29-31: in Praha, Anděl’
December 3, 2010
Thursday December 2nd - White Self-Existing Mirror
We spend some time chatting with Dušan, kind person. He has a good knowledge of history of Bulgaria, Turkey. He advises me places of interest on my way out of Czech Republic. I get outside for a walk in Petřín hill's park, but first taking pastries from a bakery: The kolač is a Czech specialty, the typical Kolač being garnished with poppy seeds. Petřín hill park offers nice point of views on the city. Everything in white of course. Nice, but cold. Kids are playing in the park with theirs sleds, teenagers have their snowboards. Getting down through a monastery, and the slippery streets, I enter a church where is a wax statue of Little Jesus Kid, with an exposition of all the clothing made for it. And then groceries, I am not going every day in restaurant, let's cook. And I do not care at all eating healthy, then I cold not enjoy pasta with walnuts and blue cheese. Besides, I am feeling like making a choucroute: it’s been years that I didn’t buy any meat. And fat is important to support freezing temperatures.
pics #252 - #274
Wednesday December 1st - Red Electric Earth
Today I need to change host. Which means packing everything on the bike again. I am heading to the old town square where I park the bicycle and wait for the hour to ring in front of the Astronomical Clock. It rings, and two small windows open with statues of the apostles passing around. I am rambling in the area, looking for a different place to eat while it is snowing. Visiting the Museum of communism, learns me the recent history of Czeskoslovakia. The price is definitely not communist though, it’s a private museum with a rather high entrance fee in spite of the exposition.
Today I need to change host. Which means packing everything on the bike again. I am heading to the old town square where I park the bicycle and wait for the hour to ring in front of the Astronomical Clock. It rings, and two small windows open with statues of the apostles passing around. I am rambling in the area, looking for a different place to eat while it is snowing. Visiting the Museum of communism, learns me the recent history of Czeskoslovakia. The price is definitely not communist though, it’s a private museum with a rather high entrance fee in spite of the exposition.
Its visit makes me think about how we are under control. How education, school is important so that "Now you do what they told you" -Killing in the Name, Zack de la Rocha. Of course, the climate is different than in a dictatorship so we write our thoughts, opinions, activities, relationships on ‘social networks’, which would be the task of secret police. Governments lies and media manipulation still exist nowadays. Free speech is valid "If you're not dumb enough to actually try it" -Know your Rights, Joe Strummer-. Doesn´t the recent struggle of governments against WikiLeaks proves that point better than any rock lyrics? Capitalism survives because consumerism have people running in an ever unsatisfied quest for happiness, wealth, recognition. Communist system failed in providing such dream to people, guiding these desires to the glory of the party instead. But we are made servants of a system anyway. What can we do against that? Let’s stand on our heads! Coming out of the communist museum gets you facing with the yellow and red banner of... McDonalds.
The bicycle after an afternoon of snowing, in Staromětské
Naměstí
Pick up the bike and head to the other side of the river to meet tonight's new host. Pushing the bicycle through snowy streets is a mission. Satisfaction arrives when I enter Dušan’s apartment, with his many music instruments: flute, guitar, harp.Thursday December 2nd - White Self-Existing Mirror
We spend some time chatting with Dušan, kind person. He has a good knowledge of history of Bulgaria, Turkey. He advises me places of interest on my way out of Czech Republic. I get outside for a walk in Petřín hill's park, but first taking pastries from a bakery: The kolač is a Czech specialty, the typical Kolač being garnished with poppy seeds. Petřín hill park offers nice point of views on the city. Everything in white of course. Nice, but cold. Kids are playing in the park with theirs sleds, teenagers have their snowboards. Getting down through a monastery, and the slippery streets, I enter a church where is a wax statue of Little Jesus Kid, with an exposition of all the clothing made for it. And then groceries, I am not going every day in restaurant, let's cook. And I do not care at all eating healthy, then I cold not enjoy pasta with walnuts and blue cheese. Besides, I am feeling like making a choucroute: it’s been years that I didn’t buy any meat. And fat is important to support freezing temperatures.
View on Národní Divadlo -National theater- from Petřísnké Sady - garden of Petřín hill-
Kids enjoying the snow in Petřínské Sady
A view of the Strahovský Kláster
The Little Jesus of Prague in his golden box
One of the many costumes of the spoiled Little Jesus of Prague
Friday December 3rd - Blue Overtone Storm
Today walk to Vyšehrad, another hill of Prague.
Vyšerhad hill
Kostel sv. Petra a Pavla - church Sts Peter and Paul
Detail of the kostel Sv. Petra a Pavla
A view of Vyšehrad park
Again, it gives beautiful panorama, again it’s freezing cold. I am definitely wishing to come back, another time of the year, hopefully with sun and no snow. If the weather is not perfect, my belly stays happy with a stop for coffee and struddle. On the way to the center I discover Lucerna passage with its funny statue. Back for diner at Dušan, to make a tasty choucroute.
Lucerna Passage: statue of Sv. Vaclav - st Wenceslas