Vysehrad

On Saturday afternoon I met Julie at Vysehrad, the very very old fortress (first settled in the 10th century) that sits above the Vltava. According to legend, this is where the Princess Libuse foresaw the future wonders and glory of Prague...and also where she drowned her lovers.

There is a very convenient metro stop a short walk from the fortress. As we walked up the hill we passed several clay tennis courts (the only kind I have seen here) crowded by the stone ramparts.

Just within the gate of the fortress/village (mainly cafes, administrative buildings, and a famous school for blind children):

we came upon St. Martin's Rotunda, an 11th century church. Apparently it is one of the oldest churches in the city. The altar faces east, which is normal, but the entrance, as you can see, faces south. But on the western side you can see the remains of the original door which faced the correct direction. The road passes very close to the western side and it is several feet below the church...so it looks like the door had to be changed when the road came through.

We walked along the gigantic stone ramparts for a while enjoying the view of Prague. Then it was time to go underground into the casemates, or casements. These are tunnels built or under a fortress so that soldiers can move around without being seen by the enemy. Vysehrad's casemates have been added to and "renovated" over the centuries. They were wide enough for about three or four people to walk through at once, and the ceilings were quite high. Holes for ventilation way up in the ceiling were a little creepy since they reminded me of how far underground we were. There were niches in the walls where the soldiers stored weapons, and even a few bricked up windows where they would have been able to fire their guns. It was cold and the guide said it is a perfect wine cellar. Unfortunately I couldn't get any pictures since it was so dark.

For some reason the trek through the tunnels kept reminding me of the movie Last of the Mohicans. I can't recall any tunnel scenes, unless you count the waterfall bits, so maybe I am thinking of all the forts and seeing Daniel Day Lewis and his buddies paddle their canoes silently and unnoticed to a fortress. It was odd to walk through this Czech stronghold and think of the French and Indian War.

After walking through the tunnels we came to a cavernous hall--still underground.

Now it is used for art exhibitions, occasional theater productions, and for displaying four of the original statues from the Charles Bridge. (Most of the statues on the bridge are replicas.) But it used to be a gathering place for soldiers. It is a three or four story room with corbels jutting out from the wall at various levels. The corbels supported wood planks so that the space could be sectioned off into different floors, if necessary. Here are some pics of the statues.

This statue had what looked like glow in the dark stickers all over it. The guide said that the statues are being digitally recorded, almost the same way that movie actors wear those funny suits with all the tiny disks on them so that their movements can be captured and transferred into animation or other effects. Like Golem. Here is a picture of the same statue but with the flash on so you can see all the sticker things.

It was lovely to be in that old, dark room with the statues. I much preferred viewing them in the relative silence and peace than seeing their replicas on the crowded and touristy bridge.

Here I am on one of the walls overlooking the river.

And here I am again with Prague Castle and the river in the background.

Next stop in Vysehrad, which is beautiful and filled with parks and benches and sweeping views, was the St. Peter and St. Paul Church. The outside is neo-Gothic:

Fairly typical...though the doors were interesting and brightly colored. Which should have given me some indication that the inside might be a little different...

The inside of this church is one of the most amazing I have seen. Art nouveau hidden inside neo-Gothic! Every surface was painted in colorful designs of plants or flowers. Saints were depicted in soft murals, and the angels looked like Clara Bow.

A column. I apologize for the quality of the images. The colors were much brighter in person, but it was dark and cameras weren't actually encouraged...

The ceiling.

A closer shot of the angels.

Outside of the church is one of, if not the most, famous cemeteries in Prague. It is where important people are buried. Columned galleries surround most of the graveyard. Families have sections of the structures and every monument and statue is different. Even the ceilings are painted. It seemed very Italian to me.

Here is a closer shot of the ceiling.

The interior of the cemetery was beautiful. Almost all of the graves had plants on them. Not just wilted flowers, but actual gardens.

This burst of color was not unusual.

I really like how the graves are covered in plants and flowers instead of bare grass or something. It made the cemetery much happier. As in the galleries, the gravestones and monuments differed greatly. Some were just slabs of stone with names and dates, some had photographs of the deceased, some had busts, and one had a sculpture of expressive hands! That grave is where a famous Czech actor is buried. It was one of the least depressing, and most uplifting and cheerful cemeteries I have ever visited.

We took another look from the ramparts to the river. We were just above the spot where Princess Libuse used to drown her lovers. I will try to learn more about that intriguing legend. It was a lovely afternoon. Vysehrad was peaceful and green with plenty to see and also lots of space to roam aimlessly. I might head back sometime for a picnic!

Children: The Definitive Study by a Childless 22-Year-Old

Having worked in child care for almost six weeks, I feel immensely qualified to publish my findings on the subject of children.

The First Question

Children: Are they worth it?

This is a difficult query. Obviously, we must have children in order to replenish the population. But beyond this practical reason, are children worth it? What do they contribute to society?

Children require an awful lot of attention, especially in the first few years. They sleep, eat, cry, eat, cry, sleep and eat. And all of this must be arranged and supervised by the caregiver, as children cannot walk, feed themselves, talk, read, or work. Often, they are unable to sit quietly and amuse themselves. Instead, they depend on a caregiver to provide the entertainment. Does anyone sit in front of you for hours at a time making funny faces and strange noises? No. So I am not sure why babies are entitled to that sort of attention. Colts are born knowing how to run, and monkey babies can cling to their mothers. What can human babies do? Indeed, human children seem to have been left out of the evolutionary process. I would hate to be in the wild with a human child. His or her inexplicable, piercing cries would inevitably attract predators, and I would not be able to depend on the child for assistance of any kind as we tried to survive. A baby cannot perform sentry duty, or forage for berries, or start a fire. And what if a carnivorous beast attacked during the child's afternoon nap? The baby would be cranky for the rest of the day.

But children are certainly capable of producing vast amounts of bodily fluids. Such copious amounts of spit, tears, urine, and other even more unsavory fluids seem totally disproportionate to their body size. They are fluid factories. But what they produce is essentially valueless in the marketplace.

Thus, children do not produce anything that can bring in revenue. They are definitely able, however, to spend money. They grow and grow, requiring new clothes for them every few months. They eat a great deal, and much of their diet, especially the young ones', is special. No simple bread or other affordable, easily available victuals for them! Oh no! They must have special "formulas," (as though they are robots depending on precise mathematical and chemical compounds), mixes, and miniature versions of adult foods that have been mashed and strained and pulped. The expense of such eating habits boggles the mind! And I shall not even go into diapers. I have seen enough of diapers...

Not only do children avoid contributing to the economy, which is inexcusable especially in this climate, but they seem to enjoy flouting society's rules. They see a book, but instead of reading it they chew on the cover. They see a hairbrush, but instead of using it to fix their hair they suck on the handle. Indeed, almost everything ends up in their mouths. Children don't seem to notice when they get things dirty, and their standards of personal hygiene are atrocious. Rather than follow polite society, they strike out on their own as though they are mini-barbarians. For instance, they have a perfectly good bathroom inside, but they prefer urinating outside (boys only). Fingers are preferable to silverware, and napkins are an annoyance instead of a useful tool. Rather than settling things with words, they use their tiny, tiny fists or their (unnaturally) loud, shrill voices. In short, they act very childishly. This, it seems to me, is unacceptable. I don't know why so many people put up with it.

(I myself was a model child. A small adult, really. Except for that projectile vomiting. But nobody is perfect. And my parents didn't even really like those rugs.)

Having demonstrated the expense monetarily and temporally of children, here is my advice for raising the creatures.

Children: How To Raise Them*

There is no reason why having a child should interfere with your life. But how can I keep my progeny from altering my lifestyle, you may ask? By following these simple rules.

First, use television! It was invented for a reason. Set your children in front of the TV early and often. Their eyes will fix on the screen, their mouths will fall open, their bodies will be still, and there will be silence. Blessed silence. Except for the television show, of course. Think of all of the things that you can do during the seven or eight hours when your children are hypnotized by the wonder that is television!

Second, schedule naptime. Hours and hours of naptime. And send your children to bed early. Four or five in the evening should do it. If you are not a morning person, make sure your children sleep late. If they are early birds, perhaps lock their door so that they cannot bug you until you have gotten your twelve hours of beauty sleep. Planned correctly, your children will spend most of the day asleep, and the rest of the day watching television, leaving you with lots of free time.

Third, make sure their activities and hobbies are really your activities and hobbies. If they like what you like then everyone will be happier. For instance, only let them watch television shows or movies that you also find entertaining. Do the same with music. This way, when they are watching their daily eight hours of TV or listening to music on the way to the store to get a bigger TV, what is playing on the set and the radio will be enjoyable for you as well as for them. Nothing is more annoying than having to watch a TV show that you don't love. I cannot stress this enough. Children like repetition. So don't let them form attachments to things that you do not like. If you do, you will have to see/hear it over and over and over. Similarly, only let them play with toys/friends that you like. Make it about you, and raising your children will be much more pleasant.

If you follow my advice, your children will only be awake and not focused on the TV for minutes out of every day. And you can get on with your life.**

*with the least inconvenience to yourself

**This is all in jest. Well, almost all...

Blue Windows and Blue Plants

This week I was strolling about my village and passed this house. Love the blue windows and the imperfect facade! What a great idea. Bright blue window frames! I have no idea who lives there or how long it has had blue windows. But I love it, and I sort of want it. The house also has a beautiful view of the valley.

Here is what those blue windows see.

I went for a run--great way to explore the surrounding areas!-- and came across these plants on the side of a lovely dirt track through a field. What is it? Whoever knows wins ten points.

Well, that is a little more of my village. Random, yes. Interesting, hopefully.

Movie of the Week

Thought I would take a break from Czech land posts and do something else today.

Several people have asked me to recommend old movies. This request is mostly to humor me but hopefully there is some genuine interest in there, too.

So here is one of my favorites.

The More The Merrier (1943) black and white (sorry, Sally)

One of my very, very, very favorite leading men is in this movie: Joel McCrea.

He is so handsome and very funny, and just perfect in this movie. Early in his career he played serious hunky leading men, as in The Most Dangerous Game (1932) when he and Fay Wray (of King Kong fame) are a crazy villain's human prey. Then he got into more romantic and screwball comedies where I think he is wonderful. Besides The More the Merrier, I also love him in Woman Chases Man with Miriam Hopkins. Later in his career he acted almost exclusively in westerns. He was a real life cowboy and enjoyed being in cowboy movies. His son Jody appeared in the beach party movies of the 1960s as Bonehead.

Anyway, back to the movie. The film is set during World War II in Washington, D.C. The war has caused a housing shortage in the city because of all the people coming to D.C. A young woman (Jean Arthur) thinks it is her patriotic duty to rent out her extra room. Her ad is answered by the hilarious Charles Coburn who finagles his way into living there, against Arthur's better judgment. He almost immediately decides to find a husband for her. So he rents out half of his room to a "nice, clean cut young man" (McCrea) that he meets. Screwball comedy and lots of romance ensue.

I love this movie. It is genuinely funny and clever. I can watch it over and over again and still find something new to chuckle over. The romance between McCrea and Arthur is excellent. There is a famous scene when McCrea and Arthur are walking home after Coburn has taken Arthur's fiance off to talk facts and figures about the war. They sit on her front stoop and discuss her stuffed shirt fiance while McCrea slowly puts his arm around her and works his way in for a kiss. It is lovely and also hilarious because they are talking about her fiance the whole time.

I think it has held up great in the 66 years since its release, but one of the main issues is a little dated. When it is discovered that the single Jean Arthur is living with McCrea, no matter how platonic the arrangement is, everyone panics. Arthur thinks that her reputation is ruined and she will lose her job, and her fiance is terrified that Arthur's "indiscretion" will end his political ambitions. Now, the fuss over their cohabitation is a little odd, but if you can accept their worry as real then you will get into the plot and enjoy the movie.

This was remade as Walk, Don't Run (1966), set in Tokyo with Cary Grant in Coburn's role and the housing shortage due to the Tokyo Olympics. It can't compare to the original.

Hope this was a nice change of pace!

Prague and Petrin

Last week I went in search of an English bookstore (found it!) and right across the narrow street was St. Jacob's Church. Apparently this is one of the most marvelous baroque churches in Prague. It is certainly a fussy one. Here is one of the outside sculptures. The crazy figures certainly pop against the otherwise bland facade.

The interior was crazy, too. I think this church is also one of the "longest" in Prague. The nave certainly seemed to go on a very long way.

Give me a nice dark Gothic church over a Baroque masterpiece any day. I find the paintings and sculptures and frescoes and windows and statues and curlicues a bit distracting. I like stained glass and bare stone and ribbed vaults.

I couldn't go any further towards the altar, which is sort of a bummer because I am sure there are some spectacular things down there.

Forgive me my snarky comments; it really is a beautiful church.

On Tuesday I went into Prague for lunch with a young woman who goes to my yoga studio. My fabulous yoga teacher set us up. The girl's name is Julie and she is 26 and awesome. I had a lovely time. Julie has lived all over and speaks Czech, French, and English. She worked as a tour guide in Prague in high school and she took me all around. It was different and delightful to see Prague with someone who really knows it and loves it.

We climbed the Old Town Hall Tower (where the astronomical clock is.) Here are some pictures from the top. I really enjoy climbing towers,

whether they are bell towers, guard towers, castle towers, whatever. This picture of the Old Town Square shows the Jan Hus monument smack dab in the center.

Unfortunately I don't know enough about the other buildings to point out anything very interesting. But nice red roofs, huh?

In the distance you can see a funny looking tower thing.

It is a TV tower and it was built under the Communists. It looks like three speared flying saucers. It is considered a major eyesore, the way that Parisians hate the Eiffel Tower. But

unlike the Eiffel Tower, I am not sure anyone

thinks the TV tower is that amazing.

This is St. Nicholas Church. It is de-sanctified and now they have touristy Mozart concerts in it every afternoon. There is a huge and unique iron and glass chandelier in the middle of the nave with a crucifix hanging from the center.

And here I am. Yes, I am really here.

After the tower climb we walked around a little more and then got lunch at a great (and cheap!) restaurant near Old Town Square. Then it was across the river and more strolling. I saw the John Lennon wall where people write messages to him or about him or just about their boyfriend/girlfriend or peace or love.

Julie showed me a restaurant that is down a teeny tiny staircase alley. The stairs are so narrow that they have a traffic light with the green "Walk" and the red "Don't Walk." You press the button (as I am so ably demonstrating) and then when the light is in your favor you go. Otherwise people might get stuck.

Julie pointed out this sign. It says "Smichov" (the name of a section of Prague) in Russian and points to the right. She told me that in 1968 when Russian tanks rolled into Prague to quell the rebellion, the residents put up signs in Russian. But they weren't being helpful. The signs pointed the wrong way, or misidentified areas and streets. We weren't anywhere near Smichov, for instance. The hope was that the signs would create confusion and make the tanks go in circles. It seems like sort of a "Hogan's Heroes" (new favorite show, however incredibly inappropriate the basic premise is (a comedy in a Nazi POW camp? Really?)) stunt but it is super cool.

Speaking of the Eiffel Tower (that was a ways back though) there is a mini one in Prague at the top of Petrin Hill. It was built in 1891. Some Czech people went to Paris and were so inspired by the Eiffel Tower that they built something similar in Prague. This morning we visited Petrin Hill and saw the sights.

I was most excited, though, to see a very nice giant fake ice cream cone at the foot of the tower. Instead of the typical vanilla or chocolate, this one had chocolate chips and chocolate sauce. Naturally I got a picture. That is Lukas with me. It was chilly and windy today, hence the scarf and our jackets.

To get up to the tower you can climb the very tall hill or take the funicular. We took the funicular since we had the boys with us. It was an adventure. A very slow, not terribly exciting adventure.

Prague has lots of green space, which is lovely. Parks and squares with trees and grass and benches. Petrin Hill is also home to this fake medieval tower. Inside is a mirror maze. The boys enjoyed it, but I felt sick. Fun house mirrors creep me out. You worked your way through the maze (very easy, but it is meant for children so I didn't feel that smart) and then there was a crowded, noisy room with weird mirrors that make you look short or very tall.

It was like having a migraine. When I do get one of those nice headaches, my vision goes wacko and I feel like I am looking out at fun house mirrors. So I got out of there as soon as I could.

There were some beautiful views of Prague from the hill. Here is Old Town Square and the Tyn Church.

Prague Castle with St. Vitus Cathedral. Massive.

Prague and Petrin...busy days.

Marianske Tynice

Last weekend we took a side trip to Marianske Tynice, a church and pilgrimage site that is now a museum for the Plzen region of the Czech Republic. The poor church fell into disrepair in the 18th century, and the cupola even collapsed into the middle of the sanctuary. But it is somewhat restored and had items from pre-history to the Communist era relating to this area. One of my favorite rooms had mannequins wearing various uniforms from the different armies and wars. The mannequins were clearly just store dummies with funny hair and make-up and poses. I think that one of them was a female mannequin, and she must have had noticeable eye makeup because they had put modern sunglasses on her. So there she was, in a WWII uniform, cocking her hip and smiling in her shades.

Here is one side:

You can just barely see the cupola of the church in the middle left. The church houses various exhibitions now, and there was a sculpture of 82 children gassed by the Nazis from this region. They were life size and it was terrifying and moving.

A storm was blowing in (the weather changes every 3 minutes), and I liked the forbidding grey clouds against the religious statues.

This church has been de-sanctified, along with others in the country. Many churches are used for concerts or other secular things, and others look like they are falling apart. The Czechs are some of the least religious people in Europe, which is saying something. Apparently, 49% of Czechs are atheists. "Why do you think that is?" I asked my Czech informant. "Natural skepticism," she replied. "And we don't like being told what to believe." The Czech people were constantly being forced to be one religion or another. This country has been rather relentlessly controlled when you think about it. It has switched from one empire to another, from one ruling family to another, from one regime to another. So it sort of makes sense that people would not look kindly on organized anything, and especially religion.

Some random observations. People don't talk as much at meals here. Lunch and dinner are fairly silent. I thought that maybe it was just my family, but I have had the chance to observe other groups at meal times, and there is not much talking. This makes me uncomfortable. I feel like something is wrong! That someone is in big trouble or someone is so tired or mad that they refuse to speak. At first I attempted to fill the silence but no one really jumps in to help me keep a conversation going. So I think it is just a cultural difference, and I am trying to get used to it.

People take off their shoes when they enter a house and slip on "indoor" shoes. I have checked and this is a Czech custom, not just an isolated tradition in my village. I did not pack any indoor shoes, so right now I use a pair of Eva's. I don't mind following this rule, but it can get tricky when I am going in and out of the house fetching juice or a diaper or a bicycle helmet or whatever. I didn't bring any easily slip-on and slip-offable shoes, so I have to untie or unbuckle and then re-tie or re-buckle. It slows me down. People wear socks almost constantly, too, so flip flops are also tricky. You don't walk around in bare feet. I need to get some Crocs or something.

Table manners are different. They use their knives much more. I suppose some of that is more broadly European. They don't transfer knife and fork from one hand to the other, and they hold their knife almost all the time. They use it to push food around and pile it on their fork. It is not uncommon to lick the knife to get all the sauce. Overall, the eating style is more aggressive than what I am used to. I am sure they are appalled at my Southern American manners. I bet I seem slow and wussy.

I get very confused when I look at maps of where I am because the scale is so different. The Czech Republic is medium sized for Europe, comparable to Austria and Ireland. But it could fit into the US about 12o times. It is almost half the size of North Carolina. So my scale is all messed up. When I look at a map and see that we are going to Plzen, for instance, it looks really far away. It is on the other side of the country practically. I brace myself for hours and hours in the car. But it is only an hour of driving. It seems really far, but things are actually quite close here. I am so used to a monster-big country with vastly different geography and weather that it is weird to be in a country that is the size of a small state. When they do the weather report on the news, they show the entire country behind the meteorologist.

Long Weekend

Happy belated July 4th! Unfortunately, my July 4th was a lot like my July 3rd and July 5th. America's Independence Day is not a very big deal here. But I celebrated in my mind. I would have liked to make a Martha Stewart-y cake in the shape of the American flag, with white icing and cherries or raspberries for the red stripes and blueberries for the blue part. But baking is a little beyond me right now. A different, strange oven, the metric system, trying to translate ingredients, my own fundamental cooking difficulties (where is my mom or Sally when I need her?) ...And we were not at home this weekend. On Friday afternoon we left for that retreat place that we went to the first weekend I was here. We only got back a few hours ago; Monday was a holiday so it was a three day weekend.

Speaking of cherries...

We stopped by the grandparent's house on the way to the camp site to pick up green peas, raspberries, and cherries. I had to take a picture. There was a whole other basket, just like this one! Two beautiful baskets just brimming with perfect cherries. Awesome.

Of course one basket tipped over in the car, but we managed to salvage almost every single cherry.

The boys enjoyed the weekend. They ran around outside, biked a lot, played in a sand and gravel pile, and attempted ping pong and badminton, though the ball/birdie rarely crossed the net more than once in succession.

A very nice couple, good friends of Eva and Jan, stayed with us, too. They do not speak English, so when we were all together it was five minutes of Czech conversation summed up in one sentence for the American girl...and repeat...but we had a good time together. I am discovering that you can say a lot with a smile. And gestures. More with gestures.

I had a good time, though it was certainly a long weekend. There is no internet access and the nearest town is over 5km away (how euro am I?), so it is a little isolated. I was on duty quite a lot, so I am worn out. And I get most homesick on the weekends. Not entirely sure why, but everything seemed to remind me of something or someone at home. Anyway, I am glad to be back in my village and very excited to have internet and skype!

I went for two runs over the weekend and actually had a great time! Part of why I enjoyed running was because the views were so incredible.

I ran the road from the camp site to the tiny town.

It was a one lane dirt track with waist high grasses and wildflowers on either side.

There were blue mountains in the distance and incredibly picturesque hay stacks dotting the fields.

I took some videos to share with you. They might be a little redundant, shaky, or spinny but it was so gorgeous! forgive me.

It was hot but there was a nice breeze--you can hear it shooshing through the wheat(?).

Here is a view of the nearby town. Besides an ugly water tower or whatever that thing is, it was very scenic. The first building with the red roof is part of the train station. All the windows are broken in the top part.

Another reason I enjoyed the runs was because they were rare moments when I could do something totally for myself and be completely relaxed. I was with the children almost constantly and had very little "Cameron time" this weekend, so these minutes of independence and privacy were very much appreciated.

At the end of the dirt road there was a rather dilapidated train station. A lot of the train stations in the small towns I have driven through are in an attractive state of disrepair. To add to the small town cuteness, look for a chicken daintily stepping between the rail ties.

Although it is still difficult sometimes to communicate with the boys, it is amazing how quickly they pick up words and phrases. Here is a video of the four year old speaking brief English. ("Cameron, push please.") He had just gotten off of his bike. I don't make them wear helmets all the time...

Progress! He learned "push" pretty early because of the swing in the backyard. He is a funny one--sometimes he will say lots of English words or even sing phrases, (his latest favorites are "close the door! open the door!" with his voice rising and lingering on "door," and "brush your teeth!") but sometimes he refuses. Then he will look at me and say "No, Cameron." (Everyone here says my name Cam-ur-ron, not Cam-ron or Cam-ren.)

I had a free hour on Sunday and went to the lake behind the house. Another lovely spot.

There is a metal rowboat and a narrow dock, just wide enough to sit on, eat cherries, and read.

I was planning on taking the boat out on Monday afternoon, but as soon as I started unlocking the padlock that chains it to the dock, there was a burst of thunder. Figures. I decided that it would be really embarrassing to get struck by lightning on this tiny lake in the middle of the Czech Republic, so I locked the boat back up and headed for the house. It started to rain soon afterwards.