TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Monday, January 2, 2006

9:03 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Happy Slovak Independence Day!

Slovak Constitution Day, September 1 (1992) Independence Day from Czechoslovakia, January 1, 1993 (Velvet Revolution)

Celebrated the extra second by staying in bed. Very lazy Jan 1st, read all of friends, lovers, chocolate, attempted to walk up to the bridge but foiled by revolting slush all over the road and heavy rain.

Saturday after midnight wandered back to find half the town had been partying out front of my house - damn, missed the streets full of revellers. Oh well, also missed being sprayed with champagne and hand-held rockets. Checked up on the bridge, showed no ill effects of all those explosions in close proximity - although may have brought back traumatic memories, who can tell what goes through the consciousness of a bridge. Cellular memory, perhaps? There's a short Kafka story told from the point of view of a bridge, which twists and buckles throwing the people over it walking down into the ravine.

This morning made it out close to midday, after pancakes for breakfast, and the conditions had greatly improved. Light rain, and more solid patches to walk on. Discovered a new boat 'Obelix' anchored next to the 'Asterix' which has been there since I arrived.
Dull grey skies, snowy patches on the hills, broken bottles sticking up and melted firework cardboard colouring the icy grit.

Watched the Countess from Hong Kong, Sophia Loren opposite Marlon Brando, most of the action on board a ship where she has stowed away in his cabin - escaping from a life of misery, hopelessness and prostitution as a gangsters moll - and wears only three outfits for most of the film - a white evening gown, marlon's pyjamas and dressing gown, and then for her dive over the side in Waikiki, a Hawaiin dress. Still very glamorous, and highly moralistic.

Not sure what that relates to, if anything, other than I was thinking about how to describe the social world here and the image of a new zealand town in the 60's came to mind. Christchurch, probably.

Received latest fab care package from the divine Julaine, with vegemite, koala hugging boomerang, trashy magazines (who and new weekly - love you forever honey!!) and all my mail. none of it exciting. a rejection letter from residency application, various bank statements, art school graduate newsletter - must remember to tell them what I'm up to one of these days, having been one of the students least likely to succeed!! Had a shock when I looked up from the Who's 'Most Intriguing People 2005' issue and realised I was still in Slovakia - for a moment there I was back in Darlington.

There's something about this experience of small town life which is making me realise how much I really do have a place in people's lives, and hopefully will remember to appreciate that when I get home.