auschwitz...

i will write more later, as i am running on very little sleep, but i just got from a draining trip to auschwitz. its really hard to organize my thoughts right now but i will attempt to do so later today. basically it was the most intense day of my life. it has definitely changed my perspective on EVERYTHING.

gotta run... just know that im alive and well since i have not blogged in a little while. hope everyones well in the west.

postcards

since i am incredibly lazy i will not be mailing any postcards while here in prague. i will instead be buying one for each of you who have commented on this blog over the last month or so and handing them to you in person when i return to seattle. sound good? i might even write a special message on the back for you, maybe even write your address on it.

mom: i have a card for you also (in czech - have no idea what it says) that i will present to you over dinner at a place of your choice after i get back in town...

got to get to bed. hope everyone had as good a weekend as i did...

pictures!!!

me and the guard at the prague castle. i was going to pretend to kiss him but chickened out at the last moment. this, i guess, is the picture of the day. i would also like to point out that i am in dire need to do laundry. this was my last clean t-shirt. i think that guard smelled me. he has that look in his eye. i also had to pee really bad and the only thing close by was this fountain. actually i just couldnt resist a great photo op. i am so proud that i was able to find this fountain - i had a vague idea of where it was and we found it thanks to the genius sense of direction that ive recently attained. the two guys in the fountain sway back and forth also, which i took a short video of. the last picture is proof that marie exists. she wasnt too fond of posing for this particular picture, as you can see. but im glad she did. it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. i know one day shell have that picture framed over her fireplace. it was a beautiful moment and im glad we captured it. i hope shes not mad i posted this. especially since she is now probably reading my blog.

well, i gotta go, uploading those pictures took A LONG TIME. its late and i have early class tomorrow. good night planet earth.

pretending i know where things are

okay so ive been rehearsing in my mind all day what i was going to write in my blog tonight, but once i sat down its all left my brain. some of it was even pretty profound. but its gone.

so ill just go for it i guess. the weekend flew by. it actually went too fast. so as i eluded to earlier a certain norwegian girl i had met earlier on the trip came to visit me this weekend. pretty nerve wracking, but it went about as well as it could have possibly gone. shes a sweet girl. a couple of notables:

she brought up "poop" in a conversation before i did.

after complaining that my stomach hurt at lunch, she suggested that i fart and i would feel better.

okay, okay so those arent the classiest things to mention (sorry marie), but those are the things that stood out to me. the little things right? so we drank beers in old town square, walked behind big butted tourists ("baby got back") on charles bridge, and ate the most overpriced (and most disgusting) lunch in all of prague. not to mention we successfully found the fountain that has two guys peeing a pool outlining the czech republic (will DEFINITELY post that picture later). even posed with the guards at the castle. (oh wait i spelled "definitely" right... right?). would really have wanted the weekend to last a bit longer. more like a lot longer.

im looking forward to more good times in the coming weeks... as my big sis is arriving on wednesday. ive been practicing like i know where i am and where to go over the last couple days (even practiced on marie) and i am almost ready to crank it up a notch and not get lost in from of my sister. just kidding. i am excited to play tourguide (even pretending this weekend too) and look forward to MANY good times in the coming weeks.

ive been craving a real american breakfast since ive been here, and little did i know it, it was right under my nose. bohemia bagel. thanks to my lonely planet, which i have not used as much as i really should have, i discovered this little taste of home. so i get the "charles IV", two pancakes, eggs, bacon (american style!!), sausage, and a mini bagel. plus for 45 Kc bottomless fountain drinks, which is unheard of over here. so, i highly recommend bohemia bagel if your ever in prague and craving a big, disgusting, american breakfast. also, there was an item on the menu called (or something like it) "i dont want to do anything after i eat this breakfast." i actually wanted to do something after eating, so i went with the charles IV. it was a wise decision.

so now im tearing through the lonely planet trying to find more places like that... gotten into the habit of settling for the same old stuff around the neighborhood.

song of the day is "puncture repair" by elbow. have i confessed my love for elbow? theyve never made a bad song, and yet few people know about them. so im doing my part and mentioning them on this ever popular blog. that particular song is short but very poetic.

"i leaned on you today
i regularly hurt by never say
i nearly worn the window through
where was air-sea rescue?
the calvelry with tin sympathy?

you were there
puncture repair

i leaned on you today
i regularly hurt but never say
you patch me up and send me on my way."

okay so that was corny. but i cant help the love i have for that song. anyway - will post pictures tomorrow when i go to the internet cafe. got some funny ones. stay tuned.

kjg: cabin on august 18-19? boxing? im craving some curve balls. clams? fire up the grill!
cmb: i wanna hear about how much weight you lost!! dust off the kemp jersey!!

love and miss you all. go mariners.