PRAUGE IS BEAUTIFUL! As far as cities that are just straight up gorgeous; I'd rate it close to Vienna. It's really strange, though, thinking about how both Budapest and Prague have both only recently broken out of Communism, yet Prague seems so much more... cheerful than Budapest. Budapest just seems very flat as soon as you get outside the tourist area.
We spent our first day in Prague traveling, so it was really more like a day and a half. That night, we just had dinner and watched the game in the bar beneath our hostel. We got up early the second day, and visited the Communism Museum, which was fascinating. It traced the rise and fall of Communism in the Czech Republic, including information on how, in the beginning, Communism came as a positive type of reform in the wake of Nazi devastation. Really fascinating stuff.
From there, we went across St. Christopher's Bridge to the Prague Castle, then to Lennon's wall. People have been writing there since the 1980s, and it is absolutely filled with graffiti. Erika and I both signed, though Erika called me a tool for correcting the person above me's spelling. :)
That night, we decided to go on a pub crawl, since we'd had so much fun on the one in Dublin. Nope. This one had over a hundred people, mostly under the age of eighteen. As I was ordering a drink, I heard a girl ask a guy to buy her cigarettes, because she was only sixteen, and couldn't yet legally buy them. It was just crowded, and overpriced, and really not our scene, so Erika and I went back to the hostel after the second stop.
A few minutes after we get back and get in bed, our Australian roommates return as well, blasted. Apparently, they had an interesting night. They left one of their friends to sleep in the park, and when he returned, he and his one friend got in a serious fight about who would go to sleep first. Basically, it went like this: "You go to sleep!" "No, YOU go to sleep!" "NO YOU!" ect. It was basically hilarious. Though we ended up getting to sleep late, it was definitely worth seeing the absurdity.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Budapest, Day Two
This will be CONDENSED SOUP! I need to catch up!
Budapest Day Two was spent with new friends, our room mates whom we had gone out to the club with the night before. Most notably among this group was Paul, a boy from Canada whom one can only describe as... artificially cultured. He called all of us females "girls," including Jen, who had a good ten years on him. Everything he did seemed very affected, and though he was a nice person, Erika and I couldn't help but find him hilarious.
That day, we all went out to visit Budapest Castle, and to walk through the park, which was a bust due to MASSIVE amounts of mosquitos. We just relaxed that night, and Erika and I had a long conversation with Jen about China, where she is currently working, though she is originally American. Apparently, as a foreigner in China, the censorship is so bad that, in order to have English TV news channels, the police have to come to your house to verify that you are allowed to watch the news. Crazy.
Prague is forthcoming tomorrow!
Budapest Day Two was spent with new friends, our room mates whom we had gone out to the club with the night before. Most notably among this group was Paul, a boy from Canada whom one can only describe as... artificially cultured. He called all of us females "girls," including Jen, who had a good ten years on him. Everything he did seemed very affected, and though he was a nice person, Erika and I couldn't help but find him hilarious.
That day, we all went out to visit Budapest Castle, and to walk through the park, which was a bust due to MASSIVE amounts of mosquitos. We just relaxed that night, and Erika and I had a long conversation with Jen about China, where she is currently working, though she is originally American. Apparently, as a foreigner in China, the censorship is so bad that, in order to have English TV news channels, the police have to come to your house to verify that you are allowed to watch the news. Crazy.
Prague is forthcoming tomorrow!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Vienna, Day Two and Budapest, Day One
Vienna was GORGEOUS. Basically, we woke up the late afternoon, ambled out of our TOP FLOOR hotel room to go have breakfast, then go to a few museums. We ended up going to the Leopold and the KunstHaus museums, which took almost all day.
The Leopold was first. They had a HUGE collection of Art Nouveau and later works, including Klimt and Egon Schiele. Before we went, I knew almost nothing about him, but I really enjoyed his work, which was much more brooding than I expected from a student of Klimt.
The Leopold itself was a wonderful museum. It just felt like a relaxed place, like they WANTED you there, appreciating their art, unlike the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. In Munich, the guy at the front desk was very rude to us, and the guards followed us around specifically, as if we were going to punch holes in priceless paintings the moment they stopped looking. It was refreshing to be in a city that seemed to encourage art and really appreciate it, to the extent that EVERYTHING there was beautiful.
The Kunsthaus museum, which we went to next, was completely filled with old masterworks. Erika and I just wandered around, absorbing for hours.
The next day, we got up early, and left beautiful Vienna for Budapest. Budapest has been wonderful, much different than an other city we've visited so far. We haven't seen much yet, but we plan to get out and about today, if we can.
Yesterday, we went to the Hungarian National Museum, which was fascinating. I realized once I got there that I knew almost nothing about Hungarian history, and it was really quite an education. After the museum, we came back to the hostel, where we met up with a few people who shared our room and went out. It was FUN! I had breakfast this morning at six, a kebab bought on the street as we were walking home from the club. :)
Now, however, is time for second breakfast! I feel like a hobbit!
The Leopold was first. They had a HUGE collection of Art Nouveau and later works, including Klimt and Egon Schiele. Before we went, I knew almost nothing about him, but I really enjoyed his work, which was much more brooding than I expected from a student of Klimt.
The Leopold itself was a wonderful museum. It just felt like a relaxed place, like they WANTED you there, appreciating their art, unlike the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. In Munich, the guy at the front desk was very rude to us, and the guards followed us around specifically, as if we were going to punch holes in priceless paintings the moment they stopped looking. It was refreshing to be in a city that seemed to encourage art and really appreciate it, to the extent that EVERYTHING there was beautiful.
The Kunsthaus museum, which we went to next, was completely filled with old masterworks. Erika and I just wandered around, absorbing for hours.
The next day, we got up early, and left beautiful Vienna for Budapest. Budapest has been wonderful, much different than an other city we've visited so far. We haven't seen much yet, but we plan to get out and about today, if we can.
Yesterday, we went to the Hungarian National Museum, which was fascinating. I realized once I got there that I knew almost nothing about Hungarian history, and it was really quite an education. After the museum, we came back to the hostel, where we met up with a few people who shared our room and went out. It was FUN! I had breakfast this morning at six, a kebab bought on the street as we were walking home from the club. :)
Now, however, is time for second breakfast! I feel like a hobbit!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Vienna Day One
Today, we woke up early and boarded the train to Vienna, also known as Weis. When we arrived, we went straight to our hotel (HOTEL!). It’s beautiful! We have beds that are both on the floor! Clean towels! Free tea! Clean shower!
Not that I don’t like hostels, but it’s nice to be somewhere where you know you won’t be woken up early by someone packing up to leave, or having a nightmare (FROGS IN MY BED!) or snoring. It’s definitely relaxing.
Today, we basically walked around Vienna, which was just as beautiful as Erika had said. Everything you see is ornamented or gilded and innately pleasing to the eye. The city itself has a calm, peaceful aura, so it was wonderful just to walk around and look at everything. We even saw a real-life dandy in the coffee shop where we had lunch, cravat and all! So far, I love Vienna!
Tomorrow: Museums!
Not that I don’t like hostels, but it’s nice to be somewhere where you know you won’t be woken up early by someone packing up to leave, or having a nightmare (FROGS IN MY BED!) or snoring. It’s definitely relaxing.
Today, we basically walked around Vienna, which was just as beautiful as Erika had said. Everything you see is ornamented or gilded and innately pleasing to the eye. The city itself has a calm, peaceful aura, so it was wonderful just to walk around and look at everything. We even saw a real-life dandy in the coffee shop where we had lunch, cravat and all! So far, I love Vienna!
Tomorrow: Museums!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Three days in Munich
What have I done in my time in Munich?
EAT.
So much food. SO MUCH. I've been a horrible vegetaraian. I tried Bavarian roast chicken, sausage and pork knuckle, along with Radler, which is beer mixed with lemonade.
Just... food. So much food.
EAT.
So much food. SO MUCH. I've been a horrible vegetaraian. I tried Bavarian roast chicken, sausage and pork knuckle, along with Radler, which is beer mixed with lemonade.
Just... food. So much food.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Zurich Day Two
Today we walked ALL around the older part of town, just sightseeing and looking around. The old quarter is mostly shops and restaurants, so it was fun to window shop and people watch. Zurich doesn’t have as many fashion faux paus as, say, Spain, but it does have its fair share. Let’s just say that today, which we were eating lunch, I spotted a man in a plaid cap, a tee shirt, and rubberized black leggings. They were SHINING in the sun and TIGHT.
We also walked to a few galleries in the area, just to get a taste of some of the local modern art. We originally thought we’d be visiting museums, because the guidebook made them seem much bigger, but really they were small, independent spaces that held rotating exhibitions by just one or two artists. The first gallery was quite interesting, as it featured just two artists. The gallery owner told us she picked them because of odd similarities she had seen between both their physical looks and the content of their work. The pieces were a mixture of chainsaw wooden sculptures and multimedia paintings. Most of the works contained figures with strange, mask-like faces, or birds that seemed to be whispering in the figures’ ears. It was compelling stuff, and both Erika and I really enjoyed the exhibit.
The second gallery was a bit strange. We found it, and were about to go in, but it just looked like an office building. The space was sectioned off into rooms, which each contained a set of tables and chairs, with a few art pieces thrown in. We were certain we were in the wrong place, because we could see very little art. The gallery own assured us that each space was supposed to represent a different collector’s home space, and represented their individual tastes, but to us it just looked like an office building with framed scrap paper hung on the walls. It was a little much for both of us, so we took a break for lunch and absolutely delicious hot chocolate.
After dinner, we walked around a bit more, visited Cabaret Voltaire, the birthplace of the Dadaists. It’s a small little café with gallery space underneath, where they have new shows and performances every In the front, they were selling (I think selling…) Urban Camouflage, which were paper pieces created to make one blend in with the expectations of the urban environment. There were Facebook badges, where you could clip status updates, and cardboard designer shoes to fit over your regular shoes, to make you appear more properly dressed. It was really cool, though a bit hard to grasp, as all the explanations were written in German.
In the back, there was another exhibition called “Die, Dada, Die,” in which two artists had purchased an original masterwork by Breughel the Younger of the Crucifixion from the seventeenth century and painted new demon faces over all the faces of the people in the crowd.
I just didn’t know what to think. I mean, I understand the concept of building upon an older work, and of challenging the sacred aspect of “master” works of art, but couldn’t they have used a copy? They’re currently buying other works by famous artists, and intend to expand the series, but it just seems disrespectful to the original artists. I know that is somewhat the intent, but I just can’t get behind the project. The end result turned out really cool, like play on one of those older depictions of Hell, but it just seems wrong to destroy something just to prove a point.
We also walked to a few galleries in the area, just to get a taste of some of the local modern art. We originally thought we’d be visiting museums, because the guidebook made them seem much bigger, but really they were small, independent spaces that held rotating exhibitions by just one or two artists. The first gallery was quite interesting, as it featured just two artists. The gallery owner told us she picked them because of odd similarities she had seen between both their physical looks and the content of their work. The pieces were a mixture of chainsaw wooden sculptures and multimedia paintings. Most of the works contained figures with strange, mask-like faces, or birds that seemed to be whispering in the figures’ ears. It was compelling stuff, and both Erika and I really enjoyed the exhibit.
The second gallery was a bit strange. We found it, and were about to go in, but it just looked like an office building. The space was sectioned off into rooms, which each contained a set of tables and chairs, with a few art pieces thrown in. We were certain we were in the wrong place, because we could see very little art. The gallery own assured us that each space was supposed to represent a different collector’s home space, and represented their individual tastes, but to us it just looked like an office building with framed scrap paper hung on the walls. It was a little much for both of us, so we took a break for lunch and absolutely delicious hot chocolate.
After dinner, we walked around a bit more, visited Cabaret Voltaire, the birthplace of the Dadaists. It’s a small little café with gallery space underneath, where they have new shows and performances every In the front, they were selling (I think selling…) Urban Camouflage, which were paper pieces created to make one blend in with the expectations of the urban environment. There were Facebook badges, where you could clip status updates, and cardboard designer shoes to fit over your regular shoes, to make you appear more properly dressed. It was really cool, though a bit hard to grasp, as all the explanations were written in German.
In the back, there was another exhibition called “Die, Dada, Die,” in which two artists had purchased an original masterwork by Breughel the Younger of the Crucifixion from the seventeenth century and painted new demon faces over all the faces of the people in the crowd.
I just didn’t know what to think. I mean, I understand the concept of building upon an older work, and of challenging the sacred aspect of “master” works of art, but couldn’t they have used a copy? They’re currently buying other works by famous artists, and intend to expand the series, but it just seems disrespectful to the original artists. I know that is somewhat the intent, but I just can’t get behind the project. The end result turned out really cool, like play on one of those older depictions of Hell, but it just seems wrong to destroy something just to prove a point.
Zurich, Day One
Today, we spent a good portion of the day on the train, though I really didn’t mind. It’s relaxing to be able to just sit and watch the scenery, or read, or sleep, knowing you are being taken where you need to go. For a portion of the ride, we sat next to a man from Brazil who worked as a museum curator. He was in Milan visiting a friend, but he has been staying in Munich for a month, working on a collaborative exhibit between his museum and one in Munich. He had a lovely, soft accent that was hard to place, and we chatted about school and what to see in Munich, interspersed with comments on the beauty of the Alps and scattered waterfalls we were passing. He gave us his card before he left, and told us to come visit his museum if we ever happened to be in Brazil.
Once we got into Zurich, we walked all around the old town before having dinner. The streets are very beautiful, and very clean, and filled with Art Deco fountains and statues. We had dinner at a fondue place, where Erika got delicious cheese fondue and I got a traditional dish called . They gave me a skillet, a bag of potatoes, cheese and a plate of assorted toppings, like pear, pickles, baby corn and pearl onions. What you did was put the cheese slices in the tiny skillet, which went inside the heater. As the cheese melted, you smashed the potatoes and added a few topping. Once the cheese is melted, you pour it over the top and eat. It was delicious, and REALLY fun! The best toppings, oddly enough, were the pear slices and the pickled baby corn, never things I would put together, but nonetheless quite delicious. Tomorrow we plan to see more of the city, and hopefully visit Cabaret Voltaire, a famous hangout of the Dadaists!
Once we got into Zurich, we walked all around the old town before having dinner. The streets are very beautiful, and very clean, and filled with Art Deco fountains and statues. We had dinner at a fondue place, where Erika got delicious cheese fondue and I got a traditional dish called . They gave me a skillet, a bag of potatoes, cheese and a plate of assorted toppings, like pear, pickles, baby corn and pearl onions. What you did was put the cheese slices in the tiny skillet, which went inside the heater. As the cheese melted, you smashed the potatoes and added a few topping. Once the cheese is melted, you pour it over the top and eat. It was delicious, and REALLY fun! The best toppings, oddly enough, were the pear slices and the pickled baby corn, never things I would put together, but nonetheless quite delicious. Tomorrow we plan to see more of the city, and hopefully visit Cabaret Voltaire, a famous hangout of the Dadaists!
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