Thanksgiving in Prague

Even though this last trip has been pretty uniformly amazing (and, typically, I was in no mood to go and was almost dreading it), I think the most memorable experience was spending time - and getting an unexpected Thanksgiving dinner - with some amazing folks in Prague. I was visiting the Anglo-American University (more on that later) and talking to the director of international programming, Milada, when I mentioned that one of my goals for the day, it being Thanksgiving, was to find a place to grab a turkey dinner. I told her that last year in St. Petersburg my Russian friends told me that Russians just didn't do turkey. Now, what I should have thought of at the time but didn't until this trip, was that the logic approach would have been to figure out where the most popular expat bars/restaurants are and go there - figuring that they would produce a turkey dinner for their American expats. When I proposed this idea to Milada she grabbed a passing professor, who turned out to be American, and asked him where the best expat American bars are - and thus I was introduced to Ted Turneu, a truly extraordinarily nice guy. He's an American and he and his family have lived in Prague for years. He informed me that there were a couple great choices, but they had both recently closed - and then he invited me to come to his house for Thanksgiving. To say that I was floored is an understatement. I told him that he was entirely too kind and that I was trying to connive my way into a Thanksgiving meal - he laughed and told me that it was an annual tradition at his house and that I'd be joined by forty other people (it turned out to be fifty). Since he was rushing off to class he wrote directions to his house on a small sheet of paper and handed it to me. I didn't know if I would end up going because I still have business to take care of with Milada, and then make it on to the University of Economics Prague - let alone figure out the directions on his slip of papers (which included a couple trips on the Metro and then a tram ride and then a walk). Nevertheless, I decided to give it a whirl and I'm so glad I did. At the house I had a chance to talk to Ted's wife Carolyn, the founder of the feast, and their daughters Claire and Ruth. And about fifty other people. Some of them were Americans, but most were international students and faculty who wanted to see what all of this famous Ameircan gluttony is about. Apparently it's an annual tradition at his place that just keeps going. Carolyn said that the first few years they actually tracked down a frozen turkey, which turned out horribly. But then they discovered some woman who lived outside Prague who actually grows turkeys. This year's turkey was over 23 pounds and there was some initial concern that the bird was simply too big for the smallerish Czech oven and that they might have to try and partially cave in the bird's chest cavity. Luckily, everything fit, and the bird was delicious, and I thoroughly enjoined Carolyn's special family recipe of "drunken onions." Oh, and one of the American students whipped up a strawberry shortcake, one of a number of wonderful desserts. I will never forget this Thanksgiving. For a lonely soul, far away from home, it was truly something to be thankful for.

Visit to the Catholic University of Ruzemberok

Here is a nice article that my great friend Katarina Labudova wrote for the Catholic University of Ruzemberok website about my visit there. I loved the picture - and it's very rare that I take good ones, so I'm posting it. The article is in Slovak, but I think the short transation is: ["The visiting imperialist does not seem very intelligent, but we are impressed by his imposing height. Not since the Habsburgs dropped by looking for a cup of sugar and directions to Bratislava have we been so nervous about a visitor."] However, my brother Eric said that the only line he could pull out was, "Where are the little pastries?"

"Prof. Gary Scudder (Champlain College, Vermont, U.S.A.) prednášal na FF KU
Dňa 23. novembra 2010 sa na pôde Filozofickej fakulty Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku uskutočnila prednáška na tému Global Modules. Prednáška profesora Scuddera predstavila inovatívny spôsob výučby, ktorý ekonomickým spôsobom rozvíja spoluprácu a diskusiu medzi študentmi rôznych univerzít zapojených v programe Global Modules. Profesor Scudder bol za svoj inšpiratívny prístup k výučbe a ku študentov odmenený viacerými akademickými cenami. Prednáška vyvolala mnoho podnetných otázok a inšpiratívnych návrhov, ako by si naši študenti predstavovali zapojenie sa do tohto projektu a ktoré témy by v jeho rámci radi riešili.

Prof. Garry Scudder na FF KU prednášal na pozvanie Dr. Janky Kaščákovej, vedúcej Katedry anglického jazyka a literatúry FF KU. Profesor Scudder navštívil FF KU už po druhý raz. V roku 2009 bol jedným z hlavných rečníkov konferencie Ambiguity, ktorú katedra anglického jazyka a literatúry organizovala."

Finding the Castle

Now, you wouldn't think that finding a castle would be very hard to do, would you? Well, that's where you haven't figured in my astonishing incompetent sense of directions (although I know people who have a worse one, and you know who you are). The problem with finding the Prague Castle was simply that the streets in Prague are wonderfully narrow and winding, so it's easy to lose sight of things. I could clearly see the castle as I crossed the Charles Bridge, but once I passed into the Mala Strana (Lesser Quarter) I would lose sight of it. The Czechs are not big on signage, although better than the Hungarians. After a couple dead-ends I was getting frustrated (and feeling immensely foolish) - this also related to the fact that I had passed the mythic week barrier in my trips when I'm at my worst (usually about a week or a week and a half into my trips I get really annoyed for a day - and then it passes - just mainly momentary trip exhaustion), so I knew the signs and sat down, enjoyed a cafe latte and revisited my map. Aaahhhhh, there it is. Just follow the winding narrow street - ask Winston Churchill - and there are the stairs. Oh, and when you get to the top the St. Vitus Church (which is ungodly huge) is still hidden behind the Kralovsky Palac (the home for kings and presidents then and now) - you can see the spires peeking over the top. Head left and pass through a narrow, essentially unmarked passageway into a courtyard and there you are. Easy.

Demonstration

OK, it's my last day in Prague and I'm running around trying to grab some breakfast, finish packing and hopefully slide out for a little last minute shopping. That said, I thought I might try and post a couple pictures/observations, mainly because I still have so many things I want to post and once I get back to my quotidian life, which is surprisingly busy, I know I'll have no chance to do anything for a while. I ended up taking another 170 pictures yesterday - so many, many things to discuss. However, and quickly, I thought I'd post one of the last things I saw in Prague yesterday - a demonstration which kept winding its way around downtown. There were about fifty hearty souls in a pretty agitated souls who circled around the cobblestone streets chanting into a megaphone. I'm not certain, completely, what the demo was about, but I suspect it was against fur. They were certainly passionate about the topic, as you can see from the two women who led the march, clothed only in body paint. I think I've seen more demonstrations and rallies on my short visits to Europe than I have in decades living in the U.S., which, I think, says something very good about the Europeans and very bad about us.

Views of Prague from On High

Whenever I visit an international city I invariably climb up to the highest point to check out the scenery, even if it costs a little more it is always worth it. In this case I paid the fee to climb to the top of the clock tower (the one with the famous astronomical clock - again, more on that later). Now, before going on I should point out that the trip to the top was supposed to be free - at least according to the utterly worthless Prague Welcome Card. Take my advice, if you come to Prague - and you should definitely visit Prague - don't bother with the Prague Welcome Card. It is somewhere between useless and an outright scam. I suppose if you stayed long enough and visited every conceivable destination, and rode the excellent metro system a lot, you might come close to having it pay for itself. I never pay for these things, but I did this time and I've really regretted it. One of the problems is that several of the most popular destinations - the ones that are supposed to be free in the booklet - have little stamps on the back which state that they are no longer free. And this relates to some of the most popular activities, such as climbing to the top of the clock tower or visiting the St. Vitus church - or visiting the Municipal House or the Clementinum (thank god I can still visit the Museum of the Police Force for free). OK, now that that rant is out of the way, do definitely climb the 172 steps to the top of the clock tower - it is well worth it and the views are spectacular (even if it was a cold adventure yesterday morning).

Return to Prague: Check

I guess that most places have some sort of legend relating to something that you're supposed to do to guarantee a return visit. For instance, in Florence you're supposed to rub the boar's snout (previous posting), and you can rest assured I gave it a thorough polishing. In Cairo it's believed that you're supposed to drink the water of the Nile; however, although I loved Cairo (even factoring in my passport going missing) I avoided that temptation. In Prague the legend relates to the Karluv Most (Charles Bridge) naturally enough. You're supposed to go to the eighth statue on the right, which is of St. John of Nepomuk (who, at least according to legend, was wrapped in chains and tossed off the bridge), and touch the statue. There are two spots that have been worn clean by visitors rubbing them. Some versions of the story say it only brings luck, although returning to Prague would constitute good luck (especially for me, because I've really fallen in love with the place). Either way, I did my due diligence.

Karluv Most

I had two afternoon meetings with Czech universities in the afternoon so I had to get an early start if I wanted to get any sight-seeing in today. So, wrapped up as warmly as I could manage (although I managed to leave my gloves in Vermont, so my fingers were a little stiff while I was snapping the hundred plus shots I took today - most in the early morn) I took off to see the city. I as all over the place this morning, but the place that impressed me the most was the Karluv Most (Charles Bridge). Now, I have a thing for bridges anyway (which helps to explain my now infamous climb to the top of the Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati when I was in college so that I could get a better view of the WEBN fireworks) but even considering that fact I was deeply moved by the Karluv Most. It's easy to find - from the center of the Old Town you just follow the winding, cobblestone Karlova street, until you suddenly come around a corner at the first gate rises before you. The bridge was initial built in the early 1300's, and the statues of the saints on the bridge were added as part of the Counter-Reformation attempt to bring Catholicism back to Prague in full force during the 1600's. The guidebook said to get to the bridge either as the sun is going up or going down because it is at its most special - although, to be fair, I think that's probably true of most things. However, I'm glad I got an early start - and braved the biting cold - because it was beautiful, and the angle of the sun certainly added a lot to it. From the bridge you can the awe-inspiring Prague Castle on the hillside (and, obviously, it reminded me of Castle Hill in Budapest - and I'll be starting my sight-seeing tomorrow at the Castle). To top it off the moon had not set, and I did manage to get it in one of the close-ups. I'll have at least one more posting of the bridge. I'd love to post dozens of pictures, but I'm already suffering through very slow wifi here at the hotel and I'm sure it will take a better part of an hour to download these pictures. Can't wait to pass through there again tomorrow on the way to the castle. By all means, definitely come to Prague - and most definitely check out the Charles Bridge.

Schnitzel Planet

And before I get around to the more serious sight-seeing pictures, another silly food-related post. I don't know what really needs to be said. When you enter a "restaurant" called Schnitzel Planet a story has already been told. Seriously, however, the schnitzel burger was really good.

Trdelnik

As is well-documented, I will eat anything at any time, including from street vendors. Now, this has almost killed me repeatedly, in India especially (and terrified my friend Michelle to the very core of her being). However, I wasn't too worried about it in Prague. I was running in between meeting today and didn't have time to sit down for a regular meal, so I stopped at a little place and grabbed a trdelnik, which was a new discovery for me. They are all over the place in Prague. Essentially it's like a cinammon flavored dough that they wrapped around a wooden stake and baked over an open fire. It is every bit as delicious as it sounds - and doubtless I will have more tomorrow (I'm not really certain how many, but I suspect exponential notation will be utilitzed). Because I was rushing around meeting with various university officials I passed up on the hot wine (maybe tomorrow).

L'eminence grise

As you know, I'm usually loath to post pictures of myself, mainy because, well, hell, I'm old and I look dreadful - and I don't want to scare the small children (university age children I do want to scare, but not the little ones). However, I'm posting this picture of me, even though it's another bad one. I like it for a number of reasons. First off, because it was taken on top of the Staromestka radnice (Old Town Hall), which is in the Staromestske namesti (Old Town Square) - it's the same building as the astronomical clock (more on that later). In the background is the Kosel Matky Bozi pred Tynem (Church of Our Lady Before Tyn). Secondly, because the mother of a nice American military family who are stationed in Germany but on vacation in Budapest took it. I'm talked to them for a while and they were just nice folks. Thirdly, my blue knit cap is sort of fading into the column behind me and it makes me look like I'm a Cardinal in the Catholic Church - and, well, come on, obviously . . .

Train Trip to Prague

I've made it safely to Prague, and the second of my three big train trips for this visit is now behind me. I do love train travel. I was sitting on the train today thinking about all the countries where I've travelled on trains, and I think this is the list: Spain, Sweden, Brussels, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Egypt, India, China and Australia - and in three of those (India, China and Slovakia) I've used a sleeper car. The trip today was easy, although long. I left Ruzemberok, Slovakia at 10:29 and had to change trains about fifty minutes in at Zilina, and after that it was all on the save train. There was a little glitch, but nothing to substantial - essentially I was on a slightly different train route than I had planned, but it was still going to Prague, just by a longer route. All it meant was another hour - and five euro extra - but it was worth it not to have to change trains again. For the first half of the trip I had an entire compartment to myself, and after that one student moved into the compartment and we didn't say a word all day (which is heavenly for me). At the end of the day I actually met two women from Chicago who were freshly graduated from college and rumming around Europe. I was sitting in my compartment when I heard one of them call to the attendant, "Do you speak English?," so I walked down to discuss the train schedule with them (we were a little late, but I had managed to pick up a train schedule along the way - which made me the authority figure, even though it was my first trip to Prague as well). It was nice to have a couple Americans to wish a Happy Thanksgiving. From there it was only about a five minute walk to my hotel - for that matter, it took longer to find the Tourist Centre in the train station so I could pick up my Visit Prague voucher and free swag. We didn't end up pulling into Prague until around 6:15, around a half-hour late - very unusual for European rail lines - so it made for a long day. Luckily, I packed enough chips and cookies and granola bars to help me survive the trip (I've made that mistake before). Oh, and here's a picture of the bag of chips I bought in Ruzemberok at the grocery store. There's nothing quite like a big bag full of Slovakian meat-flavored potato chips - full of eastern European meaty goodness. So, I spent hours watching the snow flying over the Slovakian and Czech countryside, finished the last two chapters of Foreign Devils on the Silk Road, devoted some time to studying my Prague guide, and read a hundred pages of the Shahnameh - and took a couple substantial naps - overall an utterly sophisticated way to spend the day (even factoring in the meat flavored potato chips).

Dinner with the Family

One of the best parts of the trip to Washington, DC for the award ceremony was getting to spend time with my old friend Debi. We taught together years ago at Georgia Perimeter College - and actually team-taught four classes together combining world literature and world civilization, and it was entirely too much fun. Since those halcyon days we've gone our separate ways professionally - this is my eleventh year at Champlain and Debi is a Dean at Montgomery Community College outside of Washington, DC and will doubtless be heading up her own college someday. Here are some pictures for when we went out to eat on the 21st, the day that the ghost walked (that is, it was payday for both of us), and they took me to eat at a place called Cheeseburger Cheeseburger (although I can't imagine why she thought I'd like a place like that). Here are pictures of Debi and her fiance Ben, her sister Deanie, and her daughters Meg and Nora. She's one of those marvelous friends that we practically picked up mid-sentence even though we hadn't seen each other in years - and of course the mid-sentence was her giving me abuse about something, while I was being my usual sweetly naive self and not bothering a soul.

Christmas Lights in Vienna

OK, so I've actually made it to Prague (more on that in a bit), but I promised to post a few pictures of the beautiful Christmas lights in Vienna, so here we go.