TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Monday, February 20, 2006

8:23 PM
Posted by jodi rose

this place feels like purgatory tonight.
tried to make the first sonic intervention on the streets today, and my strange anxiety turned out to be well founded. gave the cd to a confused council functionary who took it upstairs and switched on an impressive series of floor-to-ceiling 'tesla' audio technology tower. waited outside recording the ambience in the pesia zona, until a few minutes after three decided to check she hadn't forgottne - when I was advised that the speaker system mysteriously no longer works in the centre of town. No-one knows why, it doesn't seem to be a problem in any way - even though I heard music played through the same speakers at christmas, this appears to be an insurmountable glitch.
I'm going to try again tomorrow, have been assured that it will be working on the streets further out, which I will test - but if not, am sadly going to have to abandon the plan. Maybe I can hack into the esztergom basilica speakers... already had to play the music at 3pm, not 4.35 which would have contextualised them after the hungarian tune - as the council finish work at 3.30, and 2 on fridays. lordy.

now attempting to confirm various plans with friends, one of whom has disappeared on holiday, and the other incommunicado - frustrating as they are partly work related to record interviews, and time is running out. I was reluctant to record conversations as I got to know people, as it's a bit intimidating and I was here for so long - but now it's a week.

Had a great impromptu conversational interview with a friend tonight, who shall remain anonymous to protect his macho image (not really) and the guilty. Heard some wonderful new stories about the transition between communism and current system - when the 4,000 russian soldiers left in 1992 and were replaced by Slovak military, the problems started. The Russians were ok, they couldn't leave the base - but the Slovak forces (all kids on compulsory service) would all be in the town getting drunk on their night off - a few thousand drunk soldiers, in a small dusty town wasn't pretty. Although they didn't cause most of the problems in general, but it was difficult to relax. Then we're talking about the teen drug scene, and I learn that a restaurant nearby closed recently - it was the place you could buy anything (from the staff) and they just packed up and disappeared overnight. Had moved down from Trencin or somewhere up north, and operated here for two or three years - did the police close them down? I ask. 'No, they closed themselves!'. Funny, I had noticed the place last year and thought it looked bright and friendly, but then was dark over Christmas - and has been ever since.

We also talked about the cultural and emotional borders in Central Europe - one 90 year old man living in Ukraine had stayed in the same town all his life, but been a citizen of 5 different countries, (Austro-Hungarian Empire, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and I forget the last one) but considered himself Hungarian the whole time. It's crazy, how the borders are redrawn around people, although everyone I speak to here retains a very strong cultural and personal identity. 'I wouldn't even try with a Slovak girl - if I was single - not that they aren't nice, but to express emotion you need to use your mothertongue'. I argue that perhaps any deep emotion is inexpressible in words, not matter what language - but am touched by the point he makes that 'language can create a border between you - and where there is a border, comes conflict.' Not being able to feel completely at home, or express yourself freely would definitely add a layer of complexity to the relationship - he said, if I wake up with an English girl, I wouldn't turn to her and say 'Good Morning darling' like I would say in Hungarian.
He asks if I would choose an Australian or German man - I reply, German every time! I can't imagine an Australian man saying 'Good morning darling - it's more likely to be: 'hey you! get up and make breakfast!' Joking. Kind of. Another friend a is reading around the world in 80 dates - again, life envy - why didn't I think of just getting people to set me up on dates in various countries and travelling for that??! - but she seems quite happy to find love with someone from another culture. And I think any other human being is a whole universe of mystery and wonder that you can never fully comprehend, even with a common language and shared cultural experience.

I was treated to Sofie's magnificent palacinky with ricotta, sultanas and chocolate sauce - one of the best dishes I've had here! Still looking forward to thai food like you wouldn't believe. The Slovak/Hungarian diet is a little heavy for my taste, and I just can't eat soup everyday.

Have added some Roumanien lei to my money collection - 50,000 worth around 1 gpb, although now they've dropped some zero's and it's 5 to 1 - people were getting paid in millions - crazy. Courtesy of the smart, feisty, lovely woman from Transylvannia whom I met in Bratislava, she comes from a small village near Dracula's castle. Very cool. Think I am going to miss this proximity to such distinct and varied cultures more than anything else, and the way all the borders are quite permeable and fluid. We're so far away in Australia.

Also really going to miss the spring - goddamit I've earned it - going back into Autumn and winter is a bit depressing, no matter how mild the sydney winter is. I can understand the deep psychological response to spring and summer much better now, when it seemed a little intangible for me before. Being out in the sunshine this morning was so gorgeous, 11 degree heatwave, the bridge all fresh and full of promise.