Barbara's Travel Blog

All good things…

It’s a bit unreal to me to be sitting on a plane, returning home – to my real home – after two months of creating temporary homes all across Europe. It feels like an eternity ago that I set out on this adventure, though in reality it’s been a mere seven weeks. And what a seven weeks it has been…

I returned to Italy, this time with two of my dearest friends, Erik and Lenore. I would have thought that serving as the minister at their wedding would have been the closest I could ever feel to the two of them, but there’s nothing quite like travelling to bring people together – for better or for worse. We all had our moments of being tired, grouchy, overly sensitive, and every other weakness we all demonstrate sooner or later. And I had my first official fight with each of them (the real kind, with yelling and crying and the whole bit).

But we forged through the lows, and fortunately there were many more highs. I watched Erik overcome his fear of heights to reach the top of Mont Epimeo – one of the most stunning views I’ve ever seen, and all the better for the challenge of getting there. I felt so proud to see Lenore (well, not literally see on most days, but I was there in spirit) get up at 6am and/or suit up after a late dinner to run anywhere from a couple to seven (!) miles almost every day of our vacation, as she trained for an upcoming run in Hawaii. No excuses about hills or not knowing the area or whatever else we all come up with to let ourselves off the hook – no, she was out there pushing herself, with most of the Italians wondering what the crazy American lady was up to, and a couple more supportive folks yelling “forza, forza!” in support. And I delighted in sharing with my two dear friends those moments of true relaxation that are so rare for me, when I’m not coordinating something, or worrying about someone, or thinking ahead to the next moment, or the one after that, or the one after that…

But then my security blanket (aka Erik & Lenore) left me, and I was on my own, facing the awkwardness of dining out alone, relearning the art of meeting people while travelling, and being much more aware of my personal security than I’d had to be before. Not to mention getting dragged off a cliff.

Of course, as soon as I’d adjusted to being alone, I wasn’t any more. I’d barely arrived at Oktoberfest before I was reminded of the best part of my job – all the great people I work with. With all its beer drinking, cheesy song singing, table dancing, and unmentionable drunken misbehaving, my one night out with my Intel brethren in Munich was definitely the most no-holds-barred fun night of my trip.

A close second and third on the fun-o-meter were my weekends in Prague and Munich with Megan, formerly an acquaintance, but now a true friend, having shared not only international adventure and mayhem, but also some of our girliest girl secrets.

And last, but certainly not least, my Mom and her friend Betsy joined me in Prague for a week. It’s been such a pleasure in the last five years watching my Mom’s spirit of adventure grow in leaps and bounds, starting with our backpacking trip in Costa Rica, then with two more trips to Central America, her first trip (with me) to New York, and now watching her see Europe for the first time. Somehow, without ever having been to these places herself, she managed to instil in me a sense of adventure and fearlessness that has led me to travel the world several times over. So it was especially poignant to see her on her first European adventure, and to see it through her eyes, which made me slow down and appreciate moments of beauty and humanity that I would have rushed by on my own.

Thinking back, I can tell you from experience that when you set out on a two-month adventure “abroad” (a term I feel goofy using, by the way), approximately 18 million people will tell you what an amazing time you are going to have. And while there are days of sheer exhaustion and frustration when all you want is to be home, and times when everything seems to have gone wrong, and moments of utter loneliness when your friends seem unimaginably far away… ultimately what you find (or at least I did) is that the trip ends up being nothing like what you’d imagined, and more than you’d ever hoped for.

~Barbara

The story behind the stories

I’d be remiss in wrapping up my sabbatical – or more specifically, my sabbatical blog – if I didn’t mention my experiences as a laptop, Internet and wi-fi user on this trip.

First, the laptop itself: I’ve done the majority of my e-mail and blogging on a Toshiba Portégé with Intel® Centrino™ mobile technology. The Toshiba is a delight, weighing some ridiculously light amount without the supplemental battery, and a very reasonable weight with it. Battery life has typically been 1.5-2 hours, or 5-7 hours with the extra battery pack. The only thing that’s left me scratching my head is that the laptop seems to have a mind of its own; it decided at some point during the trip that it is European, actually changing the settings in Microsoft Word to prefer the British spellings of words like “favourite” and “colour.” No matter how often I reset it, it changes itself back, so I’ve come to accept that it’s just happier that way.

Unfortunately, I found that in many locations I visited, I wasn’t able to find a wi-fi connection, or even use my laptop with a LAN connection. Some hotels and Internet cafes used dial-up connections that wouldn’t work with my laptop; others refused to let me connect directly, for fear I’d use a lot of bandwidth in a short amount of time (i.e. connect for just a minute to send several e-mails I’d written in advance).

When I did find wi-fi connections, they were typically either difficult or impossible to connect to, or very expensive. I thought the $6-10 per day I’ve seen in the US was a bit high, but in Europe I’ve been charged up to $30 a day! At those prices, suddenly a quick stop at an Internet café starts to look pretty appealing.

My favourite wi-fi service in all of Europe has been Eurotel in Prague. There you buy a pre-paid card that can be used either to charge up the minutes on your cell phone or to log into the Internet wirelessly on your laptop. The prices were great, it was easy to use, and their hotspots were in places I was comfortable using my computer for a while, like a mall or a coffee shop. (Somehow hotel lobbies just don’t cut it, especially when you’re not a guest there, and it feels a bit conspicuous to sit in a public square or park doing e-mail.)

The blog has been a great way to stay in touch with family and friends without having to repeat the same stories over and over, and it will be a great memoir of my trip to look back on. It’s also been interesting getting some direct experience with the whole blog phenomenon, and it was especially fun to watch it get 800 hits in one day when The Inquirer linked its “crazy picture of the day” to my site.

Surprisingly enough though, the majority of my visitors weren’t from the Inquirer; in the last seven weeks I’ve had nearly 2,500 visitors to the site. In addition to my family and friends, I’ve noticed in the last couple weeks that a fair number of hits are coming from Google searches, which was entertaining when I figured out that I can see the search terms used. Here’s a sampling of exactly what people were looking for when they ended up at my blog:

• Drunken debauchery
• Charles Babas
• Ischia spa nude
• Italian pedicure
• List of French foods
• What not to wear (this one came up many times)
• What shall I wear to Prague?
• Barbara Grimes blog (there’s a shocker)
• Absinthe Prague
• Absinthe makes the heart grow stronger
• Gnocchi
• Pilsen neighborhood folkloric clothing stores
• Day after absinthe
• Prague blog
• Dr. Strangelove front
• Miss Prague
• Somewhere over the ocean
• How do you say gnocchi?
• Mcdonald's grimace photo
• Intel blog

However you ended up here, thanks to everyone who has followed along with me on this trip from afar. Your support and comments have meant a lot to me!

Oh, the places I’ve been

Below is a list of the places I stayed while on this trip. I’m happy to share more information about any or all of them with anyone who’s interested.

Rome
Ambra Palace Hotel (Aug. 25-26)
Via Principe Amedeo, 257
00185 Rome - Italy
Tel. +39 06 492330 - Fax +39 06 49233100
[email protected]
http://www.ambrapalacehotel.com/en/ambra.html
Comments: Nice place & good service, though somewhat sketchy location. Excellent for one-night stop-over in Rome near train station, en route to other cities in Italy.

Ischia
Romantica Park Hotel (Aug. 26 - Sept. 5)
Via Ruffano, 11 - 80070 St. Angelo
(Isola d'Ischia)
Tel. +39 081 999216 pbx
Fax +39 081 999070
[email protected]
http://www.romantica.net/
Comments: Don’t expect to be pampered, but for a sun & relaxation vacation on the Amalfi coast, the price can’t be beat!

Capri
Capri Palace (Sept. 5-6)
Capri Palace Hotel & Spa
Via Capodimonte 2b
80071 Anacapri ITALY
Ph. 0039.081.9780111
E-Mail: [email protected]
http://www.capripalace.com/
Comments: Fantastic setting, impeccable service, amazing décor – but you’ll pay for it.

Positano
La Sirenuse Hotel & Spa (Sept. 6-7)
Via C. Colombo, 30
84017 Positano
Tel. +39.089.875066
[email protected]
http://www.sirenuse.it
Comments: Stunning views and a beautiful hotel, but the 3-star service doesn’t live up to the 5-star price.

Domina Royal Hotel Positano (Sept. 7-8)
Via Pasitea, 182
Positano 84017
Salerno - Italia
Tel.: +39 089 875000
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.dominahotels.com/dominaDHR/eng/products/introDetail.aspx?id=1707
Comments: A total pit; if this is all you can afford in Positano, then don’t go.

Rome
Antica Roma Hotel (Sept. 8-9)
Via del Tritone, 82
00187 Roma (Italy)
Tel. 0039.06.42013647 - 0039.06.42013680
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.residenza-anticaroma.com/
Comments: The good prices don’t make up for the utterly incompetent customer service.

Hotel Barberini (Sept. 9-11)
Via Rasella, 3
00187 Roma, Italia
Tel. +39 064814993
http://www.hotelbarberini.com/
Comments: Excellent service, quiet and tasteful rooms, and a reasonable price for a big city.

La Spezia
Villa Ferrari - rental villa (Sept. 11-18)
Address unknown
Contact: Rentvillas.com
1-800-726-6702 or 00-1-805-641-1650
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: 7:00am to 5:30pm PST, Monday through Friday
http://rentvillas.com/PropertyDetail.aspx?CatalogId=1931
Comments: Gorgeous, rambling villa that fulfills every stereotype of the Italian countryside. Highly recommended.

Milan
Madison Hotel (Sept. 18-19)
Via Gasparotto N. 8
20124 Milan – ITALY
Tel. +39.02.67074150
[email protected]
http://www.madisonhotelmilano.com/
Comments An reasonably priced and comfortable option for one night near the train station, but not ideal for longer stays in Milan.

Chamonix
Chamonix Park Hotel (Sept. 19-22)
75, allée du Majestic
74400 Chamonix - France
Tel: +33 (0)4 50 53 07 58
[email protected]
http://www.chamonix-park-hotel.com/index-s.html
Comments: Pleasant rooms at a good price, and centrally located.

Munich
Le Meridien Munich (Sept. 22-24)
Bayerstrasse 41
Munich, 80335 , Germany
Tel: +49 89 24220
http://www.lemeridien.com/germany/munich/hotel_de1958.shtml
Comments: An excellent hotel that lives up to my inflated American hotel standards – spacious room, all the amenities, and outstanding service. Of course, the prices live up to top American hotels too.

Prague
Rental apartment (Sept. 24 - Oct. 14)
28 Sumavska, Praha 2
Prague, Czech Republic
Contact: Carey, [email protected]
Comments: At ~$25 per night, this is an ideal solution for medium- or long-term stays in Prague. Convenient to popular tourist areas, but in a quiet, upscale close-in neighborhood, with lots of restaurants and pubs in walking distance.

Capitalism alive and well in Prague

With my departure imminent and the temperatures in Prague having taken a sharp downward, I haven’t been terribly motivated to do any new sightseeing (or anything else that involves being outside in the biting cold). I did make one last sweep of Wenceslas Square though, just in case there was anything worth buying that I’d somehow missed in the last two and a half weeks.

After my recent visit to the Museum of Communism, it’s been fascinating to see just how thoroughly the Czechs have embraced capitalism. In just 15 years, Prague has caught up with the rest of the western world, with McDonalds and KFC intermingling with ancient buildings on cobblestone streets. Department stores and boutiques carry every brand of clothing under the sun – gone are the days when you could trade a pair of Levi’s for a car in Prague. And traditional Czech pubs sit side-by-side with cosmopolitan restaurants with sleek decor and names like “Hot” (though I had to laugh to see that the only two patrons at Hot yesterday weren’t quite living up to the name).

Yet, in spite of the rampant commercialism, Czechs tend to be polite and friendly. In Prague you just don’t see the rudeness that pervades other big cities; every time I ride the subway or the tram, I see someone hop out of their seat to let a little old lady sit down. It’s as if somehow while under communist rule, the Czechs missed out on the notification that the rest of the world got that we’re all supposed to look out for ourselves first and foremost, distrust strangers, and have a general disregard for the rest of humankind.

I wonder, will they somehow be able to hold onto that quality as they become more and more western? It will certainly be interesting to see what effect another 15 years of capitalism will have on the Czech Republic.

St. Barbara the virgin, and other myths

My mom (Jan) and her friend and co-worker Betsy arrived in Prague on Sunday afternoon, and it feels like we’ve been going non-stop ever since, seeing the sights, taking tours (and a lot of photos), shopping, dining out, going to the theatre, and – of course – shopping.

Jan and Betsy are like yin and yang when it comes to travelling, which is naturally entertaining for me. When they arrived in Prague, they had all kinds of hassles awaiting them with their hotel, ATMs, phones, etc. So when they finally got to my apartment, my mom was completely exasperated (as well as exhausted); meanwhile, Betsy is bright-eyed and looks like a kid on Christmas morning, mouth gaping at all the new things to see. Thankfully, they were both happy once I helped them line up a new rental apartment and took them out for dinner at my favourite local Indian restaurant.

I’ve continued to act like a local and show them around town (after all, I’ve been here for two weeks now!), starting with Charles Bridge, Old Town and Prague Castle. We learned a lot on City Walks’ “Insider Tour,” which also covered the Jewish Quarter, as well as teaching us a lot more about the history of the places we’d already seen. We also made friends with Christine, a New Yorker who arranges student exchanges to and from the U.S.

On Wednesday we ventured south to Vysehrad, which is regarded as Prague’s mythical birthplace. According to legend, the wise chieftain Krok built a castle there in the 7th century. Libuse, the cleverest of his three daughters, prophesied that a great city would rise there. Taking as her king a ploughman named Premysl, she founded Prague and the Premyslid dynasty. In modern times, Vysehrad is a nice park where families gather for weekend picnics, surrounded by the oldest building in Prague (dating from the 11th century) and the graves of the Czech Republic’s most famous figures.

That evening, we got dolled up and went to see Swan Lake at the National Theater – the neo-Renaissance flagship of the Czech National Revival. The performance was fantastic, as was our dinner at one of Prague’s finest restaurants, the Bellevue, afterward. Even Gnorley was impressed!

Yesterday we continued our go-go-go pace with a trip to Kutna Hora, an old Bohemian silver mining town that now makes its money manufacturing Marlboro cigarettes, oddly enough. The town features the St. Barbara Cathedral – also known as the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Barbara. According to ancient mythology, Barbara was the daughter of an overprotective rich guy, who allowed her to be tortured and then beheaded her for being Christian. Cheerful stuff, eh? The church is beautiful though, and the town of Kutna Hora is quaint and charming, and perfect to visit on a crisp fall day.

Kutna Hora is also home to what our guide kept referring to as “an unusual ossuary.” The baroque-era ossuary features the bones of more than 40,000 plague victims, arranged by monks into fantastic decorative sculptures and chandeliers.

After that uplifting scene, we headed back to Prague for dinner, followed up with Jan and Betsy’s first taste of absinthe, and my first taste of banana-flavored beer. Naturally, we all went home happy. :-)

Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder

Nothing makes an already fun city like Prague even more fun than having a co-conspirator, so I was thrilled to have my friend Megan visit me this weekend in Prague. Megan is a fellow Intel-ite from the U.S. who is doing a three-month stint in our Munich office.

After she arrived mid-morning on Saturday, we headed to Old Town to catch an “Intro to Prague” tour, stopping for a quick bite at McDonalds on the way (my first foray into the golden arches since arriving in Europe, I’m proud to say). I had an amusing ‘could-I-be-more-of-a-tourist’ moment at the register when, after conscientiously looking up the Czech word for “sauce” so I could request my fish sandwich without it, the server promptly responded, “Fish sandwich with no sauce. Would you like that for here or to go?”

Unfortunately, after high-tailing it across town and rushing through McDonalds, the tour group was nowhere to be found, so we ended up arranging a bus tour for later that afternoon instead. We then passed a couple hours in typical red-blooded American female fashion: We went shopping. Prague has lots of fun souvenirs, including furry hats, communist memorabilia, crystal, decorative perfume bottles, marionettes, and amber and garnet jewelry. Our personal favorites though were the nesting dolls, which range in price from ten to hundreds of dollars, featuring everything from traditional designs to Elvis and Britney Spears. One shop owner was so keen to make the sale, he even played music by the artists whose nesting dolls we showed interest in.

After a satisfying round of shopping, we headed back to the square to catch our tour bus, and commenced on three and a half hours of sheer torture. Do you remember the teacher from Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, with the classic “Bueller… Bueller… Bueller” line? Well, he would have been wildly entertaining and charismatic in comparison with the tour guide we got stuck with. He had only one tone of voice, and maintained a slow, lilting pace in his presentation (made through a microphone in the front of the bus, not facing us) that led more than one member of the group to fall asleep. The rest of us chose to roll our eyes a lot and muffle our hysterical giggles at his bizarrely long pauses and drawn-out pronunciation of random words.

Style issues aside, the most frustrating aspect of the tour was the guide’s obvious disinterest in engaging with the group and his lack of substantial information to share about any of what we were seeing. At the end of the tour, I had learned only three things: 1) Jana Palacha Square is named after a young Charles University student who in January 1969 set himself on fire in Wenceslas Square in protest against the Soviet invasion (a horrifyingly sad story that our guide glossed over as if it was nothing); 2) There are great photo opps to be had from the bridge north of Charles Bridge (which we went back and got today); and 3) You should never sign up for a tour without a recommendation.

The best part of the tour, ironically, was the very end, when our guide paid our entry into the Old Town Hall tower and left us to finish on our own. The views of Prague were gorgeous, and I was finally able to get that cool photo looking down on Old Town Square that I keep seeing on postcards.

After the tour, we grabbed dinner and then headed to a bar to drink away our annoyance with one of Prague’s famous specialties: Absinthe. Illegal in many countries, Absinth is the deadliest spirit in the world, with 70 percent alcohol content and a reputation for causing hallucinations. After a tutorial from the bartender, we commenced with the ritual of lighting a tiny spoonful of sugar and absinth on fire, then stirring the mixture into the green liqueur and quickly downing the shot. I can’t say I had any hallucinations, but I did get thoroughly drunk on the Scope-like concoction (along with no shortage of Vodka and Red Bulls and pivo).

Naturally, we weren’t the only ones out looking for a good time on a Saturday night. Before too long at the bar, we were adopted by a massive stag party, comprised of 17 Brits dressed in hilarious 70s garb. The guys were happy to buy us drinks and entertain us with their antics, so we stuck with them when they moved onto a strip club, where we got to watch several of the guys embarrass themselves as only drunk guys in a strip joint can. When we’d had our fill of that, we headed home, but demonstrated our own drunkenness with a last-minute detour to Radost FX for a late-night snack.

Unfortunately, Megan’s weekend in Prague was over almost before it began. After a late breakfast and a quick walk across the river to get the aforementioned photos of Charles Bridge, she had to head back to Munich to be back at work on Monday morning. But in just over 24 hours, she acquired lots of photos of Prague, authentic nesting dolls, direct experience with – and a small souvenir bottle of – absinthe, and plenty of ammo to successfully blackmail 17 British men, should she ever need to. :-)

Not-all-that-mysterious Prague

As if it wasn’t bad enough that this head cold made me miss Prague’s annual porn show last weekend (Erotica Sex 2004), on Thursday I woke up feeling disastrous again, and thus subjected myself to another boring day at home. And a day of bed-rest was clearly the right call, if my quick outing to rent a movie and get take-out was any evidence: About halfway there, I discovered that I was wearing my jacket inside-out. A truly proud moment.

Today was a vast improvement, both in my physical (and perhaps mental) health, as well as the weather, which turned from rainy to clear and even a bit warm. I headed out for lunch with Intel’s PR manager in Prague, Pavel, who treated me to a traditional Czech lunch at U Sadlu. I admit to talking about work, but not only did it not stress me out at all, I also couldn’t have cared less about what’s going on back at the home fort. But it was good to hear about what keeps Pavel busy, and to forge another geo PR link.

After lunch, I tromped over to Old Town Square to catch City Walks’ Mysterious Prague tour, which covers “the legends and folklore of the magical capital of the Old Europe.” While the tour was pleasant, I didn’t find the legends particularly mysterious – or even interesting, in many cases. But I did learn a few things, and the views of the Vltava River were gorgeous.

Afterward, I headed to what has quickly become my favorite local hangout – The Globe. I need to find a similar place in Portland, where I can get online, get a great organic meal and a cappuccino or a glass of wine, and meet all sorts of interesting characters. Today I enjoyed eavesdropping on a couple of Brits discussing the likelihood of finding a decent used laptop on eBay for £150 (good luck).

Earlier this week I had fun chatting with two angst-ridden film students, who managed to drum up a smile for the camera, but otherwise spent the better part of an hour bemoaning their lack of inspiration, lack of cheap housing, lack of good professors, lack of interesting things to do, and the general lack of anything to be happy about in the world at all. Except in New York, that is, where they used to live and where, seemingly, life was a magical wonderland filled with all that is good and light. Oh to be young and miserable! :-)

What not to wear (or do with your hair), European-style

There are some things that only a photo can adequately capture, and much of the “fashion” I’ve seen in Europe definitely falls in that category. Here’s just a selection of the many fashion faux-pas that have turned my head:

	It’s inconceivable to me that hair could be bleached this many times and still maintain its structural integrity.
	Pajama pants are not real pants. Repeat after me: “I am not in college any more.”
	I’m getting a strong Flashdance vibe here.
	A classic rendition of what appears to be the unofficial uniform for young(ish) Prague women: Too-short trashy skirt and tall black vinyl boots
	Legwarmers? The Flashdance vibe is getting stronger.
	As if conflicting patterns weren’t enough, let’s throw a pair of snow boots into the mix.
	Feeling a bit elfin?
	Again, pajama pants aren’t real pants. How many times do I have to tell you people?
	Few people can pull off animal prints, but those that do definitely don’t pair them with this scarf.
	But why stop at animal prints when you can wear a furry vest?
	Even Tony Soprano couldn’t pull off this outfit. And this guy’s no Tony Soprano.
	Perhaps the people at the fabric store should have explained a little more explicitly what that whole “home decorating” section was about.
	Dude. Step away from the Manowar T-shirt.
	Oh dear.
	No matter how angry you are, never take it out on your hair.
	Pants meet circus tent.
	No, no, no, no, no!
	A little camel toe with your ugly white boots?
	When tempted to begin the early stages of a comb-over, remember that five or 10 years down the line, you’ll have lost all perspective and think other people somehow don’t see the truth of what’s going on on your head. Don’t do it.
	“Hmm, whatever shall I do with this ratty old blanket? I know! I’ll turn it into a coat!”
	It's a rare moment when a trampy staple like fishnets can be successfully combined with rainbow colors, jeans and sneakers. This is not one of those moments.
	This is a great coat if you’re doing your best to look like Barney.
	Black stockings and brown shoes. Were we hung over this morning, or just color blind?
	And last but definitely not least... I know we’ve talked a lot about fashion here, but please, try to remember to brush the back of your hair before you leave the house!

My good friend Pivo

Now that my health is back up to snuff, naturally the first thing I wanted to do was mess with it, with some assistance in the form of Czech beer – or pivo.

It’s hard to compete with the beer-fest I left behind in Munich, but the Czechs are up for the challenge; after all, the world’s first lager was brewed in Pilsen, in West Bohemia. The Czech Republic is the world’s #1 beer-drinking nation, with the average Czech consuming some 158 liters each year.

Not knowing a soul in Prague, I set out last night on a pub tour offered by City Walks. Our lively group of about 15 Americans, Canadians and Australians made its way through three pubs during the formal tour, and then a subset of us headed to a night club afterward.

The photo to the right is my only one of the night, as I didn’t want to be that annoying tourist taking photos in bars – I hate that. Unfortunately, Pivo has a way of blurring the details, so I’ve sadly forgotten most of the colourful discussions, inappropriate jokes and entertaining incidents of the evening. My limited memories include an evening-long “will-they-or-won’t-they” debate about whether or not the not-quite-suave Aussie and the supposedly disinterested chick from Baltimore would hook up (they did); an enlightening discussion with a Canadian about international politics and the fate of humanity; and a lesson on Australian slang, including ending every sentence with “fuckin’.” Those Aussies are a riot, fuckin’.

Amazingly, after managing to get my drunk ass home last night, I actually remembered to set my alarm to get up for my hair appointment this morning. I had decided to get my roots touched up, having learned in Italy that my hair grows significantly faster in warmer climates.

Since there’s no Aveda salon here, I decided to try out the world-renowned Toni & Guy salon, which is known as the best in Prague. In the end, a fancy salon is a fancy salon – though this one does have the unique distinction of having washed my hair four times in one visit. (I’d try to explain the logic behind that, but I can’t say that I particularly understand it myself.)

It’s a rainy day today, so I’m going to chill out at The Globe and save the “Mysterious Prague” tour for another day.

Cheers,
Barbara

Taking a Stand

Now, I don’t want to offend anyone, but can I just say that Europeans really have botched just about every aspect of bathing (or more specifically, showering) that they possibly can?

First of all, would you people stop being so freaking stingy with the towels already? Is it really that big a deal to provide two towels per person? Have you ever considered the possibility that I might take two showers within a 24 hour period? Or that I might want a separate towel for my hair? And don't get me started on the complete lack of washcloths!

Second, the drainage problem. There’s this stuff called Draino in the U.S., and I’m pretty sure we can find a way to get some of it over here. Please, use it! Showers are so great when you aren’t standing in three inches of scummy water!

But most importantly, what is up with this handheld shower thing? Seriously, no one wants to sit in the tub and wash with one hand while they hold the showerhead with the other hand. Or, alternatively, set the showerhead on the bottom of the tub while they shampoo their hair with both hands, all the while freezing their bums off and trying not to let the showerhead shift and spray water all over the bathroom.

Thankfully, my mother didn’t raise me to sit back and accept what was handed to me. Oh no, she raised me to rise to the challenge – especially when there’s a construction project involved. So, after scouring the apartment this morning for all the tools and materials at my disposal, I proceeded to construct a mechanism to hold the showerhead up, thus enabling my first real shower in Prague.

My mother would be so proud.