Stephanie Cake

So as usual I haven't posted in an obscenely long time. Things have been nutty since my grandfather died. I was @ Piney Point for a few weeks and I had a billion random and worthless things to do otherwise. And then, of course, there was my Prague trip.

I've recounted to trip a million times byt now so I'll only jot down the hilights here....

Saturday Mar 11 - Drove to NJ to meet up w/ Kate and take a bus to JFK for the flight to Prague. We find out that the Czech Air flight has been cancelled due to mechancial issues w/ the place once we get to NY. We end up on a Delta flight with a connection in Brussels. Flight to Brussels takes place Saturday evening with us ending up in Belgium early Sunday.

Sunday Mar 12 - Horrid flight. Total mental confusion as I begin to deal with time zone differences. Boredom in Belgium. Ok second flight. Finally in Prague on Sunday night, with yet another unbearable delay at the airport. Dinner at the hotel.

Monday Mar 13 - All is well as I take in the beauty of Prague. Kate and I go to the Museum of Communism, check out the Old Towne Square and the Astrological Clock. Ruby Tuesday (of all places) for dinner with some of the Brookdale CC peeps. Drink like crazy back at the hotel.

Tuesday Mar 14 - Kate judges the IFA Tournament so I wander around alone. Check out Josefov, some of the synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetary. More drinking at the hotel altho I cut my stay at the bar short in order to get some shut eye.

Wednesday Mar 15 - Kate and I go to Austria. Day starts at 5:45 am. 10 hour round trip bus ride with a bunch of total numbnuts for a 5 or so hour tour of Vienna. Vienna was beautiful but totally not worth the pain and agony of the trip there and back.

Thursday Mar 16 - Kate and I check out the Prague Castle complex, Charles Bridge and Josefov again. I have a totally emotional reaction to St. Vitus Cathedral (OMG... gothic spires up to heaven) and irritate the shit of of Kate with my insane picture taking. We have dinner with the Brookdale Forensics team and then go out for some absinthe drinking with Cheryl, Howard and Margaux form Brookdale. Absinthe drunk, we end up back at the hotel for more drinking. Kate starts breaking glasses and flees to our room. I stay up with Margaux and Howard and act like a total moron. I think I make it to bed around 5 am Friday.

Friday Mar 17 - Kate goes to Terezin with Howard. I was ambivalent about seeing it after my trip to Josefov on Tuesday anyway but decide not to consider horning in on what seems like a date. Wander around New Town, Prague and go to a grocery store which is somewhat surreal. Czech National Symphony plays at the hotel for both the IFA and a World Diversity Conference. One of the dignitaries from TSU speaks as part of the event and Margaux busts out crying over his presentation - she is so endearing. Hook up with Kate and Howard for St Patty's day drinks and call it a fairly early night.

Saturday Mar 18 - Flight back home is uneventful, altho long. Hang out with Dan Leyes on the bus ride from JFK back to Jersey... trying to hook him up with my mom. Drive from NJ home seems endless.

This past week, I finally recovered a normal sleeping schedule by Tuesday but then came down with a bad cold on Thursday. Yech.

Outside of all the waiting and long flights and stuff, the trip was really great. I'm definitely feeling the letdown now from all the preparation before hand and the excitement of the trip itself. I hate it when I do that to myself. But at least it was totally worth it.