Regina Spektor - On the Radio (Lollapalooza 2007)

Regina Spektor - Summer In The City (live)

Another one, enjoy... Her live performances are even better! I love her. :)

Thermal spa in Hungary

My really good friend (and boss :)) is celebrating her birthday today. And we had a pre-birthday party yesterday in Hungary. We decided to go, there were 4 of us, to thermal spa in Györ. We went there with FTL which was a mistake. The departure time was 5:30 am. Craziness... Well, I left the house at 5:25 and it was good as the bus was, of course, late. When we finally got on the bus (we were freezing outside for almost 30 minutes), we were happy as we got the best seats - the four seats which are almost in the back of the bus, but those that are really in the back were free... So each of us had 2,25 seats :).
We slept all the way to Brno and farther. The first stop was just before the borders with Slovakia and was far too long (although said to be just a hygiene stop). Then we went directly to Györ.
Well, the first problem actually appeared even before Saturday. We were told that, for whatever reason, we were neither going to stop at a market (which was said on a leaflet), or to the city (also promised). We got to the spa, waited forever to get some chips (not for eating :)) to be able to get inside and then went for a walk. We were told the bus drivers would be at the parking lot from 11 until 12 to open the bus for us so that we could get our things and go to the spa.

Here comes the right time, I believe, to tell you something about our guide and her organizational (and other) skills. She was useless. Completely. First, she looked nice. Until she took the microphone and started telling us all the "important" information. That Slovakia is in the EU and stuff like that. She repeated everything at least ten times and after doing that, she said: "But I'll repeat this later so that you know..." Ehm... We, especially Oeniska :), were quite rude sometimes, probably because we believed it would stop her. Nothing stopped her. So she was talking, talking, talking and all the words she said gave us no information we needed.
So you wouldn't be surprised that when we came to the bus, at 11:00, there was nobody there. No bus drivers to open the bus. It was very cold outside. And we wanted to go into the hot water. Well, at about 11:40, a bus driver who wasn't ours opened the bus for us. I don't think it's normal... We could have stolen anything from there...

But we finally got inside the spa and were happy for that. For a while... Because we got only one locker for two people which is very very strange if you can imagine how much space things like towels and bathrobes take... Annoying, seriously.

The spa itself was nice. It was crowded, though. So there was, for example, a room called relaxing. The atmosphere there was similar, I believe, to a soccer match - it was so loud that they could close people in there and torture them by keeping them inside!

We enjoyed the whirpool, the little waterfalls and especially the part of one of the pools with counter-current. That was really lots of fun. We were the fastest there, being a "train", really having fun like little kids. I loved that! And as this was very tiring, physically, we decided to get some money (HUF :)) and go to the bar. We wanted to have shakes. We had wanted them until we saw how the not-nice waitress takes the ice in her bare hands and starts making the shakes out of it... Gross... So we ordered coffee... And got some - two of the glasses were half-empty. So we tried to catch the "lady's" attention and complain, politely. When we thought she was finally listening to us, we told her that we'd like to have all the glasses full. It seemed she didn't listen to us at all, at the end, she didn't say anything, she just left... So we didn't know what was going on. And then she came, after about 5 minutes, with hot milk which she poured inside our glasses. Without a single word. Czech waitresses, shop assistents and all the people "serving" us we sometimes complain about are wonderful compared to that! (As my mom said later - "So nothing has changed since we went there during the socialist era..." Really, we shouldn't complain here :))

When the time came to leave, we had the chance to find out how bad the showers were...

We got on the bus again and headed to Paprika Czarda for dinner. Our dear guide was talking again... She said things like: "We should be there before 6. Well, I'll tell you when we get there if we managed." What the hell is wrong with you?! we were thinking...

The dinner was good, except... Our bus was full of primary-school teachers and sometimes it was just annoying (ok, my mom is a teacher... when I told her this story, she said "And that's why I never go on a trip organized for teachers" :)). There was this one lady, a teacher, who started smoking in the restaurant exactly at the same time when we started eating. So we asked her, politely, to stop. She said: "What? Are you talking to me?" Do you think she stopped? Of course not. I wonder if a teacher like that really have the courage to tell pupils they shouldn't smoke.
The food was very good, though. And we still had our bottle of champagne. We were supposed to leave at 7 pm. But we were the last ones who got food, the last ones who finished, the last ones who paid... And we were angry at that stupid teacher so we decided to open the bottle before getting on the bus which meant, and we knew it, that everyone was going to wait for us. It was kinda fun to come back, late, with cups full of champagne. :)

So that was it, we drank our champagne and then watched Vratne lahve on the bus. During the movie, our amazing guide didn't forget to tell us that "on the right side, there's Bratislava castle...". Of course without pausing the movie...

We got home at around 11 pm. Tired. To sum up, it was fun because we made it fun. And it also taught us that we should never again go on an organized trip like that. Next time, we're taking a car. But we'll make sure one of us will be always talking, giving us "interesting facts" about anything we see on the way... :)
Ok, I really liked that ladies trip and I think we should do that more often. But - and you should follow this advice - never again with FTL!!! :)

PS: Girls - L & M & D/O - if you read it, thanks for the day which was great thanks to all the fun we had! And happy birthday, my dearest boss! :) You're the best!

Regina Spektor - Fidelity

This video is amazing. It's the first of Regina Spektor's songs I heard. And I must say I wasn't sure if I liked it. Well, I loved the video. Then I listened to more of her songs and they are all so different. And I can tell you. She is amazing. So I decided to post here some of her songs so that you can decide for yourselves if you like them. And if you do, you can enjoy them. So enjoy - at least the video, it's really worth seeing.

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

October 17 was declared the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty by the UN General Assembly. That was yesterday. I didn't know that until I heard somebody saying that on TV. They also said this: there is one billion of people living on less than 1$ a day. Every 3 seconds somewhere in the world a child dies from malnutrition. Which means that from the time you started reading this very short post until now, approximately 6 children died. They also said that the world (meaning probably the so-called West) is able to do something with it. But nothing is really happening.
Why do I write this here? Just to remind you, and myself, that the places where we live (and as far as I know, people who read this are either Czech or American... am I wrong?) could be called the world paradise. So if you can't do anything else to make the world better, just be aware of this fact - your life is probably much much easier (or at least more comfortable) than life of majority of the world population. Be aware of it and, if just for today, smile at everyone the whole day (even at people who don't smile back) as you have a reason to be happy. Or if not happy, at least content... Have a nice day, my rich friends!

PS: And I'm not saying you can't have problems. Everyone can and everyone's problems are relevant for that particular person. And that's all alright. But honestly - don't you think, sometimes, that we are concerned about things that aren't really that serious when there are people watching their kids die without being able to help them? Just because they were born at "a wrong place"?

THE TOUR: Day 5 - Sossuvlei Dunes - Namib-Naukluft National Park

Ok, here comes a very early morning. Wessel was shaking our tents at 5 am so that we could be the first at the gate which opens at 5:45. We were not. However, the truck that was in front of us all the time obviously didn't have a very experienced driver and thus missed the turn to Dune 45. We were first at the dune! :) And very excited!

I took my shoes off and started to run to the top of the dune. Oh, I didn't say why we went there. To watch the sunset. Ok, back to the running part. It didn't last too long. I got exhausted after about 5 minutes. Try to run up a dune and you won't ask why. It was the hardest exercise I've ever done! Not only it's hard to walk up in sand, it was also very windy and I felt as if my lungs were full of sand too...

When we finally got up, I don't think anyone cared about the sunset... We just wanted to breathe!!! But then, of course, after a while, we recovered and could enjoy the African beauty. And so can you...

Then it was time to go down which was really fun. We ran down the steeper side of the dune, it was kind of an adrenaline activity. Followed by breakfast. And this was the first time Wessel promised we'd get a big one - eggs and bacon and... it didn't happen. He said the stove wasn't working but nobody believed him. We got food, though, as always. :)

The next stop was Sossuvlei where we could pay for a "Guided Walk with Local Expert" and we did. And regretted it later. We were told that there was going to be the guy Susan talked about - a white bushman, who is very famous, who is very cool and knows everything about the area. But he wasn't there and our guide was simply boring and a little weird.

I'll tell you something about Sossuvlei now. The word means something like "where the water ends". The place is, basically, dunes. But from time to time, they have water there which creates the places where the water ends - it can't get over the dunes. And, from time to time, there are two dunes that are, after some time and thanks to wind, I guess, kinda connected together. When this happens, the new big dune stops the water and what happens next is this: the area that was left behind the dune without water is not Sossuvlei anymore, but now it's called Deadvlei (because it's dead :)). New Sossuvlei is created where the water ended. Does it make sense? :) And here you have some pictures of Deadvlei:

What else did we learn? We saw the dessert rose, tried (at least some of us) to eat some plants that could save your life if you got lost in the dunes, learnt how to track a lizzard (and that you could actually eat it... yummy :)). And it was very hot.

When we were done with this, we went back to the campsite which we left in the morning, packed our stuff and went to a campsite called Solitaire. There was a pool with freaking cold water. Which, I think, we tried. And also, they had amazing strudel in the bar (I wanted to be friendly so I asked the guy who worked there "Hoe gaan dit met jou?" and he started to talk in Afrikaans to me, in reply... Well, I told him I don't understand and he didn't want to believe me. :) That's what happens when you want to be friendly :))

Before the dinner, we watched another African sunset. One sunset a day, that was our motto. :)

in memory of Daisy...

Well, I wouldn't do that but under the circumstances... It'd be Daisy's name-day today (you know, my foreign friends, what it is, right? I told you :)). So I'm thinking of her...
But I don't want to bother you with my sadness or anything so I'll tell you something about dealing with losses in life from Markétka's point of view (for those who don't know, Markétka is the younger of my nieces).
Last Friday, I went to pre-school with her, while Lucka went to my grandma's because she was ill. My grandma is a person who doesn't know much about being tactful... So, Friday morning and she begins - "I didn't know you don't have Daisy anymore" and things like that. In front of the girls. Friday morning... It isn't that we didn't want to tell them, we just didn't think it was necessary to tell them immediately.
We went to the pre-school and Markétka asked me "Daisy is in the hospital, right?" So I explained to her that she is not, that she was too ill and that she died. And now, she is sleeping buried in the garden.
Markétka said: "Is she under the earth?"
I said yes...
She said: "But I don't know where, you have to show me."
I said ok... And then I said "Do you miss Daisy?"
The answer was: "No. Why? She's going to be with us in the garden all the time."

So you see. On Friday, I was still too much concerned about my sadness and I still didn't know how to cope with all that happened. But then Markétka made it so clear. I know, she isn't even 4 years old. But I really admire her attitude towards life. Her "I'm not good at it, but it's ok because I like it." Children are so smart, aren't they? Children (and dogs) can always make you smile. :)

PS: Well, Markétka asked me yesterday if Daisy can go for a walk with us... These are the moments when I really don't know what to say... But then, she said that "Daisy's place is nice because I put some flowers there." And asked me if Daisy was going to be dead forever... Do you smile at that or do you think it's sad? I don't know. I miss Daisy. But I think that if Markétka will be like that, she'll have a good life :).
PS2: The next post is going to be about the Tour again. I know you're all interested in what happened next. And I can hide my feelings for some time. :)

a poem Jill sent to me...

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

My dear Daisy...

Ok, dear readers, I know I haven't posted anything for some time but I had "good" reasons. Everything has just gone wrong since Monday and thus I didn't feel like introducing you to any of our fun adventures and stuff like that because I didn't feel like thinking about anything funny or adventurous at all.

Here is the reason: my lovely, dear, great, wonderful Daisy, my nice dog, died on Monday. She was ill, as you probably know from one of my previous posts, but I believed all the time she was going to be fine. She wasn't... I'm not going to go into details because it still makes me cry. All I want to say is that I simply miss her, she was a real family member, my friend... and I just miss her... Some of you will understand, some will not, but I don't care. I loved Daisinka and it was hard to believe she isn't here anymore. It is still hard...
Anyway, we burried her with my dad and Geral on Monday, when he took her home from the vet. Even when I saw him coming home without her, I still believed she was fine... Although I had known already... It was sad. Very sad...

Well, as I said, not going into details... Why is this post here? I'm not very sure. I just knew I wanted to do that before I post anything else. I just want to say good bye to her once more and I want to put here some pictures of her (unfortunately, the 'action' photos from the mountains aren't in digital format) so that everyone can see how much I loved her and how much I miss her and how beautiful she was.

So, this is my Daisy...

PS: Also, thank you my dear friends, who understood how I felt and who tried to help. Thank you, Geral, for being here and for being so great and comforting... Thank you, Susan and Jill, who simply know how it feels... Thank you, Radu, for the tea...Thank you, Zuzi, for the post on your blog and all the help... Thank you all, you know who I mean. And everyone, have brighter days than mine have been these days.