Alex's Travels

Back in Czech Republic

I returned to the Czech Republic from Vienna. My last day in Vienna was as good as the first two. In the morning, I went to a cafe and read the newspaper. Then Debbie and I walked around in the afternoon. I didn't go out with the Aussie and the Austrians because I had told them I was leaving town earlier that day (didn't feel like spending more time with them). But Debbie and I went to the same bar district and found a nice pub. We went with two of the people from my room in the hostel, a guy and a girl from Boston.

The next day was one of waiting. I got up and hauled my massive luggage to the train station, which involved a long walk and an uncomfortable tram ride. I waited around for the train, then I waited on the train for it to arrive in Prague. Once in the city, I waited for the metro, then waited for it to get to my stop. Then I waited another few hours for Jana to pick me up. There was about an hour of excitement when my train caught on fire. People started looking a bit worried as smoke filled the car about an hour and a half out of Vienna. With no announcement from the conductor or staff, the train came to a stop and we all just jumped out of it. I never found out exactly what happened, but the cloud of smoke and employees running by gripping fire extinguishers indicates that there was definitely a fire. We had to wait for another train to pick us up and so arrived in Prague about an hour late.

I am now staying with Jana in her village Pruhonice, a little town just outside of Prague. Jana lives with someone who is cousins with my cousin's husband's aunt, so it only makes sense that I should stay with her! Her village is absolutely lovely. Small stone houses, a pretty creek, a tiny town square with some restaurants. I'm partial to cities, but I'm glad to be living out of Prague for a week. I spent my first full day there hiking in the woods around her village, eating lunch at a little pub in a neighboring town and reading in the town square. I also made my way across the highway only to find what could only be described as American-style suburban consumerism. Huge big box stores and two malls dot the Czech countryside. I was at such a loss for things to do that I spent about two hours wandering around the stores.

Today I took the bus into Prague. It is about a 15 minute ride to the outskirts of Prague and then about 20 minutes to the centrum via metro. I just killed time: went to an internet cafe, made reservations at the hostel, drank some coffee and read, walked around, etc. I will probably do the same thing tomorrow, though Monday I have building the chimney to look forward to.

Killing time pretty much characterizes the trip. Sometimes its the immediate waitingfor the train or the next meal; other times its waiting for the upcoming leg of the trip or for Alyssa to arrive. And, overall, I am just waiting to come back home. Yes, it is a great experience. When I step back, I realize how amazing it is to be staying in a little Czech town, wandering around through the woods and the city. But I mostly just think about how great life is back home, how I can't wait to go to one of my favorite coffeehouses or to the community theatre I love so much, how excited I am to find and start a new job and just get on with my life. It makes me question how appreciative I am of things: on the one hand, how unappreciative must one be to not love every minute of living in Europe? on the other, it is simply because I am so very appreciative that I miss the wonderfully dull aspects of everyday life.

posted by The League: Reassembled @ 8:10 AM