So I got back to Cambridge late at night (or early in the morning) two days ago. Props to Cambridge for looking so beautiful in the spring. Also, as an aside, I saw Ben Kingsley. They are filming a scene from an Indian movie at St John's (my college).
I believe the only item of note that I lost during the trip was my rain coat. I'll update the post if I notice anything else missing, but for now, I think that's pretty good.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Zurich
My stay coincided with a huge celebration. Everyone was dressed in traditional Swiss outfits and there was a huge parade where each of the 20 or so guilds marched with horses and wagons while handing out free food and wine. It was awesome.
The Party Train
My brother and I chose to take a train that arrived in Zurich just before 11pm. This would have been a completely normal train, but we went on a Saturday night.
A few stops in, a bunch of young south-Germans stumbled in carrying a case of beer and singing. They disbanded a few stops later, and only two remained, passed out on the floor of the train car. About two hours later, though, they were joined by about eight more people at the first stop in Switzerland. Apparently they knew each other, because a loud shout went up, and the singing resumed.
It actually reminded me of the LIRR (Long Island Railroad). All the white trash getting drunk on their way to NYC (sorry LI people).
A few stops in, a bunch of young south-Germans stumbled in carrying a case of beer and singing. They disbanded a few stops later, and only two remained, passed out on the floor of the train car. About two hours later, though, they were joined by about eight more people at the first stop in Switzerland. Apparently they knew each other, because a loud shout went up, and the singing resumed.
It actually reminded me of the LIRR (Long Island Railroad). All the white trash getting drunk on their way to NYC (sorry LI people).
Friday, April 17, 2009
Income
My brother made 5 Euro doing laundry today. I dropped a 2 Euro coin behind the washer, and my brother retrieved it, and a little bit extra.
Speaking auf Deutsch
I'm not running a particularly good track record speaking German. About half the time, the person I'm conversing with switches to English. Still, it's fun.
Recollection
What follows may be a rather dry account of the past week-and-a-half. I am currently on the train from Vienna to Munich and having finished reading "At Swim-Two-Birds," find myself with the option of either studying physics or procrastinating.
I arrived in Prague from Moscow via Munich in the evening, and found the apartment I was staying at with relative ease. On the bus from the airport, I struck up a conversation with three college-aged guys from North Carolina, two of whom were studying in Prague, the third of whom was studying in Copenhagen and visiting the other two.
The next day, two people of interest arrived in Prague: my brother, and Obama. My brother's arrival should have proceeded Obama's, but by nature of my brother's missing his connecting flight, their arrivals were temporally reversed. As a consequence of the 5-hour air travel black-out period over Prague due to Obama's arrival, I had to figure out what to do with myself in Prague sans my brother. By chance I chose to use the internet at a cafe where I met the three North Carolina guys from the day before, and spent the rest of the day sight-seeing with them. I failed to use the internet that day.
My brother arrived in Prague in the mid-afternoon, however his luggage arrived only in the early evening, and I expected him to arrive several hours later. He spent about an hour roaming the street around the apartment I was in, and it was very lucky that he appeared outside the door at the exact moment I set out to meet him at the airport.
Impression of Prague: generally favorable as a result of its being picturesque, easily traversable, and comfortably touristy.
We caught the train to Budapest via Bratislava in the morning several days later despite appearing at the train station several minutes before the train's departure at a different station. Afer finding our hostel, we ate a Hungarian meal and walked around the beautiful city.
Memories of Budapest: climbing to the Citadel (not necessarily worth it, and quite a hike). The trams. Cracking a beer stein. Almost getting caught in a church procession.
Non-memories of Budapest: ...just kidding.
The train ride to Vienna was considerably shorter and uneventful. We went early in the morning as a result of my misunderstanding that 7.10 on Easter Sunday meant 7.10 in the morning, but benefitted from a full extra day of exploring Vienna. After walking around Vienna and noting the agreeable size, beautiful layout, and concentration of musicians, my brother and I agreed that it was our favorite city of the three.
That night, we arranged to meet with a friend of ours who played in a piano trio with us. Before leaving, I went down to the hostel bar, where I met another person (a girl this time) from North Carolina (they're everywhere!) and another girl from Canada. Afterwards, we set out for the "Bermuda Triangle," a neighborhood in Vienna so named for its tendency to trap people with its plethora of pubs. After our friend joined us, we spent a few minutes catching up and the rest of the night meeting friendly Germans and failing to meet not-so-friendly Austrians.
The highlight of the next day was going to a Heurigen on the outskirts of Vienna. To the surprise of the wait-staff, my brother devoured two schnitzels, and we both enjoyed "new" wine--wine made by the Heurigen itself.
Viennese experience checklist:
Heurigen. Check.
Opera. Check
Real Sacher Torte: Check.
Chill at a cafe: Check.
Hear Vienna Philaharmonic. Fail.
I arrived in Prague from Moscow via Munich in the evening, and found the apartment I was staying at with relative ease. On the bus from the airport, I struck up a conversation with three college-aged guys from North Carolina, two of whom were studying in Prague, the third of whom was studying in Copenhagen and visiting the other two.
The next day, two people of interest arrived in Prague: my brother, and Obama. My brother's arrival should have proceeded Obama's, but by nature of my brother's missing his connecting flight, their arrivals were temporally reversed. As a consequence of the 5-hour air travel black-out period over Prague due to Obama's arrival, I had to figure out what to do with myself in Prague sans my brother. By chance I chose to use the internet at a cafe where I met the three North Carolina guys from the day before, and spent the rest of the day sight-seeing with them. I failed to use the internet that day.
My brother arrived in Prague in the mid-afternoon, however his luggage arrived only in the early evening, and I expected him to arrive several hours later. He spent about an hour roaming the street around the apartment I was in, and it was very lucky that he appeared outside the door at the exact moment I set out to meet him at the airport.
Impression of Prague: generally favorable as a result of its being picturesque, easily traversable, and comfortably touristy.
We caught the train to Budapest via Bratislava in the morning several days later despite appearing at the train station several minutes before the train's departure at a different station. Afer finding our hostel, we ate a Hungarian meal and walked around the beautiful city.
Memories of Budapest: climbing to the Citadel (not necessarily worth it, and quite a hike). The trams. Cracking a beer stein. Almost getting caught in a church procession.
Non-memories of Budapest: ...just kidding.
The train ride to Vienna was considerably shorter and uneventful. We went early in the morning as a result of my misunderstanding that 7.10 on Easter Sunday meant 7.10 in the morning, but benefitted from a full extra day of exploring Vienna. After walking around Vienna and noting the agreeable size, beautiful layout, and concentration of musicians, my brother and I agreed that it was our favorite city of the three.
That night, we arranged to meet with a friend of ours who played in a piano trio with us. Before leaving, I went down to the hostel bar, where I met another person (a girl this time) from North Carolina (they're everywhere!) and another girl from Canada. Afterwards, we set out for the "Bermuda Triangle," a neighborhood in Vienna so named for its tendency to trap people with its plethora of pubs. After our friend joined us, we spent a few minutes catching up and the rest of the night meeting friendly Germans and failing to meet not-so-friendly Austrians.
The highlight of the next day was going to a Heurigen on the outskirts of Vienna. To the surprise of the wait-staff, my brother devoured two schnitzels, and we both enjoyed "new" wine--wine made by the Heurigen itself.
Viennese experience checklist:
Heurigen. Check.
Opera. Check
Real Sacher Torte: Check.
Chill at a cafe: Check.
Hear Vienna Philaharmonic. Fail.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Schloss Schoenbrunn in Vienna
There was a garden maze. It was awesome. I beat my brother to the end.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Movies in Prague
My brother bought popcorn at the movies last night in Prague.
"With salt, or ham and cheese?" they asked him.
"With salt, or ham and cheese?" they asked him.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
It's a flag... it's a mast... no... it's Peter the Great!
...Or at least one of the largest, ugliest monuments I saw walking around Moscow. It's a gigantic statue of Peter the Great holding onto the huge mast of a ship that's smaller than Peter's leg. And I think he's holding a bottle of champagne in his hand. Classy.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Dostoevsky
Inspired by my trip here, I picked up "Crime and Punishment" at a bookstore. It is some of the most depressing writing I have ever read. I'm up to chapter 3.
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