Friday, August 25, 2006
CzechTek's a Wreck, Croatia's Bodacious
Alright, finally have some time on my hands and figured I'd put my idle hands to good use instead of, well, you know the saying. So Budapest is really nice, but not much different from Prague, so it doesn't really beg my blog time. We returned to Prague and made our way back to the apt for some much needed time in our own bed after a 20 day hiatus. It was glad to see us. It missed us. It told me so. The next few days are a bit of a blur but it was mostly relaxing and laxing. Meghan was supposed to leave on the 1st of August but, as fate would have it, she was able to join me for summer camp in Selce, Croatia.
But before then we had some business to take care of. Partying was in order. We, along with another couple, jumped on a bus to Cesky Raj (Czech Paradise) and spent three days drinking, taking a dip in the lake, playing foosball, finally discovering where the Czech Rednecks hang, and hiking in the mountains. We returned at noon on Friday and at 5 that day journeyed toward CzechTek. For the uninitiated, CzechTek is a weeklong electronic music festival. Completely free, 24 hours a day. You'd go to sleep with a soundstation a hundred yards away and wake up to the same dj spinning the same beat. Makes you wonder if there was even a dj. Which makes you wonder if the machines have taken over already. But file that in the paranoid column and let's move on. Tweakers galore. Fun, but mostly Drum n' Bass which, in a completely logical world should cause seizures within minutes. Not to mention the strobe lights and drugs a'rampant. I abstained, thank you very much. Twas a people-watching affair only. The complete lack of authority/medical facilities/toilets/drinkable water was a downer, but the kids are alright (aside from bruises from the 3 foot concrete holes in the middle of the dancing area/ex-house foundation.) Matty and Meggy had funny.
Back to Prague and then Croatia ahoy! We left on the bus with 100 kids aged 5-18 to the beautiful coast of the Adriatic Sea. One thing that surprised me was how mountainous it was. I was amazed when I woke and saw the scale of the mountains we had embarked on. Seriously breathtaking. We arrived and had orientation and all that and made the strenuous 50ft trek to the beach. Except it wasn't a beach, it was where the water met stones the size of your fist. So no volleyball weary. Wait, that's "No rest for the weary." No volleyball for the nary. Sure, why not. Ok. The water was clearer than W's rhetoric. Strike that. Reverse it. Amazingly crystal clear water with colorful little fishys I'd seen only in Aquariums and Windows Screen Savers. The kids were great. The same ones as last year, so it was a great reunion with em. Selce is opposite of Krk (Neck), the biggest island of the Croatian Coast, and we were fortunate enough to take a boat trip to said isle and visit a nice little town named Vrbn. Don't ask. But what a trip to see a centuries old town on a rocky, mountainous island. Truly amazing to behold.
At night, we took trips to the nearby towns for the necessary daily ice cream allowance. Most of the kids partook in pizza as well cuz the food at camp was, well, pretty fucking shitty. Breakfast comprised of bread and pate, which meat(s) I'm not sure. Lunch was soup, one step above gruel. And dinner was the kill of the day. Usually of the grey variety. Meghan's vegetarianism didn't fare too well in these harsh climates, so she stockpiled butter and marmalade from breakfast to stave off hunger throughout the day. The coast is absolutely beautiful with amazing sunsets every night. Our days were spent in the water (where you could jump straight from the rocks into the deep blue ocean) and English. The term "English Camp" in this case is a stretch. Mostly just babysitting, I usually threw on a movie using my handy-dandy new nerdbox. The majority of the lessons involved questions of Symoblism in Edward Scissorhands as well as whether Capt. Jack's tattoos were real or not. Who doesn't love Johnny Depp now that he's gold at the box office. And yes, I would love to get him a regular Red Bull instead of the desired Sugarfree cuz then he'd yell at me and there'd be a better chance of remembering me when I see him in heaven. (That is, of course, once Jesus comes down and kills all of the Muslims and Liberals.) Who knows, we might even get to dance to sappy a Clapton song. (I'll have to puke up 10lbs first, and oh my gosh what'll I wear?) But I would'nt lose weight for just for Johnny Depp. That's shallow. The Son of Man don't want no fatties neither.
So camp was great. Excellent paid vacation. We returned to Prague and said our goodbyes to the kiddies, making empty promises to write them and to see them again. Stupid little kids. Our lease being out on the previous domicile, we shacked up with a Czech friend in the heart of Old(e) Town for a week. We spent our days walking the streets, cussing English tourists in Czech and Czech tourists in English. As much as we wanted to believe we were different from the hordes, we weren't. We'd just decided to stay longer.
Then Meghan hopped a plane to Madison last Friday and I've been a shell ever since. Fortunately, I'ved had some distractions. I've been in the Krkonose Mtns since Sunday with an Adult Language camp. This camp is serious. 5 hrs a day of adults who ask questions like "When using two verbs in a row, when do we use the infinitive and when do we use the gerund?" Discuss.
But it has its perks. I'm getting free room and board, meals, and transport there and back. Plus I'm getting paid and my afternoons are spent hiking or mountain biking. Yesterday I took a 25km trip to the top of Cerna Hora (Black Mountain) and rode down the fucker at break neck speeds with no helmet. Or insurance. I know. All the ladies must be screaming, "Matt Lyon, you're wild, you're dangerous, you're baaaaaad!"
I'll return on Saturday and the house hunt must commence. Also, work starts full time on Monday. I must say that it's been one hell of a summer for yours truly. Between being in the States and seeing the Cubs' most glorious series of the year, Chip's wedding, to running around Istanbul in the middle of the night, partying on the Bulgarian Coast and climbing the hill overlooking Budapest (as well as dropping the L-bomb[a first {and hopefully last 〈and hey, i've always wanted to use chevrons!〈 for this young romantic}]) I must say that I couldn't ask for and probably won't ever receive a better 6 months in my entire life.
So that is where I must leave you. As August draws to a close, I hope this summer season has treated you well. I'm glad I wasn't stuck in a cubicle. In fact, these last 6 months have completely validated my decision not to call the life insurance guy for that shitty jobv after graduation. Also, lets hear more from y'all. If the barrel ain't flowin' feel free to use my comments page as a forum. I wanna hear what y'all are up to. Much Love to You. Yours in Christ, Matthew.
But before then we had some business to take care of. Partying was in order. We, along with another couple, jumped on a bus to Cesky Raj (Czech Paradise) and spent three days drinking, taking a dip in the lake, playing foosball, finally discovering where the Czech Rednecks hang, and hiking in the mountains. We returned at noon on Friday and at 5 that day journeyed toward CzechTek. For the uninitiated, CzechTek is a weeklong electronic music festival. Completely free, 24 hours a day. You'd go to sleep with a soundstation a hundred yards away and wake up to the same dj spinning the same beat. Makes you wonder if there was even a dj. Which makes you wonder if the machines have taken over already. But file that in the paranoid column and let's move on. Tweakers galore. Fun, but mostly Drum n' Bass which, in a completely logical world should cause seizures within minutes. Not to mention the strobe lights and drugs a'rampant. I abstained, thank you very much. Twas a people-watching affair only. The complete lack of authority/medical facilities/toilets/drinkable water was a downer, but the kids are alright (aside from bruises from the 3 foot concrete holes in the middle of the dancing area/ex-house foundation.) Matty and Meggy had funny.
Back to Prague and then Croatia ahoy! We left on the bus with 100 kids aged 5-18 to the beautiful coast of the Adriatic Sea. One thing that surprised me was how mountainous it was. I was amazed when I woke and saw the scale of the mountains we had embarked on. Seriously breathtaking. We arrived and had orientation and all that and made the strenuous 50ft trek to the beach. Except it wasn't a beach, it was where the water met stones the size of your fist. So no volleyball weary. Wait, that's "No rest for the weary." No volleyball for the nary. Sure, why not. Ok. The water was clearer than W's rhetoric. Strike that. Reverse it. Amazingly crystal clear water with colorful little fishys I'd seen only in Aquariums and Windows Screen Savers. The kids were great. The same ones as last year, so it was a great reunion with em. Selce is opposite of Krk (Neck), the biggest island of the Croatian Coast, and we were fortunate enough to take a boat trip to said isle and visit a nice little town named Vrbn. Don't ask. But what a trip to see a centuries old town on a rocky, mountainous island. Truly amazing to behold.
At night, we took trips to the nearby towns for the necessary daily ice cream allowance. Most of the kids partook in pizza as well cuz the food at camp was, well, pretty fucking shitty. Breakfast comprised of bread and pate, which meat(s) I'm not sure. Lunch was soup, one step above gruel. And dinner was the kill of the day. Usually of the grey variety. Meghan's vegetarianism didn't fare too well in these harsh climates, so she stockpiled butter and marmalade from breakfast to stave off hunger throughout the day. The coast is absolutely beautiful with amazing sunsets every night. Our days were spent in the water (where you could jump straight from the rocks into the deep blue ocean) and English. The term "English Camp" in this case is a stretch. Mostly just babysitting, I usually threw on a movie using my handy-dandy new nerdbox. The majority of the lessons involved questions of Symoblism in Edward Scissorhands as well as whether Capt. Jack's tattoos were real or not. Who doesn't love Johnny Depp now that he's gold at the box office. And yes, I would love to get him a regular Red Bull instead of the desired Sugarfree cuz then he'd yell at me and there'd be a better chance of remembering me when I see him in heaven. (That is, of course, once Jesus comes down and kills all of the Muslims and Liberals.) Who knows, we might even get to dance to sappy a Clapton song. (I'll have to puke up 10lbs first, and oh my gosh what'll I wear?) But I would'nt lose weight for just for Johnny Depp. That's shallow. The Son of Man don't want no fatties neither.
So camp was great. Excellent paid vacation. We returned to Prague and said our goodbyes to the kiddies, making empty promises to write them and to see them again. Stupid little kids. Our lease being out on the previous domicile, we shacked up with a Czech friend in the heart of Old(e) Town for a week. We spent our days walking the streets, cussing English tourists in Czech and Czech tourists in English. As much as we wanted to believe we were different from the hordes, we weren't. We'd just decided to stay longer.
Then Meghan hopped a plane to Madison last Friday and I've been a shell ever since. Fortunately, I'ved had some distractions. I've been in the Krkonose Mtns since Sunday with an Adult Language camp. This camp is serious. 5 hrs a day of adults who ask questions like "When using two verbs in a row, when do we use the infinitive and when do we use the gerund?" Discuss.
But it has its perks. I'm getting free room and board, meals, and transport there and back. Plus I'm getting paid and my afternoons are spent hiking or mountain biking. Yesterday I took a 25km trip to the top of Cerna Hora (Black Mountain) and rode down the fucker at break neck speeds with no helmet. Or insurance. I know. All the ladies must be screaming, "Matt Lyon, you're wild, you're dangerous, you're baaaaaad!"
I'll return on Saturday and the house hunt must commence. Also, work starts full time on Monday. I must say that it's been one hell of a summer for yours truly. Between being in the States and seeing the Cubs' most glorious series of the year, Chip's wedding, to running around Istanbul in the middle of the night, partying on the Bulgarian Coast and climbing the hill overlooking Budapest (as well as dropping the L-bomb[a first {and hopefully last 〈and hey, i've always wanted to use chevrons!〈 for this young romantic}]) I must say that I couldn't ask for and probably won't ever receive a better 6 months in my entire life.
So that is where I must leave you. As August draws to a close, I hope this summer season has treated you well. I'm glad I wasn't stuck in a cubicle. In fact, these last 6 months have completely validated my decision not to call the life insurance guy for that shitty jobv after graduation. Also, lets hear more from y'all. If the barrel ain't flowin' feel free to use my comments page as a forum. I wanna hear what y'all are up to. Much Love to You. Yours in Christ, Matthew.
