Happier Brno Stories

Hi all -

So here is the rest of what happened in Brno.

* I visited the Capuchin Crypt where the bodies of nuns and monks were left after they died. The Crypt has such a specific air flow that the bodies naturally mummified. I was NOT supposed to take pictures, but as I was the only person in the place (soon to become a trend on the trip), I turned the flash off and tried to get some shots. My favorite mummy? The body of a nun who was supposedly buried alive. You will notice her in the shots because her hands are not crossed and her head is turned to the side. They think, because of her body postion, that she must not have been buried completely dead. Spooky.

* I went to Speilberk Castle which is really, really cool. It's a fortress and has a real moat, where there used to be bears living. It also houses a famous prison, which I took tons of pictures of (again, completely against the rules). I was totally alone for my ENTIRE tour of the castle and prison which took about 4 hours, so that was amazing. Being in a prison where the average lifespan of the prisoner was one month, by yourself, in the dark, was a pretty eerie experience. The prison was also about 20 degrees colder than it was outside - so I could only imagine what the place was like in the winter.

* Amanda and I went to a neat bar called H46 where we met Fido, the most gorgeous, wonderful waiter of all time. He kept us well-plied with alcohol (including my first taste of absynthe - not ever going to replace tequila in my cupboard), and generally entertained us for two nights in a row. We're hoping he will come and visit us in Prague.

That's about it. Brno was nice - people were super friendly, and we had a great time besides the incident at Pride (which you can watch film of here). We're both exhausted and feel pretty drained altogether.

So - check out the pictures. Tonight starts the festivities surrounding the CEELI board meeting, and though I am excited about it, I really, REALLY wish I wasn't having to go to a big networking, dress-up event tonight since all I want to do is lie in bed and sleep. But, as the Clinton School has taught us, I know I have to take advantage of every opportunity. So I will smile, talk up the school, and drink some nice red wine. :)