Small rant first, pictures second: Well, i've been living in Prague for the last four months. I traveled to eight other countries in Europe during that time and I must say, Prague is the capital of white people with dreadlocks. There are so many different variations of dreadlocks there. People will shave their head and have a row of dreads in the back, or just one or two, this is maybe even more popular then having a full head of dreads. (This is so popular that i've seen people walking around in business suits looking like this) Lots of girls have undreaded bangs and dreads on the rest of their head (very sexy). They are actually so common that people wouldn't believe my when I said I wasn't czech. When I told them i'm from the USA people usually say "people in the usa have dreadlocks??" There are countless other variations. Its funny that this country was communist a little over twenty years ago, considering how much more liberty an average citizen has. I've seen women in their seventies with pink hair. Being in the USA less then one day, i've already been asked for drugs and had three people comment when they thought I didn't hear them. In four months of being in Europe I've only heard anyone talk about my hair a dozen times, outside the czech republic, mainly by tourists. Well that's my rant, take it for what you will, picture update!!! 9 months First picture is venice, second picture is milan Old thread: http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=316662&f=209
Wow, that's pretty funny about your comparisons. And totally believable. Diggin the locks What inspired your travel?
Well I guess my main inspiration was to go and experience other cultures and ways of life. I was born in Russia but haven't been back to Europe since I left when I was seven. The slavic roots of Czech really helped me fit in more, and understand the language better. Well there is a lot to tell, I guess i'll tell the best things about each of my travel destinations. Prague: The amazingly liberal atmosphere, the fact that beer is cheaper then water. All the people with dreadlocks. Great reggae music. Berlin: A great hostel staff, and meeting people in the hostel bar. Standing in line at 3 am for 1.5 hours in drizzle for a club I knew nothing about, and being the only one to get in out of ten people and half the people actually wanted to go specifically there. The Zoo, Riding Bikes Budapest: The most disappointing destination. The best parts were caving and going to Turkish baths. Being there co-incidentally for a holiday. Pilsen, Czech Republic: Climbing 300 some stairs to get to the top of the central church. Touring the pilsner brewery. Vienna: The summer and winter palaces. Surprisingly giving people Badgastein, Austria: Off Trail Skiing in the alps with fresh powdered snow up to my knees. Cesky Krumlov, CZ: Seeing the castle moat that is guarded by two bears. Krakow: Going to Auschwitz. Seeing St. Mary's Basilica Amsterdam: Clubs you can't smoke in. I'm serious, you can't smoke in clubs there!!! Riding bicycles Kutna Hora, CZ: The bone church, MUST SEE: http://www.earth-photography.com/photos/Countries/CzechRepublic/Czech_KutnaHora_Ossuary1.jpg Decorated with 50,000 human skeletons, there's also a chandelier made up of every bone in the human body. Munich: Reggae Night at Backstage, the BMW factory, Driving 215 kmph on the autobanh Innsbruck: Mystic Pizza, Baby Lynx at the alpine zoo, Zappa Bar Venice: Water Taxis, Pizza, St. Marcus Square Lido: The adriatic sea, the contrast to venice Genoa: swimming in the Mediterranean Milan: Seeing the largest Gothic cathedral in Europe, Going to a byzantine chapel Zurich: The huge clean lake in the middle of the city, ridding around the river, the hand driers, the blow air, but your hands get dry in 10 seconds. I also went to the castle that the Disney castle was based off of, which was really cool inside. Pictures of my dreads at any of these locations are available
You can't believe that this country had communism? Well they (and all the other nations, including Estonia, that were occupied by Russia) didn't really have a choice back then. Most of the countries (if not all of them) became democratic countries after achieving independence. And by democracy i mean real democracy, not the kind they have in Russia where journalists have "accidents".
I went to Krakow a couple of weeks ago with school and I was amazed at how many dreadheads there walked around there. It was so much fun! Also, uhm, in the Netherlands we have this new legislation which prohibits smoking (only cigarettes and cigars etc, because they hold tar and what not) in any public place, including clubs, bars, pubs etc. The coffeeshops then asked the department of Public Health if they could be excluded from the legislation, because if people would smoke 100% weed joints it might be bad for their health and they are not allowed to sell more than 5 grams to a singular person XD I don't know how that ended though....
I felt the same way when I came back from Taiwan... not about dreads, but jus the difference in friendliness.... had a stop in Japan on my way there, very nice people at the airport... "could you please place the laptop in the tray? thank you sir, have a nice day" *smile*. Got to Taiwan and it was the same "how are you sir? please step this way and have a nice stay in Taiwan" *smile* On the flight back, I hit the US "Alright, everyone over here, c'mon, move it people." *scowl* It was a real eye opener to me... everywhere else felt like they were happy for me to experience their country... The "Welcome" back to the US felt like I was on my to prison and that it'd be a privilege to even be allowed in.
