Out and About in Olomouc

With fabulous weather predicted, we decided to make the most of the sunshine this weekend and head to Olomouc in North Moravia for the day. Olomouc is only an hour away from Brno and we opted for the Student Agency bus, which at only CZK 210 return for 2 people, was excellent value.

We got off the bus at Olomouc hlavní nádraží (main station), which looks like it has recently been renovated. It certainly is much nicer than the sight that meets your eyes when you arrive in Brno.

Olomouc hlavní nádraží bus terminal and tram stops

As it was a lovely sunny day we walked into the centre of town, over the river and towards the main square, Horní náměstí. The photos in our Eyewitness guidebook really didn't do the centre of Olomouc justice. When you arrive in Horní náměstí it is a stunning sight.

Old Town Hall and Holy Trinity Column

As we were there on a Saturday morning, we had the added bonus of a nice little market selling local produce including cheeses, coffee and beer.

Saturday market in Olomouc

The main sights in Olomouc are ancient churches, decorated in the baroque style. Unfortunately, photos of the interiors are not allowed, but after a long, twisty and somewhat scary climb (chunks of stone missing from the spiral staircase!) to the belfry of St Michael's church, we were rewarded with this view through the shutters. Even better, this tower is free to go up, whereas the others you have to pay for.

Olomouc panorama

After all this climbing we were ready for lunch. We wandered back across the main square and came across a fortified part of town, which now has restaurants, cafes and bars in the vaulted spaces in the wall.

Water Fortress with cafe

We stopped for lunch at Nepal restaurant which is inside The Crack Irish pub. The food was excellent, which is saying something, as we lived for many years in Whitechapel, the curry hub of London. I would definitely recommend Nepal if you fancy a break from standard Czech fayre. I had the saffron chicken, which was a quarter roast chicken in a tasty sauce with rice, chips (interesting but nice) and salad on the side for only CZK 160.

In the afternoon we walked over to Olomouc Cathedral, which is decorated inside with a mix of ornate baroque marble and gilt and 19th century floral patterns.

We were offered a free, very detailed guided tour of the choir and transepts in English. The guide was very keen to tell us all about the history of the cathedral and its architecture and even took us up into the gallery where the kings used to sit. There was another helpful guide down in the crypt who, not being able to speak English, pointed us towards the various relics on display and the recently restored sarcophagi of bishops from the 1600s with explanatory texts in English and German. I found that everyone in Olomouc was very friendly and eager to promote their tourist attractions to visitors. It makes a refreshing change from more well-known towns where they treat toursists like people to just make money out of.

Next stop on the Olomouc tourist trail was the Archbishop's Palace. The entry fee is CZK 60 and you can take photos inside for an extra CZK 50, so I decided to take advantage of that.

Before you trot round, in true Czech style, you have to put on your giant over-shoe felt slippers!

Again, the staff at the palace were really nice and welcoming. We had missed the last tour of the day by 15 minutes, but as the guide was still there, he took us round anyway.

We rounded our day off with a stop-off at a bar we had spotted on the way into town: Black Stuff. This place has an amazing array of whiskeys and other spirits and a really good cocktail menu.

Bronx

Dark and Stormy

Black Stuff bar

We stopped for a quick pizza at a restaurant at the station before making our way to the coach stop. The last yellow bus of the day pulled up and whisked us back to Brno as the sun started to set.

Making sense of Czech

What have comedian Vic Reeves, golfer Nick Faldo and time traveller Dr Who got to do with language learning? Well, if you are me, then they are just some of the funny ways I manage to learn new vocabulary.

My fascination with words, how they sound and the images they conjure up started when I was quite young. I remember certain ordinary sentences could create pictures in my head that had very little to do with the original sentence. Words took me on a journey in my mind. When I was about 7, I decided each letter could only be used once in a sentence and thereby created some bizarre phrases!

Vic and Bob are stored under "mirthfulness".

When I started to learn French and German at the age of 11, these skills came in handy. Much of language learning is about making sense of something that at first makes no sense at all. It's about making links and going beyond everyday comprehension to reach understanding. At school, my classmates would ask if I had swallowed a French dictionary, as I often knew the meaning of words that we had not learnt. However, I don't believe you need to be taught a word to understand it. If you can find some commonality with your own language, then you can work it out.

This can work quite well in some instances, but what if the word is nothing like the English word? What if no matter how long you stare at it, it just doesn't hold any meaning for you? This is where the imagination comes into play.

When I was 17, I decided to learn the whole GCSE Spanish syllabus in one year. No mean feat and it inevitably involved memorising reams of vocabulary. If I can find something amusing about a word, it is far more likely to stick in my head. Some words just sound amusing, others remind you of something funny in your own language and others do not. Take the Spanish word for "skirt" una falda. Not a titter. Yet, imagine Nick Faldo, playing golf, wearing a skirt. Pretty amusing (to my 17 year old brain, anyway). And so, when I want to remember the Spanish word for skirt, this image of the golfer comes into my head and I remember that the word is linked with his surname.

Unfortunately, not wearing a skirt, just ordinary plus fours.

And so, at the age of 31, I am embarking on the task of learning a totally alien language: Czech. I don't know any other slavic languages, so I have nothing else to lean on linguistically. Luckily, I still have my imagination! I'm pleased to say it has not dwindled over the years and I am still fascinated by words and finding some sort of connection to aid understanding, no matter how tenuous.

During the last few Czech lessons, I have been reminded more and more of one of my favourite UK TV shows from when I was 16 (it recently made a brief comeback): Shooting Stars. This zany, frankly ridiculous BBC comedy game show always had me laughing out loud. One of my favourite bits was "Iranu! Uvavu!". To my ear, quite a few Czech words sound like these nonsensical Vic Reeves creations and I always have to stifle a laugh. Last week I was learning directions, which included vlevo and vpravo (left and right). Now, don't they sound a bit like iranu and uvavu?



I was even more amused when I learnt the word for "far": daleko. Ha! Even Dr Who is getting in on the Czech language action now! I can just imagine Daleks cruising around speaking Czech. The rolling "r" would make for perfect Dalek speak, too. To je Doktorrrr! Vy-hla-dit!!!




Lots of words have stayed with me, even though they are not every day words, just because I like the sound of them. Igel (hedgehog), Eichhoernchen (squirrel) and Schwarzwaelderkirschtorte (Black Forest Gateau) are some of my German favourites. I also still remember the Luxemburgish word Gromperen (potatoes) from a shopping trip I did in the little Grand Duchy and Hungarian boldog születésnapot (happy birthday) from a card I wrote to a colleague. All of these words bring a smile to my face and are what keep me engaged with language learning.

Vintage images courtesy of http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com

In the Footsteps of Napoleon

Yesterday, we went on a day trip arranged by the Brno Expat Centre to visit Austerlitz (know as Slavkov locally) and other places relating to the great battle of 1805. We set off on a beautiful sunny morning on a minibus from Brno and just half an hour later arrived at our first port of call: The Cairn of Peace Memorial. There is an exhibit there with items from the period and also a multi-media presentation in English to give an idea of what went on leading up to, during and after the battle. Sad to think that so many Austrian, French and Russian soldiers lost their lives here and now lie beneath the fields.

Memorial built 1910

Art Nouveau sculpture representing widows of the dead at the
entrance to the chapel inside the memorial.

Somewhat macabre - remains of soldiers found in the
 surrounding fields are brought to rest here.

We then travelled on to the Stará Pošta (Old Post Office) where Napoleon slept the night before the battle of Austerlitz and thought out his strategy. There is a small museum here and a nice restaurant serving traditional fayre.

Stará Pošta courtyard

Next stop was the Slavkov Chateau. This is a beautiful baroque castle with ornate stucco work and frescoes. The chateau does not open to the public until April, but they opened it especially for our tour. Sadly, no photos are allowed inside and we couldn't access the gardens due to works being carried out, but here are some shots of the exterior:

Main entrance to Slavkov-Austerlitz Chateau.

We then had an hour or so to wander around Slavkov. There isn't much to do there and everything closes on a Saturday after midday, but we had a pivo and sat in the sun before going on to our last stop of the day Žuráň Hill, which Napoleon made his field command post and where he watched the battle unfold.

Battle plan.

It was then time to head back to Brno for a well deserved drink. Ideally, I should have had a Napolean Brandy, but had to make do with a Martell. A nice end to a nice day.

On yer bike!

Once you have a skill, you can't really remember not having that skill. For example, can you remember what it was like to not be able to ride a bike? I'm not talking about learning to ride the bike, but the time before that when you weren't able to do it at all. It's impossible. For me, speaking a foreign language is the same as riding a bike. Once you get on and start pedalling it can take you anywhere you want to go.

At the moment my most hated phrase is Nemluvím česky "I don't speak Czech". Every time I go into a shop and the assistant comes over to me and starts speaking, I have to smile apologetically and say the dreaded Nemluvím česky. This is followed by my second most hated phrase Mluvíte anglicky? "Do you speak English?". I suppose for many people these would be the usual phrases they would use when abroad, but for me, as a linguist, it brings up all sorts of unpleasant feelings and thoughts:

1. How arrogant to be in a foreign country and expect the inhabitants to speak English! 
2. How unacceptable not to be able to say anything in their language back to them!
3. I speak 2 other languages fluently and another one conversationally - I hate not being able to say even basic things in Czech! 
4. They must think I am so rude and stupid!
5. I just should be able to speak Czech!

I realise that most of the above thoughts are irrational. I have only been in the Czech Republic for a month and during that time I have had to do a lot of admin (endless hours on the phone to French bankers, removal firms etc) and I couldn't prepare myself and learn any Czech before I moved here, as we only found out last minute that my partner had been offered a job here. I have also found it very difficult to find a teacher for intensive day-time lessons. So, all in all, not being able to speak the language is not my fault.

I also mainly get positive reactions when I use Mluvíte anglicky? and some people seem quite pleased to be able to use their English with me. Those that don't speak English smile politely and leave me alone. I only had one bad experience, when the counter clerk in an office got annoyed that I couldn't speak Czech and started banging the desk saying "Český! Český!" BUT, I still don't feel that it's right to expect other people to speak English to me.

Apparently, this is not the typical expat way of thinking. Last night I was in a pub with a group of people from all over the world. It was great to talk to Germans, Russians, Romanians, Americans - you name it, they were there. I struck up a conversation with a Czech guy. When I told him about my feelings about not being able to speak Czech, he said this was the first time he had heard this in his whole life from an expat (and especially a British one) and was amazed and pleased to hear that I didn't expect everyone to speak to me in English and that I was keen to learn Czech. When I told the German guy that I was planning on learning Czech, he said "But why? You don't need it!" Why do many expats think this? To me, it's like turning up at a house party without a bottle. Sure, you can drink other people's drinks for a while, but soon they will get fed up with you and tell you "On yer bike, mate!". And rightly so.

I am really lucky in that where I am going to work in a month's time, Czech lessons are provided for free. However, I still want to learn as much Czech as I can before April, so I have signed myself up for intensive Czech lessons. Eight hours a week for the next four weeks. I'm really looking forward to it. I hope that pretty soon, Nemluvím česky will become a thing of the past.

Sunday afternoon at the reservoir

Despite the thermometer showing -13 today, we decided to head out and see what the Brno reservoir is like. We just thought we would have a wander round, but were pleasantly surprised by what we found when we got there: a beautiful setting, full of people out skating and playing ice hockey! Even little cafes and restaurants full of people enjoying themselves.

Lovely sparkly ice.

After being out in the cold, it was definitely time for some mulled wine!

On the way back to the tram stop, we noticed this little hut. What is it serving?

The lady had lots of dough balls lined up, she then spins them into pizza bases and drops them in a deep fat fryer! Out comes a crispy base which she paints with garlic sauce.

She sprinkles it with grated cheese.

There you have it - a gorgeous, hot, crispy pizza-type-thingy!

Tasted DELICIOUS!

What a nice way to spend Sunday afternoon. Next time we go I want to skate. Better invest in some ice skates!

Designer drinks

We spent our first week in Brno wandering around and getting to know the place. Inevitably, this involved going into the odd bar or two (or three or four). Down a side street we came across the Design Cafe. The front part is a modern furniture shop and the back serves drinks and some cakes. Through the glass we spied some people enjoying Absinthe and knew we had to come back one evening and try some.

When we went in, downstairs was full, so we sat upstairs where it was nice and bright and calm and we had a view over the bar area.


Design Cafe upper chillout in Brno

The nice waitress (in funky stripy leg-warmers) spoke English, luckily and we ordered two glasses of Absinthe with the fountain or "the ritual" as she called it.

Put the sugar onto the spoon over the Absinthe...

...and let the ice water slowly dissolve the sugar.

Sip your cloudy beverage and feel a little like Toulouse-Lautrec.

Nicely warmed up by the 65% alcohol content, we could step back out onto the streets of Brno.

The tangerine of friendship

I walk into the shoe repairer's. Well, I wasn't sure from the outside that it was a shoe repairer's as many shops (and even bars and restaurants) here don't have windows and it is a surprise as to what you will find once you open the door! The only thing I had going for me was that I had found out that opravy obuvy meant shoe repairs. *Kling-a-ling-a-ling* Ah yes, some keys, an old sewing machine: I am in the cobbler's! "Dobry den!" I take my boots out of my backpack and point to the cracked sole and make a miserable face. The round faced cobbler looks horrified and draws around the crack with a piece of chalk. Then the fun begins. I can't understand a word he is saying. This is very frustrating for me, because as a linguist, I am used to speaking other languages fluently. Czech just wasn't on the curriculum. "Er, mluvíte anglicky?", "Ne". "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" This one can sometimes yield very good results. *Kling-a-ling-a-ling* Response: "Ne". Oh dear. Man who has just walked in says "Ich spreche Deutsch" Hurrah! So, we have a three-way conversation in German and Czech and I find out that I can pick my boots up on Wednesday.

I pop back in later that week and my boots are all fixed with nice grippy soles (very important here what with all the snow and ice). "Dobry, dobry!" I say and smile. Then, the cobbler trys to make conversation with me, but he knows I don't speak Czech. A lot of miming ensues and the odd word from my Czech phrasebook. But, I manage to find out that he is Armenian, came here 16 years ago, speaks Czech, Armenian and Russian (no common languages there then) and likes to do "fitness" after work. He shows me a comical photo of a body builder to demonstrate this! This is my first interaction with a Czech person in my village in Czech and although it was really difficult, we got there in the end. As I go to leave he takes out a bag of tangerines and offers me one. I gesture "No, I'm fine thanks", but he insists. So, I put the little fruit in my backpack. As I leave I feel really touched by this offering. We didn't have many words to communicate with each other, but the tangerine said it all: I have made my first Czech friend.