Catching up...

So, the last two weeks have been pretty busy and now that I have some down time, I really should write a little bit about them (now that I have taken two naps--the second completely unintentional--and eaten half the kitchen).

June 1, Friday night, I went to a concert at the Rudolphinium. Heinz Holliger (famous oboist) was playing as part of the Prague Spring Music Festival and I splurged on tickets (200 crowns, fifth row). The concert was really good--I hadn't realized how small Holliger is--like a little Swiss elf! He played the first two pieces and conducted the last one (the concert was a little shorter than I was used to). At the end of the concert, though, I was really surprised that NO ONE stood up--I mean, here is a world-class oboist who has just performed (with some famous string ensemble, but we don't care about them) and people are applauding crazily but NOT STANDING UP. So I did what any well-bred individualist American would do--I stood up all by my lonesome. Just call me the non-conformist trail-blazer...

Anyway, it was warm and still pretty light after the concert so I decided to walk part of the way home. I hadn't even gone a block when I noticed there was some filming going on at one of the fancier hotels. I stayed for a bit to watch--it was an American crew--but I couldn't figure out the name of the film or anything, so after about ten minutes I went on my way.

Sunday, June 2, I went to see a Czech film, "I served the King of England." I still think that Czech film is really weird. This was a story about a guy who wanted to be a millionaire and own his own hotel. The movie goes through some major events in recent Czech history: the industrialist wealth, the Nazi invasion, WWII, the deportation of the Jews (which is summed up in one scene where you can see a boxcar of people in the background), and the communist take over. I don't think I can honestly say that I liked the movie, but I felt like a better person for having given Czech film yet another chance to impress (which it really didn't do, but I keep reminding myself that it is, after all, a very small country).

I went directly from the movie theatre to meet B&B at the airport. It was great seeing them again--I hadn't seen them since the Ontario Renaissance Festival in, ohhhh, what was it... 2002, I believe. Hard to believe it had been that long. Anyway, we dropped their stuff off at my apartment and I took them to the center of Prague. We saw the old Jewish Quarter, the Old Town Square with the Astrological Clock, Charles Bridge... and a drunk British tourist waving his penis in the air. Well, I can add that to my European penis tally (yes, I keep a tally).

Anyway, Bill and Brenda stayed until Wednesday morning (and kept me full of food during their entire visit--beginning with Belgian chocolates, Italian wine, and Canadian hot chocolate and ending with Klobasa and lots of ice cream... with plenty of Svickova, pork, and sauerkraut thrown in for good measure).

I didn't do a lot of teaching last week because three of my classes had ended the week before (I am going to make NOTHING this month... not happy about that, but there isn't much I can do), so by the time Friday rolled around my routine was completely shot and I went home and, for the first time in a long time, was not completely exhausted. I didn't really know what to do with myself, so I opted for following my routine of pizza, soda, and movie on the laptop... but it felt weird because I actually had the energy to do something a bit more demanding. But I will be prepared for this Friday... I actually think I will try to go see another Czech film... last one (well, I think after this one I will run out of Czech films to watch anyway).

Saturday, June 9 Zippy and I went to Praguestock with some of her friends (including her previous roommate, who was evicted by the landlord). I wasn't in a particularly social mood (I think I came off as a pathetic personality-less lump that Zippy dragged along out of pity, but oh well. Praguestock was... entertaining. It was 200 Crowns to get in--it was right next to the Vltava, the river that goes through Prague--and it was an expat event, so it was all in English. There were not a lot of people there--it was a lot smaller than I had expected.

I'm going to have to continue this later... I need to take a break from typing... and Praguestock deserves my full attention...