Gaisberg Views on Salzburg

Hallo und herzlich willkommen auf Austira. Zie keyboards are different, so forgive me if my y's become z's and other funny business. The overnight bus ride from Prague to Salzburg in an aisle seat after not properly sleeping was a bit tough, but nothing a good snooze couldn't fix. Getting dropped off 4-5 km from the hostel in the suburbs at 5am and hardly half-awake was a little bit awesome, seriously. Knowing that nothing would be open at that hour (gas-station coffee never tasted so good), I walked to the hostel. I hadn't planned on it raining so much during the walk, but it was no matter. Halfway there I stumbled upon a criss-crossing underground tunnel system beneath the intersection which was littered with nice graffiti, and was quite nice to walk through alone in the dark (photos to follow).

A walk around town and a trip to the supermarket yielded a bounty of truffle salami and an assortment of cheeses (which did not make my belly rumble), along with some potato salad and deliciously seeded bread. At the cafe bar I met an older German man named Manfred who was in town for his son's birthday, and we had a nice long chat about everything German. He was stationed in Winnipeg for a time as a German soldier, and his English was much better than my German! He was griping a bit about the solidarity tax that the West Germans still have to pay for the re-building of East German infrastructure, and he felt that it was unfair now that West German infrastructure in his opinion has fallen behind, and yet they still must pay this tax which the East Germans don't. He said that the re-unification of the country is still largely incomplete in a spiritual sense; he described things as 'fractured'. After some tips on good Germanic foods and beers (local brews are always the best, he said), I bid him farewell and headed for a darkened evening stroll to Motzartplatz for an view of whatever I could still see.

On my way back around, some young Austrians were having a beer by the river and literally poured a whole bottle down my throat. With these new friends, we marched from club to club for about an hour, never staying in one place for long. There was no room to dance in the main club, it was more like a squishy sardine situation. I believe that I was the oldest person in the club, it was really a foreign feeling! With no room to exercise my excellent repertoire of dance moves, and feeling a little bit self-conscious about my age, after a quick session of being a photographer and lying about being friends with Justin Bieber, I marched back to the YoHo hostel for a good night's sleep.

Now, hopefully the weather will cooperate for some nice views of the Alps from Gaisberg mountain, then for a hop on a train to Vienna to meet some friends I met in Prague.  

Sorry, auf Wiedersehen!

Throw them out the window

Just when I thought that the architecture couldn't get more impressive, I went to the castle district across the Vlatva in Hradcany. I'm not much into the idea of guided tours generally, but at the urging of a friend, I decided to give this one a go. My man George was a killer guide, with an interesting story on the history behind a lot of the buildings, monuments and statues that we passed. His sense of humour was always present, and really made the experience that much better (and merely being in the presence of such grandeur was something). Situated up on a hill, there were some seriously impressive views of the old town. George plays in a local folk band which is playing a gig tonight, so I'm staying on another day here before probably heading to Pilzen to catch another Extraliga playoff game (game # 3 of the series). I feel like I should get on booking some stuff ahead this week because Easter is a pretty big holiday in these parts, and a lot of people are on the move, so I may get stuck without ideal accommodations. 

I met a friendly girl from couchsurfing for a real-deal hot chocolate in the evening, and after some initial confusion (we were both at different choco-cafe's), we met up and had some good conversations. She currently lives in Copenhagen, and offered me a place to stay there. She studies public health and was adamant that bicycling helmets are a marketing scam and provide little to no protection from the way people fall off of bikes. She refuses to wear a helmet while cycling because she says that it's essentially a style piece. I don't think that she's right, but haven't really ever investigated the efficacy of bike helmets in reducing injury. I think it's funny that helmets are fashionable too --seeing as I've always felt like a dork for wearing one. 

Extraliga: HC Slavia Praha FTW

Currently in Czech sector two, Praha district one. I slyly blended into the local population by wasting now time in making a beeline to the local hockey arena to watch an Extraliga playoff game between Prague and Pilzen. A few scarf twirls and some ooooOOOHHHhhing later and I felt right at home. The freezing cold weather does that as well. I recruited an English friend of mine to go to her first professional hockey game, and she had a blast. Martin Straka was both the GM and the most impressive player on the ice. Very quick for a forty year old pro-hockey player. The fans were very well organized, much like a soccer match, the home team die-hard fans sat right behind the home goalie, all dressed up in team colours with scarves, chanting in unison, with a set of people playing drums to lead them. Opposite them at the far end of the rink were the visiting team's fans, with the same approach. It was much more impressive then the rag-tag NHL fans who have no organization to their screaming besides the teleprompter on the big scream dictating when to make noise. Some strange power-play formations by Praha were on display, with two cherry pickers inside the opposing team's zone during the breakout, who would loop onside and then charge in. 

Prague would feel more charming if it weren't so bloody cold, but maybe its in the architecture to feel imposing and tough. I really do like it though, and it has quite a different feel than Brno (besides it's obviously being much larger). The food here continues to be delicious, if a little thin on the greens. I snagged some delicious sauerkraut-type spatzel with pork dish from a market before jumping on the cheap but cheerful Student Agency bus, but not before stopping for an excellent espresso with pastry (served with a shot glass of cold water on the side--a very nice touch). 

Brno Sector Clear

Movement has been detected in Brno sector, Czech Republic. Drifting through cold winds and snow, a lone stranger from the distant land of Canada was spotted departing from the dark and unwelcoming bus station. After an initial bout of uncertainty, confidence quickly re-appeared in his step as he resumed his onward direction and managed to locate his pre-determined warmth drop-in point. Beneath covers for a bit too long to be considered a nap, his initial attempt at locating sustenance was thwarted by a closed kitchen. It appeared that he had no choice but to helpfully extinguish a delicious pint of pilsner before locating an adaquate supply of meal.

Not far away, near a beautifully ornate gothic church, full of Sunday evening patrons, lay a repository  of the most amazing pork tenderloin with incredible horseradish. After ingesting a meal of that calibre, there was no other option than to march a few dark and aimless circles before retiring in preperation for another cold and beautiful day in Moravia.

Gimme Some Jet Dry

Our being has been detected in inner Londonia. The gargoyles watch our movements from their perches above the bustling streets below. Last night's walk along the darkened Thames was a nice touch, although a door stained with bloody fingerprints did quicken our pace... No times for photos there. They call Bixi bikes Barclay bikes, but it's the same, but on the other side of the road. A late night ride home was exhilirating to say the least. The British museum is filled with gems both literally and figuratively. The Tube is pleasant enough, and certainly extensive. English ales are really nice both because they have almost no carbonation (amazing) and are lower in alochol than the North American average. The radar stations are picking us up, looks like we need to head underground to Churchill's war bunker.

Elapsing Moments

Forgive the gaps in transmissions. My radio antenna has been malfunctioning. T-Minus one week and counting for liftoff to the Europa nebula. Strange moons have been sighted on the horizon, and careful steps have been taken to avoid purpling the spirit kingdom. The sun has awoken from its slumber, and the snow has gone into hiding. In searching out the way forward, some hurdles remain. The suits request another move, despite contradicting what they claimed to be a certainty merely a month ago. How much do you trust the mosquitos?

The handsome elder brother visits his comrade in preparation for the final step into adulthood, as he makes his own progression towards solidity. Time passes unevenly amongst the carriers of blood, and the sway of the pendulum fails to bring perception in line.

What do you seek from this existence? Comfort? Status? Influence?

Listen to this: Atlas Sound - Parallax