The Whirlwind Comes to an End.doc

After six glorious days in Berlin and Prague, I took an overnight bus back home to Amsterdam. Not only was I excited to drop my bags and settle into some fresh clothes, but Emily and Raffi were waiting for me upon arrival.

You see, their bus was set to arrive in Amsterdam at 11:30pm and my bus was to pull into the city at 7:00am the next morning. To remedy this conflict, I duct-taped my apartment key to the inside ceiling of my mailbox. When Emily arrived, she was to reach into the mailbox (as if to deliver a letter) and pry the tape and the key from the box. All week I tried not to think about the possibility of someone inserting a letter and noticing there was a key, but I was mighty happy to get a message from Emily saying they had received it.

I arrived in Amsterdam at 5:00am and hoofed it home. After a quick reunion and obligatory questions about each others bus rides, we all collapsed into a few hours of extra sleep. That morning, we raided the grocery store downstairs (not the C.H, but the A.H in fact) to collect items for a breakfast feast. It seems the only time I have breakfast feasts is when visitors arrive (I wouldn't have it any other way). After the meal, we set out from the apartment and covered a lot of ground - I took Raffi and Emily through six to eight of the popular areas of the city. We saw markets, squares, buildings of note, and, of course, bicycles everywhere we went. At the market, we picked up broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms for a stir-fry as well as three avacadoes for 1 Euro! 

After our five hour walk, we returned home and made a delicious peanut stir-fry with rice. We chatted over a few beers before heading to The Neighbour - which is, without a doubt, my favourite Amsterdam haunt. It's off the beaten path, it's open until 4am, and it feels to me like a quintessential Amsterdam bar. We spent a few hours there sipping beers and listening to really groovy music.

The next morning we slept in and rejuvenated with yet another breakfast feast. It feels great to have guests to make coffee and eggs for. The weather was so great that we decided it would be a shame to spend the day inside. Instead of spending the 12 Euros on the Van Gogh (which we considered) or going out for a nice meal (also an option), instead we spent the money wisely on a nice communal dinner at the apartment - the guacamole made from the avacadoes was the highlight of the meal. Because 12,000 Scottish fans had infiltrated the city for a qualifying match for the World Cup, we decided to stick in and have a house party instead. We stayed up over a few drinks and shared some laughs, talked about the future (as we're prone to do), and compared travel schedules. 

The day of departure is always hard, but we managed to get up for a final walk around the city and finished the visit with a cup of tea before Emily and Raffi went to the bus station. It was a wonderful weekend and a reminder that I'm lucky (in addition to MAIPR friends) to have such wonderfully close friends also on the continent. When I sometimes miss the types of parties that go on back in Canada, these types of visits completely rejuvenate my spirit, while at the same time reminding me of all the great friends back home. I really got to know Raffi more this weekend than I did in December, and I was happy to have the opportunity - he's a great guy. Emily is OK too.

With the end of the visit came the harsh reality that reading week was over. I had a fantastic time on the road and an equally great time back home in Amsterdam with Emily and Raffi. The time off was maximized to the best of its potential. 

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I'm half-Scottish by birth, and I love the Scots. But 12,000 testosterone driven football hooligans proved to be overwhelming in the city of Amsterdam. I'm glad the Dutch won the game.

Czech, Czech, Czech - Czech It Out.doc

From the alive and electric city of Berlin, I made my way to the beautiful and serene city of Prague. Well, it would prove to be serene. You don't think of the city as beautiful if you arrive at the Prague Bus Station (Florenc) at 6am. It was a little scary but I hung out there until the city started moving around 8am. It just so happened that one of my program friends, Milan from Slovakia, was spending reading week in Prague (where he lived for two years previous). Since all of his friends in the city were off working during the days, he was more than happy to show me around. It proved to make the trip different from others I've had exploring a new city - suddenly I had privileged access to spots off the beaten path.

That Monday morning we went to Prague Castle which looks down at the city from the surrounding hills. It's an imposing structure sitting atop the landscape that looks beautiful in the evening. We walked through the old buildings, along Golden Lane, and then took the stairs down to the old part of the city. From there we walked across the massive Charles bridge which is a pedestrian walkway filled with tourists, little vendors, and caricature artists. From the bridge you can look out on old town which is a collection of yellow and orange buildings with beautiful green domes and churches scattered throughout. That afternoon we broke up walking through the city with stops for a coffee in a cafe, a beer in a pub, and a tradition Czech meal (goulash). 

I checked into my hostel that afternoon and grabbed a nap to recover from the overnight bus ride. I was staying in a newly renovated hostel with 10 beds in the room. There were only two of us staying there the first two nights, and I had the lone bed up the stairs in what felt like my own little loft - I was able to spread out and have my own space. That evening I met Milan for a few drinks in a bar in the centre where I met two of his friends - a guy from Germany and another from Calgary who had moved to Prague to teach English. It's always nice to meet fellow Canadians along the way.

The next day I picked up a Euro plug adapter (since I had stupidly left mine back home in Amsterdam) to charge my camera battery. I met Milan and his friend for a walk around the outskirts of the city. It was a raised portion that offered a really great view of the centre. There we visited an old church, a cemetery, and had some warm wine in a beautiful park. The three of us then went back to the flat Milan was staying at and made a delicious dinner in a big pot. Oftentimes Milan and his friends would slip into conversations in Slovakian. It was odd to listen to, since I had no entry point into understanding even some of the words, but it was fun trying to decipher what was going on. I was appreciative that they made efforts to include me in conversations when it was a big group - English after all is their second language.

That evening we went to a concert featuring two Polish cellists who sang beautiful duets. I had missed being able to see a performance in Berlin, but I was happy to see something in Prague. There were seven of us who went to the performance and they took me to a traditional Czech bar for beers after the show (no tourists in sight). The Czech can drink. It seemed like it wasn't even a question whether or not the table would order a third round...it was just expected. We ended off the night at a fun Karaoke bar (it just happened the be a Tuesday of all nights) and I jumped on a tram back to my hostel.

Wednesday morning I spent a little time exploring the city by myself. I went past the National Theatre, some interesting Kafka spots, and places of note during the Velvet Revolution. Wherever you looked in Prague there are traces of the effects and influence of Communism. It was the first time I really felt confronted by it in Europe. It made me consider how isolated things feel in Canada - it is easy to forget that some of my fellow students grew up in completely different political climates. 

That evening, Milan and his friends made a traditional Slovakian meal that reminded me of macaroni and cheese. Instead of pasta it was made with small dumplings, really strong cheese, cream, and bacon. It was heavy, but really tasty. We went for a few after dinner drinks and then to a dance club that usually stays open until 6am. We only stayed until 2:30am. I bid farewell to my generous host. Milan really did lay out the red carpet for me (as I would do for anyone who came to visit in Canada) and I was really appreciative to get the real Prague experience. I may not have seen all the tourists spots listed in the guide book, but it felt like an authentic weekend.

The next morning I packed up at the hostel, went exploring a bit more in the city, and then hopped on the bus headed home to Amsterdam. The bus was a 12 hour ride, but I was surprised that I was able to sleep for a good seven hours. When it was announced that we had arrived in Amsterdam, it felt like I had returned home. I realized I hadn't left the country for two and a half months before leaving, but it felt great to get back to familiar sights. What made the arrival home all the better was that Emily and Raffi were waiting for me back at the apartment. The subject, of course, of the next blog.

Doc's Prescription of the Day:

“The Berlin Wall crumbled, Politburos resigned and governments vanished overnight. Half a million Czechs and Slovaks gathered ... in Prague and we sensed that a long, absent angel had returned home to Central Europe.”
Madeleine Albright

"Prague never lets you go... this dear little mother has sharp claws."
Franz Kafka

The Berliner Ensemble.doc

Greetings from Prague!
I'm taking a morning break from sightseeing to give you the scoop on the latest sights and sounds.

We left for Berlin on Thursday evening at 11:30pm and arrived the next morning at 9am. The city is positively buzzing with great vibes - it feels alive with potential. Berlin is one of those cities right now that is gaining momentum; it seems like everyone in Europe knows that it's a spot to be. Our experience definitely didn't disappoint.

A visit to Berlin was important not only to see what everyone was talking about, but also because I have been in two shows recently that were set in the very city (Cabaret and Boulevard of the Brave). It was wonderful to have the opportunity to explore the places I had only pretended to visit on the stage.

We didn't waste any time once our bus landed in the city. We took the nearest U-Bahn, which we jumped around on all weekend, to Alexander Platz and started walking through the city. It wasn't before long that we wandered upon a square dedicated to Marx and Engels (with statutes recognizing their achievements). Obligatory photos were taken. The plaza also houses the TV Tower (one of the iconic symbols of the city). From there we walked down the length of Unter den Linden where we stopped in at a holocaust memorial, Humboldt University (whose list of alumnus includes Marx, Hegel, Benjamin, and Einstein), and a Ferrari shop that had beautiful cars on display.

It was then that we got to more aggressive sightseeing. We made our way to the Brandenburg Gate which is called the most recognizable landmark in the city and we waited in line for an hour and a hour to have entry to the Reichstag. To say this building has a lot of history is an understatement. Visitors are shuttled to the
top of the building where the Reichstag dome provides one of the most comprehensive views of the city. The cupola designed in the dome's centre is made of hundreds of mirrors that shift and shape as you climb to the top. The neatest thing about the building is that you can see parliament in session from below.

We took a break from the major attractions to check into the hostel. It featured an impressive all you can eat breakfast the likes of which I haven't seen in Europe (we smuggled food out whenever possible). That evening we went for a Turkish meal (dirt cheap in Germany) and then vistied the Berliner Ensemble. We were unable to get tickets for a show that evening (a big disappointment) but were not suprised since the major attraction playing right now is Three Penny Opera directed by Robert Wilson. It's touring to Amsterdam in April so I'm hoping to catch it then. It was still neat to make it to Brecht's theatre. We ended the evening in a really huge pub near the Zoo which just so happened to be playing Beatles songs. The bar was packed, the German pilsner was flowing, and the crowds here singing along. It was a great capper to the day.

The next day started at 9am at Berlin's Museum Island (a UNESCO hertiage site). For the outragerous student price of 7 Euros you have access to the four impressive museums that compose the grouping. We went to the Pergamon which houses the Peragmon Alter and the Ishtar Gate (the Gate was one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture I've seen) and the Egyptian Museum where, unfortunately, it was impossible to see the bust of Nefertiti due to renovations. After spending three hours in the ancient museums, we went to visit ancient dead people! We made a stop by one of the most well known cemeteries in the city where Brecht and Hegel are buried. Afterwards, we made our way to the Jewish Museum Berlin. It is, without a doubt, the most innovatively designed museum I've ever been to. Daniel Libeskind designed the museum, which opened to the public in 2001, and his focus on creating an experience for the visitor was very much apparent. I cannot do it justice in a blog post (and think I'll avoid description all together) but walking through the The Garden of Exile, Holocaust Tower, and the Memory Void were all extremely moving. You must see this museum if you go to Berlin.

After a full day we enjoyed a bit of a chichi dinner near the theatre district and again were unable to snag cheap theatre tickets for the evening (we think we missed the alternative theatre scene altogether). This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because instead we went for a drink in the lobby of the German National theatre and then headed to a jazz club called B Flat where we caught some amazing African infused jazz. It turns out it was the weekend of live music for us!

For our last day in Berlin we planned yet another adventerous day - it began at the Holocaust Memorial near the Potsdamer Platz which is a square of grey blocks which houses a memorial walk underneath. Again, it was another moving experience tracing the history of the Holocaust, not only in Berlin, but throughout Europe. From there we went to the opposite end of the city to a most bohemian festival where there was live music, wonderful food, hipsters, punksters, and antique collectors alike, and all kinds of wonderful junk. Markets will forever remind me of Europe I think. Afterwards, we jumped on a bus tour around the city (for an affordable 2 Euros) to catch some of the sights we didn't get to. We realized we had been able to attack a really good portion of the city - we went East, West, North, and South over the three days, saw four museums, pieces of the Wall, two concerts, and rode on three types of transport. Courtney (who was a fantastic travel companionfor the first leg of the trip) departed home for Amsterdam that evening but I had three hours to spare before heading to Prague. I went for a late evening walk to the Olympic Stadium. While I was only able to walk around the gate, it was the perfect site to end the trip with.

Man, how do you summarize three amazing days in Berlin in one blog post. Bottom line: the city is amazing. It feels more happening than even London or Paris and has a gritty alternative edge that makes it all the more attractive. The photos I was able to capture are stunning. Watch out for them. I'm getting total guide treatment here in Prague but I'll tell you all about it in the next post.

Until then...

Doc's Prescription of the Day:

“Berlin combines the culture of New York, the traffic system of Tokyo, the nature of Seattle, and the historical treasures of, well, Berlin.”
Hiroshi Motomura, US Law professor, 2004

"I still keep a suitcase in Berlin."
Song by Marlene Dietrich in 1957

I Like to Ride my Bicycle, Bicycle.doc

Well, it's official: I've joined the large population of Amsterdam cyclists maneuvering through the streets of the historic city on their way to work, school, and play. Just call me Lance Armstrong.

Not quite. It was a lengthy process to obtain the bike (locating the friends of my Canadian friend for keys and having the RAs find the bike in permanent storage) but it was well worth the perserverence. Biking isn't just a mode of transport in the city, it's a way of life. There are bike lanes on every street, separate lights for cyclists at every intersection, a bike service wherever you turn, and a constant hum of pleasant sounding bells used to push wandering tourists out of our lanes. That's right, I'm now "one of them" and not just a mere pedestrian. Being a pedestrian is just so...pedestrian.

The transition to being a member of the biking community wasn't without its "speedbumps." The bikes here in Amsterdam are much different than the ones you see back home. The design that rules the streets is a high-seat, one gear bike a la the one the Wicked Witch of the West rode off on. It has neither handlebar brake nor a sporty look. Instead, you must peddle backwards to brake and the design is one of sophistication. My first official ride was to my morning class on Tuesday. That was my first mistake; It was 8:30am and the absolute peak time of bike traffic. It was like learning how to swim during an Olympic freestyle race - the cyclists are veterans and need to get to work just as fast as the other guy. The bike was hard to maneuver into the bike traffic lane just due to the fact that it's a lot bigger than I'm use to, and takes more starting friction than the bikes back home. I was able to get into the lane from outside of my apartment, but was visibly slowing traffic down with my slow start. Picture a lanky Steve Martin in a pea coat trying to battle a bike the size of him into a lane of full traffic. That's a pretty decent picture.

Once I got my legs under me, I embraced the liberation that came with breezing by my former pedestrian cohorts, I smiled at other cyclists denoting some sort of solidarity on the paths, and I relished the wind in my hair and the sun on my forehead. The bike to school went extremely well. Since then I've rode the bike a half dozen of times - now I'm able to add sunglasses and an ipod to the cyclist aesthetic. I'm still getting use to the ettiqute of my new transport class and the feel of my own bike, but I'm looking forward to the time it will save getting from point A to B. We've already made plans for a North-Holland bike trip once the tulips start to blossom and I'm thinking it will be a good way to get some exercise if I just want to get out of the house for a bit. It's going to change my whole Amsterdam experience.

Yesterday, after our six hours of class, the group went out for a few pints to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. You might expect that St. Patty's would be a big day to celebrate in Amsterdam (since most hip spots embrace the day as another excuse to drink) but you'd be wrong. There was a splash of green here or there, but all in all I didn't see much celebration. My theory is that the Dutch are proud enough of their heritage to have to appropriate another culture's holiday, but more importantly, the country is saving the celebrations for Queen's Day at the end of April. It's the biggest party of the year in the Netherlands and it just so happens to take place while I'm here (score). Something to look forward to. I caught up with Tory again and we continued talking about the good times - the group of students here really like her and Zoey.

Today, I biked all the way to Central Station and then to the Amsterdam Public Library for school research. I spent a good four hours this morning trying to formulate thoughts for the dissertation proposal that will be submitted on May 1. The To-Do List I set myself for the past four days how has more things crossed off than needing attention so I'm feeling good. I leave tomorrow evening at 11:30pm for Berlin with Courtney where hopefully I'll be able to sleep the whole way. Here is an idea of my schedule:

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Berlin
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning in Prague
I return back home on Friday morning at 7:00am where I will greet Emily and Raffi who are in town for two full nights. Amazing.
What an amazing Reading Week break ahead!

I will, of course, take loads of photos and will try my best to provide updates on the road. Wishing you all the best back home and I'll be in touch after I return from the trip.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: When was the last time you were on a bike? Maybe it's time to embrace the great weather and go for a ride. I'll try to take a bike photo shoot to inspire y'all to join the team.

Worlds Colliding.doc

There's a really great Seinfeld episode where George warns Jerry about "worlds colliding." He worries that if Susan "infiltrates" herself into the group, then the George that they know and love will cease to be:

GEORGE: You have no idea of the magnitude of this thing. If she is allowed to infiltrate this world then George Costanza as you know him ceases to exist. You see, right now I have Relationship George. But there is also Independent George. That's the George you know, the George you grew up with... Movie George, Coffee Shop George, Liar George, Bawdy George.

JERRY: I love that George.

GEORGE: Me too, and he's dying. If Relationship George walks through this door, he will kill Independent George. A George divided against itself cannot stand!

It's an interesting theory and something we all encounter in moments when people from our various spheres of social life find themselves in the same room. Whereas George warns against the potential destruction of independence that happens when "worlds collide", our friends look forward to parties and gatherings where the collision of our separate social pockets creates a new and exciting dynamic. Case in point - the TWT parties that grew from three dedicated members to a full out zoo by summer's end of the most unlikely of people brought together. Worlds definitely collided when Emily met all of the MAIPR friends last month, but there was an even bigger collision this past Friday when Tory came to visit Amsterdam.

Tory is the only person in the program who knows me pre-MAIPR and she met a lot of you at events at Isabella last year. We became good friends after a grueling MA year and were both excited to have a friend in the MAIPR program for the coming year. At the same time, we both were happy we were not assigned the same mobility schedule as it meant we couldn't fall easily into each other's company. What made the collision of worlds all the greater on Friday is that Tory knows both Canada Keith and MAIPR Keith and all the friends and faculty that compose the program here - madness! Instead of it being a bad collision, it, of course, was such a welcome visit. We talked for a good two hours in the kitchen (trying to look as social with the others as possible) about last term, where we currently are at, and plans for the future.

Milan (from Slovakia) threw the party in his massive common room - we listened to great music, had a few beverages, and got to know Zoey (from Thailand) who accompanied Tory from Warwick. From there we took the girls for a night on the town to Rembrandt Square. There is a moderately sized dance bar called "Club Smokey" (I don't think it is named after the Bear). They have a decent dance floor and pool tables in the back room. The gang got up to some pool, dancing, and OPDing (a typical weekend night). It was yet another late one, and Sunday was spent lazily catching up on some homework.

Sunday evening I was invited for dinner with the Finnish home students. It was really nice of them to include me in their get together, me being a Warick hommie and all. It was a good chance to chat with Tory again in a less-party type setting. The girls made a really great salad, rice, and chicken - Milan and I were forbidden from helping cook. It was the perfect Sunday evening.

Tory is in town for the whole week but since I am heading out on Thursday night, we are hoping to get together before then. The next four days are absolutely jam-packed. I have a schedule for each day from 9am - 8pm and if there is a moment when I'm not doing something, I'm wasting time! So many errands to take care of before taking off for a week. Top of the list this morning was to pick up my residence permit (a short trip on the train out of Central station). It's a cool identity card that allows me to stay in the country until the end of the year. It also means I don't have to carry my passport with me everywhere, as per Dutch law.

Tomorrow is St. Patty's Day and we have yet to schedule plans but I'm sure we'll get up to something after six hours of class. The Dutch don't have many ties to Ireland, but they'll never pass up an opportunity for merrymaking.

Courtney and I spied a production at the Berliner Ensemble (Brecht's theatre) directed by none other than Robert Wilson that is playing while we are in Berlin - we're hoping and praying that we can get some rush tickets.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I think the dose of Seinfeld was enough. If I had it my way I'd include a bit of Seinfeldian wisdom everyday. Costanza's takes on life are some of my favourite.