Praha:re-evaluation

Since my last post things in Prague have been.....well...weird. In all honesty the first three days here seemed very strange. Very... Kafkaesque dare I say? Almost every bit of information we got off the internet before coming here has been wrong. For example...restaurants not actually being open on the days/hours we had found on the internet...yesterday we went looking for a laundrymat only to discover that the address we had was actually an H and M. (wtf???) An hour later after wandering around all of Prague with our laundry we got it done for only 25 bucks. Yah...we did laundry for 430 korunas... and the lady was a bitch about it to top it all off. Last night we went in search of a vegetarian restaurant which was supposedly open til 4 in the morning. Actually, its open until 1 and then it turns into a dance club. When we arrived in was "Soul Night".
BUT. Things have gotten better. A couple nights ago we discovered the secret bar. Its actually a bar that has no sign and you have to be buzzed in. With the help of an obviously gay red-headed englishman who knew a bunch about economics and a bit of luck we stumbled upon "The Blind Eye". I dunno how people here about this place but it was packed...had a mix of english and americans mostly. I played foosball with some germans and actually kicked there ass four games in a row. Talked to this guy from Pennsylvania who lives here in Prague with his Polish wife. They gave us a few tips. Overall a cool place but very american...we heard everything from whites stripes to Q and Not U in there. We also went grocery shopping a supermarket. Grocery Shopping in the Czech republic...what an experience.
Last night we met some kids who go to art school here and hung out with them at a bar called Propaganda. For three days we have walked by this place and they are always playing NOFX...doesnt sound great but for Prague...its amazing. After tragically watching Germany kicked Portugal's ass there...the NOFX came back on. Then 3rd wave ska. Hey...it could be worse. Besides the beers were 17 korunas...which equals about 70 cents!
Then there is today.
The relocation. For the last 3 days Amy and I have been staying in a different hostel. Dont ask...its a long story. But today...through my hostel...we were able to book two more nights together this time. However, after book this, the landlord of the hostel told us to get into his car and he was going to drive us the hostel. Uh what? So I guess he has another place...which is an extension from that hostel. Only its...across town. Outside of Prague 1. But...it actually has turned out to be alot better. There is a kick ass bar/venue/club right next door. And all the restaurants around this area are super super cheap. We had breakfast today for about 5 bucks total. Now this is Prague!
Took a trip to the top of a hill and saw all of Prague. At the top is a giant pendulum and a park that has been taken over by skaters who really suck. (Sorry...they do...I think I saw maybe two sucessful ollies the whole time i was there) We also went to a modern exhibit of Rineke Dijkstra potraits. If you havent seen her shit...read up cous'. Saw a crazy Kafka statue...saw an even crazier radio tower that has giant statues of babies crawling all over it. Yah...this shit is nuts. The tower can be seen from almost anywhere in Prague and the dude who built decided to cover it with giant babies crawling all over it.
Bought a day pass for the public transportation and took it the end of the line...got off...walked around ghetto parts of Prague. Came back...bought some yummy czech garlic chips and a Fanta(Prague is into mexican food...even saw a 24 hour burrito joint...NO im not going to try it...)
Overall...just as Mr. Walters pointed out in his last comment...Amy and I have tried hard here to not immerse ourselves in the tourist parts of town and make an effort to go explore other parts that are less frequented by tourist. The results of this effort have been positive.
To end...here are a couple of things about Prague that you may not have heard:
1. Graffitti everywhere. The town in drenched in this shit. Most of it is not that great...but I have seen some cool stencils...and one that said, "Banana Children of the Rice" and "We Dont Want a Clean City"
2. The culture in stuck in 1994. NOFX and Ska is everywhere. I even saw a poster that was a 2 day SKA festival with The Toasters headlining.
3. Cops dont care about skating. Most of the city is cobble stone...even out where we are now...Cops let the kids skate where they can. I saw kids rolling through the subway stop and two cops just cruise right by them.
4. You have to pay to get into cemetaries.
5. The subway system is like an air-conditioner. Its always at least 10 degrees cooler down there and the whole underground system is decorated really 60's. But its still cool somehow...I love it so much I filmed on my camera a subway rolling in. Hey Chris...no joke...move here...I will go too...and make a film....I write...you film...trust me...this place is dying for a film to take place in it.
Go France.