On the road!

It's midwinter break around here, which means I have some time to travel. Budget and desire for some quiet time are keeping me here in the CR. I'm headed to Bohemia tomorrow morning with a couple of my teaching companions, Dave and Joe. We're going to Plzeň, home of the famous Plzeňský prazdroj aka Pilsner Urquell; Karlovy Vary, a trendy spa town where I'm told I will see Russian gangsters taking some time off; and Loket, a tiny medieval village with one of the few castles that are open to the public in the off-off season. Should be back by Thursday or Friday. Wish me luck!

Cool building at Masná

I go by this building several times a week. I get off the tram here to go to a company where I have four different classes. It's on the south east side of the city, on Cejl Street. The tram stop is Masná.

Mandragora

Křenová 10, Mapped
Tel.: 608 632 436
M-F 1pm -?Midnight?
Sa 4pm - ?Midnight?
www.putykamandragora.info

Beer: Svijany (ležák 11, speciální 13, tmavé speciální 13 [dark], and Kvasničák nefiltrované 13) @ 21-25 kc.

Feel: This place is on the border of what passes for a 'bad neighborhood' here. (Brown-skinned people be here!) The place is very low key, and somewhat plain, but there is leather furniture to chill in near the bar. The staff and clientèle are younger and/or grungier than most of Brno that I frequent (closer to Seattle average). Seems to be a music place, too. There's a raised section at the end of the hall and concert photos march around the room. A bit loud and a bit smoky on a normal Saturday.


Pros: Good selection of quality Svijany (mind the tall-glassed nefiltrované, it packs a punch). There's a small selection of cold bar snacks, including some blue-ish cheese and utopenec (sausage drowned in vinegar and raw onions). The staff is friendly, remarkably efficient (read: western-style service) and will quickly find someone to speak English with you. Foosball and micro-foos (see last picture). Decent website (no English, but clear layout).

Cons: A bit on the spartan side, dogs do run about, and headed towards a sketchy 'hood.



Overall: Good for just hanging out with nice beer and chill people. Great prices.

Directions: From hlavní nádraží - walk down and to the right, under the bridge, and straight across the street. Pub is 15 meters ahead on the right. By tram - take the 8, 10, 13 to Vlkhá and walk towards hlavní nádraží. Pub is about 15 meters ahead on the left.

Mini-foos!

The House of the Four Idiots

Mapped
This is a building on námĕstí Svobody that is known as The House of the Four Idiots, Dům u čtyř mamlasů in Czech. It was built for one “of Brno's richest nineteenth-century Jewish industrialists.” p358, The Rough Guide to the Czech & Slovak Republics

Now it's just one of a warren of commercial buildings, like everything else on náměstí Svobody.

I am become Shiva, Destroyer of Worlds

This is taken just a few steps from my school. They're unusual, even for Brno's surprisingly vibrant little street art scene. They're ceramic tile and not the only ones out there...

With apologies to my adoring public...

Sorry for the unexplained and significant hiatus. Life was rough for awhile there and I didn't really have time/energy/focus enough to keep the blog going. I've told one or two of you that I don't really like short posts mixed in with giant ones (like I tend to have), but we've found a loophole: photos. I've finally gotten a decent camera here (Thanks, Mom & Dad!), so I can now document the wondrous, glorious, banal existence that is life in Brno. Expect lots of old buildings and graffiti. I've also decided to start reviewing some of the bars/pubs that I find myself frequenting, as well as the beer that is served there. I think we can expect at least one review, one graffiti, and one old building per week. Probably an actual written post as well, but no promises.

To those of you who wrote encouraging me to keep going, thank you. Especially, those of you that I haven't written back to yet.

I finally got a new house. It's part of a shared flat on Kopečna street, just downhill from the Cathedral. I'm in Stare Brno, i.e. Old Brno, the most ancient part of town. This puts me a five minute walk from the main train station and a fifteen minute walk from work, because I have to climb up and over.

This is the view from my front door.

This is taken from the top of those steps in the first picture. Yes, that is a sculpture on the grass roof, which tops my landlords' apartment. My window is the one on the left with the bars.

Prague Castle, St. Vitus's Cathedral, Basilica of St. George

Several of the best things to see in Prague are in the Castle. I suggest going early, there are lots of people, even on a cold November day. If you need food, find someplace well away from the castle to eat, prices get ridiculous in that part of town. I also suggest going through the front section on the western face, and not through the back section, even though the eastern steps are closer to the river. A great spectacle is the changing of the guards at noon. A mini-version that happens on the hour, but this one is worth seeing.
Arrive early under the gruesome gate to get a spot in the courtyard. The guards are awesome to watch, but Americans and Brits will definitely notice a difference between the Czechs and their own Marines. Pant cuffs may bag a little at the ankle, there's some shuffling in ranks to evenly space the men, some movements aren't all that snappy, and it's obvious not everyone takes 'coming to attention' as seriously as others. Simply, the Czechs take their duty seriously, but they don't make it the religiously martial ritual that their Anglo brethren do.

They do however, have a really jazzy bunch of brass to do it to though. And they are a very engaging spectacle. Well worth the watch. I am reminded that at some point I must acquire a sword. For the inside I recommend buying a “Maly” ticket for 250 kc which grants you access to the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St. George, and the Golden Lane. The Cathedral is free entry. Order of operations should be something like this: get there at 11:30 to go in and buy ticket, go find spot for changing of the guard. Once done, bypass the Cathedral (everyone is going there), the Palace would be a good option. Then the Cathedral, the Basilica, and the Golden Lane, with a leisurely stroll down the stairs towards the river. This is enough to occupy you for three or four hours if you're a thorough tourist.

The Palace was looted by the Nazis and is fairly small. Don't go in expecting much. I enjoy the idea of a modest monarchy, though. However, it does contain what I'm told is the largest Gothic vaulted space in Europe (or the world, I suppose), and the stonework is quite beautiful. Go upstairs to see the old coal fired ceramic heaters and some documents about failed rebellions. At the far end of the Hall is a small throne room and a church.

St. Vitus's Cathedral is pretty impressive.
It was 800 years in the making has beautiful stained glass windows, one of them by Alfons Mucha. I'm not really into the religious stuff, but I dig cathedrals for the architecture and art. Vitus's is pretty cool on both counts.

Halfway down on the right side there is a tower that you can climb. It's something like 287 steps up a spiral staircase. This isn't terrible until you must share this staircase with the people coming down, as well, and you get squeezed to the inside where the steps are only four inches deep. Can be a bit aggravating. The top will be crowded, but it was far and a way the best view of Prague I had the whole time I was there.

The outside of St. George's Basilica is a lovely red and white, reminding me of an Orthodox church. The inside is very primitive and was severely neglected under Communism, but it still holds a certain majesty. I was quite impressed with the frescoes on the ceiling in the front.

I wasn't too impressed with the Golden Lane. It's a bunch of little cottages built up against/into the outer wall. Once the artisans lived there, especially the gold workers for the monarchy/cathedral (hence the name), and Kafka is supposed to have lived there for a short time. Now it's chockablock with tourist kitsch and the tourists themselves. I'm told I missed the actual historical display part: go left when you get through the gate? Also: don't buy any food here unless you're will to pay true tourist prices. Prague is usually double what things cost in Brno, hot wine or simple food in the Castle is triple.