MUNICH, GERMANY
VIENNA, AUSTRIA
KRAKOW, POLAND
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Schliefke
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 1999 4:58 PM
Subject: Munchen daze two

Hello everyone. Combine the trendy aspects of some high class bar for yuppies outside of (faneuil hall, with some sort of techie paradise with italian food (hasn«t arrived yet - cant tell you how it is - and no, its not my first choice for dinner tonight) That«s where I am - At INTERNET CAFE (7 makrs of internet per half hour). ROck on. Spent all day today at museums - saw the overly impressive alte pinakothethek munchen - had an awesome collection ogf bruegels, a davinci, an incredible titian that he painted when he was 99 - and a whole lotta ruebens - including the rape of the daughter of lacrippus. had a bunch of durers too - almost all was under glass, but the 499 year old self portarit of him as (christ still looked incredible. spaghetti aqnd meat suace is watered down chef boyardee - with a sprinkle of swome green herbs on the edge of the plate. the beer is good. i ordered "a dark bier". Had a buzz at hte alte pinak., it wore off when i got to the neue pinak actross the street. the art there was really bad - not bad, just run of the mill 18th and19th century. had a bunch of bocklins, but even those lacked his usual zest for the deranged. it snowed today as well. about an inch and a half. it«s chilly, but niot unmanageable. plane ride almost was unbearable - had to listen to nirvana, einstenyende neubaten, and nina«s 99 luftballoons about 5 times each. they also threw in some kraftwerk for good measure. gotta love lufthansa air. the scariest thing was a cover of burning down the house by tom jones and some waify chick picking up the slack on the chorus. tonight im headed to a bier garten, or perhaPS a club to "rock out".
im not sure where the next transmission is headed from, but make sure to hit 00 in stride with a beer in hand.
okay, that was almost a coherent few paragraphs. more latrer. plenty to tell.
dont know how much of my .5 hour is left, plus chef boy aredee is calling. auf weudersien. livin the vida loca just came on the overhead soundsyztem.

michael
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Schliefke
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 1999 6:00 PM
Subject: fin de seicle

Alright everyone- Here's the deal: I woke up this morning to get outta Germany. I succeeded. i boarded the fourth train into Austria - I had standing room till Salzburg. So for an hour and a half I got to stand/sit on my backpack with a set of twin German brothers in their 60's I was next to the watercloset (bathroom), which was fortunately locked. eeryone who tried to get in was upset, and the brothers laughed and the three of us smiled knowingly as each person tried futily to get in. One women was PISSED OFF and started screaming SHISTE SHISTE SHISTE. I dont know t\what that nmeans, but the three of us were practically on the floor. TRhe women, I assume, did find a WC.
Anyway, I sold a drawing on the train for 200 schillings - it was a protrait of an 80 year old German man sitting across from me talking to theis young Gwerman fraulein (who turned out to be Austrian) He was in\mpressed, dug out his billfold, and handed me the two austrian banknotes. I love international commerce. The Austrian girl was a trip talking to - she's headed to Perugia next year for a semester of school - she seemed to like the decadent lifestlye the Italians lead. it is pretty refresshing from the Germanic anal retentive wait for a stop light to turn to walk even in a blizzrd. Why do they do that??
I arrived in Vienna around 2:00, and quickly spent 290 schilling on my room accomadations. schilling = 13-14 US dollars. The hostel is sweet, and the fin de seicle should be tremendous. I feel the buzz uin the air and this is going to be big.
Vienna is one of the most beautiful and shocking cities in the world. I was wak\lking through without a map and just fell over another church, square, or something that just put whatever i just saw to shame. I cannot wait to hit the art museum tomorrow morning - it is the 4th a\largest collection in the world - Louvre, Prado, and Hermitage first three? Anyway, they have whole rooms dedicated to Rembrandt, Velasquez and Rubenms.
Tomorrow night I am joining 100,000 of my closest firends to waltz in the new millenium on the banks of the danube. At first i was uncertain of this idea, but now I am convincd it is perfect. Plus there wil be a large fireworks display and a ton of hot clubs to hit aftwerwards.
Munich in all was good, but disappointing,.. It seemed very trendy, with a whole class of people that are refered to as "schicke micke" - basically tall, blond yuppies that wear extremely trendy clothes and make Bostonians look like firendly folk.
I am so enthused about VIenna it absolutely rocks. The city is alot bigger, girttier, and a lot more like Roma than anything in the Gedrmanic kingdoms.
One other note: I visited the EMC office in Vienna today after I set up my reservations at the hostel. It's only about 6 blocks away and I got [pics to prove it. They served me tea and asked if I wanted to get a reservation at a hotel they have out of towners stay at - the secretary showed me pictures and the rooms looked like a palace. NO EXAGERATION. I didn't tell her I just spent 20 bucks for a few nights in a dorm room... Man, life is good. Krakow nesxt, then Praha. OKAY, all for now. I muist gear up for the end of the millenium. I'm going over those waltz steps as I type....

Have a nice new year.
Michael S.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Schliefke
Sent: Friday, December 31, 1999 7:30 AM
Subject: Last night on earth
Last night I ordered a beer at a bar with some fellow hostelers. Finishing it quickly, I had to wait a long time for my next beer. So when the bartender came around, I ordered a grosse one. What I got was a 3 liter stein. Two hours later, it was empty. It is now 8:30 am, with few precious hours of this precuious millenium left. Got my dancing shoes on....

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Schliefke
Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2000 5:03 PM
Subject: night train outta heaven

Happy new year folks!
In about 4 hours I'll be headed on a night train into Poland to make a visit to the royal city of Krakow. One of the few cities relatively untouched by WWII, it should be a visual treat. For good measure,. I'm also going to check out Auschwitz and Berkinow.
New Years was an intense affair. I started the night sipping a few beers awith sopme Australians at the hostel, and a couiple of Canadiens joined us as did a few Americanos. Fortunately, our plans did not jive with the Canadiens, and we lost a few of the Americans once we c\got to the waltz capital of the world at StephenPlatz square by the Ratthaus (city hall). We stoppd at the train station on the way there and picked up more beer, a couple rolls and a nice 130 schilling bottle of champagne.
The beer ranout fast (thank god for public drinking) and I held on tight to the champagne. I switched over to gluewein and drank 6-8 cups of the hot spiced wine that is a tryue treat in the chilly december air. The crowd was alive and huge, fireworks flew everywhere into everyone, lights, noises, flashes, german waltz lessons, the blue danube played on and on mixed in with some eurotrash techno. the square was packed, and the group was down to me, two aussies, a new zealander, and a suspicous american couple (CIA? FBI? _ more on my paranoia later - i am running out of time) After a few public displays acting like an evangelist and drawing raucous crowds to watch me do my arm trick for the last tikmes in the twentieth century, I hit the dance floor a few tiomes with an Aussie girl and a girl from New Zealnd who's name I cannot spell, but it is "Nerelle". I couldn't think of anything to associate that name with besides Superman - isnt he the son of Jurelle?
Anyway, the clock sstruck midnight, kisses exhcanged, corks popped, anjd i was eating a ham sandwiche of some sort NErelle bought for me. We qucikly met an Austrian ouple in their 60's/70's and they took us on as crazed, drunken tour of Wein's center sites.
Well, there is a ton more to tell, but my time is limited. i took some nifty drunken millenium pictures, some action shots self portraits of me posing, me with gluewein, etc, that I hope come out OK.
More later. I'm going to read some mail now.
Goodbye for now. Happy new year.
Michael S
2 qucik things: people here call me Michael when I introduce myself as Michael (no mike's here!!!) austrians are a hel of a lot happier and nicer than Germans. one iother thing: german qwomwen are a lot more fashionable and hotter than Austrians.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Schliefke
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2000 3:43 PM
Subject: Y2KRAKOW

I will admit my first impressions of Krakow weren't much - i took a nighttrain and got in a sleeper with NO HEAT. I had to transfer trains in Kartowice and stand out in the freezeing cold for a n hour and a half until the train to Krakow arrived at 5:22. Once I got to Krakow, my already chiolled through the bones frame experienced cold like it never has. I got some ztoly from the ATM as a Pole was sleeping by my feet under some newspapers. The city was deserted *(Sunday morning at 6:48 is not a happening time in KRakow) and the cold was as intense as it gets. I walked around trying to keep warm, got lost, and saw osome of the old commie industrial complexes that were built.
But everything is great actually - I found this great expensiveplace to stay (100 ztoly a night - 25 bucks) it is made for kings and has a doorman. The place seems regal in many ways. The women are enough to warm your soul - godbless them - a lot of them wear skirrts in this frigid air - a super gold star for all that is polski. the city is tremendous - it reminds me of perugia, italy - an ancient city where progress worked around the old buildings and ways of life. There are a ton of restuarants (tonight I try polski cuisine), clubs, and bars around the city center - EVERYTHING IS DIRT CHEAP.
Beer (1/2 liter = 4 ztoly = 1 dollar) ASunday was a toughh day to get in - most shops were closed and restuarants too - so I went into a pizza place and got a pizza and a half liter of beer for 4 dollars. The pizza was great, and I think the beer knocked me for a loop- it was 12%. The stuf is cheap and lethal. I slept it off with a nap, and was out on the streets looking for a place to go last night. I found a disco - drank a feew more zeiweic's and hit the dance floor. It didn't take long until I was dancing with this polish girl who was doing the patented Miss Agers punk rock girl dance backwards - hands on the front pockets, but same pouty face. Paul and Gen - do you realize Hairy Mary's was 6 years ago? Anyway, that passed and I was soon cutting the rug again when two unbvelievable polski girls and their italia friend found my dancing quite nice. They told me so, so the four of us danced the night away through a plethora of american hits set to electric beats. the people here are extremely friendly and I get by with jean dobry, and jen kooley.
today i went to auschwitz and actually stood in a gas chamber. birkeneau (which is about 3 km away from auschwitz) was the largest place I have seen ever. It sent chills down my spine. well, my 1/2 hour is almost up, so i must be going now. more later. the move west begins on wedenesday prague is next. then frankfurt on sunday. then to hell on monday.
michael

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Schliefke
Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2000 7:04 PM
Subject: platki is potato pancakes, not crepes
Everybody-
This will be my last transmission from the Great State of Poland for a little while. (when's my next trip?) Krakow is a totally unbelievably beautiful city that lies outside the consciousness of Americans. The truest test of this is the McDonald Test- there is only one in town and it is on the outsikirts of the city center.
I'd have to say the Polski people are absolutely charming, happy folks. The women are gorgeous, and have a esopecially distinctive charm and they flirt and make eye contact and smile. I visited the Wawel Castle today, it was a stark contrast to the overblown residences of the Austrian Hapsburgs, but had better art than the city's museum, which includes some folksy Polish paintings in a layout similar to my grandparent's attic. There are swords, tapestries, paintings all thrown together in a wild ancient house. There are two painters I recognized in the whole collection - apparently Polski people had more to worry about with the Germans and Russians and Sewedes invavding every couple of years than to put together a fine art collection. Anyway, the two painters: Rembrandt (a quiet landscape with a golden sunset) and daVinci (a bizarre painting of an italian bella holding a ferret). The daVinci was beyond plexi glass in its own room, and had some huge scratches on the casing. It was amusing to say the least.
Anyway, last night I found myself drinking Zweiec at a cafe/bar and watching towo Polskis play chess. We started talking and conversation changed from art to Star Wars Episode I to Kurt Vonnegut to John Lee Hooker. did you know Yoda in Polski is Joda? The one guy was a 34 year old psychiatirst in Kratowice (the same town I got stuck in on my neat layover) and his best freind, his described "worst patient" who makes Xynex or Zynex - the second most prescirbed psyche drug ala Prozac. We closed the place with a bitter and drunk dutch man who just left his polski wife,. We ended up hitting a few more bars and bedtime was somewhere around 5. Things were insane all night.
Well, internet access is real slow here, I flipped through some emails I got, but i didnt read the,m all. and boston is 70 degrees or some ungodly number. Are the women in skirts? Go where the action is! Anyway, ythings here did ewarm up a bit, to about 35, and it gfeels balmy. That first morning was rough though. walked through the Jewish ghetto today too. it wasnt far from my sunday morning walk. beautiful churches and synagouges in the area, and a lot of buildings pretty wrecked still.
well, im outta here. tomorrow i head for the czech republic. my hostel there is described by the owner as being a "crazy house" more good times topnight, im hitting a club soon.
Take it easy, Michael S.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Schliefke
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2000 3:42 PM
Subject: praha finale

All: this is the last transmission from europe for a while. i am in praha, czech republic and the city is the most magnificent one yet. its really hard and tiring to describe the effect this city has on you, but it really has a pulse of its own. the hostel i am staying at is a crazy party all the time. its nice, neat, clean, and run by a czech woman named vera who runs around with ringing a bell when its dinner time. the people who stay there make sure beer consumption stays extremely high, i havent drank this continously since beaux arts 97. a couple brits and an aussie and i headed to a 4 story dance club last night. drinks at the club cost anywhere from 60 cents to $1.30. Needless to stay, i wasn;t very sober and i even discovered they sell absinthe in clubs here. Of course I tried a shot of it and it was intense. My throat is still feeling the burning right below my jaw. that stuff can really toy with you. looks like im here until sunday night, when i jump on a nighttrain to frankfurt and wait there 4 hours for my plane. i did quite a bit of drawing today, and i think tomorrow will be a good museum day because tonight is friday night, and if thursday night was any indication, i may not want to stand at all tomorrow.
I will say goodbye now, and my mindis beginning to ache just thinkging about the absinthe. really, that stuff is potent. gotta run. everyone make it a point to go to praha at least once in their short little lives.
peace out take it easy michael s.

i wrote some other stuff buty kinda didnt like it. read further if you please. remember, what you are about to read is unsanctioned material. it is not representative of the eurotrash transmissions you usually read.

I arrived in Praha on a night train with three New Zealand girls (two were cops), a Ukrainian who repeatedly said "munnee munnee" whenever he described, in broken broken english, his reason for going to praha and working in amsterdam. also in the cabin was an absolutely annoying american from detroit working in leeds england who was soft spoken and just got under my skin the whole way. i think he's one of those people that hears things people tell him and he repeats them likes he's done things in his life. well, at least he's not living at home. Nothing like putting a good spin on the ole american image overseas. kinda like electing al gore presidente.
anyway, i'll save my rants for my arrival in the states, tenatively scheduled for monday 1:35 pm EST. I'm leaving little margin for error on the trip to frankfurt - plane leaves around 11, im taking a nighttrain to avoid having to spend any less time in praha or more time in germany. i even traded in all my marks today for good ol czech korunas - the only currency in the world with no pennies. things start at 1 koruna, and go up from there. it's kinda neat, but took me a whole day to figure it out. also neat is the fact the exchange is 35:1, and beer costs 20 koruna. you do the math, but that's what, 60 cents? Praha beer is even cheaper than krakow beer. my fellow hostelers are keeping beer consumption at an all time high. i think i took a shower yesterday with a beer in hand and a good buzz on. last night i went to a club with a couple brits and an aussie, and i took a look at the drink menu and they had listed absinthe. i looked again, thinking my drunken state didn't really see it, but before i knew it, i was staring at a shot in front of me. (Absinthe was outlawed by the international community at the turn of the last century, depriving artists like degas and picasso to continue to paint the glazed over, brain dead looks of the people who drank it)