First night under the stars (well, clouds and full moon). Probably could have found a cheap hotel, but this campground was right on the route. Part trailer park inhabited by several Czech women and their army of feral cats and part self-service campground. But, down by the water, I have a great spot with my own view.
And, yes, I’m posting this sitting in my tent in the rain tethering my laptop to my phone. What a strange world we live in…
Fast food Czech style. Legend has it the kofola soft drink originated in communist Slovakia when food scientists were trying to figure out what to do with the caffeinated sludge byproduct from brewing coffee. I think it tastes like a less sugary coke with a little bit of herbal anise flavoring.
In OT! Zlin vs Plzn. Game is more rollerhockey-style than NHL. Lots of physicality after the whistle but way less during play than NHL, especially for a playoff game. Wide open and already several partial breakaways.
Tomorrow I follow the Elbe all the way to Prague.
A framing exercise:
Doctor Spielvogel, it alleviates nothing fixing the blame— blaming is still ailing, of course, of course— but nonetheless, what was it with these Jewish parents, what, that they were able to make us little Jewish boys believe ourselves to be princes on the one hand, unique as unicorns on the one hand, geniuses and brilliant like nobody has ever been brilliant and beautiful before in the history of childhood— saviors and sheer perfection on the one hand, and such bumbling, incompetent, thoughtless, helpless, selfish, evil little shits, little ingrates, on the other!
“But in Europe where—?” he calls after me, as the taxi pulls away from the curb. “I don’t know where,” I call after him, gleefully waving farewell. I am thirty-three, and free at last of my mother and father! For a month.