Election Night 2008-Prague, Czech Republic

My humblest apologies for keeping you waiting on election news from Prague. It happened to coincide with “Lena’s mid-terms 2008” though this was less reported by international news stations.

Honestly, I wish I had a better story for you but the news of the night trumps any entertainment I might procure. Where was I when I found out Barack Obama would be our next president?

K and I invited some friends to join us in a promising night of revelry. So it was that there were two Americans, two Australians, and a Czech girl sitting in a smoky and crowded bar in Prague at 3:30 am drinking bad wine. We had been sitting for around 5 hours and every little CNN announcement was accepted with an overabundance of joy. “We got Maine!” we whooped. It was either whoop or pass out and bring on the expected bad wine hangover.

The smoky bar was outfitted with seven tv screens all projecting CNN. The audience was not as uniform. People from all over Europe were gathered together in expectant celebration. And celebrate we did.

The night included, 150 people, 5 rounds of drinks, 4 separate attempts to explain the electoral college, 3 disgruntled and HUGELY outnumbered McCain supporters, 1 interview by K live on Czech TV and 2 happy American girls leaving the bar at 5 a.m. trying to sing The Star Spangled Banner on the tram.

Post-election feels like I have a new boyfriend. You know how people come up to you with that knowing smile and sort of singsong greeting. “hey-le-na. How’s-it-go-ing? How was your evening?” And my face inadvertently lights up. “Oh, that. Yeah, things are great. Maybe some hard times ahead but I’m so excited!” Everyone wanted to celebrate and everyone had questions about my new beaux. “I hear it is very important what kind of dog they get?” “Will he stop the war?” “Are you so happy”
and my favorite…“I don’t know, Is he really that great?” to which I now respond by breaking out into song…

Nothing you can say can tear me away from OBAMA chorus OBAMA
Nothing you can do, cause I’m stuck like glue on OBAMA chorus OBAMA
I checked Barack on my mail-in ballot, sent it in said-‘McCain can’t have it!’
You best be believing, he’s the ‘change we’ll be needin’-OBAMA.

Tram-rider beware!

I am standing on the tram ride home when I notice these signs. (no more bus poetry for me!) I could not for the life of me decipher the message here. "Don't shove your boobs into other people's backpacks respectable older women!" "Army guy don't jab respectable older women with training weapons! "????
This one reads well in any country: "If you're a private detective do not get bitten by dogs with zigzag teeth while doing one armed pull-ups"...seriously though, I love this guy's face. I must also note that the artist seems to feel their designs might be ruined by a red line going through the drawing so it has been moved to the background. Nice touch. Obviously now I have a new language goal-to read what the heck the captions say.

Berlin!

Leaving Prague for the first time!
The 4 hour train ride to Berlin. A little gray but not too shabby!
I think any good city should have a river through the center...but I'm bias.
I have never seen a city so covered in public art...
Me trying to break apart the Berlin Wall. (they left some up for graffiti art)





Karina always makes me stand for a photo in front of whatever famous thing we happen to be around.
(left) One of my favorite artists Kathe Kollwitz. A fallen soldier memorial. That light is coming from a hole in the ceiling so the statue is not immune to the elements. When rain falls it looks like the woman is crying.

(left) A fantastic memorial to the "murdered Jews in Europe" It was nice to see they don't tip-toe around tough issues.


Thank you St. Vaclav for the holiday weekend! Thank you Berlin for the workout! We calculated that we walked 20 miles in 48 hours.