Two more weeks and three more places have passed by without mentioning it.
First stopf after Leipzig was Arnsfeld. After some very unsucessful innercity hitchhiking attempts, Kristin had to join me committing a crime by blackriding on a bus for a few stops to reach our hitchhiking spot.
Unsucessful innercity HH
The spot was rather good, the people weren't. It took about an hour before someone would pick us up, but then it was quite ok, we got a ride to Chemnitz, where we then had to split up in order to reunite down in Annaberg. Or rather "up" in Annaberg, a town in the Ore mountains at the German-Czech boarder. We then continued to Arnsfeld, the little village Kristin was growing up, and her grandmother is still living in.
We were starving after this trip, but we had to climb the attic first, since there was only one reason for us to be there: Carnival!
And that's how it works: disguise as creative as you can, hiding all parts of your body that could identify who you are. Then walk from one house to the another, get in, be served a drink with a straw as there's no other way to drink when having a huge mask on, and - most notably - don't talk, but if you do, disguise your voice.
So that's how we ended up in some people's garages, sitting around a table with huge mute chicken, both alive and roast, organic vegetables, and some unidentified creatures.
The next day, I left after our "breakfast" consisting of spinach with potatoes and eggs, headed to Prague. First, I felt like cursing that fucking village, as there was like one car passing every ten minutes. After 40 minutes I managed to stop a car that came from a side road, and make the driver take me, although I think he didn't really want to. I was even lucky, as he was about to go straight across the border in order to refuel. So, there I was in Czech Republic with just one ride, and the second one right away to Prague would follow after only 5 minutes of waiting, when a Slovak truck driver on his way to Bratislava would pick me up. He was a cheerful person, making jokes which I partly even understood, offering beer (which I denied) and biscuits (which I accepted with pleasure). Communication went rather smoothly, and it turned out that having some knowledge of both Czech and Polish - might it be as little as mine - is very useful when talking to a Slovak person, as this language seems like to be a mixture between both of them.
Arriving in Prague ahead of time, I met Bryan in the center, then grabbed my first Czech beer in some overpriced Chinese restaurant, not before getting myself one of those beloved bageta crocodille. Of course, Bryan loved my new haircut, and I got some of his very nice compliments I didn't miss at all.
Bryan had to abandon me at 7 in order to find his new Russian girl host, so I went on to pick up Paul at his hostel and go to the Prague weekly CS meeting, where we also met Kyle again. Happy Krakow reunion.
Having a long way to my host's place, I had to leave the meeting early, to find an awesome house somewhat outside of the centre, initially built for the Polish (?) ambassador who couldn't afford it anymore, whereupon that kind of vegan-anarchist community was established. It might sound more exciting than it was, I didn't manage to talk much to any of the people living their, especially my host Petr didn't make much effort to talk to me, and when I tried so, his replies were rather short. I wasn't even offered a glass of water upon arrival, let a lone a cup of tea. But at least I had all the attic for myself, having to chose one of the 2 beds and 2 couches.
The days in Prague passed without anything special to happen. Wandering around some nostalgic places, finding out that the city isn't the same without all the people that used to be here together with me back when we were studying here. After three days, I changed to Kyle's hosts, who already accomodated Paul as well, so once more we were happy together, just missing Bryan. We didn't do much though. Being served some amazing egg-breakfasts, drinking tea, playing games, hanging out in parks, cooking, eating again...
Some take it serious...
Well, I started kind of feeling lost in Prague, and even though enjoying the guys' company, I decided to leave for Nuremberg to visit my sister and my 6-year-old niece.
Against my expectations, my sister hosted me for 5 days, providing me a great couch and even some cosy blanket. I spent the next two days with Ronya, my niece, as my sister was supposed to work, and the time was well spent.
Ronya and Marina (my niece and sister)
At the weekend, I met Kyle once again, who seemed to have followed me all the way. We spent some crazy night out, and when my sister told me the next evening that I was coming back home at 4:30 am, I wasn't surprised any more about falling asleep at 9 pm the same night (being woken up at 8 by Ronya the very morning).
