from praha to plainville

farewell

2010-06-27T10:04:00.002-05:00

I have taken the last train back to Prague from a trip through Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. This semester study abroad has been quite the adventure and experience. I can safely say that I have enjoyed travelling Europe and meeting people from all over the world. Just yesterday I met two Chileans travelling Europe. They were making their way to Prague. It was remarkable hearing about the differences in housing, healthcare, and even the standard of living between our cultures.

Sometimes it wasn't the easiest of trips or classwork, but it was a rewarding time to be able to have the opportunity. I thank any of you who have endured my writings and hope to see you shortly. I will be back in Plainville just before I ring in my birthday. Farewell Europe.

northern europe

2010-06-17T10:38:00.002-05:00

I returned from a trip through Northern Europe. After this lengthy travel, I'm ready for another go. Tomorrow I leave for Paris and will make my way through Italy once more from Pisa to Florence to Venice. I have a lot of prep work to complete, but photos from Northern Europe are uploaded to Facebook if you're interested. London is separate, but the album includes six countries through 18 days. I realize it's been quite some time since my previous post, so I'll try and keep it more recent. I only have two weeks left!

english islands.

2010-06-06T03:37:00.002-05:00

I am on the edge of finishing the first half of my journey. London was absolutely amazing and has too much to offer for the little amount of time I spent in the city. I purchased a London Pass that took me through the major attractions without a fee, but because the city is so vast, I feel I have only touched the surface. I would have to say the tour of Wimbledon with the tournament in only 3 weeks was profound. The grass was perfect, and the guide knew the greatest of stories. Following a short stay in Dublin, Ireland including a tour of the Guinness Storehouse and a couple days in Glasgow (Scotland), I find myself in Edinburgh ready for the highlands. I plan to see the city and run the tour through the highlands to Stirling Castle, William Wallace Monument, Doune Castle (Monty Python), and up to Loch Ness. Photos will be available on Facebook intermittently. We'll see if all goes as planned.

Next: Oslo, Norway_June 9

the trip.

2010-05-29T07:18:00.002-05:00

I'm about to embark on an eighteen day excursion across Northern Europe. I leave for London in less than one hour. It will be a nice change speaking English as a first greeting. After a few days in London, I will make my way through Dublin, Ireland and to the cities of Scotland. After a tour of the isles, I'm flying to Norway and Sweden for a little Scandinavian adventure. I'll be in Brussels when the World Cup begins and Amsterdam the following days. I have my friends and trusty backpack to keep me on track. I'll try and keep you posted on my activities, but I can't make any promises on internet connections. Cheers!

bauhaus

2010-05-28T06:11:00.002-05:00

A visit to friends in Dessau presented the opportunity to see the Bauhaus. Mid-crits were taking place in studios as well. I glanced at all of the work the students had been working fervently to an end and even attended a crit. A nice sunny day with frisbee on the lawn ended a pleasant trip.

sail away

2010-05-22T05:08:00.003-05:00

As a last chance to see friends leaving for home, the boat party was a departure in style. We cruised the Charles River to the tune of music, drinks, and friends.

BeerFest + Black Eyed Peas

2010-05-17T14:29:00.004-05:00

Czech Beer Festival 2010 & Black Eyed Peas Concert. I gotta feeling it was a good night!

terezin

2010-05-17T13:35:00.005-05:00

Our History & Theory of Urbanism excursion took us through the dreary town of Terezin. We saw the town as more of a military camp through the tour, but we saw various parts of it as Theresienstadt concentration camp.

The day began in the town square. It is much different from when it was used as the fortress it was when it was constructed in the late 1700s. One of the first buildings we visited was the hospital. A piece of history I learned: Gavrilo Princip, the assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand to start WWI, died at this hospital. This is now in disuse, but stands to this day. The town wants to bring in a university to start in this location. Hmmm.

The city walls are still in good standing, with the brick work holding strong. We took candles in hand and wandered the interior of the fortress corridors. We made sure to stay in large groups because getting lost is easier than once thought.

Learning how the city was constructed in the Baroque style and how it has been altered over the years is amazing. The guides knew almost everything there was to this small village. There are only 2000 inhabitants today, but it once held over 100,000 during WWII as a concentration camp. We were able to view a hidden Jewish prayer hall and a house from that time. It was eerie to see it in its original state. The guide also had access to the channel system of flooding the fortification. I was able to climb down into the channel to see the workings of the system.

It was an interesting experience in history as I saw a military fortress, concentration camp, and modern-day village layered as one.

coffee + cubism

2010-05-12T10:39:00.004-05:00

Coffee at the House of the Black Madonna was a nice break from studies. As a cubist building designed by Josef Gočár, it was originally built to house a department store; it currently serves as a Cubist museum with the quaint Grand Café Orient on the second level.

prague international marathon

2010-05-12T10:32:00.004-05:00

auschwitz

2010-05-12T09:04:00.007-05:00

Our History and Theory of Urbanism instructor organized an excursion to the concentration camp Terezin for May 15. It was viewed as an ideal city when built, but became the site of a concentration camp during WWII. I decided the same day to visit Auschwitz beforehand for a wider account of the Holocaust.

I left at 0:24 that night and arrived at 8:12 in the morning. It was more difficult than I had thought trying to sleep on the train. I always had to set my alarm to make sure I didn’t miss the exchange, although I couldn’t sleep as it was. I walked 2 km to the museum and purchased a tour. It was under ten dollars for a guide through Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau with a screening of a documentary film as well.

Our guide was an excellent source of information. He had first-hand accounts of survivors as well as knowledge about every corner of the camp. We stepped through the gates that read ‘ARBEIT MACHT FREI.’ Translation: ‘work will set you free.’ Not exactly accurate. Walking around the camp, you had this slight edge of fear, of how humanity was able to procure this sense of pain on each other. It was just daunting.

Exhibits were set up in separate blocks. They ranged from rooms of shoes to eyeglasses. The most dreadful was the room full of human hair. The guide told us it was reused as fishing nets and ropes. Nothing was wasted.

Block 11 was left as it was during WWII. We saw the living conditions they had to endure. To the left of Block 11 was the firing wall. It had a gated wall to set it apart from the camp, but it’s not like you couldn’t hear what was happening behind those walls. The wall was not meant to catch the bullets though, because the bullets remained in the head. Just in front of the wall, sand 2 meters deep remained that was used to soak up the blood.

After this sight, we were shown where Rudolf Höss was hung because of his crimes. The guide told us that Höss stated he wasn’t sorry for what he had done because he had found a humane way of killing people. The last standing crematorium was left standing next to this site. The inside was just what you would expect. A gas chamber on one side, and the firing pits on the other. It was as if it were a machine, a process. Auschwitz II-Birkenau provided a deeper understanding of how the concentration camps were linked.

We took a bus to the connecting site and were led to the top of the tower. Auschwitz II-Birkenau is 25 times larger than Auschwitz I. Most of the barracks were destroyed, but a few remained. Brick barracks were the oldest, used from pre-existing houses. The wooden barracks were previously WWI stables converted into barracks. Four to five people would share one bed and the entire camp was all mud or dirt. The prisoners worked to create drainage ditches so the water had a place to drain.

We walked along the tracks and the single railway car. We stopped at the platform where the selection process would point you left or right. Some people were there for less than 4 hours before being sent to the gas chambers. It was the last place many people last saw their family. There were five crematoria built at this site, all destroyed to hide the war crimes. The remains of the buildings are still there.

At the end of the tracks and the end of the tour was the infamous grave. The monument constructed has 22 plaques, each with a different language reading: ‘For ever let this place be a cry of despair and a warning to humanity, where the Nazis murdered about one and a half million men, women, and children, mainly Jews from various countries of Europe. Auschwitz-Birkenau 1940-1945’

ice hockey

2010-05-07T04:18:00.002-05:00

Czech Republic v. Belarus

The last game of the season in the Czech Republic, and the first ice hockey game I've attended. It was a great time with friends at the O2 arena. Czech Republic won the match 5-2. Period 3 had plenty of goals to keep us entertained. The Czechs scored 3 in the third to put the game out of reach. I was expecting harder hits, but they weren't rivals either. I'll be at the O2 arena again shortly for the Black Eyed Peas concert. Get Ready!

fotbal

2010-05-02T15:09:00.001-05:00

SK Slavia Praha – 1. FK Pribram

I’m not the biggest fan of fotbal, but it was a great time. I finally figured out what offsides meant, and our team won! Slavia was the victor with a 3-0 advantage.

royal gardens

2010-04-30T13:33:00.006-05:00

An excursion from the History & Theory of Urbanism took us through the historic royal gardens of Prague Castle. If the president of the Czech Republic chose to live in the house here, we would not have had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty it had to offer.

moravia

2010-04-26T06:30:00.004-05:00

A weekend in the southern Czech Republic provided a look at castles, caves, and wine country. The travels in Moravia began in the small city of Telc. It was a quaint village with a line of arcades that lined either side of the main square. We walked around the entire village in the two hours we visited and continued on our way.

After the lengthy travel time, we ended in the city of our stay. We walked to the top of the hill and were served a healthy course of food and wine. Afterwards, we had a lesson in the tasting of wine and the history that follows. It was an entertaining evening inside the hills of Moravia.

The following day proved to be quite the hike. Beginning with a tour of the castle and its intricate wooden details, we continued with the French and English gardens. After a relaxing walk through the gardens, we reached the minaret. Three hundred two stairs later, we viewed the gardens and snapped a photo. Another 302 steps and more of a distance, we toured the castle ruins and its dining hall. Another 3.7 kilometers walked and transportation was in sight. When the Czechs go for a walk, it’s going to be a long haul.

Caves were on the list of sites for the final day. We toured the Sloup Caves and rode the underground river to the exit of the other. It was a well-received experience.

living history

2010-04-21T12:42:00.002-05:00

In the same week as a taste of calamari, a stroll down the boardwalk, and a visit to the work of Gaudi…I lived in history. This may seem exciting to several of you, but it proved difficult to manage.

We arrived in Barcelona via flight, a way we meant to exit. After checking into Catalina Hostel, we decided to relax with a meal. Codfish chef style, calamari, and a Spanish omelet complete with sangria provided a pleasant evening. I decided to taste a portion of the calamari sitting on Alex’s plate. It wasn’t all bad. For those of you still trying to figure out what calamari is, it is squid. Later in the trip, mussels were brought to the table. I wasn’t willing to go that far. Those little delicacies are just not meant to be set in front of you.

The following day, we made our way around Barcelona by foot. It was economical, and you were able to see and understand the city. We started with a round of Gaudi. Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, and the never-ending Sagrada Familia were an interesting set of architectural masterpieces. The most interesting of the three would definitely have to be the cathedral, just by the impressive history behind the construction. It started construction in the year 1884. Each part of the cathedral had a meaning and interpretation. Most of them dealt with the forest, including the column capitals and spire pinnacles. After viewing a few cathedrals after completion, it was interesting to see one being constructed. Although it isn’t being finished using the same methods as earlier examples, it will still be an amazing feat when finished.

After a walk by Torre Agbar and a few more interesting works of architecture, we climbed to the site of the ’92 Olympic Games held in Barcelona. It was an interesting complex and cool to say you have been to the site of an Olympic event. The hill also provided the site for the National Palace. It would have been extremely impressive with the fountains in working order, but still nice to view. Hiding around the corner was the Barcelona Pavilion of Mies van der Rohe. This probably trumped the time spent at the beach. It was a true work of art. I could have spent all day roaming around its interior. Although it was closed at this time, we made our way back Tuesday to see it in its entirety.

We then proceeded to walk through the expansive Park Guell. It provided impressive views of the city and a house dedicated to the furniture of Gaudi. I thought the furniture was quite ugly but to each their own. After seeing the port from up here, we decided to see it up close and personal. Oh, and we went to the beach. We capped the night off with a walk back through Gaudi’s work and tapas with sangria.

The next day, it got interesting. We walked down to FCBarcelona Stadium. I’m not too into futbol (soccer), but it was quite the stadium. After this, we went to the beach.

Off to Madrid, or so we thought. We rode the train to Girona, a nearby city where we were to fly from. We misjudged how much time it would take to actually arrive into Girona and knew we were going to miss our flight. As it happens, it was cancelled because of the Icelandic ash cloud covering almost all of Europe. After reading this information, we were glad we didn’t get all the way to the airport. We were now stuck in Girona for the night though, missing the last train back to Barcelona and with no hostel to call home. All I am going to say is that it was cold and not the most pleasant night.

Catching the train in the morning was no problem; we were there plenty early. We knew we may be stuck in Barcelona for quite a while with the French public transportation system on strike and the ash cloud wreaking havoc in the sky. We were in the country where you couldn’t travel by land or air. Convenient.

After a failed attempt at a cancelled flight to Pisa and an over-booked ferry to Genoa, we relied on the backup plan of our original flight back to Prague. Prague Airport was allowing a 48 hour window of flights that would be selected by the carrier’s choice of whether or not to fly. Our carrier cancelled every flight out of Barcelona that day, except for two. We were one of the lucky two.

We patiently waited for the jet to arrive from Prague that evening for our return flight. Our boarding time was pushed back three times, but we finally made it onto the plane. I was not going to be convinced until we were in the air. At this point, I looked back and was glad I saved money through this but could have eased up on the stress level. I missed Madrid and a ticket to the bullfight that Sunday, but lived in history instead, along with thousands of others. Between the stories we heard and the experience we had, it’s cool to say we lived it.

We touched down in Prague and caught the night bus and tram back to Masarykova Kolej. I walked straight to my bed and left history at the door. I was ‘home.’

barcelona.es

2010-04-21T09:56:00.015-05:00

checkpoint.

2010-04-12T16:11:00.003-05:00

I have approximately one month of classes left at Czech Technical University. Critiques marked another milestone in studio, and I leave for Spain in less than three days!

easter italia.

2010-04-05T10:51:00.004-05:00

Ciao! From Milano to Roma, I traveled Italia.

At 2.15 in the morning, Alex and I left for Italy. Our flight wasn’t until 6.00, but we made sure we had plenty of time to get to the airport via public transport and for security. This was a polar opposite for what lied ahead.

After arriving in Milan, we carried out the task of finding our hotel. It was a quaint little place that was difficult to find. I had to mention this because I had never been to a hotel where the shower was the bathroom. A quick breakfast at the corner café and it was time to see the duomo.

We climbed the stairs from the metro, playing our way to the plaza. I say this because the stairs out the metro were piano stairs. Every step was a different key. At the top, the view to the cathedral was impressive. It has numerous spires and ornate sculptures lining the roof. The interior was just as impressive with the height of the ceiling climbing higher than expected. Next to the duomo was the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II; it housed high-end shopping inside the glass enclosed space.

Walking around Milan, we found the castle and a cemetery that proved to be great visits as well. After saying goodbye to Leonardo Da Vinci, we made our way to the little hill town of Castiglion Fiorentino to visit our K-State friends at the Santa Chiara Study Center.

After stepping off the train, we found ourselves at the bottom of the hill town. Our next conversation went a little like this:

Alex: “Where are they meeting us?”

Me: “They’re not.”

Alex: “Well, where are we supposed to go? Do you know where it is?”

Me: “No, but I think it’s up the hill.”

Alex: “The entire town is up the hill!”

Me: “Yeah, but Santa Chiara has to be at the top. Let’s go.”

Needless to say, we started up the hill after asking for directions. Near the summit, we ended up somewhere. In front of us, a few students crossed our path with notebooks in hand. We followed them. The Center had a locked door, but that didn’t keep us from entering. We slipped in behind a couple students who were going to class. I thanked them for holding the door open for us, because we were students, too.

We found our friends and had a nice lunch with Amy and Emily. They took us to a nice Italian restaurant and a café afterwards. After showing us around the town, we said our goodbyes and made our way to Orvieto for another visit to K-State students.

Sarah, Jason, and Paul met us at the train station. We took a tram up the hill because walking it was not an option. Sarah kindly showed us the duomo and the views from the hilltop. It was quite the sight. A few more joined us for lunch at a pizzeria and continued the night elsewhere.

The next morning, we caught the train to Rome. What a city! A modern culture in ancient ruins is indescribable. They said you couldn’t conquer Rome in a day. Well, I did, and the Vatican the next.

We started our journey at the Spanish Steps. People were absolutely everywhere. It was Easter weekend though. I walked up the steps to the church at the top. It provided a nice view over the city. Domes could be seen for quite the distance. We walked to Trevi Fountain and had a pizza, climbed the steps to the tomb of the unknown soldier, thanked Michelangelo for the beauty of Capitoline Hill, had a picture taken over the Roman Forum, was in awe at the Colosseum and felt the need to touch it, snapped a photo of the Arch of Constantine, took a walk through the Baths of Caracalla, rushed into the Pantheon and looked up, took a moment to take it all in, saw the castle, glanced at St. Peter’s Basilica, noticed the line and stated uh-huh, studied the history of Palazzo Farnese, saw more ruins, stared at the façade with the scrolls, was in awe at its ceiling, and finally sat in Piazza Navona to enjoy a pizza and wine at night’s end. Did I leave anything out?

At 5.30 the next morning, we made our way to St. Peter’s Basilica to be first in line for the cathedral of cathedrals. It was worth the effort. I walked into the building and my jaw dropped. It was absolutely beautiful. You have to experience it if ever you have the opportunity. An hour later, we lined up to be an hour behind others at the Vatican Museum. We waited another couple of hours just to enter. Near the end was Raphael’s famous painting The School of Athens. At the end of the long halls of art and sculpture was the Sistine Chapel. It was extremely crowded, but it didn’t matter. All you had to do was look up. Michelangelo’s masterpiece. Needless to say, we spent quite a while before returning to the streets of Rome.

Pizza del Popollo, Villa Medici, and the Four Fountains were to be seen afterwards. With the notice from Professor Streeter, I made the effort to find the Caravaggio exhibit happening within the city of Rome. I found them consequently at Trajan’s Market. They were displayed all over the complex inside and out. The paintings themselves were from all over the world including one from the Nelson and one from the Kimball. I recognized a few of them, but now I will be able to recognize all of them. Thanks Ray.

While I was in the area, I went back to the Colosseum and paid to view the interior. It was worth it just to say you were in the Colosseum. It was amazing to see how it was built, not to mention the views from the upper level. After this experience, we walked through the park to sit awhile. We were intrigued by the older Italians playing bocce ball and cards. It was quite nice.

We met up with J. Rivera, J. Ragan, A. Debrie, and P. Megli at the next restaurant. I had the typical Italian meal of four courses and a glass of wine. It was a fulfilling way to end a trip, or so I thought.

The next morning, Paul, Alyssa, and I lined up to attend mass at St. Peter’s for Easter. We had no idea we would be able to get seats near the front of the arms. Incredible. The mass was mostly in Italian, but a few readings were in several different languages. English was one of them. I got to see the pope and received communion from one of the priests who made their way into the closest area. It was the trip of a lifetime.

I was to meet Alex at the train station, but this proved to be problematic. I got there late from the mass, and he was nowhere in sight. Granted, the place was enormous. I called, but his phone was dead. I thought for sure I would miss the flight back to Praha. After a good 30 minutes, I glanced left and saw him. I sprinted towards him, and we were finally ready to grab the train to the airport. We ran to the train after printing a couple tickets and rushed into the line at the airport. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and strolled through security. We made the flight.

It was good to be back. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to top this, but I have a feeling I’ll get close.

milan.castiglion fiorentino.orvieto

2010-04-05T10:35:00.006-05:00

when in rome..

2010-04-05T09:00:00.012-05:00

dresden.de

2010-03-30T07:02:00.009-05:00

At 8.41, I boarded the train to Dresden, Germany. It was the second trip I have taken to Deutschland and definitely not the last. The scenery outside the train window was breathtaking as we rolled through the countryside. Inlets through the hills seeking the river were bordered by houses and made quite a nice neighborhood outside the city. Closer in from the outskirts, small plots of land dotted the landscape with a small shed as the house and a garden to provide food. It was a different view to slums.

After 2.5 hours, we arrived in the city center. It was attractively modern, yet maintained its original identity in regards to the old city. Dresden was bombed heavily during WWII, with almost nothing remaining of the original city. It has rebuilt the old development to keep the city’s heritage, but doesn’t hinder the progress of modern architecture. It is an interesting mix of old and new, which makes Dresden a popular tourist attraction. The old church actually has 25% of its original stone. It is dotted with black stones from before the war with newer stones to complete the form.

The first particular part of Dresden I viewed was from within the Panometer. A 360 degree view of Dresden from 1756 reached four stories inside an old gasoline reservoir. The history of Dresden and how it was formed was laid before our eyes. It was a great way to begin the trip because you viewed the city as it was before the war. After walking through the old city, you can notice subtle changes to buildings and completely different facades to others. It was a different way to study the history of urbanism within the city.

You cannot visit Germany without schnitzel and beer. So we delved into this situation easily. Schnitzel and freiberger were on the menu for lunch. The following meal provided a local brewery with spinach pasta and Lenin’s Hanf. Absolutely worth it. A full bowl of sausage and potato soup awaited day two.

The following day, we split into three groups and were provided questions to study the city even more. It took us to the opera, the gardens of zwinger, the churches, the porcelain wall, and even the frame from which a famous painting was viewed. It provided too much fun as well. We reenacted a scene from the porcelain wall (there are 25,000 tiles that form the wall). How many people can fit into a phone booth? We got 8, with room to spare! At the end of the day, our team won by a fitting margin of 1 point. We celebrated with spaghetti ice cream and others.

It was a fulfilling weekend. Next stop, a visit to my Italian friends and Easter in Rome!

the germans are coming.

2010-03-29T10:11:00.004-05:00

Our German friends from the North paid a visit to the Czech students of old. Well, in other terms, K-State students arrived early Friday morning to take in the Praha culture. It was a beautiful day with the sun out and no coat required. It was good to see their faces again.

We visited the Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Vysehrad, and the Dancing House all before dinner. I walked into St. Vitus cathedral for the first time since I’ve been here. Remarkable. It was the first cathedral I’ve seen in Europe from the interior. The photos cannot even do justice to how incredible it was to experience a space this grand. I visit St. Peter’s Basilica in a few days, so I’ll have to compare.

Vysehrad is Praha’s other castle that helped form the boundaries of the city as it was in the days of Charles IV. It is mainly a park today, but includes a church, cemetery, and amazing views.

We took Ragan, Rivera, Rogler, and Meyers to Pod 1. It’s actually called by another, but for our sake it’s Pod 1. They were able to accommodate all of us quite easily. Three friends from Coburg also joined us for the reunion dinner. Na drazi!

Afterwards, we showed them a bit of the thriving Praha nightlife. It was quite the day, but it wasn’t the end to my weekend. The next morning, I was off to Dresden, Germany for a visit to the exceedingly rebuilt city from the war.

praha sunrise

2010-03-25T08:13:00.003-05:00

to tie a knot

2010-03-24T10:59:00.005-05:00

The first photo shows the entrance to the Prague fairgrounds. The activities have started, so we plan to visit in the near future. If you look at the left side, it is missing part of the building. There was a dentist's pavilion that had certain chemicals combine causing the entire wing to catch fire. They plan to use old construction techniques to restore the building to it's original grandeur.

Climbing a wall is a bit more difficult than expected, but extremely fun when you start to get the technique. Laura Beth and Whitney joined me for a rock climbing experience in Prague. We followed Adela to her usual location for an adrenaline rush.

Starting on an easy wall, we carefully made our way to the top. We learned how to tie an '8' knot so we would catch on the clip and not fall. The person holding you as you climb is in charge of taking and giving slack, just in case you aren't as skilled as you think you are.

I tackled the next wall; it required a bit more strength with a tilt back of approximately 30 degrees. It's very difficult to keep your legs from swinging down. The trip down was great though.

After climbing a few more walls, Adela took us to a tea house. Of course, I had to try the Arabian coffee. The meal had lamb and spicy potatoes that just made your mouth and eyes water. Those spices are what I've been missing. I also had a banana pancake dessert (not what you'd expect) to top it off. It was a great start to my day.

veletrzni palac

2010-03-23T16:24:00.003-05:00

As a class for color & composition, we visited the Veletrzni Palac to choose a piece of artwork for inspiration. The gallery offered a diverse set of artwork beginning with an interesting ride in the glass elevator to view the entire west wing. The gallery was converted from an old car factory into the existing museum it is today. There is a multitude of wasted space, but it didn't take away from the art.

remark-able culture

2010-03-15T13:47:00.007-05:00

I attended a performance by a Prague Music Chamber Orchestra. It is composed of Czech musicians who play for premier orchestras such as the Czech Filharmony. The concert was in Smetana Hall of the Municipal House, Prague's most significant Art Nouveau building. The chamber ensemble performed the best of Mozart and Dvorak. The performance was only an hour and a half, but well worth the attendance.

The day after attending the performance, I visited the Narodni Muzeum (the National Museum). It was a remarkable structure with an interior to match. The grand staircase split into two sections leading into different areas. We first entered the 'Pantheon' of the Czech Republic. The room was incredible with a glass dome, a floor with five different types of marble from four countries, several wall murals, and numerous bronze busts. You can see Laura Beth thinking alongside Smetana and Dvorak. She's in good company. The following photo is to be interpreted as glimpses into heaven. The next two photos show the power that the room can display with its grandeur.

After a walk through the history of the Slav people, we found ourselves in the room of geological formations (rocks). It had thousands of different formations from all over the world. I wasn't too interested in this aspect of the museum, but I did find Kansas!

I almost forgot to mention the photo you are all probably trying to figure out. Yes, it is a man on an ostrich and has a colored wig complete with sunglasses. I noticed him (more like ran into him) as we were walking down the historic Wenceslas Square. The National Museum is located at the top of the hill in the square. I am still trying to figure out if the little girl was scared or confused. Hold on to that balloon!

studio workshop: kruh

2010-03-11T15:21:00.002-06:00

I am attending a studio workshop in the small village of Kruh until Sunday afternoon. With seven other colleagues, I grabbed the train to the remote destination to concentrate on my work. It was a nice three hour ride. Arriving at dusk, we quickly (actually rather slowly) trudged our way across a snow covered field to enter the house. It looks to be an enjoyable weekend.

the social life

2010-03-03T12:52:00.007-06:00

Imogen Heap is a remarkable artist and put on a great live performance in Praha. I'm looking forward to the next on my list (hint: The E.N.D.).

GO STATE! Bring on the cats as they take on the hawks tonight. It is in your best interest to cheer my alma mater.

EMAW

berliner kindl weisse

2010-03-03T09:23:00.003-06:00

A weekend in Berlin was just the trip I was searching for. Laura Beth Cochran, Alexander Bartelsmeyer, John Wolf, and Whitney Thomure were my Rick Steve’s travel companions. Departure was set for 23:55 on Friday. This saved from paying for an extra night at the hostel. It was alright until you found out it was ridiculously uncomfortable to try and sleep on the bus. We were pioneers though and persevered through the night, arriving at 5:15 in the morning.

Finding our hostel was an ordeal in itself. It was still dark out when we strolled down the street passing graffiti on the right and graffiti on the left. An abandoned stroller with a missing wheel. Broken window with bars across the bottom. An eclectic group of a young generation exiting suicide circus. Burnt fireworks and cars askew. At the end of the block, I saw the sign (and I opened up my eyes…). We strolled in a little disheveled from the weary travel to await a man sweeping up from the night before. Milka stuffed cows were glued to the ceiling with sunflowers to boot. An eerie start at best. We dropped off our possessions and headed for the S-Bahn.

First stop at sunrise was Brandeburg Tor. It was an amazing sight right when the sun began to peek its way through the overcast sky. It is Germany’s most paramount monument due to it being the oldest gate left standing after the war. The chariot was impressive to say the least, and in the distance Victory Column could be seen.

The Reichstag was two steps to the right (well a bit more), but it proved to be the next destination. Another impressive masterpiece with a completely new interior and cupola. The dome (cupola) was designed by architect Sir Norman Foster. This is what I had been waiting to experience ever since we arrived. It was beautiful. With the winding ramp weaving it’s way to the zenith, all of Berlin could be seen. The sights were incredible. I couldn’t help but photograph myself in the mirrors reaching towards the parliamentary seating below (couldn’t resist). We did exit though, with a full breadth of knowledge intact.

A stop at the Holocaust Memorial and a walk to Victory Column proved to be a task, but well worth it. The Sony Center was close by. It was an epic architectural feat. The outdoor atrium was quite daunting at first but very inviting.

We made our way to the Philharmonie, Berlin’s premier concert hall. We missed the tour by ten minutes (another day). I didn’t stay depressed for long because Mies Van der Rohe was next door. The New National Museum proved to be an impressive architectural work, but seemed ‘empty’. There was an odd carpet covering the floor (which we all laid on..who else can say they laid down in a Mies building?). We then progressed to sitting in his chairs and finally viewing the four pieces of art in the adjacent room. An interesting concept indeed.

After a quick power nap, dinner was in store. We asked for a great German restaurant and received one. I then delved into a large portion of Schnitzel with a Berliner Kindl Weisse to drink. It was delicious and way too filling. This ended day one.

The following day was full of museums and artwork. We started late because LB fell ill the night before. She camped out at the hostel, but gained some hardcore points with her perseverance to kick the illness. We lost a travel companion that day, but the show went on.

We made our way to the Jewish Museum by architect Daniel Libeskind. Three hours we spent in there. It was crazy, but intriguing. I was definitely more interested in the architecture because you could spend a day in that museum just watching and reading information. It was fun to photograph because of the structure and voids it presented. Thank you Libeskind. The postcard I bought definitely screamed architect when I chose it. It shows a façade and the site plan in detail. You should be receiving it soon Tyler when I get the drive to walk down to the PO. Don’t fret Kendra and parents, you all have one unique to you on the way.

A stop at Museum Island was well worth it. We entered the Pergamon Museum to view the gates of Babylon. Impressive. Difficult to photograph. We also were excited to check out the steps and sculpture (I forgot the name..sorry Professor Carol Watts).

After this adventure, I stopped for a frankfurter (bratwurst) on the street corner. Authentic. Well-received. Delicious.

Almost forgot. You are all probably on the edge of your seat. Here it is…the Berlin Wall. We visited two sections of it. The sectioned part of the wall at the Sony Center and the East Side Gallery were different interactions. The East Side Gallery was a 1.3 km long section protected under law and had paintings by artists from all over the world. It was interesting to see the depictions various artists portrayed. The other section was left untouched with the graffiti still remaining.

After checking on LB, we decided to stay at the hostel with her for the final hours. After a couple hours of 'go fish' and 'golf,' we were back on the S-Bahn. Leaving Berlin at 23:55 and arriving in Prague at 5:15. We were ‘home.’

berlin in technicolor_28.02.2010

2010-03-01T13:23:00.012-06:00

berlin in technicolor_27.02.2010

2010-03-01T10:54:00.012-06:00

mucha museum

2010-03-01T10:43:00.002-06:00

I visited the Mucha Museum a few days ago. It's a small museum tucked away from the busy streets. It houses the artwork of Alphonse Mucha, an art nouveau painter from the Czech Republic. The work he has done is incredible. He became famous after he painted a theatrical poster for Sarah Bernhardt and continued to develop his unique style.

Mucha is most famous for his work known as the Slav Epic. It includes 20 paintings depicting the history of the Slav people. It is definitely worth the while to research his paintings and read of why he painted these massive canvases. Besides, a little culture wouldn't hinder you.

settling in

2010-02-21T08:49:00.005-06:00

It has been quite an eventful week.

I attended a mass at a small chapel in the old part of Prague during Ash Wednesday. It was absolutely pristine from the entrance of the courtyard to the doors of the chapel. The interior courtyard had four healthy evergreens piercing the sky with the undisturbed powder lightly covering the ground. It sounds like a book, but it was remarkable. We walked around the stoa and entered the chapel at the end. It makes you understand how they built these cathedrals to put the fear of God in you. It works.

I also attended a week of classes and am beginning to settle into the city life. A visit to the site afforded great possibilities for a project of social housing. We are designing an area for redevelopment, creating a super block of apartments. The area is full of history and the first major area of focus is analysis. The site is tremendous and involves several visits and walks around the area to learn and focus on the context. I'm excited to say the least.

After an analysis, we took a visit to 'Fred & Ginger' by the Vltava River. It was quite interesting to view it in context with the historical buildings, but I rather enjoyed its presence. It is almost playful in the way it continues the context into a modern enclosure at the corner, extending into the walking area. It was incredibly difficult to photograph due to the busy intersection it borders. Those vehicles are relentless.

Of course, you cannot truly encompass the social aspect of Prague without a visit to a night club. So we took a stroll to SaSaZu for a night cap. And we danced..

A few of us are planning to visit Berlin next weekend. I'll need to put those walking shoes on once more and get ready for a weekend of fun.

skiing Herlikovice

2010-02-13T09:55:00.007-06:00

Back from the slopes at Herlikovice. I had an amazing time skiing, but my body has a different opinion. Since it was my first time to ever put on a pair of skis, I have aches all over from the many falls that incurred. I had to get used to the way things were done rather quickly due to the fact that everything happened at a quick pace. Once up the mountain, I was ready for a run. I learned the different ways to slow down and stop, but it really didn't seem to help at first. The Czech guy helping me really didn't think it was my first time because I did so well. I guess that was a plus.There were several children there about 3-6 years of age just moving along. They are just fearless.

After about eight hours skiing, we travelled to the medieval town of Detenice to enjoy a medieval dinner and entertainment. The dish I ordered was full of seven different types of meat with whole loaves of bread, and of course Czech beer. There were table dancers, fire breathers, and witch hunters complete with a medieval musical ensemble. It was quite the night.

discovery quests

2010-02-11T15:17:00.002-06:00

The International Student Club assembled a game of sorts in a series of quests throughout the city of Praha. In teams of three or four, we scoured the city for clues (at the hideouts) and completed the quests. The race took 8 hours to complete. It was an amazing and ridiculous experience. The Czech students outdid themselves in thinking of clues that would help us orient ourselves in the city and learn about it as well.

I was on a team with people from Canada and Taiwan. Beginning at the Prague Castle, we had to make the guards laugh, pose as statues in aedicules, and sketch a sillhouette of Prague Castle as seen from the Charles Bridge. That was just the beginning! We found the faces on Lenon's wall, posed with strangers to imitate the sculpture in Old Town Square, bought an egg, took a photo with all of us shoved into a photo booth (too funny), danced on the street, found the manly fountain (and measured), enjoyed wine with the dean, slipped for the 53rd time on the ice (and caught myself every time), talked with the knights at the bridge, laughed at the girls who sang 'Single Ladies,' imitated the face of the funky lion, and actually finished in third place from the 30 odd teams. I felt that I had entered the amazing race. It was truly remarkable to see the city in this fashion. The people (and strangers) I met are great.

By the way, I am also here to study architecture. I visited three studios today and chose six electives to partake in. We had coffee with a couple of Czech students at the library to help choose great professors and interesting courses. Classes I chose are the following (unofficially): Contemporary Architecture, History of Architecture II, History and Theory of Urbanism II, Figure Drawing, Color and Composition, and Photography. I take an interest in the computer graphics course greatly, but I do not like the idea of being at the mercy of campus computers especially with traveling becoming a key issue. Classes start Monday, so i have little time to finish sightseeing without a schedule.

I have to depart at 5.00, a bit earlier than I am used to for the ski trip. See you on the slopes!

the arrival

2010-02-09T14:58:00.011-06:00

The arrival in Praha was somewhat lengthy and disconcerting. I left KCI to Chicago and flew trans-Atlantic into London. Customs is extremely thorough but by then I was a professional at airport security. Turbulence kept sleep out of the question with the overnight flight and after another 1.5 hours in the air, I was in Czeska Republika. By now I was ready for a shower and sleep, but Petr (Czech buddy) drove myself to Masarykova dormitory where all of us were put through a lengthy registration process in the Czech language. I finally finished all of the necessary preparation to stay.

The students are all diverse. I am rooming with 5 other people. I share a room with a student from Ukraine. Other countries in my living quarters include Bolivia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and USA. I have also met students from Australia, Turkey, Germany, and more to come I’m sure. Most people know English so communication is not ultimately a failure. However, Czech restaurants do not always have English menus. We quickly learn the dishes so we can then fail at pronouncing them.

Food is absolutely amazing in the Czech Republic. Large portions and a low price are a mainstay. Svickova and gulas are a couple of the local dishes I have had. Along with the food is the beer. Czechs are truly proud of their beer. Pilsner Urquell is the favorite. It is brewed in the town Plzen not too far from here.

Public transportation is the way I make it around the city. The metro (subway) is extremely helpful. The tram and buses are other options but I really prefer walking. Praha is a great city to get lost in. Around every corner is a new view and something you probably have never seen before. I have already been to the Charles bridge, Old Town Square and took a walk down ‘golden lane.’ They call it that because of the stores that line the street (Prada, Louis Vitton, Hugo Boss, Gucci, etc.). I will not be going there any time soon. The mall downtown is named Palladium, five floors with multiple levels. It’s absolutely amazing. Far better than any mall I have ever entered in America. I will be going back.

Orientation took place a couple days ago and registration for trips is a large part of the process. I am skiing in Herlikovice on Friday. Pray for me. After this new adventure, I will be going to the medieval Detenice pub. It has fire-breathers and other actors as part of the act. It looks like nothing I’ve seen before. It is in a castle and rules are no silverware. I cannot wait for this experience. On Sunday I will be partaking in a trip to the medieval town of Melnik where an ancient tribe of Czechs decided to end their journey and stay. It’s famous for the mountain of Rip and the junction of rivers Vltava and Labe. I’ll be visiting Chateau Melnik for wine tasting and also the two biggest ossuaries in the country. It is a large hall decorated with bones and skulls of thousands of people killed in the plague.

Registration for classes in the fakulta architektura begins tomorrow for CVUT. Goodbye, or as the Czech say, na schledanou.

in preparation

2010-01-24T16:44:00.003-06:00

I am currently in Plainville, ready to travel. I fly out on the 4th of February from Kansas City. After a stop in Chicago and London, I'll be in Praha, Czeska Republika for 5 months. I have decided to keep a blog as current as possible to inform people of my travels and experiences. Stay tuned for more.