PragueBuzz!

Eurovision 2009: Vodka Martini?

cd — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:38:14 +0000

From Russia with love! To many but apparently not to the Czech Republi

My two-year-long grievance had finally been heard as the Czech Republic sent Gipsy.cz to Eurovision
2009, only to be eliminated again for the third year…in the row.
Ouch! Can someone give these carefree, beer lovers a break! They are
still infantile in theirEurovision growth, only three year in the
making. Czech Republic almost withdrew from the competition due to
their low showing from the last two years. How bad were their last two
performances? Try last and second-to-last finish.

I don’t know
whether Czech’ lacking of experience is to blame or its small emigrate
population in neighboring countries to gather patriotic votes. Germany
doesn’t reward 12 points to Turkey because it suddenly decides to
become Turkey’s new best friend even though::hush hush::it stills block
Turkey from joining the EU. Turkey has the huge minority Turkish
population in Germany to thank for the votes. Additionally, was it
also because Europeans’ strong prejudice against the Roma people that
sent Czech’ all-gypsy band packing from Moscow?

Why talk about the Czechs as they are DOA when it comes to Eurovision?
Let talk about about other cool things which suck me into this booty
shaking, fleshing flaunting, lip moving Euro insanity year after year.

I missed yesterday semi-final::OMG::and
haven’t listened to many songs from other countries. From those I
heard, I am completely drawn to Israel’ “There must be another way”
sung in Hebrew, Arabic and English byNoa and Mira Awad ; the latter is
the first Arab-Israeli to represent Israel. The voice of these two
singers blend beautifully. By the time I finish this post, I probably
will have heard it no less thanthirdty times.

Will Russia
have any love for Israel? I’m afraid not much. Let forget the fact that
these girls can’t dance for a moment and focus on the bigger picture.
(1) The Eastern-bloc stickiness has irritated the heck out of me for
the last few years. By this factor, Israel has little to zero chance
of winning. (2) Being the only Middle East country participating in a
European music club means there won’t be any neighboring votes for
Israel there. (3) This song and the collaboration between an Israeli
and an Arab-Israeli might be seen as a political gesture. This usually
doesn’t fare well. (4) The singers look too decent; they don’t show
naked legs, boob or belly button. Hell no, they don’t even try to shake
their bon bon.

It might be another disappointing final again
when you know in advance who will vote for whom, but maybe there will
be another 2006 Finland’s monster hard-rock “Hallelujah” surprise.

Olives and vodka anyone? Hallelujah!

This version is better than live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9-GrdHYLUM
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9-GrdHYLUM]

The singers don’t sing well in this semi-final version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N22ovj9HlU

New Low Cost Flights from/to Prague

cd — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:40:54 +0000

New Lowcost from Prague will operate 6 flight routes (Rome, Milan,
Paris, Brussels, Edihoven, London (Luton)( since February 19th. You
can book flights already now. Return fare can be as cheap as 20 EUR.

http://wizzair.com/?language=EN

I
wonder why they choose to compete head-to-head with Skyeurope
espeically now with the economy crisis and the hike in gas prices.
Perhaps they are a bit more Eastern Europe oriented?

[Thanks H.]

Hosting Travelers and Pingpong

cd — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:45:26 +0000

I’m now hosting a Chinese university student who is traveling in Europe before heading to Massachusetts for his study. I could have hosted another Turkish student too but we ended up hanging out instead. It was fun and stamped out any doubt I have about meeting complete strangers. Next month, hopefully I will be a hostee myself and really look forward
for the experience. This is one of they best way to meet people while I’m not traveling as I can rehash their travel stories and get a tipsor two. Also I know how much accommodation cost can dent a frugal traveler’s budget. I didn’t choose to host at the moment since I have no free space in my flat other than the kitchen, the narrow hallway and the floor in my own room, but I accepted their requests anyway. Next year when I move out to a new flat, guests can stay more comfortably in the living room.

There is a thing called “chance” which I believe, and we meet a particular someone for a reason. To find a great example, I don’t have to look very far. Next week, the community where I work organizes a multiple-event competition; one of games is table tennis. Now, I don’t play ping pong no care so much about it. I didn’t even consider in this competition at all, let alone ping-pong. But out of a whimsical moment after learning that my team leader registered for this event, I thought to myself “Oh maybe I should do it too.” And so I did. After all, I do know how to hit the ball over the net and into the table…sometime. They keyword here is “sometime.” My euphoria lasted only momentarily because then I realized I will surely look like an idiot the ping-pong table; I played ping-pong only five times in my entire life. No, to be correct, I stood by the table and hit the ball back and forth five times in my life.

Then there comes the handy Chinese who knew and can teach a few tips or two about the games. And then the Turkish joined in and he also was good, beating the Chinese 2-1. Can I get better coaches than that? So for two hours, they taught me how to hold the racket, serve, backhand, forehand…Well, I still desperately hit balls after balls into the net and smash 9/10 outside the table. Yuck!!!! The only thing that can change my potential idiot status next week is other girls handling the balls just the same.

Free stay resource

Globalfreeloaders (Chinese guy)
Place2stay (Turkish guy)
Couchsurfing (Me looking for hosts)

Film - Bathory

cd — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:55:48 +0000

Should I or shouldn’t I? I objected watching this movie because my damaged-from-childhood-by-grandma-ghost-story brain could not tolerate horror scenes where some murderess bludgeons helpless girls to death, sliced them up to draw out blood. “How about Kungfu Panda?” I offered the alternative. Ignoring my plea, my boyfriend blabbed on, “It’s the most expensive Czech film ever, costing 300 millions Czech crowns.” “So it’s not another Hollywood box-office wannabe?” I asked. “No. The event happened in Slovakia when it belonged to Hungary.” We spent another fifteen minute to debate our Saturday evening’s fate: laughing-off-the-chair, noodle-maker-aspire, Jackie-Chan cartoon or scared-off-the-seat, sophisticate, historical Hungarian/Slovak epic. I opted for the latter.

Elizabeth or Erzsebet (in Hungarian) Bathory, a Hungarian countess from a powerful noble family in the 16th century, makes the Geniuses for murdering 600 virgins to bath in their blood, believing that it would made her eternally young. Her arranged marriage at 11 to a Ferenc Nadasdy, another noble breed, multiplies the wealth and status of her name. Throughout the first part of the film, Elizabeth is seen innocently harmless with no shred of evil in words, manner or intention. She wonders in her wedding night how she and her husband can make a baby boy to further their family line. To that, her husband replies, “My uncle taught me all.” Far from the image of a murderess, Elizabeth is a mother of two young daughters; a benevolent ruler who heals many peasant girls with her herbs and a lonely wife whose husband being away from home most of the time, commanding the Hungarian troops to fight off the Turks. One of his gift to his young wife is a talent Italian painter, Merisi captured by the Turks on his way to Vienna and then later by Ferenc’ army. Merisi later reveals to be Caravaggio, a famous Italian painter at the time. Elizabeth and Merisi carries on their master-slave and artist-model relationship for a while until pained by her husband indiscreet behavior with her maids, she commits adultery with the young painter. Ferenc returns and gets madly jealous by rumors about her alleged affair; he offers Merisi a cup of poison-spiked wine which Elizabeth unknowingly take and drank herself.

This incident leads to the second part of the movie, “Darvulia”, named after a healer who nurses Elizabeth back to life with secret portions and herbs. Darvulia claims to know the cure to the countess’ pale complexion. The blood, her own, Elizabeth dabs on her face seems to signal the beginning of an evil mystery with her bathing in red, blood-like water and her stabbing a maid to death. At the same time,bodies of murdered peasant girls found along with Bathory family seal. A humorous, good-hearted, mismatched duo is sent to a village by the Cardinal to investigate the accusation rumored about Elizabeth. Elizabeth plunges more into madness and paranoia as she jails her once trusted confidante Darvulia after Darvulia admits that Elizabeth killed her hair dresser.

Elizabeth, now a widow, faces challenges from Thurzio (title of the third part), her husband trusted ally who demands a share of her family property which Ferenc allegedly promised him while they fought together. Again and again she shrugs him off and publically humiliates him. Despite his love and lust for the Elizabeth, Thurzio plots revenge with the the most unexpected people.

140 minute is too long for any movie to remain interesting to the audience. Additionally, the film’s plot is not well-connected; some events happens too quickly without any explanation making it difficult to follow the story. But I find “Bathory” worth every crowns. Directed by Slovak’s best, Juraj Jakubisko, who favors a strong visual quality (*), the film impresses me with vivid colorful costumes and design and the simple yet breath-taking rural depiction of Slovakia. And of course, kudos to Anna Friel’s performance of the murderous scountess.

(*) Juraj started his prestigious career as a painter and a photography teacher.

Photos: Yummy Czech Dishes

cd — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:20:06 +0000

A friend visited Prague and took the nicest food pictures. Too nice I behold them at one instance and pinch my butt out of jealousy for not being able to do the same

Czech Chicken at Hotel              Czech Pepa Cheese at Hotel
restaurant “U Divadlo”               restaurant “U Divadlo”

Ham and Potatao Pancakes       Beef Goulash
with sauerkraut

Ham and flour dumpling with     Potato dumpling with Sauerkraut
spinach

Boar steak and bacon Grilled meat
dumpling

Risotto Black Squid with rice

Bread goulash

[Source]