Errol.ca

While it is possible to count the number of journal entries that I have begun and abandoned in the last few months, it’s easy to say that I have regrettably left you out of the loop.  I don’t plan on making amends today. I simply wanted to say that it’s not that I’ve been forgetting to write you – life has just stuck itself in the way. 

I’m currently in Prague, Czech – and it’s difficult to describe a city that I knew so little about until recently.  It seems that all European cities it’s steeped in history and information is incredibly accessible it does take much of the adventure out of learning.  However, as a tourist you can easily push yourself into information overload as you plunge in headway to discover everything about a city. It’s difficult to really enjoy the sights as tourists (yes, this comment is not lost on me) will horde around anything that is moderately novel. Thankfully, they have no taste for exploration.  Avoiding the tourist plague is as easy is looking to see where the tour books end and walking towards the edge of the tourist map.

This city is beautiful, it looks like something out of a fairy tale, there should be dragons and princesses here (well there are Princesses here, but that’s another story) and at times I wish I had a better understanding of art history as it strikes me that there is much more happening on every building than I can see with my uneducated eyes.  The faint detail is lost on me; I am left with a sense of awe as I recognize the amount of work that has gone into each building and each incredibly detailed inch of architecture. What creates tension for me is that I am actually quietly pleased that I am as ignorant as I am…I get to keep on moving instead of stopping at each building to pick out the details. Europe is making me lazy.

The days and nights are full, as the traveler social scene is easy to plug into, it is a little difficult as most people travel for 14 to 30 days and have no conception of what long term travel should feel like.  This can be directly contrasted with Egypt where in many cases I was among one of the least traveled people at the table - where as here I am looked at with awe filled eyes as most people I meet don’t believe this type of travel is possible, or practical.  Interesting. They are good people, and I think I’m making excellent friends here. However, time will tell.

Things I have done:
- got drunk on the train from Krakow
- clubbing
- bar hopping
- Absinthe (wretched stuff, fun consequences)
- Czech Beer
- Meat in a tube
- Enjoyed an anti-Bush Protest
- Gone sight seeing
Yeah, while this does not look like an impressive list… it’s been fun, interesting and enjoyable.  Everything feels transitory here, as I meet people everyday and shed them as they have schedules much more rigid than mine.  It’s strange – I don’t feel an attachment to anything here, yet. I’m hitting my European stride!