I can't remember where I got up to with the last blog,but there was a debacle with flights for Shannon, she fixed it, then she complained on their Facebook and will no doubt get free stuff. They also stuffed up their bill at the hotel and subtracted a couple of hundred euros off by mistake.
On our last day in Austria we got a tram out to an area I've already forgot the name of where there is an amusement park. We told the girls it was closed and played in the park nearby, then went back to the hotel to leave. I wished the girls a fond "get stuffed", which is what Shannon told them to say to me if I tease them. They said that at every available opportunity.
As a little side story, I got up in the morning and Eve was on the bed looking like a little baby, so I said "oh look at the little baby", she replied with "get stuffed uncle Ben", I said "goo goo ga ga" back. A bit later I heard her in the bathroom whining to Shannon "He called me a little baby and I said get stuffed but he wouldn't!". What a little baby.
I got the train to Uherske Hradiste in Czech. It was an hour and a half. The train had those little rooms with 6 seats. I was in one on my own and some idiot came in and sat directly opposite while 4 other seats were free. So I spent the trip in a game of chicken with him over who would move. He moved after about an hour.
I decided to walk from the train station to my accommodation. It is about 5km. While I was walking a headless bird dropped from the sky right in front of me. When I looked up there were two other birds flying away who I think were the perpetrators. They looked like the same type of bird, but with heads, so I suspect it was a crime of passion. I didn't have time to fully investigate though as the sun was going down, which made for a pleasant - although cold - walk
The walk to the apartment was a real blast from the past. I recognised cafes and bike paths and buildings and roads I'd forgotten about the entire way. It's amazing the memories that come with each recognition. I saw a Cafe and remembered Romana and I stopping in there for a beer then having to push the bike home because the limit is 0, even on bikes, and you lose your licence. I remember refusing because it was very unlikely the police would've set up an rbt on a bike path.
I met with Romana today for coffee and a wander around. She is married with a little girl now and I think she is bored. They are on maternity leave for 5 years here. I think she wishes it was 1 year. She is doing well though and living in the same place. Her little girl seemed well behaved although I couldn't understand if she was telling me to get stuffed or not.
It snowed overnight so I was shocked to walk out and see a lot of snow everywhere. I wanted to take a photo of the river but Romana said it would be too slippery. Naturally I ignored her and got up the bank like a gazelle. I took a photo and on the way back down slipped like they do in the movies, legs completely out from under me and landed flat on my back. I saved my camera though. Romana enjoyed it.
I'm now at Cafe Portal to meet with an old friend. It is a cosy little Cafe on the 3rd floor. Down below is the barber shop I used to drink at. At night two brothers would rent the barber shop and serve beer out of there. It has been closed for some time, I'm told. It's a little sad seeing it so quiet. It might be my favourite bar in the world. I did see a sign for another place that said something like "brothers beer" so I will go there and see if it is the same guy.
Andy, who I'm here to meet, is at a "talk". I forgot they did that here. If someone goes on a trip somewhere, they do an information session which is basically a PowerPoint of their holiday snaps. They charge around 20-50kc which is 1-3 dollars for it. The guy giving the talk is the barman at this Cafe and he went on holidays to Kazakhstan. It was advertised on facebook. I would've attended, for God knows what reason, but alas I conveniently arrived too late.
Tomorrow I am meeting up with one of my former language students.
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