![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Happy New Year, Brno
Jan. 2nd, 2012 11:15 amI was rather epically anxious about going to Brno after the wonder and comfort that Finland provided me over Christmas, but happily, my time in the Czech Republic has been REALLY AWESOME!
I arrived (after flying through Copenhagen, which is definitely my favourite airport to date)in Prague on schedule, and was able to immediately hop on a bus to the city centre (though I didn't know how to buy bus tickets at that point, so I ended up being a "black passenger" for the whole journey - but who's counting?).
Anyway, I conquered the Prague metro, and things were going pretty well until I got to Florenc station... And spent he next two hours trying to find the platform for my connecting bus to Brno. In general, the Czech republic looked a lot dirtier than I would have expected from a European city... But then, so did Helsinki, so I guess I've just been spoiled by Groningen. I eventually found my bus, and two and a half hours later, I was in Brno.
Adam met me at the bus stop when I got off, and we took another bus to his cousin's place, one town over. It was called Slapnice (sp?), which apparently has three meanings in Czech: the sole of the foot, the pedal of a bike, or a whore. I still can't get over how close together towns are inEurope; I went for a run the next morning, and ran to Jirinovice (sp?), the next town over! It was pretty cool. Also, adam's cousin had a legit suit of plate armour in his garage. Guess who got to try it on?! It was awesome! (that night, we - adam, his cousin and I - went through an entire bottle of Slevovice, homemade Czech liqour. Yeah.
The next day, Sara and Kamča arrived, and we spent the day walking around Brno, and feasting on all sorts of Czech food, including pizza with ketchup and some really delicious and cheap ribs. Om NOM NOM. That evening, we went to a cocktail bar and played "Never Have I Ever", like the mature people we are. I've never been a fan of that game, but that's just me.
The next day was New YeAr's eve, so there was some Intense Emergency grocery shopping to do, since all the stores closed at noon. After that, we went sightseeing some more and ended up at a shopping mall, where Adam bought a Hugo Boss suit for a ridiculously cheap price. Later that afternoon, we went to Cejl, the part of Brno where most of the Gypsy population lives. It was interesting. There were small children running through the streets, playing a game of who could run out in front of an oncoming car without being hit. The kids were also playing WIH lighters, flicking them on and off and tossing them in the air. We also saw what may or may not have been a car robbery: two men standing by a car, and one saying to the other, "Take all the money - even the stuff under the seats."
This in the span of maybe ten minutes. After Cejl, we walked by the Faculty of Law, where Adam and Kamča study. Arriving back at Kamča's place, where we were staying, we had a quick nap and then started to prepare for the night.
Unfortunately, this was also the day where I was hit by the worst food poisoningin/stomach flu/god knows what virus I've experienced in at least five years, if not more. I spent the entire day feeling ill and feverish, and when it came time to go out, it was all I could do not to throw up outside. So I had to go home pretty much right after midnight, which sucked, but was probably for the best.
Before that, though, there were fireworks. What a show! I've never been so close to them before, and it was incredible. Adam led us on a long and winding path to the Petrov Church. We passed through the central square, and holy CRAP, that place felt less like a party than a war zone. People were just throwing lot fireworks into the street, letting them blow up where they would. The blasts were so loud - we were maybe five meters from one of them when it exploded - it hurt my ears, even through two hoods. The air was full of acrid smoke, and several times we were forcefully yanked to one side or the other, narrowly out of the range of he most recently thrownfireworks.
It was so intense, but we eventually made it to the church on the hill. We stood on a roof ledge for the countdown, and at midnight, we toasted the new year with a bottle of wine. Shortly after, of course, I needed to put my head down in order not to vomit, but Adam gallantly offered me a kiss (which I turned down, cause I didnt want to toss my cookies in his mouth).
Fuck the nausea, I did have a good time.
The day after, the first day of the new year, we spent sleeping, lazing around and watching movies. Now, we're on the bus going back to Prague; our bus to Groningen leaves later on this afternoon. It's been an unforgettable Christmas vacation!
I arrived (after flying through Copenhagen, which is definitely my favourite airport to date)in Prague on schedule, and was able to immediately hop on a bus to the city centre (though I didn't know how to buy bus tickets at that point, so I ended up being a "black passenger" for the whole journey - but who's counting?).
Anyway, I conquered the Prague metro, and things were going pretty well until I got to Florenc station... And spent he next two hours trying to find the platform for my connecting bus to Brno. In general, the Czech republic looked a lot dirtier than I would have expected from a European city... But then, so did Helsinki, so I guess I've just been spoiled by Groningen. I eventually found my bus, and two and a half hours later, I was in Brno.
Adam met me at the bus stop when I got off, and we took another bus to his cousin's place, one town over. It was called Slapnice (sp?), which apparently has three meanings in Czech: the sole of the foot, the pedal of a bike, or a whore. I still can't get over how close together towns are inEurope; I went for a run the next morning, and ran to Jirinovice (sp?), the next town over! It was pretty cool. Also, adam's cousin had a legit suit of plate armour in his garage. Guess who got to try it on?! It was awesome! (that night, we - adam, his cousin and I - went through an entire bottle of Slevovice, homemade Czech liqour. Yeah.
The next day, Sara and Kamča arrived, and we spent the day walking around Brno, and feasting on all sorts of Czech food, including pizza with ketchup and some really delicious and cheap ribs. Om NOM NOM. That evening, we went to a cocktail bar and played "Never Have I Ever", like the mature people we are. I've never been a fan of that game, but that's just me.
The next day was New YeAr's eve, so there was some Intense Emergency grocery shopping to do, since all the stores closed at noon. After that, we went sightseeing some more and ended up at a shopping mall, where Adam bought a Hugo Boss suit for a ridiculously cheap price. Later that afternoon, we went to Cejl, the part of Brno where most of the Gypsy population lives. It was interesting. There were small children running through the streets, playing a game of who could run out in front of an oncoming car without being hit. The kids were also playing WIH lighters, flicking them on and off and tossing them in the air. We also saw what may or may not have been a car robbery: two men standing by a car, and one saying to the other, "Take all the money - even the stuff under the seats."
This in the span of maybe ten minutes. After Cejl, we walked by the Faculty of Law, where Adam and Kamča study. Arriving back at Kamča's place, where we were staying, we had a quick nap and then started to prepare for the night.
Unfortunately, this was also the day where I was hit by the worst food poisoningin/stomach flu/god knows what virus I've experienced in at least five years, if not more. I spent the entire day feeling ill and feverish, and when it came time to go out, it was all I could do not to throw up outside. So I had to go home pretty much right after midnight, which sucked, but was probably for the best.
Before that, though, there were fireworks. What a show! I've never been so close to them before, and it was incredible. Adam led us on a long and winding path to the Petrov Church. We passed through the central square, and holy CRAP, that place felt less like a party than a war zone. People were just throwing lot fireworks into the street, letting them blow up where they would. The blasts were so loud - we were maybe five meters from one of them when it exploded - it hurt my ears, even through two hoods. The air was full of acrid smoke, and several times we were forcefully yanked to one side or the other, narrowly out of the range of he most recently thrownfireworks.
It was so intense, but we eventually made it to the church on the hill. We stood on a roof ledge for the countdown, and at midnight, we toasted the new year with a bottle of wine. Shortly after, of course, I needed to put my head down in order not to vomit, but Adam gallantly offered me a kiss (which I turned down, cause I didnt want to toss my cookies in his mouth).
Fuck the nausea, I did have a good time.
The day after, the first day of the new year, we spent sleeping, lazing around and watching movies. Now, we're on the bus going back to Prague; our bus to Groningen leaves later on this afternoon. It's been an unforgettable Christmas vacation!
