Slovakia day 4 and Czech Republic day 1- lets see how lost I can get...

pic1: lost

pic 2: in Prague now and again

pic: first building in prague
pic3: oldtown gate tower

I got up early today and got ready for the ř hour train ride to Prague. The train ride was uneventful and it was a Hungarian liner and of course they are cheap so the air condtion is only turned on once every 20 mins and lordy, it was HOT, somewhere around 80 to 90 degrees inthe train. Its not like most of the buildings in Budapest this machine has air condition but thez just dont want to turn it on because it cost money.

Today is one of those dazs no matter what you do and the decisions you make will be wrong. I missed the train stop in Prague and wouldnt get off the train for one hour because thats how its planned. I spent 2 additional hours to get to Prauge and when I fianlly arrived it was another shocker.. maybe not as much as I did for Bratislava because I think am getting used to the idea of Eastern European cities.

The train station was rundown and the area around rundown and its much worse than south centeral LA. Empty fields, dirty, grafftied and post war soviet buildings. Its not grand like Budapest and I made my way to the hostel. Sir. Tobys and it was lovely and very much like a boarding school in the turn of the century. Wonderfully restored with antique doors, high ceilings, big windows and spotless tiled bath room in black and white tiles. They even have a movie room, internet, island kitchen and wonderful eating area. Although the receptionist is a bit coocoo.. I think the hostel is rubbing off on hom a bit too much he is ultra friendly and a bit Nazi like but he said he is just being motherly. lol

I went out to the town and the city is a bit better than Bratislava but still kinda bleak and graz. I was told to go to the oldtown area there where everyone goes, tourist or not. Its their oldtown and like Bratislava is the old city behind the old city wall and gates... but before I even see this I was got lost again and this time i lost 1hour by getting on the streetcar going the wrong direction.

Finally I arrived within the old city wall and its what you expected... a grand virsion of San Fraciscos Union square plus Rodeo Drive, plus Third street in Santa Monica. Its old and its beautifullz restored and its shopping heaven. I think this is why Amercians love the most a faux sense of the ancient culture. I feel the as Prague is two different countries seprated by the patcialy standing old city walls. This is the same with Bratislava but Bratislava does seem more American in apperance and Prague doesnt.

Its beautiful with larger squares and public gatering places and wider streets than Vienna. Its a gaint shopping mall like the Grove in Los Angeles. The streets are newly laid with tummbled marble tiles and the area is extensive. This is where tourist and locals come to hangout and shop and unlike Bratislavas oldtown its exculsive for tourists.

The rain started to fall and I tried to find shulter and my trip back to the hotel took about 45 mins and two night bus. I uploaded new photos for all of you and went to bed at five am.

Day 5 in Vienna June 17th- Ebenfurth vs. Tonglo; what's the difference

Interesting day today; I have figured out that everyday is interesting and I wake up with excitement everyday and know that there is something in the store for me!

A great to get lost god said: so I did, I took train #8 at the train station and thought it was going to Beverdear gardens! It was #8 alright but it's scheduled to go to Budapest! I should have been on #8 street car not the train. It was 45 mins later before the first stop and I was 60 miles away from Vienna and if I had my luggage I would just go back to budapest but NO!

I ended up in a little town called Ebenfurth! I had to wait about another 45 mins for another train to come back to Vienna! What a mis-adventure. I was amazed how the town of Ebenfurth is so much like Tunglo (Where my grand parents live in Taiwan); the train stations looked the same, the little villages feels the same, the farms look the same... I said what the hell what's the difference; people are all the same in this world. I am sure people in Tunglo have never heard of Ebenfurth and people in Ebenfurth doesn't know Tunglo exist. They live a paralleled universe!


I came back to Vienna and tried to salvage the day by visiting a the Kunsdalle Museum's Punk exhibition and it was ok... I didn't see or learned anything remarkable so I ventured near St. Stephen's church for a little shopping therapy. I feel cured, had the same dinner as I did the first night here in Vienna and went to a historical spa for some relaxation.

This is really a great opportunity for me to be here in Europe and I really thank god's plan, Beata's recognition, my mother's help and my boyfriend's support; without any of those elements I would not be here and have this amazing experience. As I was sitting on the train coming back from Ebenfurth, I rally thought of my mother and how she had always told me to 'go and see Europe, go travel', at the time I would always joke 'I have all the time in the world to see Europe after you die'. I didn't know this would be the reality of today and with the money she left me, I am indeed seeing Europe.

Day 17- June 4th: Lost and Found

Lost:
(I meant to write about this 4 or 5 days ago but haven't had a chance to)

It was one morning when I stated to plan my daily material hunt and site visits than I noticed my map is gone. I became frantic and started to panic because it became my perfect assistant and it was tattooed with notes, dots and routes taken. It's a young map but had aged gracefully with layers of tapes to keep it in shape. I felt this was personal lost, as if I have lost days of experiences. I than realized even the physical map is lost the mental map is still fresh in my mind.

Found:

I worked on my art today and did some writing. I spent a good amount of time in the park painting and prepping my art pieces for the next stage of production. I feel the sense of urgency to speed up my work as the residency is coming to an end. It has just over one week left.
Around 430pm I decided to take a break and visit the Terror Museum 2 locks away. It was a very unique experience and the museum is devoted to the history of the Hungary's Communist rule and Nazi period before the Communist occupation.

The museum is divided into exhibition “story rooms” and each room is design to reflect different historical events during the occupation. The museum is very well designed and modern. It really conveys the massage through its minimalistic design and color representation. It is so powerful it made me completely uncomfortable and I can sense the sadness and hopeless of these people of the time.
I had tears in my eyes as I walked through the exhibits, some imagery are too hard to watch and stories are too tragic to listen to.... this experience was nothing but the triumph of humanity and once again the Hungarian people found themselves.

This experience made me have a even greater appreciation for having been born in Taiwan, not China and for living in the United States.

Day Two- War and lost in Budapest

Today I got up early after sleeping for 12 hours. I went to the Nygugati station (hub) and it's attached Westend mall to shop for a SIM card for my cell phone. The train station is beautiful but I forgot my camera so I will have to go back for pictures, it also helps for being a 10 min walk from the hotel.

The mall is new and supposed to be the largest in Europe and it's just slightly larger than Glendale mall; America has Hungary beaten on this one. The mall design was blend, stores there were boring but I did have the most delicious melon ice cram there.

Very much like the Taiwanese, the Hungarians love their hot spring bath. Bath culture is wonderful here also. I lingered over the Danube river in the afternoon and took a great bath in Ruda's (established in the 1500's) and had a very hairy fat man massage my naked body for 22 USD (yes, I had to paid him, what a lucky guy huh). It was also the first time I worn a lion's cloth which it's much more homo- erotic than being nude (that's how hot springs are done in Asia).


I find the city pretty easy to navigate on foot or via subway. I wish LA will have a greater density of mass- transit system soon, very soon.

Although there are some Asians in the city but they are in such small number I find myself a hot commodity amongst some. I have been getting a lot of curious vibes and it's very interesting because I never encountered this before.

I wondered the city until 10pm walked through many nameless and pedestrian-less alleyways but made it back safely. I was a little uncomfortable and scared that someone might “jump” me. The organizer and travel book had repeatedly warned about tourists mugging, pick-pockets and credit card crimes, so far I still haven't felt 'that' unsafe.


i found ur right hand....