"Bohemian" Revelation!

I'm almost as excited as I was when I discovered Monocle!

Before I arrived in Prague (in Central Bohemia)

I was convinced that I would be confronted with a population who were bohemian

free spirited, unorthodox artists - the bohemian (or boho) lifestyle so romantically represented in media and fashion (read: 'Bohemian Hippie Blouse - Mango') the world over

REAL Bohemians, as it turned out, did not quite match the ads.

I felt jibbed.

Imagine being inspired by those fantastic "Incredible India" TV spots only to have a guide take you to a Mumbai slum as your first indian experience.

Epiphany!

sitting in a cosy cafe doing research for a long overdue evolvingchoice article on the recently held EU Roma summit, I found my answer!

Bohemian is a French word which emerged in the 19th century...

The French... Believed the Gypsies (Roma), who's neighbourhoods artists were flocking to, were from...

Bohemia!!

recycling & bureaucracy

Something I thoroughly missed.

Easy Recycling.










Something I did not miss.

Ridiculous Bureaucracy.

It is now Midnight.

In a bit more than 3 hours I will leave for the city's 'Alien Police' office.

Why 3am?

Because getting up at 5am this morning led me to 5 hours in line.

And a blunt, "Sorry, no more tickets for registration"

Veuve

Months ago I scribbled.. going on and on about how I desperately wanted to be back in Europe, right now, on the edge of it, in Istanbul, I am scared, honestly, of change.

Somehow, this place, takes me back to Melbourne, no its not the kebab. (or the souvlaki, or the shwarma)

I wish I could stay here just that little bit longer, and no its not just because of Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul.

Flying over Tehran, looking at Amman and Jerusalem peek into the flight map, the bearded man I kept seeing on the plane who looked JUST like Ahmadinejad (right down to his coat!). Flashes of a scene where I'd grab him and go "Dude! You look just like that other Dude!", that would've been SO much fun though I did feel a tinge inappropriate thinking all of that because hey, he probably thinks I look like.. a young Mao?

*note to self: buy that ticket to Jerusalem before it conveniently becomes 'too late'.



I miss my warm and cushy bed.

Though heading to Ikea could solve that

(yes, training it to Vienna for a bed might seem excessive, although.. sheets..)

I reconnected with so many in my life that have been constants, and I miss them.

As I missed everyone I left behind in Europe.

I remember how it felt my first weeks in Bohemia.

I remember my first break from Bohemia, how I needed it.

I love adventure, diving phi phi, kayaking through ha long.

Breaks from the comfortable, the familiar. Breaks.

I do not know if I want my entire life to be an adventure.

Las Ideas de Volver

I reckon the luxury of time to think and reflect ain't all its cracked up to be.

I want to feel at home. Everyday since I've gotten here I've been wishing I was back in Prague.

Sure I've now got a warm and cushy bed AND a smorgasbord of foods but a short drive away.

I've even got to catch up with friends I realise I've known for.. well, close to a decade now.

They're dear, really dear, but there really aren't all that many of them..

How uncomfortable and foreign I feel right now, has caught me entirely by surprise.

And to top it all of, the Ministry of Defence is taking forever to give me clearance to re-enlist, leaving me, well, in Limbo (in other words, hell on (*@#(*@ earth)

(to be fair, I AM in a rather crabby mood right now and it hasn't been all that bad what with me having time to work through that intimidating pile of books I've been 'getting around to' for absolute yonks!)

But I do miss Prague, and I miss Andel.





I miss the gang in Pardubice & Hradec Kralove..



even David and Honza who with their smatterings of english, kind smiles and sheer thoughtfulness.. made me feel at home in that office from day one..



don't get me started on the awesome bunch at Lingva whom I had the pleasure of teaching english to every Thursday night..



and of course.

On Home, Again

Its invariably been too long since I last scribbled here.

In a blink I'm about to leave my position and apartment in Hradec Kralove.

Its ridiculous but catching "Because I Said So" at the local cinema across the street was the impetus for this one..

I guess I've spoken to many of you before about this but lately its just really been impossible to drive from my thoughts.. this cost of living life 'couple of months' to 'couple of months'.

I want to stop, I want to settle somewhere for at least a few (or more than few) years.. I want to buy that loft, decorate, put together a kitchen in anticipation of all the flavours and scents that will pour from it, install rain showers, bookshelves.. create a home. I want to meet someone without knowing immediately that it won't be too long before I'll have to heartwrenchingly (only on the inside because hey, I never let on) say goodbye.

how did something so simple become so out of reach.. it looks like years before I even have a shot at that kind of life.

but here are just a number of reasons why at the same time, I love living like this (warning: EXTREMELY self indulgent).


Being unique on the streets of a beautiful Bohemian Town..



Finding amazing tea houses in Bohemia, curling up in an oriental blanket, sipping on 玄米茶 (reminiscing old friends and times..) and feeling truly... comfortable.



Jumping out of Bohemia almost every weekend (sometimes spending every night on a train) often to AMAZING music events!



Randomly catching up with friends at Random locations that you Randomly met while Randomly kicking off a fair trade advocacy group.



Arriving at amazing global capitals just before they've even woken up..



Being boggled at why the Scottish Pound isn't convertible and why my boarding pass is all but blank.



Wondering how we ever did this to ourselves..



Being constantly reminded that it is the one world we live in, and that our problems are shared problems, and the only way we shield ourselves from our brothers' problems is by shielding ourselves from, our brothers.


(Berlin's Burmese Population Protesting the Crackdown against their Monks Half a World Away)

Opening up minds (and sometimes tastebuds) to the world, experience sharing..



Meeting ridiculously cute girls who don't understand a word I say.



Falling in the snow (in a city bombed by the 'Good Guys' in 1999), finding it impossible to get up, and loving it!



Being amazed at nature's incredible ability to perpetually intrigue and awe..



Hiking myself to exhaustion with a mindblowingly international crowd..



Still I crave a home.. but in the meantime I guess I've just gotta keep on.

wwwwhhhhaa?

I'm up to here with this friend constantly goin on bout every detail of how stressed n tragic her life is, she really does have a problem with negativity and a knack for finding what's wrong with a situation. sometimes i just wanna grab her and shake sense into her while screaming "I JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT THESE INSIGNIFICANT AND DOWNRIGHT YAWN WORTHY GOING ONS!!!"

anyway, on a lighter note, randomness!!

a) Standing with Sock b) Czech Reactions to Squid c) A large beer for a large head

Feel At Home

Whoever thought hanging a flag out of your window could be so satisfying.
Honestly it really does lift my spirits each time I walk down that boulevard on the way home.






Oh and to everyone I've promised to cook for. THE LAKSA AND CHICKEN RICE SAUCES HAVE ARRIVED !!!

Of a Visit and Memories

Guess some thing don't change, its always amazing when a familiar n loved face pops by!







Of Rock

After listening to Polish Rap at a the Coke Festival in Krakow I should've known better than to trust this Polish Girl's taste in music. Sorry I missed you goodbye party Martha!



Of Krakow

Amazing Bars (which keep me goin back!)
Sombre Holocaust Memorial (could I really visit it a third time?)
Disappointing Rihanna (Why do I keep having hope?)
Eggs Florentine! (Why am I so addicted to breakfast?)

and all I have to show because of my reliance on other people's cameras?

A Salt Mine!!