June 6, 2010

June 6, 2010

I am writing about my Sunday on Tuesday. I really wish I could have stayed caught up with these entries. I think a big blow was how much I time I devoted to writing about my hike. Sunday was also a day I hope I will be able to remember the rest of my life. As I decided to spend my weekend in Novy Bydzov rather than heading to Hradec, I wanted to do as much discovering of the town as I could over this past weekend.

Besides the brochure I had been given by one of the headmaster’s of the schools I teach in, all about the hike, the one I have already told you about, I was given, about a month ago another brochure, once again in English, about historical tours of Novy Bydzov. In this brochure there were two different tours I could take, one to the west and through the western part of the city, the other to the east of city and through the eastern part of the city. When I awoke I didn’t which I would take. I did know there is a church which sticks out above all other buildings in the Eastern half of the city. It was seeing this church every time I rode in from Hradec, which led me to my ultimate decision to head east.

However, before I headed out on this tour I decided it was a good morning to continue with working out. I have actually been staying pretty consistent with my work out plan. Like I have said before it is nothing much, but it is still something to keep me feeling active and even more than that, occupies my time. I walked up to the school with my backpack packed for my tour of the city, as well as, for my work out. I only worked out for about forty-five minutes, I know it is probably not doing much for me, but at least it is something. After I finished, I showered at the school and headed out on my tour.

The first stop was the church I had been observing for nearly 10 months, but had never come within 300 yards of. As I was walking to the church I passed a park. I made the decision to sit in this park for a while and write after I had seen the church. The church was old and beautifully built; I could not get inside though. I guess after seeing as many churches as I have in Europe, it takes a church of immense captivation to astonish me. This old church was a site to be seen though and I glad I took the walk to visit it, but, I don’t know why, I was expecting to be overtaken emotionally by its grandeur and its humbleness at the same time, it being an old small town church built decades, if not a century ago. However, it did neither for me. I made a circle around it, trying to open all the doors to no avail. Maybe if I would have been able to step inside I would have got the feeling I had longed from it.

I did get those feelings from the unexpected park I found just hundred yards from the church and if I think about it, if I had never ventured to the church, I would have never found this solemn park. I was the only one in the entire park, the weather was perfect, and I had remembered to bring a pen and a pad of paper with me this time. I sat in the park for over an hour, sitting quietly, enjoying nature, writing, and then one of my friends from Hradec called. I have been out of touch with anyone from Hradec since Andrea left. It was refreshing to hear his voice. He is one of the kindest, most compassionate, thoughtful people I have ever met. Plus, I especially glad to hear from him as I had been meaning to talk to him.

The reason behind my want to speak to him in particular dated back a few weeks, just before Andrea left. It was Andrea and I, him and his girlfriend, sitting around talking in a tea house in Hradec. Somehow the conversation arose about a short story I had written. A short story about an older man using his age to seduce and manipulate then murder a much younger girl. The story is completely fictional, but the concept, of an older man taking advantage of a younger woman, was taken in manner I had not wished by my friend. In the story, the way I spoke so badly about this deviant of a man who would take advantage of a younger girl, was taken to heart by my friend. I do not believe he saw himself at all in the character I portrayed nor did he see his girlfriend as the young, innocent who was duped into a life she had not been meant to have. However, my good friend and his girlfriend do have a difference in their ages. The actual age difference between the two of them does not matter; therefore, it will not be mentioned. What will be mentioned is the girl is of age and actually farther beyond what most would consider of age. She is mature, confident, and intelligent beyond her years and actually beyond his. I do not feel any apprehension at saying this because he would admit to the same.

With all this information imparted on you, let me tell you what Andrea had made me aware of, like is common with myself, my story had actually had an effect upon him and I had not even thought of it in relation to them. The only fact of the story, which I believe, concerned him, was the reference in the story of the horrors, which may arise from a man taking advantage of the innocence and immaturity of young girl. I see these situations occur often and never in my life have I seen them as frequently as I have in the Czech Republic, but here is my main reason for writing about my conversation with my friend. I do not see any of the like in the relationship he has with his girlfriend. They are an amazing couple, beautiful to see together, and if anything I see her influence, although she is younger, more upon him than him upon her. They make the ideal couple; an age difference should never be a consideration in a relationship unless in that relationship one is using their maturity to take advantage of the other. I must lastly state my opinion, although I must ensure all my readers this is in no way a reflection of the relationship I just wrote about. I do not approve, actually I am ashamed any time I see a man or even a woman, although it does not happen in as many cases, using their influence to take advantage of someone they presume to love. It is actually one of the vilest things I
can think of in today’s society and it happens too often.

Well, that is the end of my tirade. I had a great conversation with my friend and after hanging up with him I felt assured he had seen my perspective on the relationships between couples of different ages and I left the park with making plans to see him during the next weekend. After the park, there were just a couple more sites on the historical tour I needed to see. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found them. Mostly because they had been so close to where I had walked so many times before and had never known of them, literally just outside the town square is a park and within this park is not one, but two stunning churches. These two churches lay not more two hundred feet from one another within this park and their styles of architecture contrasted one from the other perfectly. I wish I had more knowledge of architecture so I could give a better description of each church and how their contrasts created perfection between the two of them. You will have to just take my word for it; you will have to believe in me and my eye for beauty. I still can’t believe I have been living in this city for so long and I am just beginning to see its wonders. I could have taken my parents on a much better tour of the city if I had had the knowledge I do today.

That is really about it for my account of Sunday. In consideration of what I typically do on Sundays, laying around watching television, simply doing nothing more than dreading the next day, going back to work, I believe it was a wonderful, productive day. Once again, this an experience I wish I could have shared with Andrea, but I hope she is reading these entries and picturing herself by my side because I know during many of the moments of this past weekend I have done so.