Graffiti in Europe

I've been telling myself that I'd write this blog entry for months, but I've finally started. My apologies for the delay... I've had the idea in mind for quite some time. This isn't so much about a specific trip in my adventure as much as it is about observations about graffiti.

In the US, graffiti is usually considered a bad thing. It's vandalism, it's rebellion, and it's completely inappropriate in most settings. There are places where it's expected (skate parks), but for the most part it's pretty offensive. When I cross a state line and see graffiti (I'm looking at you, New Jersey), I can't say I feel very welcome.

While the attitude here isn't exactly pro-graffiti, it's more common and acceptable. I've seen all sorts of graffiti, no matter what city. Sometimes it's playful, and sometimes it's serious. We'll start with the playful.

These are both in Pisek, the city I spend most of my time in. The monster eye is on a walkway. It's not really graffiti, but I love it. The other one is definitely graffiti, but I couldn't tell you what it means. It really enhances the location, though.

In Vienna, I saw this. It was next to a children's playground. No thoughts on this either.

While I was doing my travel throughout this continent (late December, early January), Israel had launched a military campaign on the Gaza strip. Over 1,000 people died, mostly Palestinians. Several nonmilitary targets were destroyed. While I understand the need for self-defense, I don't think it's offensive to say it's a bit extreme. It was met with a great amount of protest on this side of the world.

This was in Barcelona, slightly more than a week into the conflict. A few weeks later, in Venice, I saw this:

Free Palestine, Free Israel.

I think that sums up the problem of conflicts like this. Both sides are stuck in this conflict and it's oppressing them both.

But it's not just international situations that had topical graffiti. Shortly before I went to Athens, the police had shot a fifteen year old boy. The reaction was extreme, resulting in violent protests and the destruction of numerous structures. It went beyond Athens, and affected the entirety of Greece. When I arrived, most of it had ceased but unrest was really strong. I got to see the aftermath.

This is in downtown Athens, Greece.

I think this piece of graffiti summed up what people felt like in late December:

I think nonviolence is an admiral protest quality. If you want something changed, it should be done passively. Anger and violence tend to be the reason people want things to be different anyways.

One of the best examples of nonviolent protest was in Czechoslovakia in the 1980s. The fall of communism here resulted from the Velvet Revolution, a series of protests that essentially reformed the oppressive system without any need for violence. It's one of the most civil government reforms I've ever heard of, and it shows the potential for progress without bloodshed.

A great symbol of the nonviolent protest was the John Lennon wall of Prague, which started in 1988. It was painted over, but it just kept getting more graffiti anyways. It's very ideological, and it's been commercialized a bit these days (there's a John & George restaurant nearby with ridiculously high prices for Prague), but you have to admire the beauty of the place.

When Obama was here (yes, I went), he spoke about nuclear disarmament. If it can be done, it would be awesome. That doesn't mean it's easy. Philosophically speaking, I try to define myself as a pacifist, or at least someone who tries to pursue pacifism. While I know most people would say it's a dream, I'll justify it with a quote from the president in that speech: "When we fail to pursue peace, then it stays forever beyond our grasp." If we're not looking to stop war, how will it ever end?

From Czech to Slovakia

So after going to all of those places throughout December and January, would I still love the Czech Republic? Would I feel the same way about Prague as I did before?

Of course. This place has become my home in the last few months. And while I miss the US a lot nowadays, it's hard to stay homesick when you've got such a beautiful country around. And Prague's a city that changes every time I go there. It's like the stairs in Harry Potter.

It's quite beautiful at night, especially the Mala Strana and Charles Bridge areas. And the castle. And Old Town Square. And even the hidden places. Really, the city just has a great charm.

Shortly after returning, I ended up wandering in Prague. It's such a lovely city. A few things had changed since I last went there. Specifically, they put this up in front of the Rudolfinum:

Also, they took the beer ad down from behind Charles IV.

I'm sad to see the Pilsner ad go, but I did find it to be an extremely random place for that.

Also, I found another random spot that amazes me with its historical context. Franz Kafka, famous writer of The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and tons of other stories and novels is a Prague native (which is quite common knowledge and he's unavoidable in the city). He considered himself an Austrian Jew, because this was before Czechoslovakia. What I hadn't realized was that he hung out with another Austrian Jew that taught in Prague for a year:

You know, Einstein.

So, since I hadn't read any Kafka ever, I bought his complete stories. I've read a few since then, and they were quite good. Especially The Metamorphosis.

I also went to his museum, which is just as much about Prague as it is about him. It's wonderful, and it's one of the things I recommend to do in the city if you ever get a chance. It gives you a real sense of what's going on in his head.

But yeah, Prague's as great as ever. And school's up and running for me. I'm working on my semester project, which should be fun and challenging.

So over the weekend I ventured out of the Czech Republic to Bratislava, Slovakia. While the Czech Republic and Slovakia were once Czechoslovakia, they've been separate for almost twenty years (1993). Bratislava, the young capital, has not been treated kindly in movies (Hostel, Eurotrip). This is a shame, because it was a very nice city.

The weather was like that the entire time, but it wasn't unbearable. They recently adopted the euro, but things weren't as expensive as other euro countries. I stayed for two nights, enjoying the random quirkiness of the city. It's very understated, kind of quaint.

One of the first spots I went to was the Bratislava Castle, near the Danube river. I've been to two other cities on the Danube (Vienna and Budapest), and it's interesting to see what kinds of places pop up on this long river. The castle itself is under renovation until 2011, but the grounds around it were free to explore, and it's got the best view of the city.

Yes, that's a UFO.

After that, I walked to the bus stop and went 10 km outside of the city, to the Devin Castle. This place was quite excellent.

It dates back to Roman times, was built up to prevent Turkish invasion, went through a few families (including the notorious Bathory family), and was eventually destroyed by Napoleon. Now, it's a beautiful ruin of a castle. It's very different from most castles, at least for me.

This was an old Christian church that dates back to the 400s at the castle. I know it's not much, but it was kind of cool.

Yeah, it was pretty empty.

The castle grounds were empty, and the north tower (which has a museum) was closed for renovations (go figure), but for 1.30 euro (plus .70 euro to get there) , it's still a good deal. Plus, there's the view of the Danube and Morava rivers meeting.

It's kind of hard to see, but there are two rivers there.

Also, I got an Aussie to take this picture for me:

(I won't even say what I'm thinking)

So yeah, I wandered back to Bratislava and went looking for statues.

I found some. And then I found some more.

Yes, Bratislava's full of great (and random) statues and monuments. This isn't even close to all of them, but these were my favorites. And a lot of them were just there without explanation.

The city's quirkiness and calm state made it a nice little getaway city. It's very close to Vienna, and it's not far from Prague or Budapest, but it's a distinctive place. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Also, I feel that I should give a shout out to two things back in WV that are completely unrelated to me other than that I know the people involved. My friend Eric does an online comic called Rantin' & Raven that's very cool. You should check it out at http://rantingraven-guero.tk. Also, my friend Angelo has put together a zine in Huntington called Monster Clutter (http://www.monsterclutter.com) that covers just about everything under the sun. And it involves monsters, so that's always a plus.

Until next time, Ciao.

Best of my 2009 European Trip: A Retrospective.

Since tonight is the Oscars, where people in the film industry pat themselves on the back (some of the time deservedly), I'm going to pat myself on the back for categorizing parts of my trip around Europe. Because I've been told that going to all these places makes me "Better Than You", I shall include my "Better Than You" pictures, just as a reminder. My apologies in advance for the obnoxiousness of this entry.

Best Place to Not Include On the List:

Prague. I love the city waaaay too much to try to compare it, because my experience with Prague is more of a home base type of place, rather than a place I visit. While I know I live in Pisek, Prague is like Huntington, WV to me. It's a home away from home... away from home. It's beautiful, intriguing, and easy to get lost in. Kafka was right when he said that it had claws. It brings you back.

Best Painful One-Upping of the US:

London's West End puts Broadway to shame. And I'm a huge fan of New York City and Broadway, so you can imagine how difficult it is for me to admit to this. London has a lot of things, but once you get into the West End, you can feel a difference. When a show runs for a long time on Broadway, that means ten years. And you can usually feel the age. Dad and I saw the longest running play of all time (over fifty years), and it was as interesting and energetic as anything I've seen on stage in its opening year.

Best Gothic Church:

Like I'm going to say anything but Notre Dame here. Going in on Christmas during a service made it extra-cool. With all the places I've been, I'm a bit fatigued of all the churches and art museums I've seen, but let's face it: it shouldn't get better than this. As cool as St. Peter's is, I think I still would prefer this place.

Best Birthday Location for My Father:

When Dad and I booked our tour, we were least excited about the Swiss Alps. Nothing against neutrality in high places, but London, Paris, and Amsterdam were on the tour! Luckily, we were proven quite wrong. We went to the Top of Europe (hands at the ready) on his birthday. There's nothing quite like it.
Bonus: I got to see the Alps again, on a plane from Mallorca, Spain to Copenhagen, Denmark, and when I was in Salzburg, they were right there too. But seeing them from the top or from above is incredible. When I was able to view them from the plane, there were no clouds, and the moonlight reflected off the snow. No matter what, I couldn't get a good picture.

The Best Place I'll Never Remember:

Everyone expects this one to be Amsterdam, for some reason, but no. I was really sick when our tour took us to Boppard en Rhein in Germany, so this is about all I saw of it before sleeping through dinner until the morning. Luckily, this allowed me to recover for the rest of the trip.

Most Indulgent:

Uh, duh. This is where Amsterdam fits the list. If you're into art, they've got a lot of that. If you're into parties, they have more than enough of that. Beer? They have that covered. Coffee? Theoretically, I think they have that too. The Red Light District? Yes. Plants that you couldn't grow in the US without a medical excuse in only certain states available in shops? Yeah, I hear they have that too. Oh, and fireworks? To the point where you don't wonder if anyone got hurt, but only how you didn't get hurt on New Year's Night? Yes, most definitely.

But don't even think about jaywalking. They have some serious laws about that in Amsterdam.

Best Random "Better Than You" Picture from London (That I could find):

This one, at the Tower of London.

Best Irish History Tour:

Old Kilmainham Jail in Dublin shows you the dark and darker side of Ireland's struggle for independence. Seeing the site of several executions just reminds you of what kinds of sacrifices have been made in the quest for freedom.

Best Art Museum Disguised as a City:

Barcelona. What a beautiful place, with more than enough culture to cover the rest of Europe. Barcelona has a little bit of everything everywhere. And Gaudi's stuff is easy to find. Just look around. Anywhere.

Best Park:

Parque de Buen Retiro in Madrid was charming. However, there are a few slippery hills that, when it snows, you might fall, and you might not be able to stand up without crawling up the hill. And it's just crowded enough that everybody stares. It was kind of awkward... one might imagine.

Most Unique Place in the World:
Christiania, in Copenhagen, is hard to believe. Unfortunately, they don't allow pictures. You could call it more indulgent than Amsterdam, but it wouldn't promote itself like that. It's a small section of the town that considers itself independent, and is self-governing for the most part. Originally set up for low-cost housing to support the art community, this Bohemian paradise just kind of exists on its own plane of reality. Just a few blocks away and you're back in normal Copenhagen, where the rules of society apply.

Best Place to Barely Scratch the Surface:

I know that I have to go back to Istanbul, because I feel like it would take years to fully understand just how much has gone on and is going on in that city. But the brief time I spent in Turkey was enough to tantalize me into trying to figure out some way to return. The Underground Cistern, the Hagia Sofia, the Grand Bazaar, and the Blue Mosque were unlike anything I've ever seen. I have to see more. Luckily, I know a few people there.

Best Place to Take "I'm Better Than You" Pictures:

Greece. Everything is photogenic in Greece. The weather is perfect. The history is great. The mythology is rich. And that picture was taken in January. Greece is another place where I know I've barely scratched the surface.

Best Random Placement of Ancient Building:

I like random, and Rome has a lot of randomness. Walking around the corner and finding The Pantheon in an area that doesn't feel ancient at all is about as random as it gets. I still love that building, and I can't believe how well kept it is for being 2000 years old.

Best Hostel (Also, Most Random Place to Make Friends):

Florence has a lot of art and history, but by the time I got there, I was arted and historied out. On the other hand, that was easily the best hostel I stayed at (Sorry, Munich. I loved that one a lot too). And that's where I made a good number of friends (I made a lot in Munich too). But for something like 20 euros a night, you get a bed, free internet (unlimited, including wifi), breakfast (made to order, so it's warm), dinner (pasta or pizza, every day except Saturday), and a free walking tour of the city (two different ones, so you can do more than one while you're there). This group of people, pictured above, were such cool folks that we met up again in Venice. I later also ran into another guy from this hostel in another great hostel in Munich.

Most Beautiful Place in the Universe:

Venice. Yes, there's graffiti. But unlike New Jersey, it works here. Yes, it's sinking. So get there fast. Yes, it's expensive. No, there isn't much to do that you can't do anywhere else. But out of the places I went to in Italy, this is where I fell in love with the country. It's one of those cities where you want to get lost. There's not an ugly spot in the city, and it even makes pigeons feel like something new.

Most Musical:

Salzburg, duh. Mozart and the Von Trappes cover it all. And it's so freaking cold, what else are they going to do but make masterpieces? Austria's such a cool place anyways, and I just happened to catch Salzburg at the right time. This was one of the cities that several people recommended to me before I left for Europe. It's pretty classical, don't you think? (I know, that's the worst joke ever. I apologize.)

Best Free Tour:

Munich had a free walking tour advertised at my hostel, and it kind of covered everything. It took me inside the church I wanted to go into. It showed me where the most historical things in Munich happened. It told me several stories about the place I would have never heard otherwise. And it showed me a decent place to have lunch afterwards. I know it's a fairly touristy thing to do, but when you only have a few days in a city, you'll think like a tourist for some reason. It gave me a bit of a historical perspective on the place.