First Day

Went into the Facility With No Name, met people, did stuff.

Y’know it’s really hard to blog about stuff with an NDA hanging over your head…

It's Official

I don’t like Heathrow airport.  Compared to other airports I’ve been through the layout is inefficient and there’s an incredible waste of space.  Oh well, it’s only for layover to the final destination.

Booked And Ready

All details have been sorted out for the Europe trip on Friday.  Still not sure whether I’m going to be blogging much since any descriptive details would be a violation of the non-disclosure agreement.  At this point I’m not even sure how many photos I could conceivably post up, although the second half (in Prague, just for fun) should be much safer to talk about.

Last Day In Europe

The Prague trip is just about over.  More exploring, fun, shopping and getting locked in a 600 year old royal court chamber until we got “rescued” by angry caretakers who were not impressed.  Long story.

More Touristy Stuff

I am now the proud owner of a Satan maroinette.  Don’t ask.  I have also visited the Prague Franz Kafka museum which is as impressive as it is pretentious, which is to say very.  However, perhaps the highlight of the day is the one occurring right now, the 21st century equivalent of the grand old writer’s cliche as I commit my thoughts to digital paper, cigarette dangling out of my mouth, in an old cafe noted for playing host to many artists and writers of old, a live pianist somewhere in the background with a genuine Manet painting in the building.

Obscenely pretentious?  Just a little.  But fun too.

There And Back Again

A safe return back home.  It was nice seeing quite a few familiar faces from university.  None of the folks I knew seem to have changed remarkably except in the marital status department, but otherwise they were as articulate, or crazy, or thoughtful as I remembered.

The more things change, and all that, I guess.  It seems like everyone is still whoever they are, plus “more” if that makes any sense.

More Culture

It seems like good restaurants lie every 20 feet in Prague.  Same with gorgeous architecture.  And museums.  The collection of photos is now ridiculously huge.

Mission Accomplished

Friend married.  Rare emotional outburst witnessed.  Older drunken Chinese relatives crooning Japanese love songs for far too long.

The Old World

After wandering around the cathedrals, rat maze streets and cafes (where you can still smoke indoors!  Prague is officially the most culturally evolved city on the face of the planet!) of this town, I can see why Kafka was so crazy.  It might have been a good kind of crazy, but it’s still crazy.

Welcome To Prague

Which IS the destination I can talk about free from NDA restrictions.  First thing about this place that surprised the hell out of me; zero immigration forms, immigration control, or any sort of counter you need to go to where they ask to see your passport or want to know how long you’re staying, or even just stamp the damn thing to show you’ve been there.  We got off the plane, got our luggage and were in Prague.  That was it.  Freaky.