Zizkov

Rainwalk, rainwalk, walking in the rain. Final destination: the TV tower.

Žižkov Television Tower

An example of Structural Expressionist architecture 

Architect: Václav Aulický
Structural engineer: Jiří Kozák
Height: 216 meters 



Three concrete pillars, supporting nine 'pods',

Three decks for transmitting equipment, 

The highest pods are observation rooms at 100 meters tall (Hellooooo best view in Praha). 
The highest pillar functions as an antenna, and adds to the structure's rocket physique. 

Those ant-looking things are actually these baby statues by David Černý. 

Farmers' Market

On a separate, sunnier day in Žižkov, I discovered a farmer's market outside this beautiful church

 

Cool fountain

Mountain of gnocchi in giant cast iron skillet called "Halusky," this modern street-food dish has been around since the 14th century. 

Check out

Fenix Beer

Václavské náměstí - Wenceslas Square

Wenceslas Walk. Here you can see the sky dissolving the day's humidity:

One can really understand the stature of buildings in Wacky Square by lookin into a puddle

One would think this chichi, flamboyantly roseate building was something other than a container for H&M, but it's not

Puddles look different over cobblestones, yeah?

For all the hype, zombie bar was pretty dissapointing

Here's something interesting:
This an equestrian monument at the head of WS was sculpted by Josef Václav Myslbek in 1887–1924. 

The saint's image is accompanied by other Czech patron saints around its base: 
Saint Ludmila, Saint Agnes of Bohemia, Saint Prokop, and Saint Adalbert. 


The statue base, designed by architect Alois Dryák, includes the inscription: "Saint Wenceslas, duke of the Czech land, prince of ours, do not let perish us nor our descendants" 


This is David Černý's parody of the statue, which hangs in a Lucerna Palace gallery near the square:

Hehe, haha, hohoho


This is the National Museum at the east cusp of the square...

which is actually shaped more like a stretched-out rubber band:

This damn glitzy arena.
Hips swaying to and fro, 
this tippler's slow, slow dance 
embarrasses the tourista order.


(Event went uncaptured. Was too sacred. Sorry)



See ya next time in Žižkov for the conclusion of rain-walk!


J

Babushka Pancakes

I thought I had nothin.

I was a hungry beeb, and I had no milk for my musli.

What's a girl to do?

BABUSHKA PANCAKES

- apple

- dark dark dark chocolate

- eggs

- water

- flour

- chamomile tea bag

- chili paprika

I simmered left-over apple bits for a syrupy topping

and added some honey on top

Come Wind, Come Rain

Come wind, come rain, we're off again; 

our muddy boots plod down the lane.

The snow has snowed, now the grass has growed 

and it's time that we were on the road. 

The mare is shod, the miles untrod

between us and the Land of God.

We're on our way and every day

is another ten miles and an armful of hay.

Hey ho! The wind and the rain!

It's another ten miles and a bucket of grain.

Come wind, come rain, we're off again;

our muddy boots plod down the lane.

The snow has snowed, the grass has growed

and it's time that we were on the road.

Hey ho! The wind and the rain!

The passerbys wave their arms and grin.

.

Sunday, 6.24.12. Walking.

Morning

Goal: find canned whole beans

Note to self: "Mediterranean style cheese" is not feta cheese at all

Afternoon

Guys, I went to United Islands (free!!!) music festival. 

As I mentioned before, there are several islands in the Vlatva. I live very close to 2 of them.

Actually, when I went for a walk on Saturday night I wandered to the island and caught the declining action of the first of the two day festival. I lingered around a drum circle and met a group of young English-speaking people from all around Europe (plus one American). They were here to teach English and that's how they knew each other. They said it was very American of me to approach them. Most were from Zizkov. According to them, "it's the best neighborhood." Many foreigners and expatriates live there. 

They invited me to a pool party. The tram launched into the darkness. The cardinal balance in my chest  was useless and jet-lagged. My gut pleaded with my heart. I was going to a to a pool party which I'd originally heard as pill party (Scottish, I think). In a flash of unconscious reasoning, I ricocheted off that tram (gracelessly, I think) and some divine hand guided me home, sheepish and smiling. I did not get anyone's contact info.

I'm almost kicking myself. Oh well.

So. Sunday afternoon. The island is located under a bridge that stretches across the river, connecting Old town to New town. Or...New Town to Old Town, from my perspective. Oh yeah, I live in New Town. Did I mention that already? In Czech that's Nové Město. Don't be fooled, though -- New Town has been around since the 14th century!

Here are some grand steps to the island, where the festival staff were handing out (free!!!) pins.

Ms. Pacman is new!

Czech rapper Martin Hula, aka "Bonus" performing on the island's south stage 

The collective ensemble was: a guitarist, a bassist, the rapper guy obviously, and a computer track. The computer accompaniment was clicky and layered with bubbly, synthesized ripples, unfortunately  unfeatured in this here video clip. What a boomy bass. Talk about rib-cage rattling.

They lyrics. I could not comprehend. The set was a stream of nonsensical word pellets which soared past any and all information-gathering ports in my brain. The language-barrier has been extremely frustrating. Every day I navigate a dense fog of gobbldygook. My exchanges with the average Czech human-being, sinewy and fleshy like me, maybe with hair just like mine, are cumbersome and strained. 

This pic was taken facing west, in the direction of old town.

Here is the Czech Justin Bieber, who was performing on the north side of the island. 

The stages had specific names affiliated with local sponsors and radio stations, which I cannot recall. At all. But I would really like to find a good Czech radio station (note to self).

View south from the bridge. Lots of paddle boats. To the west is the land of New Town, to the east is the island. 

That's The Charles Bridge out there (north) 

Evening

This time I ventured farther north along the river, heading towards The Charles Bridge. 

Some of the sidewalks have very pretty wobblestone designs. 

                                

This is Krannerova Kasna, or Kranner's Fountain. I couldn't find anything about this on the interwebs, but the sign said something about The Prague National Awakening by archiect Josef Ondrej Kranner and stonemason Karel Svoboda, modeled after some Gothic fountain in Nuremberg (note to self: ask history prof). 

...to avoid the busy sidewalk, I cut through an indoor plaza with many tourist shops...

...I stepped out of the tourist-tunnel-money-funnel (overpriced trinkets) and lo and behold, I was at the facade of The Charles Bridge. Sorry for the lack of pics. Poor lighting plus iphone camera didn't do the architecture justice.

The bloodless, snowy statues glare intensely at the current of people with their languages and comfy sandals, eyes blank and severely downcast

Views from the bridge:

                              North                                                                                 West

I was going to take this funny video but my iphone camera memory got all full

Luckily I had room for one more picture