4th July. Czech - Slovakia - Hungary

The chronicles continue...

Continuing with last night...

52 exchange students unleashed upon Prague in the aimm of avoiding rape, mugging or getting themselves confused with prostitutes (I'm told Paige succeeded with the last point).

The majority of the group headed out to a 5 story disco, but I myself preferred to select the "pubbing" option. So Shroom (ref, kyle), kirsty, Amie, Josh and I found a sweet cafe-pub buried in the heart of Prague. Together we enjoyed the delights of Absinthe, flamed to taste. There were some american film students in the bar also who were quite entertaining to chat to....

...to my suprise all of us made it home, lacking quantities of illwill, in despite of the fact that the majority of the australians (excluding me and jack) decided to openly display their foriegn attributes by a round of "Aussie Aussie Aussie" whilst waiting for the tram...

Ofcourse being exchange students there was the usual make-out fest preceding the tram ride home.

After a hearty and hung-over brekkis we jumped on the bus early to leave the delight of Prague. Driving to the Slovakia (Brataslava) we were once again submitted to vigourous passport checks, however some go quite easy on the group of exchangies. One guard merely popped up to the top floor of the bus, requested passports be held in the air and left.

Side Note: Beware: angst and hung-over philosophy. (I said I'd type everything)

In a way I'm not sure which is more chilling. The visit to the old concentration camp that is now filled with only memories, and serves as but a token of reminiscence and tourist buff, or the fact that guards between boarders carry machine guns and stand severly.... In my mind I consider it more important to focus on what is happening, not to lament what has happened.

>>>This fact seriously annoyed Ping in the concentration camp, and at checkpoint charlie. The proud and loud exchangies driven close to tears and reprimanded in solemn silence when faced with the past... Don't they realise the real terror is in the countries in which such destruction continues to prevail? Destruction... In the year 2000, 2000! the biggest and greatest Buddhist statues where destroyed by Islam. These had stood more than 2000 years (ref: check facts required))... Dictating doctrine lives everywhere... The Berlin Wall? Reign of terror? What of the wall still standing between Palestine and Israel (I think)?? These facts need to be painted out and plastered more across our mindss. Even I am disgusted in my own lack of informent. Let the effort of emotion be placed into the pinnacles of pain continuing to plague... As they always will.

I hope a few others thought this?? In this way?? Back to today...

(Angst ends)

We hit slovakia and dined in the capital. Nearly had my wallet stolen, was followed by some random guy. Now we're waiting for entrance to Hungary. BUDAPEST AWAITS!!