Two weeks and counting...

Finally, things are starting to shape up properly around here. Film classes start on Wednesday. I've been in the Czech Republic since 6 PM on Saturday, September 12th. We shall begin our journey there.

I flew out of Washington DC Friday at 7. I landed at Heathrow in London around 6 AM. Realizing how valueless the dollar actually is, I spent very little money. I had a flight at 2 in the afternoon, so during this insanely long layover, I slept most of the time.

Flying internationally is quite an experience. I did it before with Costa Rica, but this is intercontinental. Going over the Atlantic is daunting, and by yourself it's almost improbable for someone with my kind of anxiety. However, my professor at WVSU informed me why I don't have to fear... alcohol is free on international flights. I'm not much of a drinker, but it eases the anxiety. And Europe is so different from the US anyways (I was flying on British Airways), so I was given wine with everything already. The result was that I was just enjoying the ride.

I got to Prague eventually, and was picked up at the airport by Marta Frismonova's son Jan. Ms. Frismanova works for the Pisek Film Academy, and helped me arrange everything. I got to my apartment and met her and my landlady, Lada. Lada is a 60-something woman who knows about five words in English. The first thing she did was offer beer (pivo). I was a little shocked, but this ended up being the first of many free beers Lada would offer me. It's a whole culture thing here.

Pisek is a beautiful city with a lot of history. That said, there's not much here that makes it important now. However, it does contain the oldest bridge in central Europe, and it was the first town in Bohemia with hydroelectric power. One of the museums here won the 1996 award for Best in Europe.

So after a few days, I meet some students at the school, drink a little, get a cell phone, etc. I was supposed to go to Prague on my first weekend, but I didn't get to go. Also, Curtis, the other guy from WVSU that was supposed to come here, told us that he couldn't do it. Then I couldn't get the internet either. Then the phone that I got wouldn't work. Finally, on Monday, things got a bit better. Iain, our local Canadian at the school, hung out with me for a few hours that night. We had one of my finer geeky conversations. I finished one of the books I was reading, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens. It was wonderful.

Tuesday, I got a new phone and a new roommate, Vefik. He's from Ankara, Turkey, and he's spent a large portion of his life working for a radio station. We get along very well. The rest of the week kind of flew by. The internet seemed a very strange and distant thing, unless I used it at the school or in Pi, a local pub/cafe. I was able to email everybody, but it still frustrated the hell out of me. I decided not to start this blog until I really got connected.

So on Friday, Vefik and I went to the school to use the internet and get bus passes and plan some of our trip to Prague for Saturday. A friend of a friend of my father's lives in Prague, and his wife Victoria let us stay there at the house while we were in town. Her generosity was amazing, it was like having a home away from home.

But before we went to Prague, we went to a show at Pi by Drain, a Czech band, and the Foxes, from the United Kingdom. Pi regularly has bands playing, and they're usually at least mediocre. Live performance is one of those things so energetic and powerful that it's hard to really explain it. Drain was mediocre, but the Foxes have it in them to potentially make it. I talked to the lead singer afterwards, who never lost his pitch, and just congratulated him. They put on a hell of a show, and encored with three more songs. Their new single is all right, but they really need to emphasize their ballads.

So Saturday was the big day. We went to Prague, taking a Student Express bus to Prague for 90 Kc, which is about $5. It took about an hour and a half, and we arrived at the bus station and took the metro into town. We arrived in Wenceslas square, but so far away from the statue that we couldn't see it. And we went the wrong way, and ended up in the Old Town Square.

Wenceslas Square is very modern. It's like Times Square, with few exceptions. Almost Vegas-esque. Old Town Square is ancient and beautiful, like something out of an old fairy tale. There's a beautiful clock, and several cathedrals (Tyn cathedral was really nice). It felt like another world. We went into the museum of torture instruments, not sure what to expect. I've now seen an Iron Maiden. Twas disturbing, but fascinating. I'm glad we went, but never again.

We wandered around, finding the Jewish section of the town, and other areas as well. We eventually crossed the river using another bridge (not the Charles) and made our way up the castle. From there, you can see anything in the world. The castle itself is quite spectacular... but we got there right when they shut the doors. It doesn't matter. The walk was steep, but the place was simply incredible.

We found our way back down eventually, but we took our merry time. The view of Prague from there is unparallelable, given that the castle is the biggest in the world. Every era of civilization is in this town's architecture, and you can see it.

We walked towards the Charles Bridge as the sun started to go down. It's a neat little area, very unique and cultural, without feeling like it has to be a part of anything big and extravagant. Crossing the Charles Bridge was cool, except for the construction part.

Eventually we wandered around, looking for a drink and anything else that we might do. We went to Old Town again, which looked even better at night. We found our way to Wenceslas Square, and found the statue. We had a few drinks at a pub down the street that had decent drinks and played really good music. It was perfect for that moment.

Afterwards, we wandered over to the Metro and called Victoria, who let us stay at her place. It was wonderful. She made us feel right at home.

So now we're back, after a metro and a bus ride away. And we're home, with internet as a surprise.