would have rather been writing my philo paper. Seriously.
3) People who don't walk with purpose.
It's fine to amble along if you're in a park, on the beach, or being filmed by a camera crew and they've blocked off the sidewalk. But when walking is your commute, you need to walk with intention and purpose. Know your surroundings, walk quickly, and get where you're going. If I catch up with you and I know you, I will say hi, but if you are not walking at my pace, I will not walk with you. If I do not know you and you are walking too slowly, you are in my way.
4) People who talk too loudly on public transportation.
Especially if they are talking to me. I'm not a quiet girl, but when I get on a bus or a train in London, I shut up. I hate it when I'm commuting and the person I'm with can't stop yelling about how they've never been abroad and where they are traveling and basically telling everyone, "I'M AMERICAN! I'M AMERICAN! CALL ME OBNOXIOUS AND SPOILED AFTER YOU'VE STOLEN MY WALLET OUT OF MY NORTHFACE BACKPACK! PLEASE!"
These are some of the things that bug me. Well, that have bugged me the past two days. I feel better now. Thanks.
Sunday was the quintessential "Think about (fill in gerund form of task that you have to do, have been putting off, but don't necessarily NEED to start)" day that all procrastinators are familiar with. I spent the majority of the day telling people that I had to write ten pages of philosophy and thinking about writing ten pages of philosophy but not actually sitting down and writing ten pages of philosophy. However, I ran up into a new part of town and did a little exploring, and I also had a traditional English lunch which was delicious.
Just to switch up the structure a little, my Monday and Tuesday can be summarized by a list: Things That Bug Me. I'll try and keep it to the things that bugged me yesterday and today, but no promises.
Things That Bug Me
1) Professors that think your world revolves around their class.
My philosophy prof. started class by saying that he was going to be half an hour late to class on Wednesday because he had to go to a meeting, but then proceeded to tell us that are already horribly painful 75 minute class was going to be extended that day to make up for it. The whole time I'm thinking, "Are you out of your mind?! Well, obviously because you have devoted your life to talking in circles and not coming to any real conclusions about anything, but seriously? I have things to do! Like eat. And write the paper you assigned!"
2) Performances that are longer than 2 hours.
As someone who has been to and been involved in many performances, I have developed a rule: any performance, of any kind, that is longer than two hours, should not be. Edit the play. Cut the dance sequence. Don't play the encore. Two hours is a long time to sit in one seat, even if you are riveted by what's happening on stage, and it's an eternity when you are hungry and the string orchestra has sounded the same for the past 26 minute piece. (I went to the Britten Sinfonia for my contemporary music class and the last piece was 26 minutes long. And that started after the 2 hour mark). I would have rather been writing my philo paper. Seriously.
3) People who don't walk with purpose.
It's fine to amble along if you're in a park, on the beach, or being filmed by a camera crew and they've blocked off the sidewalk. But when walking is your commute, you need to walk with intention and purpose. Know your surroundings, walk quickly, and get where you're going. If I catch up with you and I know you, I will say hi, but if you are not walking at my pace, I will not walk with you. If I do not know you and you are walking too slowly, you are in my way.
4) People who talk too loudly on public transportation.
Especially if they are talking to me. I'm not a quiet girl, but when I get on a bus or a train in London, I shut up. I hate it when I'm commuting and the person I'm with can't stop yelling about how they've never been abroad and where they are traveling and basically telling everyone, "I'M AMERICAN! I'M AMERICAN! CALL ME OBNOXIOUS AND SPOILED AFTER YOU'VE STOLEN MY WALLET OUT OF MY NORTHFACE BACKPACK! PLEASE!"
These are some of the things that bug me. Well, that have bugged me the past two days. I feel better now. Thanks.
The Coffee in London
For those of you reading this, I assume you know that I have a thing for coffee. And it's not a grade-school, puppy-love kind of thing, it's is full blown passionate love for something that I know will never be able to love me back. But I'm okay with that, as long as I still have access to it. While I was on campus, there was a Starbucks literally a minute away on foot. I could roll out of bed in the morning, swipe my student ID, and have my stainless steel travelers mug (I do my part to be green) full of that hot black and strong goodness.
Now all of that has changed. The Starbucks establishments in London don't accept my student ID as a legitimate form of payment, so now I have to factor my daily fix into the already tight budget that I'm working with. However, this has not prompted me to call it quits with my love. I am fortunate enough to have very considerate family members, so I arrived in London with about $45 in Starbucks gift cards, which have definitely made this transition period easier. But unfortunately, Starbucks are not nearly as ubiquitous here as they are in the states. They actually have (gasp!) competition, and being the self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur that I am, I decided to give them all a try.
Pret a Manger: A good cup of coffee, but nothing to call home about. Not particularly strong and it took forever for them to make it. TANGENT: Except for Starbucks, all of these establishments make coffee by the cup. So technically, none of it is truly brewed coffee. Everything (well, the only thing I order) is essentially an Americano - hot water and espresso.
Cafe Nero: A delicious cup of coffee. Full bodied, multiple layers of flavor, an all-around wonderful coffee experience. HOWEVER, apparently everyone in London knows about this because whenever I go in it is PACKED and it ends up being a fifteen minute transaction. No thanks. Also, their "regular" size, or medium, is actually 12 oz., which is the same as a tall at Starbucks, and costs 20p more. Like I said, secret's out.
Cafe Canova: This place is my favorite for many reasons. 1) There is never a line in this hole-in-the-wall cafe just around the corner from the London Center. My slowest mornings in there are when I don't give exact change. 2)Speaking of exact change, the coffee is only ONE POUND. It makes me happy every time I give the girl who works there that one little coin. And I know, one pound here is like $1.60 at home, which is still as expensive as Starbucks coffee, but let me revel in this little bit of glory. 3) The coffee is good. Bold flavor, but not too strong, and it's always the right temperature when I go to drink it. I know the establishment probably has nothing to do with that, but still, it's a perk.
Needless to say, Starbucks will never lose me as a loyal customer, but it's always good to have alternatives, especially once those gift cards start running out.
Now all of that has changed. The Starbucks establishments in London don't accept my student ID as a legitimate form of payment, so now I have to factor my daily fix into the already tight budget that I'm working with. However, this has not prompted me to call it quits with my love. I am fortunate enough to have very considerate family members, so I arrived in London with about $45 in Starbucks gift cards, which have definitely made this transition period easier. But unfortunately, Starbucks are not nearly as ubiquitous here as they are in the states. They actually have (gasp!) competition, and being the self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur that I am, I decided to give them all a try.
Pret a Manger: A good cup of coffee, but nothing to call home about. Not particularly strong and it took forever for them to make it. TANGENT: Except for Starbucks, all of these establishments make coffee by the cup. So technically, none of it is truly brewed coffee. Everything (well, the only thing I order) is essentially an Americano - hot water and espresso.
Cafe Nero: A delicious cup of coffee. Full bodied, multiple layers of flavor, an all-around wonderful coffee experience. HOWEVER, apparently everyone in London knows about this because whenever I go in it is PACKED and it ends up being a fifteen minute transaction. No thanks. Also, their "regular" size, or medium, is actually 12 oz., which is the same as a tall at Starbucks, and costs 20p more. Like I said, secret's out.
Cafe Canova: This place is my favorite for many reasons. 1) There is never a line in this hole-in-the-wall cafe just around the corner from the London Center. My slowest mornings in there are when I don't give exact change. 2)Speaking of exact change, the coffee is only ONE POUND. It makes me happy every time I give the girl who works there that one little coin. And I know, one pound here is like $1.60 at home, which is still as expensive as Starbucks coffee, but let me revel in this little bit of glory. 3) The coffee is good. Bold flavor, but not too strong, and it's always the right temperature when I go to drink it. I know the establishment probably has nothing to do with that, but still, it's a perk.
Needless to say, Starbucks will never lose me as a loyal customer, but it's always good to have alternatives, especially once those gift cards start running out.
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