Remembering The Holocaust
I have a confession to make: When it comes to remembering the Holocaust, I try not to; in fact, I will go to great lengths to avoid it. When I was about nine years old, I read Anne Frank; The Diary of a Young Girl. I knew before I began that she died in a.. read more →
Ten Years Later
On December 1st, three thousand six hundred fifty days will have passed since I learned I had breast cancer. For about the first thousand days I woke up every morning with something that felt like a gravestone weighing down my soul. Most of those days I would have to tell myself a verse from the.. read more →
The Grave of Franz Kafka
Kafka’s grave is in the Jewish Cemetary. This photo was taken through the fence, because here in Prague the hour of closing is just a suggestion. If something closes at 5, for example, the guards chase you out at 4:30 so it can be closed at 5. Exactly. So, Kafka’ grave, as photographed through the.. read more →
More on Marionettes
Yesterday at the Prague Castle we visited the Golden Road, sort of a Bohemian street of shops a la Disney World. We browsed through a couple of shops and were strolling down the cobbled street when I saw it. “Look, Althea. It’s another marionette shop.” We love marionette shops, even after being told to leave.. read more →
Czech Language
Betsy, in her continued quest to take hold of the language and become a part of the community surrounding her, feels she is making great strides. For example, the proprietress of the cheese shop next to the flat who formerly was unable to comprehend a thing Betsy said, now greets her with a vigorous “hello.”.. read more →
We Really Are Expanding Our Minds
I could have titled this post Nazis, Communists and Feminists. But, to make it more readable, I’ll stick to bullet points. Oh, that’s a bad pun. Nazis: For two days in May, 1945, as the German forces were leaving Prague, they hunted down prominent citizens and gunned them down in the streets(note–this info comes from.. read more →
It Looks Like Love to Me
This poster is plastered to the side of many trash cans in the city park. I believe it’s calling for dog abstinence, or at the very least refraining from unprotected sex. We’ve noticed an air of amore amongst the pigeons in town. It goes something like this: Mr. Pigeon puffs up his neck like he.. read more →
Bare Naked Ladies
Here in Prague people think nothing of looking at naked people, as Althea and I are learning. Our photography teacher began our education in regarding nudes at all times and in all places during his PowerPoint demonstration of his own work. “And here,” he said. “You will see that I sometimes cannot find a model,.. read more →
Kafka in Prague
You may be thinking that this trip to Prague is just cafés and marionettes. Yet, I tell you it is not.Althea and I are studying like nobody’s business. Our average day consists of a three hour workshop or lecture, photography class, an evening reading and even—choke—homework. To prove our devotion to the scholarly, I dedicate this blog.. read more →
Never Order From a Menu When You’re Not Wearing Glasses
Althea and I–exhausted by a 3 hour trudge for photography class–decided upon a restaurant for dinner this evening based on the sign for Coke and the red facade. It did smell good, and the enthusiastic waiter spoke some English. “What do you recommend?” I asked the waiter, waiving my hand at the menu. “Well, Madame,.. read more →