End of Russia, Germany and Czech Republic--with images

Since last I wrote, we have left Russia, gone to Germany, and proceeded to Prague, CZ. It wasn’t until we arrived in Germany that we were able to verbalize to each other that Russia gave us the hebbijebbis (sp?). (A note from Ross) Adding to our discomfort in Russia, was that the first night that we were in St. Petersburg, as Putin walks onto the television screen, Wendy, maybe not so tactfully, actually yells “He’s Evil!!” At this point I immediately began to disavow any knowledge of connection to her, as Dad began sweeping the apartment for bugging devices. But eventually we got over our fear of having the government after us, until we got to Moscow anyways which was maybe slightly less hospitable to tourists than Siberia under Stalin (which I finally feel like I can say having now left Russia). Something just was not right. The morning before our flight to Germany (our airplane trip, I should say, as there is a history of flights from Russia, no?) we met an American woman married to a Russian. We lamented that Moscow did not exactly seem welcoming, nor the people happy. She replied that as a former English major, she found it very interesting that there is no word in Russian for “Joy”. And, that pretty much sums it up. We saw few smiles, no laughs, no one over the age of 5 playing. In Moscow, everyone we met seemed on the verge of yelling at us. Some past the verge, actually. There was no tolerance for our lack of speaking Russian—and we tried. I used my translator (it was a lifesaver, Mom. Thank you very much!) In St Petersburg, there were information centers and maps and signs throughout the city, pointing directions to popular tourist spots (in Cyrillic and Roman alphabet). Subways at least had maps to follow. In Moscow, there was nothing. We had a horrible time trying to find the main Russian museum, as there were no signs, and no one we stopped on the surrounding streets seemed to know it existed. The subway stations were gorgeous, but contained no signage to help anyone unsure of where to go. The sites were fabulous—especially the Kremlin and the incredibly extensive and beautiful subway system, but the people and the experience were lacking. We noticed the difference on the plane ride to Berlin. There was a group of twenty-ish year olds, practically dancing in the aisles to be leaving Russia. They had spent a month in Russia and they couldn’t wait to reach paradise (out of Russia and into Berlin).

Berlin was fabulous. Where in the world are Ethan and Siena? We’ve already crossed some important lines (the Prime Meridian and the Arctic Circle) and an amazing wall (Hadrian’s Wall). This is the Berlin Wall. It separated East and West Berlin for 28 years, from 1961 until November 1989. After World War II, although Russia and the U.S. and winning powers of Western Europe were on the same side, there was incredible distrust between the two sides. Russia (then, the USSR), didn’t want the people to leave (defect) to West Berlin. They built a wall separating the two sides of the city. Many people who tried to leave East Germany were arrested or killed. The Wall was torn down by the people of East Germany. The city of Berlin has been united since November 29th, 1989, and rapidly East Berlin has been catching up with the West. They have left the cobble stone path showing where the wall used to run. Ethan and Siena are riding on either side of the old wall.

From Berlin, we rented a car and headed south, to Bautzen, a small, walled city. We loved it here. The Beattie Beer Index reports that a beer in Berlin is about $4, but excellent. I should note that our beer costs in Russia were a bit deflated as we usually bought the beer in a market and drank in the apartments. After all, who wanted to hang with the not-so-friendly Russsians?

Then, it was on to the Czech Republic. This part of the trip through Eastern Europe has been of particular interest to me as this is where my family was from. The foods in Russia were the foods my maternal grandmother used to make. Now, in the Czech Republic, we are in the homeland of my paternal grandfather. It is a good thing he emigrated when he did. We went to the Jewish Museum in Prague and read the names of at least 4 dozen Fischls killed during the 1930’s and 1940’s.

The highlight of our time in Prague, though, was our stay with our first Servas family. Servas is an organization designed on Ghandi’s work. World peace, built one friendship at a time. We contacted a family in Prague, who opened their home to us. Our first night there, they cooked their traditional Christmas dish for us, which is a wonderful potato salad. The next night, I cooked the Beattie Family Christmas meal, or a reasonable approximation, as we could find neither turkey nor cranberries. Our kids and their kids had fun playing together despite being unable to communicate verbally.

Prague is a beautiful city, with open squares, a river wending its way through, castles and churches around every corner. There are, unfortunately, an excess of tourists, which detracts from the experience. But, it is difficult to complain as we, in fact, are tourists. My new friend Vera was able to get us tickets to the Opera in Prague. Ross, Siena and I were treated to a fabulous performance of Don Giovanni, in our private box. Ross had sung one of the arias in high school, although not in Italian.

The Beattie Beer Index has fallen in the Czech Republic to an all time low of $1.10 at a bar! The quality of the beer is comparable to the German beer in taste. Can you read the name of the beer Kim is guzzling? Budvar’s Budweiser Beer has been made here for 700 years. And, it tastes considerably better than our Bud, that’s for sure. Kim is commenting over my shoulder that the Russians tried to hold onto CZ after losing West Germany to keep the good beer flowing. We were in Prague for the 40th anniversary of the Russian invasion.

We are now in Cesky Krumlov, a small city in the south of the Czech Republic. Can you see the name of the beer Kim is guzzling? Yep, that's Budweiser, the original--not the fizzy American variety. Sometime today, we will travel into Austria, homeland of my maternal grandfather. We have no reservations, and no idea what town to even look in. This pretty much ends my planning from home, so it is on to traveling by the seat of our pants now… Love to all and:
Prost! (German) and Nastrovy (CZ)

The Beatties