with a twist of the wrist
Jun. 19th, 2001 07:21 pmYes! After tinkering with the inside clasp that locks the camera, I finally discovered what wasn't working. Now I have a functional camera! Hurrah! I'm taking pictures this weekend to make up for lost time, so hopefully I'll use up all eight rolls of film quickly.
Today is Hana's birthday. I gave her a present last night, some beautiful soap from the store she likes and a card. She told me that she had saved all the cards I've ever sent to her, for Christmas and birthdays. I think we both pretended we weren't crying when we embraced.
Last night we took her to dinner at a wonderful place called The Little Goat. It's underground, this warmly decorated basement place with a friendly waitress and scrumptious food. Lisa made quite a face when they served her fried shrimp with the heads on. Heheh. Hana told us about her 18th birthday, the last one she celebrated in Prague before she fled Czechoslovakia. How her friends searched all the grocery stores and came up with 18 tiny cups of yogurt, and how her boyfriend stole an old 1930s camera from the house he lived in, and how her friend broke a brick in half with a judo move for her. I barely remember what I got for my 18th birthday. Just the earrings Michael gave me, the ones I lost in the garage one night.
In film class, we discussed the Czech New Wave, which is rather different from the French New Wave cinema. There is no guiding philosophy, just a strong desire to make "better" films. Watched Daisies, which was an awesome experience. for anyone in Austin, you should be able to get it at I Love Video It follows these "spoiled" girls through their chaotic, pointless life. Also watched Zahrada by Svankmajer, with the creepy living hedge. Wrote a couple pages describing my film professor as he spoke that perhaps I'll turn into a story or a poem.
I've done much walking in the past two days, around Staremesto and the bridges over the Vltava. Bought many gifts today, and I think I may have to buy a second suitcase to bring back all these books. I purchsed the biggest damn Czech-English dictionary they had for 850 korun. (Roughly $20) It weighs many pounds. Also found a tiny crystal cat for my mom. For myself, I bought a beautiful garnet and silver necklace, a thin chain with one round garnet.
I've mailed postcards to everyone in my little address book, and to everyone who requested one. I wonder when they will arrive. I'll be in Prague til July 7th, so you still have time to request one. I have an enormous stack on my desk...
Either this week or next week, we're going down to Millenium to get manicures and pedicures. It's the salon full of Russian mobsters and girls in miniskirts who drop off envelopes. I think I'm also going back to Cafe Slavia. It figures often in the Svorecky book I'm reading right now, The Miracle Game. They also have the best Sachertorte in town, and I need a good dose of sugar.
On Friday I leave for southern Bohemia. We're visiting a brewery in Plzen of course, a castle or two, the oldest prison in the Czech lands, a carp farm and some other places. Hana's arranged for the girls to spend an afternoon at some fabulous spa. So I'm going to see what a mud bath is really like.
Today is Hana's birthday. I gave her a present last night, some beautiful soap from the store she likes and a card. She told me that she had saved all the cards I've ever sent to her, for Christmas and birthdays. I think we both pretended we weren't crying when we embraced.
Last night we took her to dinner at a wonderful place called The Little Goat. It's underground, this warmly decorated basement place with a friendly waitress and scrumptious food. Lisa made quite a face when they served her fried shrimp with the heads on. Heheh. Hana told us about her 18th birthday, the last one she celebrated in Prague before she fled Czechoslovakia. How her friends searched all the grocery stores and came up with 18 tiny cups of yogurt, and how her boyfriend stole an old 1930s camera from the house he lived in, and how her friend broke a brick in half with a judo move for her. I barely remember what I got for my 18th birthday. Just the earrings Michael gave me, the ones I lost in the garage one night.
In film class, we discussed the Czech New Wave, which is rather different from the French New Wave cinema. There is no guiding philosophy, just a strong desire to make "better" films. Watched Daisies, which was an awesome experience. for anyone in Austin, you should be able to get it at I Love Video It follows these "spoiled" girls through their chaotic, pointless life. Also watched Zahrada by Svankmajer, with the creepy living hedge. Wrote a couple pages describing my film professor as he spoke that perhaps I'll turn into a story or a poem.
I've done much walking in the past two days, around Staremesto and the bridges over the Vltava. Bought many gifts today, and I think I may have to buy a second suitcase to bring back all these books. I purchsed the biggest damn Czech-English dictionary they had for 850 korun. (Roughly $20) It weighs many pounds. Also found a tiny crystal cat for my mom. For myself, I bought a beautiful garnet and silver necklace, a thin chain with one round garnet.
I've mailed postcards to everyone in my little address book, and to everyone who requested one. I wonder when they will arrive. I'll be in Prague til July 7th, so you still have time to request one. I have an enormous stack on my desk...
Either this week or next week, we're going down to Millenium to get manicures and pedicures. It's the salon full of Russian mobsters and girls in miniskirts who drop off envelopes. I think I'm also going back to Cafe Slavia. It figures often in the Svorecky book I'm reading right now, The Miracle Game. They also have the best Sachertorte in town, and I need a good dose of sugar.
On Friday I leave for southern Bohemia. We're visiting a brewery in Plzen of course, a castle or two, the oldest prison in the Czech lands, a carp farm and some other places. Hana's arranged for the girls to spend an afternoon at some fabulous spa. So I'm going to see what a mud bath is really like.