a summary of six months since.......

as i sit in the lounge bar of a very swanky hong kong place i feel like i've come full circle. yet again i am bound for europe and do so having not kept you up to date with the last months of stage 2 travels in europe.
rather than detailing everything that went on, i will (probably to the great distaste of some readers) only give a brief thumbnail of the events.

Italy:
after adopting our mafia names, "dangerous dave" couventry, richard "dickie 7 slices" large and matty "2 prongs" ho set about reeking havoc throughout northern italy. upon arrival in pisa we flagrantly ignored our parking ticket, parked in one of the most blatent no-parking zones ever (directly out the front of the leaning tower complex in the bus zone) before driving at excessive speeds (thanks dave)to meet our hosts (marco and his family)who had no idea that there would be three of us and not two.....and that was within the first 12 hours.
thankfully, no more parking tickets because this would have distracted us from the wine we took it upon ourselves to try....basically anywhere we could!!

Berlin:
back to berlin to catch up with the girlfriend. not really sure how far to go on that one...since most already know everything i've been advised to leave it there. berlin is an awesome city. each time i go there i find myself more and more settled. unfortunately my great lack of ability in the german language made me feel very isolated at times. nonetheless, i would strongly recommend it as a place to spend a week or more if you have the time.

Amsterdam:
being met by a naked russian male is not necessarily the best introduction to an "insiders view on amsterdam"....mind you we made sure that we walked up the stairs to his 3rd floor apartment ahead of him!!
despite his very cultural attraction to paying for sex with prostitutes, serge was a wonderful host and showed us some little niches of amsterdam that wouldn't find by yourself. nonetheless, despite the lack of snow, my first christmas in europe was not disappointing and i will take this moment to thank serge for his hospitality and rod (a fellow australian x'mas orphan) for the weekend.

Paris:
new years in paris at rod's place!!! as things declined into outright war as far as the housemates were concerned, the house party at rod's for new years was a welcome relief to running around trying to find something special to do. complete with a contingent of russians who insisted on doing shots of vodka for every time-zone on the planet (unfortunately by the time midnight came in paris it had already been through new zealand, australia and most of russia). nonetheless, the party continued as our russian friends staggered out (not...how the hell do they drink that much vodka and stay upright?!!?) in search of some place else (given that serge was amongst them) to get naked with high class (paid) women....it's a russian thing??


London:
finally, after much excitement, i finally entered the united kingdom. nowhere near as expensive as i thought it was going to be (given that i was taken for dinner on each of my three nights there) the overall feel was exactly as i expected.....take me back to paris!! i'm sorry to all of my english mates and, as i head back there in less than 12 hours, i am sure that i will change my mind. however, london felt like a big drain on the soul. the architecture, whilst amazing, was tempered by the fact that when you build something in light-grey stone it will absorb water and look even dirtier than it already does. it was this simple fact of colour that confirmed that spending an extended period of time there was not high on the priority list...however, on the other side i know that first impressions are not always the correct one and am looking forward to giving it another go.

for a number of months, i returned to australia, worked, wined and dined and packed. after seeing friends get married, have babies, have more babies or just get bigger in the belly it was time (after yet another going away party....although at least this time it was a dinner) to venture off again.

and so we find ourselves sitting in Tsai Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong getting ready to set off for europe. so, in a completed circle i finish this blog. the next travels will continue to be updated as always however they may move to another site simple becuase this site enables you, the reader, to register so that you will know when the next episode arrives. i'm not set on this idea yet so your feedback will be welcome. (yes craig......i know collingwood fixed the match so you guys could win).
miss you ALL.

big bises,

Matty "santa 2 prongs" Ho xox

festive season

to all my bloggers,

i hope you've all had a merry x'mas and a wonderful and safe new years. i hope you've all enjoyed my travels and promise to up-date all of the pre and post festive season events.......
including:
1. dangerous dave, dickie 7 slices and matty 2 prongs adventures around tuscany,
2. berlin....i know you need to let a red wine breath but does that mean you put it onto a stove and heat the thing until it burns the tongue????....oh...glhüwien it's called.
3. amsterdam for x'mas with the orphans,
4. paris in a new year,
5. finally made it back to london to return the loaf of bread some ancestor of mine stole.......visa please?!?!?!

only joking and none of the tales will amuse you as much but will write again soon,

biz..

santa

Nice………..is it?

After travelling back down to Nice from Chamonix it came as no surprise to find the place eerily familiar. Then again after six weeks spent in the place only a year ago what can you expect?!?
After settling back in with the host family, it was time to re-acquaint myself with Nice. The main road, Rue Jean Médecin still resembled a war zone, cunningly disguised as tram works. The only reason I was glad to leave last time was to get away from the tram works yet now, not only had they seemingly made no real progress on the parts they were working on last year, they’d even managed to dig up more of the surrounding streets to NOT work on this year!!
After eventually managing to cross the street, itself an exercise in 360° head-turning to avoid normal and construction traffic, it was off to the old school to see some of my previous teachers. This was another exercise in futility as I’d managed to lose the ability to read a watch properly and turned up during class!
Feeling somewhat discouraged, and wondering why I’d come back, it wasn’t long until the magnetic attraction of the seawater enticed me back to the wonderful, jellyfish infested Mediterranean and the pitiful effort Niçoise people call the beach. Unlike Australia, beaches in Nice are synonymous with pebbles, not sand. While there is no concern with sand getting into, well, everything the fist-sized rocks are more than uncomfortable to lie on. A Thermarest™, or the like, is the only way to enjoy prolonged sessions in the sun. (With suitable hydration and adequate sun protection of course!!) The sea, just to top things off, was on the tail end of a jellyfish plague that had, for the last month, made the entire coast unsafe for swimming!! At least the sun was out today!!
Nonetheless, time spent catching up with friends and family was worth the return, as was the opportunity to learn a little more about fire fighting.

NB: 500ml of water will not extinguish a burning scooter!!

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Ummmm my bike's on fire....maybe this water will work?!?



Hmmmm...it's still on fire.



Hey look.....my bikes on fire.



Um Officer......I think that bike's on fire.

Chamoni"X" and altitude sickness

After leaving the wonders of Berlin (a cheeky stop there after Warsaw), having again been entranced by the diverse nature of life there, I was surprised to see how quickly I forgot about that upon arrival back in Paris. It is no small wonder that each and every time I end up back in Paris I quickly remember why I find it so alluring. The fact that I can speak the language certainly helps but despite the Parisians who live there, each time I arrive back I am quickly swept back into the Paris culture. After a festive going away party for Gen’s Olivier, which ended up being at one of my favourite bars in the 3rd(from last time), it was a relaxing time catching up with old friends and enjoying a café out doors. The next stage of the travels was planned and I was quickly on a train to the South-East of France, into the French Alps to a place called Chamonix.
After two transfers, I finally boarded the Alpine Express that would take me to Chamonix. The scenery was amazing as the train made its way up and up into the mountains. There was some low-lying cloud that hide some of the mountain peaks, however the views down into the valleys were breathtaking. Upon arrival into town, I walked off to find my hostel, chosen because it was only one located on the map provided. The accommodation was nothing like what was advertised. Breakfast was not included, the internet was down and there was only one toilet per sex in the whole place. However, this mattered little as there were only a couple of people staying and the view from my bed of the Alps was awesome.
Chamonix, elevation 1037m, rests at the base of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain range in Europe. Surprisingly it does not resemble an expensive pen that takes the same name. The permanent snow capped peaks were the biggest things I’ve seen in my life. After settling in and wandering the streets, I took the opportunity to catch the téléphérique (cable-car) up to see Mont Blanc. The ride up to the top, which is called Aiguille du Midi, is done in two stages with the change occurring at Plan de l’Aiguille that lies at 2317m.



The low-lying cloud of the day hid the peak from view. It seemed like we were ascending into the heavens as the cable-car lead lines disappeared into the clouds.



The first thing that I noticed whilst awaiting the second car was the dramatic drop in temperature. I was truly thankful that I had bought 2 jumpers, gloves, beanie and a scarf.
Eventually, we boarded the next car and headed up.



As the cloud cover began to thin, all of a sudden, Mont Blanc appeared. It towered over our destination, the outpost on top of Aiguille du Midi. When we finally reached the top, it was not surprising that the temperature had dropped even further. The outpost consisted of numerous look out points, a café/bar and an elevator that took you to the very top of the outpost that gave you unobstructed panoramic views. It was to this elevator that I headed and after the short trip to the top, I was blown away by the views. At this point I had reached the highest point in my life, some 3842m high.



Surprisingly warm in the direct sunlight, it did not take long for me to shed some layers as I set up my cameras to take some shots. It took about 30 minutes for the altitude to hit and it was a very weird sensation. Remembering things I’d read about alpine climbers, I slowed all motions down, took multiple deep breaths before activities and watched as some people around me collapsed at random intervals! Changing posture was the biggest strain. Every time I changed lens, I was struck by waves of light-headedness that at times threatened to put me on the ground too! Nonetheless I persevered and remained up there taking photos for a good hour and a half. Foolishly, I tried to celebrate my achievement with a cigarette, although after only half I decided that it was not a good idea! The sensation of being on top of the world, coupled with mild altitude sickness and exaggerated by the effects of the cigarette, was further heightened by the cloud cover that kept the valley below from view. Eventually I made my way back down the elevator to grab some food, and the obligatory beer, from the café.
After a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours at the time, it was time to get back onto the cable car and head back to Chamonix. The first stage back down to Plan de l’Aiguille was uneventful. An initial hic-cup waiting for the next cable car to dock was slightly disconcerting.



The guy checking the cable wheels (the bits connecting the cable car to the cable) was concerning. However, as the car left the dock and literally hurdled towards the first pylon without slowing was close to terrifying, but in a good way. As we shot past the first pylon, trying to force our stomachs back into our abdomen from our throats, myself and the group of soldiers (who’d been doing high-altitude rescue exercises) did the only thing possible….ask for more speed!! Unfortunately our shouted requests were drowned out by the screams of terror by the group of children at the back of the car. Once safely back on solid ground, it was time to surgically remove the children’s hands from the railing before setting off to walk around the streets.
My plans of seeing Annecy and Avignon before heading to Nice were disrupted by my morning routine of getting up before check-out, running to the train station, changing my ticket and getting back to the hostel to book another night. Even after a week of being there, relaxing and frequently looking up to be amazed by the mountain peaks (the weather got a lot better) it was really difficult to leave. The hostel was truly the Hotel California™!!

Mont Blanc:

A weekend foray to Warsaw:

Unfortunately I was left with a couple of spare days and no available accommodation in Berlin. A combination of a huge music festival and the Berlin marathon meant that there was not a spare bed in the city! Rather than getting upset, it was a random decision to jump on a train for Warsaw, the capital of Poland.
After leaving Berlin it quickly became clear that:
1. I had accommodation and knew where it was;
2. I spoke no Polish;
3. Poland was not covered in my guidebook;
4. I had no map of Poland; and
5. I had no idea what was in Poland to see.

On the train ride to Poland, I spent the train trip trying to converse with the friendly Pols who shared the cabin. Trying to enjoy the beer that was literally forced on me, (I was still feeling the effects of post-Oktoberfestitis) I was subjected to the holiday photos of one of the blokes. With the physique of a true truck-driver, which is what he was, the varied shots of him in his budgie-smugglers standing somewhere in Europe were more than painful to the eye. However, he was a friendly fella who only meant well and was kind enough to insist on making sure I got off at the correct station.
Given that I was arriving at 2230 on a Friday night, the area around the station was full of people. Being wary around train stations is very important, particularly late at night and so I wasted no time in getting to my hostel that was a 20 minute hike. Dominating the central square near the train station was a monolithic building that towered above everything else. It reminded me of something out of Gotham City and half the time, while staring at it, I was expecting to see the Bat signal illuminating the clouded sky.
The main attractions of Warsaw were????? Well anyway I spent the whole of the next day wandering the streets of the new “Old Town”. During the war, Warsaw coped a bit, to say the least. The entire old town of Warsaw was levelled and in the time since, the Old City has been faithfully reconstructed to what it was in its glory times. Despite the fact that it is new, the detail of the reconstruction retains a charm that equates to what it must have originally been. Without realising it, the day was gone as the sun began to sink back into the horizon. If I had known there was more to see I might have been disappointed that I’d managed only one thing, however since I knew no better, as I got onto the train early the next day, I figured I’d had a good weekend away.

The end of Matman and Robin:

After a Saturday that saw the 4 Aussies regroup for round 2, al biet more subdued, it was eventually a sad goodbye to half the team, namely Mel and Anne. As such it was up to Robin and I to fly the flag which we managed to do with pride. The following day it was time for the Matman and Robin show to close the curtain as we each continued on our own individual itineraries. After what ended up being a four week journey, having initially planned just for 2, it was strange to say goodbye. Both used to solo travel, acquaintances and colleagues at best before meeting in Paris it seemed an odd mix at the start. However, having survived 4 solid weeks of sharing dorms, meals and travel it truly was saying goodbye to a great mate when she left. It may be that the Matman and Robin show gets an encore in Paris in November but we will all have to stay tuned for that one.



It was with weary legs and liver that I got onto the train bound for Berlin. Made more arduous because of my missing iPod™ (it has to be somewhere) I arrived back in Berlin in true fashion which meant that I had not organised accommodation. Undeterred, I headed back to the hostel that Robin and I had stayed in previously and thankfully managed to convince them to give me lodging for the next 3 days.
After an early night it was off to finish Berlin. A glorious day of sunshine, a backpack of fruit and water and I was set for a patient day of photography at the Wall. Patience was clearly the most important aspect of my day as I waited for an hour for the right light and, more importantly, the right subject. Eventually, I got my shot of feet symbolically crossing over the wall and ventured off to the Pergamon museum. Located within the Pergamon museum were faithful reconstructions of ancient Byzantine and Babylonian structures. For the next few hours I wandered through the massive structures trying to gain an appreciation of their grandeur. Reconstructed from ruins donated to the German Kaiser, the impressive altars and façades towered inside the building built especially to accommodate them.
Finally, I made it down to the Eastside Gallery. The gallery is the longest remaining section of the Wall and was been preserved because of graffiti covering both sides of it. On the old Western side, artists painted with hopes of peace and re-unification. The Eastern side was darker and resembled more traditional graffiti. Nestled between the Eastern side and the river were a number of bars catering for the “beaches” placed there. People reclined in deck chairs or on beach towels as they soaked up the sunshine as if the sanded area really was a beach!!
After my second venture to Berlin, it was very easy to see and feel the attraction of the big city. With the seeds already planted from the previous visit, the crops had certainly begun to flourish on this one.

Oktoberfest!!!!!!!!

After being awoken early for breakfast by the tour people it was off to the fest at a spritely 9 am. Started initially as a wedding celebration, Oktoberfest is now the single biggest festival in the world, attracting over 6 million visitors over the three weeks it runs. As one expects, a lot of beer is consumed during this time but the actual statistics are staggering. Sold in 1 litre glasses called Steins



20% of the YEARLY production of beer of the varied beer houses is sold at this event. That is a lot of beer!!



The reason for the early departure was to secure a place on a table in one of the beer halls, with the Hoffbrauhaus tent being the primary goal. You are only served if you have a seat. And so Robin, myself and two other Aussie girls we’d met the night before at the hostel (Melissa and Anne) formed our little drinking crew and found ourselves a seat at the Hoff.



Thankfully we found ourselves in the midst of groups of Germans. Surrounded by Leiderhosen and busty Barvarian dresses we waited until midday at which point the first keg is tapped and the beer begins to flow. Separated from the louts and surrounded by Germans, we quickly felt part of festival.
In no time at all it was midday and the first keg tapped, all to the fanfare of the large brass band. The price was €7.50 per litre but you always gave your waitress a tip so it ended up costing between €8~10. The tip, despite being small, ensured fantastic service for the entire time you were there.



The thirst of the 3 hour wait was slowly subdued by the start of the 2nd Stein. By the end of it, the ritual of standing on your chairs and signing made up words to the German drinking songs followed by the obligatory Prost to everyone in your vicinity seemed like you’d been doing it for years.
Now, referring to the earlier comment regarding not being served unless you had a seat it must be noted that standing on your seat, waving raised glass in the air is considered “having a seat”. Therefore if you’d tipped your waitress, she would often come past and tap your leg to see that all was okay and that your beer didn’t need refilling. At the end of the 3rd Stein, the fact that it was only 5pm, take you were having trouble reading your watch and that there was still another five hours left was enough to interrupt the festivities for some food and put the brakes on the drinking…sort of.
By 6 pm the tent started to resmble “Get_a_room.com” and was therefore time to take a break and jump on the roller-coaster rides. Of course! Great idea Matt. Thankfully I didn’t disgrace myself on any of the hair-raising, stomach turning rides although one of them came a little close for comfort. The guy standing over the ride next door should have been taken for the omen that it was.



After a good couple of hours off the Steins, it was clearly time to get back inside to top up the tank and have one for road. Our new found German friends took us into another tent to spice it up a bit and we slowly consumed the last one before staggering home.

Cesky Krumlov to Münich ‡ arriving alive

Not until four days before the opening of the Münich Beer Festival, known as Oktoberfest, did I decide to throw my hat in the ring and try to get accommodation. As it turned out, I ended up getting accommodation through the same company as Robin had months earlier and so the “Matman & Robin Show”, as we had come to call our travels together, headed off to Oktoberfest. All that was required was getting a shuttle bus from CK to Linz (Austria) and then a train to Münich (Germany). Simple! All we had to do was SURVIVE THE SHUTTLE BUS.
Seven of us piled into the shuttle and launched from CK towards Linz. As the roads became more windy and narrow, and the oncoming traffic (consisting of a large number of tourist buses) increased in frequency, our driver was unperturbed as our cruising speed continued to increase. Thankfully there was enough room between our seats and those in front for us to comfortably assume the brace position. All this whilst exchanging worried glances between each other. It was amazing how quickly “Do you think we are going to survive?” and “I don’t know I hope so!” can be relayed between people just through a facial expression! Despite many attempts, Robin was unable to find that which we didn’t really want to know…our speed. The lurching stomach at each bend, dip and rise was enough to tell us that the speed we were doing was probably not the safest. All she was able to say was that the taco-meter was always in the red. All we could do was pray the brakes still worked!
Eventually we arrived at the train station and, more importantly, in one piece!! As the effects of the adrenaline slowly wore off, it was off to Münich on the relative safety of the train.
The plan to arrive a couple of days before the start of activities was so that we could see some of Münich before our field of vision was limited to the bottom of a Stein (the name for the 1 litre glasses the beer comes in). This we did immediately on arrival. It was only a brief sojourn into the city but enough for us to discover one of the more important things about Münich, namely the lions.
As we wondered the streets we noticed a well dressed local lady walk past and make a pointed effort to touch the nose of a lion statue. And so, we did the same. Not 10 meters further was another lion and another local, this time a man in a suit, doing the same. Hence, we did the same, to that lion and the next two along the way! As we found out later, it was a local tradition to touch the lions for luck and I think Robin and I were wishing the same thing: “Please let me survive Oktoberfest!!”.
The following day, we took a tour to the nearby concentration camp of Dacau. Despite all or any feelings related to the war, a visit to any one of the surviving camps is a must. Unfortunately the tour wasn’t necessarily the best way to absorb the gravity of the place as much of the information provided by the guide was detailed in each of the exhibitions. It was a bit frustrating being rushed through each of the areas , not being able to stop for a moment and gaze at photos or identity cards and reflect. If anything, the tour dehumanised the whole thing. Each German school child must visit one camp during their schooling and we couldn’t help but wonder what they thought of the whole thing.
After the tour, Robin and I bolted into town with one mission in mind: The Hoffbrauhaus, to see where it all began. Arguably the most famous beer hall in Germany, hence the world, the actual significance of it is lost to many who venture inside for a beer in the Hoff. It was, in fact, where the Nazi party was founded! None of this history is obvious anymore of course but before getting swept up into the atmosphere that is the Hoff, we took a quiet moment to reflect on the building’s place in history……Prost!! (German for cheers!) Now, wrapped in the atmosphere we prepared ourselves for tomorrow, the opening of Oktoberfest.

Cesky Krumlov - where?????

When travelling on the underground in Prague, be warned that the escalators move at a speed approaching Warp Factor 1. The inertial momentum of a backpack mean that a firm grip on the handrail, attained after the run-up required to get onto the things in the first place, is essential for safe passage. Also, when disembarking, don’t just stop when you get off. The ability of the fully laden backpacker to stop, in order to avoid collision, is like a speeding semi-trailer approaching a yellow traffic light.
The next lesson is to know that the location of the bus terminal is not marked in any language, including pictures. Finding other English speaking backpackers was our only guidance to the terminal. Secondly, a bus due to arrive at 1300 will be lucky to get there before 1310 and won’t leave until at least 1330. This delay provides ample time to get a reservation for the bus which itself is a pointless exercise. In true Czech style, the locals line up and get their tickets directly from the driver and then grab any seat they choose, with no mind paid towards reservations. Hence people who get onto the bus later in the queue may find themselves without a seat, even if they had a reservation!! Luckily this didn’t occur to us as, after squeezing our bags into the luggage hold (followed by the last 2 bags belonging to a Japanese couple), we found two seats at the very back of the bus. As the Japanese couple boarded, the driver wasted no time in speeding off from the terminal. In fact he hadn’t even taken the time to shut and lock the luggage compartment, a fact quickly noticed by the Japanese couple!! Luckily our luggage hadn’t fallen off and so, after closing the luggage door, the bus took off bound for Cesky Krumlov…….via every pothole between Prague and there!!
Finally, we arrived in CK, a small UNESCO listed town in southern Czech. Had it not been for Robin, I would have never heard of it and therefore never gone. CK is a beautiful, small town with not much to do. After the hectic pace of the last couple of weeks it was exactly what we were after. The main part of the town was nestled in the wide S-bend of a river that ran through the town and my mission to walk every street of the town was quickly completed within the 5 days we ended up staying. It was hard to understand how some people we met felt jaded by the relaxed nature of the town.
Despite the overall “couldn’t be bothered” attitude of hostel and restaurant staff (with the exception of a great guy at the vegetarian restaurant) the people in no way ruined our experience. Our biggest problem was finding out what “Quark” is. Apparently it is a word in English and edible. Anyone know what it is???
During our time there we had two time consuming activities. The first was the ever present need to do washing. Simple maths would suggest that 3 fast washing machines plus 2 slow dryers was not conducive to efficiency. Then again, for a chance to have clean clothes, who gives!! Our other activity was rafting. After travelling up river, by car, for about 30 minutes we were left on the bank with raft, 2 paddles, 2 lifejackets, dry bag and map. The only safety information regarded the location of the pubs along the way! In truth, the lifejackets were largely redundant as we could often touch the bottom with our paddles and the rapids were just areas where the water was channelled. After the required beverages at each of the pubs along the way, our greatest challenge was getting to the next pub to use the toilet. The peace and tranquillity, attained after an initial teething session related to co-ordinated paddling, seeped into the pores and through to the soul. After 6 hours, and not all of it paddling, we arrived back in CK to face the final 3 rapids. Well accustomed to the attraction of rafting to the tourists, the locals were well placed to jeer us hoping that we would fall in. Unfortunately for them, but fortunate us, there was no unplanned swim by either of us as we finally reached our destination.

Prague

As we waited at the Czech border it became quickly apparent that our carriage was the only one without functioning climate control. The slight reprieve from the heat provided by the extended stop gave us the opportunity to meet a nice couple from Sydney heading on roughly the same itinerary. Unfortunately the stop also allowed some new people to board. The mix of the worst B.O. and non-functioning climate control meant that the escape, once we got going again, to the smoking carriage was not just for a nicotine fix.
Eventually we arrived in Prague, often described as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The walking tour we did here was nowhere near as good as the one in Berlin but we did manage to learn some interesting stuff nonetheless…if only our way around!!
The mix of Gothic and modern architecture continued to amaze. The market square, with it’s famous Astronomical Clock, was a further jewel to the Prague crown. The main ruby was the Royal Palace and immense double-spired grand cathedral. While touring the grounds and exhibits, I clearly missed my calling as a crossbowman with a pristine target after 5 targets.





By a miracle unbeknownst to us, we managed to catch the changing of the guards. What made the whole spectacle hilarious was the fact that the whole thing was done to the Thunderbirds™ theme song. Unfortunately the lack of visible strings directing the soldiers’ movements took some of the gloss off the event.
Further contributing to the crown jewels was the Charles Bridge. Thankfully the pitiful €15,000 Louis Vutton offered to rent the entire bridge for a private function was rejected and the bridge remained open to the rest of us mere mortals to enjoy. The ornate statues lining the rails (in fact copies of the originals which now sit in museums) hi-lighted the old world mystique of the bridge itself, during both the day and the night. Near the bridge was an outdoor photography exhibition that consisted of a number of aerial shots. All of the photos depicted aspects of nature detrimentally affected by man and included a description and fact per photo. One of the facts that stood out was that it apparently takes about 5 tonnes of natural resources to make one single laptop computer!!
Another photography exhibition for the 2006 World Press Photographer’s group provided a chilling account of the many events that have occurred over the last 12 months. Again the strength of a powerful photograph in depicting a situation reinforced the old saying of a picture telling a thousand words.
The final jewel was the magnificent Baroque church. The Baroque style basically means packing as many frescoes, decorations and statues into a church as possible, and then trying to squeeze a few more!! This, however, gives an overwhelming interior that richly professes the glory of God. All of this housed within an otherwise uninspiring building.
Despite the cluster of the jewels that decorate the crown of Prague, it matters little if the crown itself is made from cheap imitation plastic. By this I mean the people. When eating out, always check every square inch of the menu for a cover charge (which is written in minute letters somewhere after the credits) that will usually give absolutely no indication of what it is charged for and how many times. Also presume that the dishes themselves will in no way resemble the photos used to depict them. Added to the bill, written on scraps of paper in a scrawl even a Santa would be proud of, is a random amount called “service charge”. The Czech’s make even the rudest waiter in a Chinese restaurant (the ruder they are usually means the better the restaurant is) seem pleasant. “Service charge” would be better written as “tourist tax”! This overall attitude pervaded all aspects of social structure. Queues were irrelevant as people ignored them at will and the constant fear of pick-pocketing meant that you spent more time checking your pockets than enjoying the architecture around. It wasn’t paranoia!!
Overall, despite the truly amazing architecture and history, I left Prague with a bad taste in my mouth. I don’t know if it was the people, the food, high expectations or a combination of the three. Nonetheless I would like to return there during winter to see if I can find the Prague I was hoping for.