Sunday, October 31, 2004


Matt (right) and Evan as Presidents Polk and Van Buren

Sunday, October 31, 2004.

With the advent of Halloween, I had broken down and bought some Snickers bars. Normally at this time of year, I would have bought several dozen bags. Here, there are only single 60g (1.3 oz) bars, and I found some on sale for about 40¢ each (I usually get them for 4/$1 on sale in Denver, so this was an extravagance). I only bought a few, since there is no chance of anyone knocking on our door for treats in this area of the world. Not only does no one knock on anyone else’s door unexpected, but our flat, like most, has both outer (entry) and inner (private) doors, all of which are locked at all times. Outside entry lights are always off, even when guests are anticipated.
Halloween, as everyone knows, not only marks the end of the harvest and the slow ushering in of long dark winter, but highlights the precarious boundary between the living and the dead, as enacted by people dressed in ghoulish costumes wandering around town. Apparently, there is a “vampire” burial site just outside of Prague with human remains that date back to the 10th century. Like other grave sites in neighboring Moravia and Slovakia, corpses there were tied down – even beheaded – to prevent suspected vampires from returning to terrorize local villages. http://www.radio.cz/en/issue/59603
The only terror we witnessed was a few drunkards in costume hanging around N-11, the music bar on Narodni which hosted the Monster Ball last night. Since tomorrow is a regular workday, this evening’s event schedule looks quite tame. On the other hand, the highways will undoubtedly be terrible, with droves of Czechs returning from their weekend cottages.
While Halloween is not celebrated here among the locals, it is apparently alive and well in the United States. At Wesleyan, Matt dressed up as James K. Polk, the 11th president of the United States, and his friend Evan was Martin Van Buren, the 8th.

Saturday, October 30, 2004

Saturday, October 30, 2004

The Shabbat morning service at the Spanish Synagogue was conducted jointly by Rabbi Narrowe and Rabbi Colin Eimer from the Finchley Reform Synagogue in England. Coincidentally, a group of students from Santa Barbara, California, had come to the service, as part of their study-abroad tour of synagogues and churches and historical sites around central Europe. Few of the students (if any) were Jewish, but two were from Denver (from Centennial, actually!). The student group had only intended to stay for a short while, but they ended up staying for the entire service (nearly two hours), which was, in Bejt Praha tradition, conducted in English, Czech, and Hebrew. The Torah Reading was interspersed with aliyot by people from Prague, England, Slovakia, and America.
Rabbi Eimer had come to Prague with his choir, who sang throughout the morning service. I was reminded of the Temple Sinai High Holiday choir in Denver. The acoustics of the Spanish synagogue amplify the voices and fill the hall. The Finchley choir was on a tour of 13 countries in Europe giving concerts “in aid of Progressive Judaism” and were scheduled to give a concert of Sephardic, Chassidic, and Israeli Shabbat, festival and wedding music this evening at the Spanish synagogue. Tonight the choir will be accompanied on the massive organ on the synagogue’s upper gallery.
A competing performance was hosted by Rabbi Narrowe at the Rock Café, adjacent to the Reduta Jazz Club. According to Rabbi Narrowe, this is the first “Rock Havdala” service in the Czech Republic, perhaps anywhere in Europe. There were at least 100 people in attendance: all the Slovak youths, Bejt Praha regulars, Peter’s family (mother and brother, in addition to his wife and her sister) and Rabbi Abramovitz and congregants from the reform group at the Jerusalem Synagogue (outside the Jewish Quarter, but in the old city of Prague). Two young girls were placed on a cabinet on the stage to hold the Havdala candle as Rabbi Narrowe explained the history and mythology of the Havdala service. We all had wine and bread and a dish of spices was passed around to remind us of the sweetness of the Sabbath throughout the week to come.
The weekend festivities included movies and music appropriately geared to the young people. Rick and I took Rabbi Narrowe to U Pinkasů for dinner instead. This time we were given a table on the upper floor, more elegant than the pub below (tablecloths and cloth napkins), away from the noise of the bar, but with the same tasty fare (and, of course, the same fresh beer).

Friday, October 29, 2004

Friday, October 29, 2004

Because my absentee ballot finally came in today’s mail, I ended up going to the American Embassy twice, first in the morning to submit a write-in Federal ballot and then in the afternoon to send the complete Colorado ballot I had just received. I was assured that the ballots would be sent by Diplomatic Pouch and in the US mail to Colorado no later than Monday. I hope my vote will be counted in Tuesday’s election. This election, like last time, is very close. Rick is taking every opportunity to celebrate the possibility of a new president. He has only another four days to retain his optimism.
Peter Gyori had used the four-day holiday weekend as an opportunity to invite two groups of Jewish youths to Prague from Slovakia, one from Bratislava and the other from Košice, Peter’s hometown. Bejt Praha, which at one time had been a marginalized group, is now part of the Jewish Community (which has opened its doors to non-orthodox groups), so the youths were invited to services and events at various synagogues in the Prague. Rabbi Narrowe, Bejt Praha’s regular Rabbi, conducted a lovely Kabalat Shabbat service in the Spanish Synagogue. Afterwards, celebrants from several synagogues went to dinner at the King Solomon Restaurant, on the ground floor of the Jewish Town Hall. Among those in attendance was head Rabbi Karel Sidon, seated with orthodox congregants who arrived after their own service at the Altnai Shul next door.
Because the service started at 6 p.m. to accommodate the dinner at 7:30, Rick and I were home before the rain!

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Thursday, October 28, 2004.

Thursday, October 28, 2004.
Today is Independence Day, the day commemorating the founding of the independent Czechoslovak state in 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire. As you well know, “during the course of World War I, the Czechs became unified in their opposition to Austrian rule. Most especially, Austria-Hungary's alignment with Germany and the restriction of democratic rights in the Czech lands led to growing opposition to the monarchy here. An organized resistance began to develop, both at home and abroad.
The Czech university professor, philosopher and politician, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk (who was later to become Czechoslovakia's first president) had been an advocate of more independence for the Czech lands long before the war had even started. In December of 1914, he went abroad, where he continued to fight for Czechoslovak independence throughout the war. He worked closely with Czech lawyer Edvard Benes and Slovak astronomer Milan Rastislav Stefanik, who were also in exile in the United States throughout the conflict. It was in the United States at this time that Masaryk met his wife, American Charlotte Garrigue.” http://archiv.radio.cz/history/history09.html
There is a street just off Můstek (at the end of Wenceslas Square) named října 28, which literally means “the 28th of October”. This day is still celebrated more than the 17th of November (there is a street named 17 November also), which is the day that more than 15,000 people, mostly students, took part in the biggest show of public dissent for two decades, which we now refer to as the “Velvet Revolution.” Eventually the Communist party leadership resigned and, in December 1989, was replaced by a government composed mainly of non-communists. In 1990 the country split peacefully into two nations, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Federation. But that is another story.
In America, Independence Day is celebrated with great fanfare. Here, most people take advantage of the long weekend to retire to their cottages. There are few events in town this weekend. Most small shops and many restaurants are closed. Street life downtown looks like an ordinary day – no decorations, no parades.
The Municipal House “Obecni Dům”, however, was ready for visitors, with a brass ensemble on the balcony and an open-house tour of the building. The Municipal House is Prague’s most prominent Art Nouveau building situated on the site of the former Royal Court Palace. Each room is decorated from floor to ceiling, most with art nouveau gold trimmings, stained glass, sculpture, ceiling murals and period furniture. Historically the building had been used as a seminary and a military college, but was demolished and replaced by the present building, which serves as a cultural center, exhibition halls, concert venue, and café and restaurant in the lobby. On the 28th of October 1918 the Municipal House was the scene of the proclamation of the independent state of Czechoslovakia, hence its observance of this occasion by welcoming visitors today.
After a brief tour, Rick and I had a lovely evening with our good friends Charlotte and Bruce. Charlotte is one of the first people I met here in 1997 and one of my dearest friends. We share stories from growing up in Chicago, although her stories are a bit different than mine, since her family is Czech and she learned the language at the knee of her grandmother. She visited Czechoslovakia and other soviet-block countries in the 1970s and 1980s. She and Bruce were married in Old Town here in Prague two years ago. Both Charlotte and Bruce appreciate good food and good wine, so we had wine, hors d’œuvres and dessert at their house and dinner at a lovely restaurant not too far from their flat. Of course, the best part of the evening was the conversation, despite the discussions concerning US politics and the upcoming election.


Prague's Municipal House

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Wednesday, October 27, 2004.

I met with Eva, my dear friend and VŠE colleague, to outline our research plan, and to talk with two of her graduate students whom we hope will help us collect information from Czech women who are running businesses here. I gave them a short tutorial on case research and gave them some handouts I had prepared to help them get started. I coached them on how to approach these women and we outlined some interview questions and did a bit of role-playing and scenario planning. Eva and I also have a list of women to contact, so the four of us have lots of homework to do before we meet again.
Among the topics that John Carey and I had talked about was food. He had mentioned that Tesco at one time had carried Rosarita refried beans and salsa. That set me on the quest to find the ingredients to make burritos, a possibility this year because we have a microwave oven. Tesco does have packaged tortillas and cheddar cheese, and I found some San Marcos frijoles refritos con chipotle and Maggi’s Mexická “sauce” made by Nestle. So, I was all set to have a surprise waiting for Rick when he returned home from his Czech class. Unfortunately, it was only when I started to prepare dinner that I discovered we do not have a can opener. Quickly, I put some chicken in the oven and made a salad. The burritos will have to wait a few days.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Tuesday, October 26, 2004.

Despite the fact that my absentee ballot has still not arrived, Rick and I went to the American Embassy to mail his (which arrived last Friday) via diplomatic pouch to the U.S. I’m still hoping to get mine in time to vote in the Colorado elections, but if not, I have a federal write-in form to turn in tomorrow.
This evening, we had planned to go to the Reduta Jazz Club, renowned both here and in the U.S. for the time that former Presidents Bill Clinton and Václav Havel jammed together in 1994. This week marks the 28th year of the International Jazz Festival, and there are bands from around the world playing each night.
Before heading downstairs to Reduta, we went next door and up the stairs to the famous Louvre Café, which has been regarded as a crowning jewel of Prague café culture since 1902. This café would do well anywhere in the world. It is open from 8:00 o'clock every day. Morning newspapers are available, together with a broad selection of breakfast dishes, coffee and other beverages. The restaurant serves inexpensive Czech, American, and European entrées and side dishes, including vegetarian meals and an assortment of desserts, teas, and coffees. The “side parlour,” which seats about 30 people, serves as a non-smoking area of the restaurant when it hasn’t been reserved for press conferences, meetings, company training sessions, receptions, wedding and graduation banquets, or other such occasions. One of the more charming rooms of the café is the billiard room, with seven pool tables. After an extravagant and leisurely dinner, we strolled downstairs to Reduta. I doubt that Reduta’s interior has changed since its founding in 1958. It’s a smoky cellar with “reassuringly ugly Commie interior and hard bench seating” that still feels fairly subversive. This may be the only place in town with American-beer prices (a bit of a hit, since there is also a rather high cover charge for the festival). I had arranged to meet John Carey there to celebrate his birthday, since he, like us, likes good jazz. Sadly, the program was a disappointment. The first set was Kodac Harrison, a "Beatnic-blues" guitarist from the USA with a mediocre voice, flat personality, and boring set of dull songs. Our conversation was more interesting than Kodac’s singing, so the three of us retired to a sideroom to chat instead of listen to the music. We were compelled to move back to the main room for the second set, the Metropolitan Jazz Band, one of the better known traditional jazz and Dixieland bands of the Czech Republic. It was only a chance glance at my watch that signaled us to leave shortly before midnight to catch the last bus home.

Monday, October 25, 2004

Monday, October 25, 2004.

What started out to be a quiet stay-at-home-and-work day turned out to be a delightful tour of Klado and Beroun, roughly 20 miles west and southwest of Prague, respectively, with John Carey, one of the founders of the Anglo American College in Prague, an organization I have been vicariously involved with since I left Prague six years ago. John is a young lawyer who has been in Prague now for 12 years. In the small-world category, John is a graduate of CU-Boulder; his brother's law degree is from DU. I wish I had thought to take my camera with me today, because the trees in the Czech countryside right now are almost as colorful as New England.
I met John at Brevnov, the oldest Abbey in Bohemia, second-oldest in the Czech Republic, founded by Benedictine friars 993, and returned to them in 1989. At one time, John had hoped to lease some of the unused buildings on the vast acreage for the Anglo American College, but the friars were not keen on the idea, preferring to keep most of the space unused and in disrepair. One building is used for their own classroom instruction, and the cloister itself is a functioning hotel. Brevnov is about midway between Bílá Hora (“White Mountain”) and Prague Castle. Bílá Hora is the site of the famous battle at in 1620 when the Czech Protestant forces were defeated by the Austrians, resulting in the suppression of non Catholics and the execution or exile of Protestants from the Czech lands. We drove from there toward Kladno, known mostly as the “Town of Coal and Steel,” but also for agriculture and, more recently, technology development. Kladno is surrounded by forests and parks, so our drive was picture-postcard lovely. We spent some time at a stable where John keeps his horse (one of John’s passions). Late in the afternoon, we drove through winding roads to the little-known Svaty Jan Pod Skalou (Saint John under the Cliff), which is arguably “one of the most picturesque villages in the Česky Kras natural protected area. The history of the village dates back to the end of the 9th century when, according to legend, the first Czech Christian hermit, Ivan, settled down in a cave under a large cliff.”
A letter in the mail today from my credit card company has convinced me that virtually all the employees there are idiots. I base this assertion on the fact that, having called and written e-mails to them several times, and having gotten e-mail “form letters” and non-answers on each occasion, the definitive answer (sent by mail signed by the “payment research specialist”) to my question of why I had been overcharged (and thereby overdrawn) on my last credit-card statement was that “the [automatic payment charged to my checking account] is calculated from your previous statement balance plus all the charges up to the withdraw of the auto payment,” which I obviously knew, but still don’t know why charges after the statement due-date were deducted before they were due.
The day’s triumph for Rick was learning how to properly order a beer in Czech. We still haven’t mastered the art of asking for another spoon (lžici) or fork (vidličku) when we order one dessert to share (the Czechs bring only as many utensils as dishes ordered, unlike the Greeks who bring as many utensils as people sitting at the table).

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Back at the Czech Chamber of Lawyers’ conference center, this morning’s U.S.-law session was billed as a mock trial and, frankly, I was very interested to see what a mock trial would look like. The (U.S.) judge who led the session explained the U.S. jury system and the jury selection process. He had assigned two young women law students the roles of prosecutor and defense attorney for the Kobe Bryant case and proceeded to explain how and why you would eliminate potential jurors. There was either a language or cultural barrier here, I think, because the two women asked inappropriate questions – questions relating to evidence that had not yet been provided – despite the fact that the facilitator gave examples of questions and preemptory or causal excusal. He then explained the nature of opening and closing arguments and gave each of the women a chance to provide a closing argument to the audience. Finally, he asked if anyone thought that a jury system would work in the Czech Republic, to which he got no answers, only questions about how people are chosen to be on a jury and whether the system is subject to corruption.
Don Doneske, a former sheriff, talked a bit about the Al Capone trial, followed by Lester Munson, a writer for Sports Illustrated, who talked about sports celebrities and some of the notorious court cases (Ray Caruth, Kobe Bryant, and Barry Bonds). Some of you may be interested to know – or perhaps you already knew – that Kobe Bryant spent more than $12 million on his defense; the prosecution (who allegedly bungled the case totally) spent $400,000. You may also know that George Bush is a baseball fan and has led the crusade against anabolic steroids in U.S. professional sports (hence the case against Barry Bonds).
I doubt whether the Czechs in attendance were interested in the afternoon speakers, who talked about the U.S. Public Health Agencies’ response to bioterrorism, specifically the anthrax “epidemic” in Sept 2001, or facts about aging demographics, dementia and care facilities in the U.S. For me, it was comforting to be told that 80% of people over the age of 85 are “reasonably healthy, pursuing active lives.” Only 20% of people suffer from dementia prior to their death, 50% of those over 85 years old, and heredity’s influence on physical aging is only about 30%. Of course, I may have mixed up the figures due to my own advancing dementia.

Friday, October 22, 2004

Friday, October 22, 2004

My new friend Radek, who teaches computer science and information systems at VŠE, invited me to a two-day workshop for lawyers and law students given by the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Billed as “A Comparison of American and Czech Legal Practices,” this is the 12th consecutive year JMLS has sent lawyers, judges and teachers, most of whom have Czech family or ancestry connections, to give a workshop here. Most of the morning was spent talking about “Opening and Managing a Law Office in the United States” and the various legal forms of business. For me, the most interesting sessions were those that highlighted some of the differences between US and Czech (and European) property law. Of course there are expected differences in property and tax laws, but I hadn’t really thought about the fact that the US is the only country that has a jury system. Property deed recording is also an interesting contrast, since in most European countries, the government not only records the sale of property, but verifies its legitimacy. Although each state has its own property laws, with the exception of Boston, Minnesota, and Hawaii, the US has a notice and recording system instead of a registry system, which means that the state takes no responsibility for determining the legitimacy of ownership. This is why all lenders require title insurance. I also learned that a hectare is 2.47 acres, an acre is 43,000 square feet, and a square (for land survey purposes) is 2.5 hectares. (We all know, of course, that the U.S. Homestead Act in 1862 gave 64 hectares of land to anyone who built a cabin and lived there for five years.) Thomas Jefferson (who was, among other things, a surveyor) wanted a metric system, but his proposal didn’t pass because chains, rods, acres, and miles were commonly used by farmers.
The workshop location was just a block away from the Tesco on Narodni Třida, so Rick met me after the conference for a quick shopping run. I had strolled upstairs before he arrived and noticed that the sports coats we had looked at last month were now on sale. Two jackets fit him perfectly, so we ended up violating our principle of not buying clothing that we might want to bring back to the U.S. These jackets were not expensive – less than $80 regular price and on sale for $56 – but they had three (yes, three) security tags (those big, heavy plastic gizmos that need to be removed with a special tool) on them. Even underwear typically has heavy security tags.
We had a lovely Shabbat at the Spanish Synagogue with the Bejt Praha group. Evan is in China and Peter is in Slovakia, but Rabbi Narrowe was there to lead a formal service. We met several people there this evening who, like us, are academics on sabbatical, most of whom are spending only part of their leave in Prague. It’s a small world, with unexpected Jewish connections wherever we go.

Thursday, October 21, 2004

Thursday, October 21, 2004

When I signed up for my bank account last month, I was told, or so I thought, that my ATM card would be sent in 2-3 weeks. The statement that I received had charged me for the ATM card and, separately, for a PIN number. I finally had time to go down to the bank to inquire as to why I had still not received my card. The teller was puzzled, since the computer showed that I had, in fact, received the card as well as the PIN number. Well, how silly of me to have expected that they would have mailed it to me! The card was safely at the bank (at a different desk) waiting for me to pick it up, as was my PIN number (and no, I cannot change it from the assigned number). The teller explained that the bank would never mail the card since the mail was unreliable and unsafe! So, after signing several official documents, I am now the possessor of a Československá obchodní banka VISA and ATM card. I am told that the fees for withdrawing money with the card are less than from withdrawing money personally at the bank, unless I use another bank’s ATM, and that I can use the VISA card in shops and restaurants here for no fee. We shall see.
I had visited the office of the City of Prague Language School yesterday and had gotten directions to attend a Czech for Foreigners class there which meets on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. I went to the class this afternoon, which, like the class I had attended at VŠE, was working on plurals and possessives. The class was small—about ten students, only one of whom was American—and the instructor spoke in Czech most of the time. However, this class looks to be more at the level that I need, so I intend to go next week as well, after which I will have to commit to paying the class fees or stop going.
Rick’s Monday-Wednesday Czech class was held this evening instead of yesterday because of a conflict of the instructor’s, so I attended this class as well. The repetition is good (it’s the pronunciation and listening that I need the most), but I don’t intend to go to this class again.
The class ended at 8:30 and Rick and I wandered over to the Globe Bookstore and Café just down the street from the language school. It was nearly 9:30 before we wandered in to a nice Czech Restaurant “U Bubenicka” not far from the school. The menu was only in Czech so we really didn’t know what we had ordered until it arrived, but we were pleasantly surprised by a thick stew (mixed meats, cheeses, and vegetables) in a bread bowl.

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Well, it looks like the big news of the day is the Red Sox pennant win over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. For those non-baseball fans who have been hiding in a closet for the last month, the Red Sox drove in four home runs to win 10-3 in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, and they will play host to the Houston Astros or the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the World Series at Fenway Park on Saturday. The National League Championship Series is tied, three games apiece, with Game 7 tomorrow. The Red Sox win is particularly noteworthy not just because they are the first team in baseball history to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games, but because this is the first pennant win for the Red Sox since they sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920. (They sold Ruth to the Yankees for $125,000 and a $300,000 loan because Boston's owner Harry Frazee needed the cash to invest in a new play on Broadway. The name of the play was “No No, Nanette.”) The Boston Red Sox had won four World Series in the eight years Babe Ruth played on the team, but has not won a title for the last 86 years. This year’s match was in some sense a re-match from last year when the Yankees beat the Red Sox in Game 7. For the Yankees, whose $180 million payroll is the highest ever for a baseball team, it was a devastating failure. For those who cheer the underdog, it was a great victory.
Yankees’ manager Joe Torre is well known not just in the baseball world, but also among those who read self-help management books. He wrote Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners after the Yankees won their second World Series in 1998 after going decades without even reaching the post-season prior to 1996. Torre’s first rule, or key, is “Know Your Team Players.” Torre contends that effective leaders know the professional skills and abilities of their team's members. Torre’s decisions to use pitchers Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez are cited as reasons for the Yankees’ loss in Game 7. Torre also devotes three chapters to Dealing with Tough Bosses. This may come in handy now, since, according to the New York Times, owner George Steinbrenner will probably order a reconstruction of the team, and is even considering replacing Torre as manager, a turn of events that must be regarded as unlikely given his exorbitant salary contract and high public profile.
Like the Yankees, the candidates for the US presidency have poured money into their game plan. The Republicans, with an alleged $108 million in the bank at the beginning of October, lead the democrats’ $79 million, but both sides have launched fierce ad campaigns in these final weeks before the election. The presidential (and vice-presidential) debates have drawn a lot of press here and throughout Europe as well. If only the Europeans could vote! Obviously, we’re hoping for a Red Sox-type win for Kerry in November. We expect our absentee ballot in the mail this week.

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

I would not be so bold as to claim that we have mastered the art of grocery shopping here in Prague, but we are getting better. Yesterday’s meager haul from the local butcher shop and produce store is evidence to contradict our expectation that the small specialty shops would have the best selection. The produce stands near the metro stations seem to have much better quality and prices, and would be most convenient for us were they open in the evening when we are returning home. Nonetheless, we have learned to bag groceries, return shopping carts (for which we have to pay a deposit), and have mastered the return-bottle machine at our local supermarket. We are learning the difference between various cheeses and dairy products, and Rick is becoming an expert in reading Czech beer labels. That having been said, our trip to the supermarket this morning was most fortunate in that not only was chicken (a staple in our kitchen) on sale, but also 8.8oz bars of chocolate for only slightly more than a dollar each. Mind you, they are not nearly as good as the 8 oz bars of Hershey’s (with almonds) that I get at the Walgreens in Denver for $.99, but they go a long way toward satisfying my chocolate cravings.
My afternoon adventure was not quite as successful as the morning shopping expedition. I went to the southern campus of VŠE, which, with good connections and proper directions, took only an hour. The Czech class was not a conversation class, nor was it really for beginners. It was a grammar class for foreign students whose command of the Czech language is already quite good. I could understand most of what the teacher said, and I certainly could understand the lesson – an hour and a half on constructing proper plurals for various declensions (Czech has seven cases) — but for me it was probably as useful as watching Czech television. So, now I am not sure what – if anything – to do about attending a language class. Perhaps this is a sign that I should be doing research instead of studying Czech, or that I should be more disciplined in reviewing what I learned before, and practicing with Rick.

Monday, October 18, 2004

Monday, October 18, 2004

I had signed both Rick and me up for Czech languages classes, which were scheduled to begin this evening. Rick received an e-mail confirming his place in the beginner’s class; I received an e-mail informing me that the intermediate class had been cancelled due to under-enrollment. I know that the beginning class will be too basic for what I need, so I need to either be more disciplined in practicing Czech myself, or find an alternative class.
I had an appointment this morning to visit Radek Kacin, the young assistant professor in the Informatics department at VŠE whom I had met during the Fulbright orientation last month. Radek will be in the US next semester (January through June) at George Mason University as a Czech Fulbright Scholar. He teaches information technology at VŠE, law and economics at the College of Public Administration and International Relations, a new private college that he helped found, and has done some company consulting regarding information-systems interface, which is really change management. So, perhaps he will be another case-study collaborator!
When I mentioned to Radek that the Czech language class that I had signed up for had been cancelled, he immediately looked up the schedule for classes held at VŠE for their foreign exchange students. There are several classes, all of which meet twice a week, although they are all taught at the south campus, which is a bus-ride from the Chodov metro station nearly an hour from the city center. So, my plan for tomorrow is to check out one of the classes and see how it suits my needs and skill level.
Rick and I arrived at the classroom building for his language class after the office had closed, but I decided to sit in on the beginning class with him. Although I can certainly use the pronunciation and vocabulary practice, the class would be a review of basic Czech phrases and grammar, most of which I know.
After the class we went to the Chinese “Happiness” restaurant near the Hradčanská metro station and had a tasty meal, although not quite a good as the stir-fry curry that Jitka had made for us on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday, October 17, 2004


the view from Pisek

Sunday, October 17, 2004.

We again started the day with a big breakfast, after which we took a two-mile walk around Jetetice. Jitka was looking for mushrooms, a typical Czech pastime, and found only a few patches. Last year had been a drought, so mushrooms had been in short supply. This year looked more promising.
After the hike and another wonderful meal (this time with hot apple strudel for dessert), we – Rick and Ales and I – drove to Pisek, an attractive town of about 20,000, with a charming square and the oldest intact bridge in central Europe. To our delight, the historical museum (housed in what had been a castle) was open, so we spent over an hour looking at the various exhibits, ending with a small aquarium in the basement.
We left the museum around 5pm and continued toward Prague – with jars of Jitka’s superb compote, chutney and sauerkraut – and made very good time, thanks to mild traffic and Ales’s navigation. We were able to return the rental car, saving us a trip in the morning. The car-rental agency – really a room in a small apartment on the second floor of a nondescript building – is only a short tram-ride from our house, so we were home shortly after 7:00pm.
Sunday evening was spent catching up on e-mail and getting ready for various meetings on Monday. Despite all the rich food over the weekend, we had a light dinner before retiring for the evening.

Saturday, October 16, 2004


the view from Branice

Saturday, October 16, 2004.

Jitka’s breakfast spread consisted of breads, cheeses, meats, pate, yogourts, gooseberry jam, orange juice and tea. Three hours later we had better-than-Bologna lasagna for lunch. The morning had been rainy, so we stayed close to home until after lunch, at which time we set off for Branice, hoping to visit the museum there. This museum, however, was only open during the week! By the time we got to Branice, it was raining again, but we strolled around the castle grounds anyway, enjoying the structure of the castle and the view of the river.
Returning to the house, Jitka put out fruit and tea, so we would not be without food until dinner! And dinner was yet another gourmet meal, followed by the best tiramisu I’ve ever had. Good conversation and more liquors ended the evening.

Friday, October 15, 2004


the castle at Zvikov

Friday, October 15, 2004

We rented a small car -- a manual-transmission Skoda with about 50,000 miles on it -- and headed to southern Bohemia toward Červena to spend the weekend with Ales and Jitka. Ales Pultr is Rick’s long-time collaborator and host at Charles University. He has visited us for a week in February on five occasions since our last sabbatical. Rick had visited Ales and Jitka’s country house last October when he spent two weeks in Prague (trying to establish the right theorem with the wrong proof), and he had been eager for me to meet Jitka.
The Pultr's country house had at one time been a pub. It has four large rooms with two kitchens (a new kitchen with electric oven, microwave, washing machine and modern stovetop now occupies the room that had until last year been a rather large pantry and storage room). They recently converted the attic space to three rooms and an elegant bathroom. Each room (except the kitchens and bathrooms) has at least two beds (most of which have lovely antique wood-carved frames) and a table and chairs. In all, there are fourteen beds and an additional six mattresses! The large yard has a garden, some fruit trees, lots of flowers, and a huge woodpile.
The Pultrs really live in Jetĕtice, a small village of about twenty houses, only six of which are inhabited year round. The village of Červena doesn’t really exist. There is one house remaining on the bank where Červena used to be before the dam was put in that raised the water level.
After a delightful lunch, we drove to Zvikov castle, at the confluence of the Vltava and Otava Rivers. We had hoped to go to the museum there, but it is only open on weekends until the spring. Undeterred, we walked around the castle grounds and drove through the lovely countryside.
Back at the house, Jitka proceeded to prepare a lavish dinner, complete with dessert and Becherovka and Fernet (Czech liquors) after the meal.


Ales, Jitka, and Rick toast our dinner together in Cervena

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Exactly fifty years after he recorded his first single for the legendary Sun Records in Memphis, Jerry Lee Lewis came to Prague to celebrate his 69th birthday at Lucerna, which has, in the past, hosted Ray Charles, Count Basie and Louis Armstrong. The large hall was packed to the rafters with folks of all ages, including Prague’s Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus. Jerry Lee is not the brazen whipper-snapper he used to be, but the old guy can still move his fingers and draw cheers from the crowd. The first hour of the “Fifty Years of Rock and Roll” program had wonderful rock n roll by old, well-known Czech rockers (all with white hair or no hair now), singing classic American rock n roll with various shades of Czech accents. I think we heard all the Buddy Holly, Elvis, Big Bopper, Little Richard classics from the 50s: Jailhouse Rock, Peggy Sue, Blue Suede Shoes, Chantilly Lace, Kansas city… too many to name. “The Killer” was not happy playing on the Czech-made Petrof piano (a very fine concert grand) and even grumbled during the concert about the “piece of junk.” But his band carried him on and he wooed the crowd, closing with Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On and Great Balls of Fire. He obviously doesn’t understand Czech audiences, though. Despite lots of applause, he did not make any curtain calls or offer an encore. Instead, he promptly left as soon as his set was over.


Jerry Lee Lewis at Lucerna Hall

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Wednesday, October 13, 2004.

The Prague Post’s entertainment section listed Don Giovanni at the Estates Theater (where it premiered) for this evening, so I decided that it might be fun to go. Rick was not enthusiastic, but agreed to go anyway.
We were able to get first-tier box-seat tickets (for about $32 each). Just being in the theater would have been worth the price. http://www.estatestheatre.cz/et_history.html Listening to the orchestra alone would have been worth the price. The singing and staging would have been worth the price. On top of all that, the “overtitles” projected above the stage were in Czech and English, so we could follow the story through the songs much better than we had been able to in the past, with only liner notes or summaries in the program. What a delight!

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

A bit more sunny than yesterday, but only for a short while. It’s chilly here—and biting at times. Buildings are warm inside, so it’s difficult to dress right. It’s different than in a car culture where you can dress lightly and bring as much or as little as you want with you. Here, you need to dress for the weather or you end up freezing. And you end up sweating inside unless you can gracefully hang up a coat and/or take off a sweater. So, that being said, I’ve taken to carrying a bag – large purse or briefcase – most places I go. And still I forget things that would have been kept in my car for convenience.
Handling cash is also an adjustment. I have no car tray for coins and pockets tend to bulge. I can pay for items in stores via credit card, but not fruit stands or small markets. It’s also easier not carrying a wallet and credit card, so I usually carry cash now, but even paper notes (especially small denomination notes) take up pocket- or purse-space. Little annoyances, really.
Rick and I went first to check out the car rental place near Dejvicka to confirm a car for this weekend. Then we walked to the Vietnamese market to look for slippers. He didn’t find any that he wanted. Most were only $2-$4, but they’re all of poor quality and not the most comfortable. He just needs something to lounge around in at home so he doesn’t wear out his socks. I saw a nice, warm winter dress coat. But it was nearly $100 (worth the price for the apparent quality) and I’ll only wear it here. Too warm for Denver, even in winter.
As we strolled from Dejvicka to Hradčanská we passed several bakeries. Hard to resist – especially when they’re fresh from the oven. But Rick sticks to his diet. Not me. Yum. Rick ate his treats after dinner.
I went to VŠE to meet Eva and Mr. Novy. He is so nice. Martin, Eva’s office-mate, wants to write an entrepreneurship textbook with cases. Mr. Novy wants me to help write cases. Eva and I want to write case about women business owners. So, the plan looks easy enough. Now I need to follow through. Time to start making contacts. And practicing Czech. I rely too much on English.

Monday, October 11, 2004

Monday, October 11, 2004.

Eva’s office at the University of Economics is about the size of mine at DU. The biggest difference is that she shares the office with two others. Like most faculty offices, there is a sink and a hot-pot and cups to make tea or instant coffee. The faculty offices are along a different hall from the classrooms. Faculty bathrooms are locked; only faculty and staff have keys.
The classrooms in her building remind me of the old business building at DU (pre-renovation Sturm Hall), with long rows of tables and standard chairs. All classrooms have overhead projectors, however there are two digital projectors available for those who wish to use computers (which are also available for check-out). Most classrooms have black chalk boards, some have whiteboards. It’s common to have coat-hooks along the back of the room.
I don’t think I stand out as a foreigner when I toot around town. I am occasionally asked for directions. The ticket-police in the metro stations usually ignore me. But it is a bit disconcerting when I order cheeses or salads at the deli at the supermarket in the best Czech I know, to be answered in English or, worse, to have the entire transaction conducted in Czech and then to be told, in perfect English, “Thank you and goodbye.” or “Thank you and have a nice day.”
Today’s shopping expedition allowed us to have several types of pickled-herring salads with dinner. Nevertheless, I dislike grocery shopping here every bit as much as I dislike grocery shopping in the US. I seem to go when aisles are crowded and checkout lines are long. There is no one to bag groceries for you, so you need to get used to putting things in bags quickly while fumbling for cash or credit card. Since this is a walking culture, carrying bags of groceries – or flowers or easels or chairs or tools or instruments – is the norm.
This evening we went to see the Czech film "Horem Padem," which is billed in English as "Up and Down," but is probably better translated as "Topsy Turvy." The Prague Post describes it as “intertwining tales of a woman who buys a baby on the black market, her xenophobic hooligan husband, and a couple who broke up years ago but never divorced.” We found it to reveal interesting views of Czech culture and attitudes.

Sunday, October 10, 2004

Sunday, October 10, 2004

The weather’s been nice this weekend, even sunny at times, so I decided to take a walk. I went by tram to the funicular railway (really just a two-car tram that goes up and down again on one track) that goes up Petřin hill to the replica of the Eiffel tower that was constructed for the Jubilee Exhibition in Prague in 1891. The gardens there are lovely; the roses still in bloom. There are still lots of people waiting in line for the next loading of the funicular, going up the tower to the observation deck to see the city from a bird’s eye view, stopping by the nearby observatory whose telescope is open for both day and night viewing, and walking through the gardens or on the paths near the castle. Walking down the hill is always pleasant, as is riding the tram across town and seeing the varied buildings and sculptures that define Prague.
Rick decided to try out a health club nearer to our house. He had been going to the YMCA downtown, but we received a flyer about one just along the tramline at the bottom of our street. This one is a tad more expensive than the Y, but a shorter tram ride from our house.
The grocery stores in our area have longer hours on Sunday than Saturday, but we failed to get to the store before it closed at 6pm. Alas, no fresh bread for dinner. Ah, well. Tomorrow is another day.

Saturday, October 09, 2004

Saturday, October 9, 2004

Where but Prague can one go to a take in a chamber concert of the highest quality and musicianship, while seated in a lovely and historic drawing room holding at most 60 people, on virtually any day of the week? This evening’s concert was at Bertramka Manor, summer residence of František Dušek, where Mozart stayed while he completed the Don Giovanni opera (and other arias). The building now houses the Mozart Museum and holds concerts twice a week from April through October. (In the summer months, the concerts are held outside in the garden, rather than inside.) Tonight’s program was a cello and piano duet of Debussy, Mozart and Beethoven. The pianist’s fingers skated across the keys and her body language expressed her musical passion. The soulful cello notes blended completely with the piano, so at times there was only one rich and penetrating sound.
Our dinner, in keeping with the spirit of the evening, was at the Stoleti (“Century”) Restaurant in Old Town, near the old cloisters, now a hotel, aptly named the Cloister Inn.
We walked across the Charles Bridge – a lovely walk day or night – to the Lesser Town Square to catch an easy tram up the hill to our neighborhood and the short busride home. Lovely weather this evening. Sadly, it won’t last long.

Friday, October 08, 2004

Friday, October 8, 2004.

This morning I went to talk with Gareth Davis, head of the TEFL program at Prague Schools. This program had been recommended to me by Molly’s friend Kate who attended their TEFL certification class last spring. I’m considering taking their intensive 4-week session, probably in January, to better understand language construction (and teaching methods). Since my year here is, really, for my personal edification, I want to take advantage of things that I can’t do or learn easily in the US. On the other hand, I'm not sure that studying English is the best use of my time in Prague. I should probably study Czech instead.
The afternoon was spent in interesting discussion with Veena and Karen, two Fulbright students, and Ingrid, a young German woman. Both Karen and Ingrid are doing dissertation research on gender-focused NGOs. Veena, a recent Brown University graduate, had hoped to do NGO research as well, but most of her project is already being done by others. So, over coffee and bagels at the newer Bohemia Bagels in Old Town, we four women talked about interesting developments and women’s roles in NGOs and brainstormed a few research ideas. Mostly we talked about mutual interests and career paths.
I got caught in the rain meeting Rick to join Marty and Harriet at the Church of St. Martin in the Wall, near Bethlehem Square, for a string quartet concert. This little bare-bones church, unheated even in winter, is the site of many such concerts, and is one of our favorites from seven years ago. The Chamber Ensemble Musica Pragensis, as the quartet is called, played mostly familiar Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach and Handel compositions, with admirable precision and grace. The acoustics in the stone church are surprisingly good. Its brightness was softened a bit by the large crowd (which surprised me because tourist season has started to taper off with the start of the school year).
Music must be followed by dinner, so we four went to one of Rick and my favorite restaurants from seven years ago, which has changed its name from “Fish Restaurant” to “Near Bethlehem Chapel.” The word-carved wall décor is unchanged, but the high-backed chairs have been replaced by standard chairs and benches and the menu has been expanded and is now written in four languages. At Marty and Harriet’s suggestion, Rick and I had eel, a platter for two, which was, indeed, tasty and filling. The eel platter was placed on a wire stand that held two candles (small, like votives) to keep the platter warm, so we took it upon ourselves to think of them as Shabbat Candles. When the waiter came to remove the platter after we had finished, I asked that the candles stay. The waiter interpreted my request to mean merely that I wanted candlelight at the table, so he took the platter and returned with a small candle in a ceramic holder. I’m not sure whether the sometimes-heated lively discussions promoted beer drinking or was the result of it, but our conversation took interesting turns—about immigration and culture issues, politics, mathematics, economics, anthropology, linguistics, food, wine and sailing (Marty’s passion)—and lasted for well over three hours. By the time we headed home the rain had stopped.

Thursday, October 07, 2004

Thursday, October 07, 2004

One of the main benefits of being associated with the Fulbright organization is that you get invited to interesting lectures and events. This evening we went to a lecture about early Czech immigration to America at the American Embassy. The main speaker was Professor Emeritus Victor Greene from UW-Milwaukee. He described the fragmented Czech immigration in the early 1800s, which reached its peak around 1920: 600,000 people identified themselves as Czech on US census in 1920. By 1970 there were fewer people of Czech ancestry putting “Czech” as their heritage on US census reports, possibly because of fewer first-generation immigrants, but also because the Czechs assimilated fairly well. They had very likely the highest literacy rate: 97% could read or write. (By contrast, the literacy rates for Jewish and Polish immigrants were 90% and <70%,>To Reap A Bountiful Harvest: Czech Settlement Beyond The Mississippi River, 1850-1900, which described the Unity of Bohemian Ladies society (one of the first women-led mutual benefit societies). This organization, in existence until 1977, raised charity money by holding bazaars to sell goods that had been sent by relatives in the Czech lands. Her descriptions of the Czechs and Slovaks living in the United States and their ties to their homeland were quite interesting. Also interesting to us was the better understanding of the attitude toward non-“Teutonic” Europeans like Czechs, Poles, and Irish, which fueled the fires of the temperance movement. After the lecture, we went to dinner with Marty and Harriet (our anthropologist friends from Kansas State) at U Karlova Mostu (At the Charles Bridge) on Kampa Island. This was one of the areas devastated by the terrible flood of 2002. (The pictures on http://jskelly.com/pragueflood.html capture a bit of the scale of the floodwaters.) At Kampa, you can still see marks from the level of the water on some of the buildings (as high as the second story, since this island is beneath the Charles Bridge). There is still a lot of renovation going on, but most establishments look like they’ve been fairly well restored to full operation.

Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Wednesday, October 6, 2004.

This morning was focused on old projects, both for Rick and for me. We worked at home in the morning; I went out in the afternoon to sign us up for Czech classes at the Prague Center for Further Education. We had grand plans to study together on our own, but I know that will never happen. It’s difficult to study Czech when one spends most of the day working, writing, and editing in English.
The PCFE is just down the street from the Globe Bookstore and Café (a new location from seven years ago, so it was just by chance that I found it). The bookstore is small – lots of used novels in English and also new books in English and German – but the café – in a separate room in the back – is quite upscale. There are banks of computer terminals for free internet access. And a display case with tributes to Alan Levy, the editor of the Prague Post who had died earlier this spring. We knew Alan and are among those who miss him.
The PCFE is also close to the National Theater, so I went to the box office and picked up a schedule of performances. We’re at the end of the Prague Autumn series of operas and concerts, and it would be nice to go to something before the winter weather sets in.
The nice thing about having a broadband internet connection is that you can peruse news easily, including video feeds of the presidential and vice-presidential debates. We had been feeling a bit of isolation, with only the International Herald Tribune and the weekly Prague Post newspapers. English-language newspapers and magazines are quite expensive, ranging from $1-$4 per copy, and the selection in Prague is not as wide as we had seen in Athens. International editions of Newsweek and Time are $4, The Economist is $5.
The downside of having a broadband internet connection is that you find distracting things on the web. Such as:

10 Names Of Newborn Babies in January 2004
-- boys --
1. Jan 2. Jakub 3. Tomas 4. Martin 5. Ondrej 6. Lukas 7. Michal 8. Daniel 9. David 10. Filip
and
-- girls --
1.Tereza 2.Katerina 3.Eliska 4.Adela 5.Anna 6.Kristyna 7.Natalie8.Nikola 9.Lucie 10.Barbora
Where the hell did Peter go?
Ah, here:
Top Ten Most Frequent Names Of The Babies' Fathers
1. Peter 2. Jiri 3. Pavel 4. Martin 5. Jan 6. Tomas 7. Josef 8. Jaroslav 9. Michal 10. Zdenek

Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Tuesday, October 5, 2004.

We were determined to get mobile phones and be done with the deliberations. Having talked with n+1 people, visited several stores, looked at several brochures (all in Czech), and perused various phones and options on several websites (most are in English), we decided to go to the small independent shop near Hradčanská that sells several makes and models of phones for all three mobile phone companies and commit to an Oskar (formerly Český Mobil) SIMM card and the least expensive phones (about $120 each) with prepaid minutes (like a calling card, but embedded into the phone). So tonight I’m playing with the SMS (text-message service, which is about 8¢ (most calls are 20¢ per minute, depending on the recipient’s carrier). We opted against a calling plan, which would have required a $200 deposit and a minimum of $10 per month, which would have included 60 minutes of regular calling time, 15 free within-network calls, 300 SMS transmissions, unlimited weekend calls, and a slightly lower per-call rate for additional calls. Given that we could use over 100 minutes of airtime or send 250 text messages for about $10, we opted for the pre-paid cards instead of a monthly plan. I entered the mobile number of everyone I know here – 14 total. I’m guessing we’ll use the phones mostly to tell each other where to meet for dinner.
The other success of the day was getting the correct access code to make a collect call to the credit card company and, after talking with three different people, finally finding someone who acknowledged the problem and referred the apparent overcharge error to the Payment Department to investigate, reverse all overdraft and interest charges, and call me back (she said, reassuringly). Having taken American service for granted, partly because of good service from the credit card folks previously, I had sent several e-mails to the credit card company. Each one was answered with a form letter equivalent to “Thank you for your inquiry. We have deducted the amount of your payment as you have requested.” One of the more frustrating things about being abroad is not having access to a toll-free 1-800 number for credit card and bank problems, plane tickets and airline schedule confirmations, and various service- or product-related questions. Some local companies here do have the equivalent of a toll-free number (e.g. our broadband service provider), but, of course, the voice on the other end is Czech.

Monday, October 04, 2004

Monday, October 04, 2004

The morning started out easy enough, with a trip to the Fulbright office for me – to file my lease for rental expense reimbursements and check on the status of my first payment – and a trip to Charles University to talk about mathematics with Ales for Rick.
It’s actually quite easy not having a car here. I love riding the tram – one sees so much of the city without having to worry about navigating crowds and cars. Unlike Athens, dogs are allowed on buses and trams, especially small dogs in people’s arms. Large dogs are usually muzzled. All dogs are on leashes.
My next errand was to withdraw money from my bank account so I could deposit my rent payment to my landlady’s account in another bank. Naturally, the cash desk at the branch closest to me was closed (that much I could read, the reason or possible permanence of this situation I could not).
The Czech banks have changed quite a lot since we were here seven years ago. There are no deposit or withdrawal slips stacked on tables as before. Everything is computerized. There are ATM machines on the ground floor. There are guards on the main floors, but one doesn’t have to show a passport just to enter the building. There are still lines, but now there is an electronic numbering system that puts people in appropriate queues. At my first attempt to withdraw money from my new account, I pushed the wrong button, the one that said “personal accounts,” and ended up waiting much longer than needed and then ended up at the wrong window. Of course, I would have saved an hour in line and an hour going to and from downtown had I remembered to bring my passport with me to the bank in the first place. Only slightly worse for wear, I went again and this time found a button that said something about cash transactions, which transferred me to an additional screen that had a button marked “deposits and withdrawals,” so the waiting time was much shorter.
When I got to the appropriate teller window, I explained what I wanted to do, presented my bank card and passport, and was given cash and a receipt. I didn’t even have to go into the secure room to get my money; I was given cash right at the counter – a one-step process! The next transaction, only a block away, similarly required no form to fill out on my part. I simply presented the appropriate account number and cash and was given a receipt verifying that the funds had been deposited into the right account.
The statement that greeted me when I got home was not so simple. The itemized statement listed (1) my initial deposit on the 7th of September to open the account, (2) a fee for opening the account, (3) the Fulbright deposit (in US dollars) for my initial grant payment, (4) a small fee for this deposit, (5) the monthly management fee for printing and sending the September statement, and (6) an $8 charge for my ATM card (which I have yet to receive), and (7) a charge for the “personal handover of Personal Identification Number" (which I don’t quite understand), all of which was converted from Crowns to dollars at a surprisingly abysmal exchange rate. My withdrawal this afternoon will also incur an additional fee, but less than an ATM transaction.
Vladimir, a computer science graduate student of our friend Frank (referred by Radim), came to our flat to troubleshoot our broadband connection this evening. The main problem, it seems was initializing the modem since it had been set to Radim’s account and password. All this had to be done internally – between my computer and the modem – in such a way that I would never have discovered the proper screen, partly because that part of the manual was in Czech, but also because it exceeds my technical capabilities. The next step was configuring the wireless router. After 2 ½ hours of trying to encrypt the router so as to secure our system, Vladimir gave up. So, we are connected – all is up and running smoothly – but a savvy computer science geek could tap into our system if he/she had patience and inclination. At this point, I’m not particularly worried. (Rick and I are the youngest residents we’ve seen within 100 meters of our flat.)
So now Rick and I can each use our computers – and the phone – at the same time. And we have (relatively) high-speed connections that don’t rack up per-minute charges (we’ll see if we keep within our allotted transmission amount). There are still a few things that we can’t do remotely, but we’re feeling very high-tech right now.

Sunday, October 03, 2004

Sunday, October 03, 2004.

Rick and I spent most of the day working on overdue projects. Rick took some time to go to the YMCA in the late afternoon – it is still in the same place on Na Pořici (although the tram routes have changed!), with a few more weight and aerobics machines than before. It’s still not the Coors Fitness Center (at DU), but it has been expanded and renovated since our last visit.
Happily, I finished a proofreading task and sent corrections to the journal editor. Unhappily, I discovered a financial mess with my checking and visa accounts, so I was up late trying to figure things out and sending e-mails to, I hope, appropriate parties to investigate on Monday.
We went to one of our favorite places for dinner – Na Staré Faře – but we were too late for the strudel. We had their version of a Greek salad “Zorba” with shredded mozzarella (no feta), standard green olives, and yogurt dressing.

Saturday, October 02, 2004

Saturday, October 02, 2004.

Hunkering down at home, mostly catching up on long-overdue projects and fussing with the mysterious DSL connection problems.
Lee and three friends – a coworker from Denver and two friends who had driven to Prague from Berlin to spend the weekend – dropped by in the afternoon. It was wonderful to see them and catch up on their lives and travels.
Rick and I went to Pizzeria Siesta, one of our regular haunts, for dinner. Reminiscent of our recent travels, we had a Greek salad with our meal!

Friday, October 01, 2004

Friday, October 01, 2004

How foolish we were to think that our broadband connection would be working this morning, and how surprised that we received intermittent connection during the day, and puzzled that we were not able to connect at all by late afternoon.
The advent of fall weather has impelled us to put our summer clothes away and turn on the furnace. Prague is too cool now to hang clothes outside to dry and much too cool to leave the house without a sweater or jacket.
Molly’s high school friend Lee Granas is in Prague for a conference, so we arranged to meet her at the Spanish Synagogue at 6:30 p.m. in anticipation of services at 7. Only a few of us showed up, none of whom had any official connection with Bejt Praha or the Spanish Synagogue so none of us knew why there was no service this evening. There was a sign – at all the synagogues – that the museums would be closed this weekend for unnamed holidays – but the Altnai Shul had services as usual at dusk (around 6 p.m.). We found out later that Bejt Praha services were cancelled because Peter had had surgery. He had been diagnosed with appendicitis shortly after Rosh Hashanah and had said that he did not want to do anything until after Yom Kippur. We had been concerned about him during our trip to Athens, so we were relieved to hear that he is now recovering nicely.
We tried to get in to the Jewish Town Hall to see the Sukkah on the fourth floor, but were prevented from entering the building (no surprise). Lee had promised to meet a friend who was arriving from Berlin later that evening, so we parted ways with plans to get together on Saturday. Rick and I decided to have a quiet dinner at home – complete with candles, wine and bread – our most traditional Shabbat since we left Denver.