Let's talk about smazeny syr.
1. It's amazing.
2. It's amazing.
3. It's amazing.
There you go.
Smazeny syr is a food that is very, very Czech. It's something that's not particularly good for you in mass quantities, fried in oil, and then topped with something that's not particularly good for you.
Smazeny syr is fried cheese- syr meaning cheese and smazeny meaning fried. The main cheese used in smaz is Eidam, which is a pretty mild, and by some judges flavorless, cheese. I think it's good.
To make smaz, you take a hunk of cheese, cover it in flour, dip it in egg, coat it in bread crumbs, and fry it in oil. When it's a delightful golden brown color, you remove it from the oil, pat it dry, and serve with tartar sauce.
You can get smazeny syr in restaurants, where it's served as pieces, sort of like a gigantic mozzarella stick. Vendors also sell smaz in Wenceslas Square, where it's served as a patty in a hamburger bun. Then you can put mayo, ketchup, and/or mustard on it.
It's sort of like the dirty water hot dogs of NYC, except much more likely to clog your arteries quicker.
The Czech people really know how to live.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Terezin
On Friday, I visited Terezin.
Terezin was originally a fortress, built between 1780 and 1790 by Emperor Joseph to protect access routes to Bohemia. In World War II, the residents were evacuated and it was used as a ghetto/transit camp by the Nazis.
Approximately 140,000 men, women and children were deported to Terezin. Within Terezin, there was also "The Small Fortress". 32,000 prisoners passed through there. Both Jewish and non-Jewish POWs went through the Small Fortress. At least 10,000 people alone died in the Small Fortress. From Terezin, prisoners were sent to other camps, usually Auschwitz-Birkenau. The prisoners were kept in rooms with two tier "bunk beds". There were usually about 100 people in the room. In some of the smaller rooms, about 60 prisoners would be kept, and they would have to sleep standing up.
Naturally, the conditions were horrific. Terezin was used as a "model camp" to convince outsiders that nothing was wrong. In preparation for a Red Cross visit, a hospital was created. The hospital was clean and functioning and had supplies. Needless to say, it was never used. The Red Cross visited, and did absolutely nothing.
After WWII, the town was re-inhabited. Today it's a regular town, although it was a bit gray on the day I visited. Apparently a majority of the inhabitants are mentally disabled. There is a home for many of these people in the center of the town, but they just sort of roam the town. The rest of the townspeople either work at the Terezin museum or in some of the shops.
The museum for Terezin was oddly sterile and cold. Right inside the entrance for the Small Fortress is a cafe. After our tour, we were all hungry, so we sat in the cafe. Then we left. It was strange. I'm still hoping to get to Auschwitz.
Terezin was originally a fortress, built between 1780 and 1790 by Emperor Joseph to protect access routes to Bohemia. In World War II, the residents were evacuated and it was used as a ghetto/transit camp by the Nazis.
Approximately 140,000 men, women and children were deported to Terezin. Within Terezin, there was also "The Small Fortress". 32,000 prisoners passed through there. Both Jewish and non-Jewish POWs went through the Small Fortress. At least 10,000 people alone died in the Small Fortress. From Terezin, prisoners were sent to other camps, usually Auschwitz-Birkenau. The prisoners were kept in rooms with two tier "bunk beds". There were usually about 100 people in the room. In some of the smaller rooms, about 60 prisoners would be kept, and they would have to sleep standing up.
Naturally, the conditions were horrific. Terezin was used as a "model camp" to convince outsiders that nothing was wrong. In preparation for a Red Cross visit, a hospital was created. The hospital was clean and functioning and had supplies. Needless to say, it was never used. The Red Cross visited, and did absolutely nothing.
After WWII, the town was re-inhabited. Today it's a regular town, although it was a bit gray on the day I visited. Apparently a majority of the inhabitants are mentally disabled. There is a home for many of these people in the center of the town, but they just sort of roam the town. The rest of the townspeople either work at the Terezin museum or in some of the shops.
The museum for Terezin was oddly sterile and cold. Right inside the entrance for the Small Fortress is a cafe. After our tour, we were all hungry, so we sat in the cafe. Then we left. It was strange. I'm still hoping to get to Auschwitz.
Not the sign everybody knows. It's strange that it was in Terezin, as Terezin wasn't a work camp.
Window in the small room. Only source of light. It wasn't opened, so it wasn't a source of air.
Barbed wire.
Gavrilo Princip, the man who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and started WWI, was imprisoned in this solitary confinement cell.
Wall used for target practice/executions. You can see four areas that are shot at.
Solitary confinement cells in the Small Fortress.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Fasanky!
So last week was pretty boring (comparatively speaking) as most of my friends were getting over minor colds (sorry guys!) and we let the week be filled with R/R.
The weekend however, included a weekend trip to two towns in Moravia to celebrate the Czech version of Mardi Gras, which may or may not be called Fasanky (hacek over the s!).
In the spirit of Mardi Gras, it was completely ridiculous.
The weekend however, included a weekend trip to two towns in Moravia to celebrate the Czech version of Mardi Gras, which may or may not be called Fasanky (hacek over the s!).
In the spirit of Mardi Gras, it was completely ridiculous.
Clowns!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Hokej!
Again! This time we went to an HC Slavia Praha game. Slavia Praha has an nice new arena where you can sit in the front row next to the penalty box for under fifteen dollars.
Did I mention I love this exchange rate? Because I do.
Did I mention I love this exchange rate? Because I do.
Bad! Think about what you've done.
Prague Castle Part Dva!
For my Architecture History course, the professor shows us all around Prague. After all, what's the point of a Czech architecture class in Prague if you're not actually going to see it?
On Monday we went to the Prague Castle for the second time. My professor has a funny habit of just leaving us after our tours are done, which is interesting, because we're about 15 Americans in Prague who speak very, very little Czech. But we figured that that would be the worst case scenario, and we'd all find our way back to our dorms.
On Monday we went to the Prague Castle for the second time. My professor has a funny habit of just leaving us after our tours are done, which is interesting, because we're about 15 Americans in Prague who speak very, very little Czech. But we figured that that would be the worst case scenario, and we'd all find our way back to our dorms.
Turns out we were wrong.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Catching up, Part Dva: Wien!
Last week, my friend from Austria informed us all that she had to go home to Vienna for the weekend."How funny!" we all exclaimed. "We have to go home to Vienna too! For...you know...stuff"
Our friend very generously offered to put us up, and put up with us, and we were off to Wien for the weekend!
Unfortunately, I came down with a cold the first day, and so much of the site seeing was a blur. I do recall getting beaned in the head with a snowball, as some of my friends decided to have a snowball fight, but live and let live, I always say.
Just kidding. I totally got back at them.
Our friend very generously offered to put us up, and put up with us, and we were off to Wien for the weekend!
Unfortunately, I came down with a cold the first day, and so much of the site seeing was a blur. I do recall getting beaned in the head with a snowball, as some of my friends decided to have a snowball fight, but live and let live, I always say.
Just kidding. I totally got back at them.
Lots of Stuff! Part Jeden
Playing catch up sucks, but that's what happens when your University acts way too stupid for it's prestige and only gets one wifi router for 60 kids.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.
So what have I been up to?
Well, class for starters.
But that's not important.
I hosted a pot luck dinner last week for a bunch of my friends. It was delicious! I made cookies, one of my friends brought ice cream, and two of my friends made four pounds of modified potato salad (no mayo here). It was delicious.
Academically and Prague-ally speaking, I saw Prague Castle for the first time this trip. It's gorgeous. It's a bizarre mix of architecture, ranging from 11th Century Romanesque to 20th Century Neo-Gothic.
The best view of Prague is from one of the fortifications of the castle.
More after jump.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.
So what have I been up to?
Well, class for starters.
But that's not important.
I hosted a pot luck dinner last week for a bunch of my friends. It was delicious! I made cookies, one of my friends brought ice cream, and two of my friends made four pounds of modified potato salad (no mayo here). It was delicious.
Academically and Prague-ally speaking, I saw Prague Castle for the first time this trip. It's gorgeous. It's a bizarre mix of architecture, ranging from 11th Century Romanesque to 20th Century Neo-Gothic.
The best view of Prague is from one of the fortifications of the castle.
More after jump.
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