USA –WANDERING - 2000USA –WANDERING - 2000

Irena VlkováIrena Vlková

teacherteacher

Long Live GlobalizationLong Live Globalization

I can not even imagine travelling across I can not even imagine travelling across countries with different time zones countries with different time zones without regularly looking into timetable without regularly looking into timetable on Greyhound websites. (It is the on Greyhound websites. (It is the cheapest way of transport in USA, apart cheapest way of transport in USA, apart from hitch-hiking). Besides the forsaken from hitch-hiking). Besides the forsaken McDonald’s can often be used as a shelter McDonald’s can often be used as a shelter where you are sure to find a clean toilette, where you are sure to find a clean toilette, a telephone including phone cards sale a telephone including phone cards sale and a cash machine. For example the and a cash machine. For example the Rock`n-Roll McDonald’s in Chicago is the Rock`n-Roll McDonald’s in Chicago is the one I would swear by.one I would swear by.

Cows in N.Y.C.Cows in N.Y.C.

New York City was full of cows in the New York City was full of cows in the summer. There were five hundred of them, summer. There were five hundred of them, in life-size, made of glass fibre and painted in life-size, made of glass fibre and painted all over by local artists. It was the beginning all over by local artists. It was the beginning of an event called Cowparade (first in N.Y.C. of an event called Cowparade (first in N.Y.C. and Chicago) where important artists from and Chicago) where important artists from big cities all over the world could represent big cities all over the world could represent their fantasy on life-size skeletons of cows their fantasy on life-size skeletons of cows made of glass fibre. These cows were used made of glass fibre. These cows were used as new meeting points for tourists in New as new meeting points for tourists in New York City. They were sold in charitable York City. They were sold in charitable auction in the autumn.auction in the autumn.

City ScootersCity Scooters

Mini city scooters have become Mini city scooters have become extremely popular in America. extremely popular in America. School kids and retired people School kids and retired people run around on them.run around on them.

American KitschAmerican Kitsch

I come across American sense of kitsch I come across American sense of kitsch practicality everywhere. When I am too practicality everywhere. When I am too tired after wandering across New York tired after wandering across New York Avenues I can sit down on a tree stump Avenues I can sit down on a tree stump coated with colorful leather and studs on coated with colorful leather and studs on the top of it. I admire blooming flowerbed in the top of it. I admire blooming flowerbed in Virginia until I come close enough to realize Virginia until I come close enough to realize that all the flowers are fake, made of that all the flowers are fake, made of plastic. In a cowboy town Rushville plastic. In a cowboy town Rushville (Nebraska) the streets are decorated with (Nebraska) the streets are decorated with giant cabbage in flower boxes instead of giant cabbage in flower boxes instead of flowers…flowers…

RacismRacism

American racism isn’t black and white American racism isn’t black and white but red and white. I could see local but red and white. I could see local Indians in reservation Pine Ride Indians in reservation Pine Ride (South Dakota), spoiled by generous (South Dakota), spoiled by generous state support, demonstrating against state support, demonstrating against local white people. The relationships local white people. The relationships got worse after a white boozer had got worse after a white boozer had shot another red one on the previous shot another red one on the previous day before I came there. The Indian day before I came there. The Indian desire to fight could be the heritage desire to fight could be the heritage after their ancestors from near after their ancestors from near famous battlefield Wounded Knee.famous battlefield Wounded Knee.

MusicMusic

Tip for bluesmen: Blues Night Club in Tip for bluesmen: Blues Night Club in Chicago (Illinois). Tip for rockers: Chicago (Illinois). Tip for rockers: recently opened building EMP - recently opened building EMP - "Experience Music Project" in Seattle "Experience Music Project" in Seattle (Washington) - Jimi Hendrix and Kurt (Washington) - Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain’s birthplace where Frank Cobain’s birthplace where Frank Gehry, one of the authors of dancing Gehry, one of the authors of dancing building” in Prague, had gathered building” in Prague, had gathered over eighty thousands exhibits of over eighty thousands exhibits of rock’n’roll history. Of course with rock’n’roll history. Of course with huge Bill Gates’ support (he gave 250 huge Bill Gates’ support (he gave 250 million dollars for the project).million dollars for the project).

GraveyardsGraveyards

Sometimes you can find colorful Sometimes you can find colorful windmills instead of wreaths and windmills instead of wreaths and little bells ringing in tree little bells ringing in tree branches in American graveyards branches in American graveyards (Lake Charles, Louisiana). The (Lake Charles, Louisiana). The famous American playfulness famous American playfulness probably lingers with Americans probably lingers with Americans after their death as well.after their death as well.

Amish PeopleAmish People

Amish people (Pennsylvania) truly ride Amish people (Pennsylvania) truly ride horses instead of driving cars (very unusual horses instead of driving cars (very unusual in America), they refuse to use electricity in America), they refuse to use electricity and take upholstered furniture for being and take upholstered furniture for being afraid of civilization spoiling. They can’t afraid of civilization spoiling. They can’t stand wearing colorful clothes except for stand wearing colorful clothes except for black or dark blue ones. They dislike zippers black or dark blue ones. They dislike zippers so they are buttoned. They are very so they are buttoned. They are very suspicious. They eat only food they grow suspicious. They eat only food they grow themselves and girls and boys are not themselves and girls and boys are not allowed to stay in the same classrooms. In allowed to stay in the same classrooms. In short they have their own reasons why to short they have their own reasons why to complicate modern life in our contemporary complicate modern life in our contemporary world with their simplicity.world with their simplicity.

BeerBeer

In addition to American Budweiser In addition to American Budweiser local pubs serve plenty of other bad local pubs serve plenty of other bad kinds of beer (Coors, Blitz, Olympia, kinds of beer (Coors, Blitz, Olympia, Milwaukee, Lest, Hamns...). But Milwaukee, Lest, Hamns...). But there is still one which would be there is still one which would be liked even by a Czech tourist (spoilt liked even by a Czech tourist (spoilt by original Budvar and Plzeň beer) by original Budvar and Plzeň beer) and that is Samuel Adams in a blue and that is Samuel Adams in a blue bottle.bottle.

No ThievesNo Thieves

There are lots of bikes and There are lots of bikes and roller-skates just left in front of roller-skates just left in front of the university (Houghton, New the university (Houghton, New York). Private stuff is much more York). Private stuff is much more respected overseas than in respected overseas than in Europe.Europe.

QuartersQuarters

"The 50 State Quarters Program“ started a year ago. "The 50 State Quarters Program“ started a year ago. Every year five American states get their own Every year five American states get their own quarter. On the first side of the quarter there is the quarter. On the first side of the quarter there is the emblem of the eagle and on the other one there is emblem of the eagle and on the other one there is the symbol of the state. So in 2008 there will be fifty the symbol of the state. So in 2008 there will be fifty different sorts of this famous 25-cent coin in the different sorts of this famous 25-cent coin in the world. The last one will be made for Hawaii. I’ve world. The last one will be made for Hawaii. I’ve managed to get almost all the samples of quarters managed to get almost all the samples of quarters which have already been made. Even the first one, which have already been made. Even the first one, for the state Delaware, which is a real rarity. It had for the state Delaware, which is a real rarity. It had to be withdrawn from circulation because the to be withdrawn from circulation because the portrayed horseman’s name written on the coin is portrayed horseman’s name written on the coin is not Caesar Rodney but Paul Revere, a patriotic not Caesar Rodney but Paul Revere, a patriotic silversmith.silversmith.

President’s NosePresident’s Nose

Climbers were climbing up the Climbers were climbing up the American president’s nose. It American president’s nose. It was the president Washington, was the president Washington, one of the four statesmen carved one of the four statesmen carved into rock (Mount Rushmore, into rock (Mount Rushmore, South Dakota).South Dakota).

Credit CardCredit Card

If you want to be equipped with a If you want to be equipped with a working credit cards before working credit cards before leaving for USA (you need it very leaving for USA (you need it very often, e.g. for renting a car…), you often, e.g. for renting a car…), you should choose some of the most should choose some of the most common all over the USA: common all over the USA: American Express, Master Card American Express, Master Card and Visa. Don’t rely on an advice and Visa. Don’t rely on an advice in our Czech banksin our Czech banks

Huge PuppyHuge Puppy

A huge, a few meter tall puppy A huge, a few meter tall puppy has settled temporarily in has settled temporarily in Rockefeller Center (N.Y.C.). It’s Rockefeller Center (N.Y.C.). It’s made of living flowers. Its author made of living flowers. Its author is Jeff Koons and his puppy is Jeff Koons and his puppy travels all over the world. It’s travels all over the world. It’s watered from the inside and the watered from the inside and the entrance is under its tail.entrance is under its tail.

BaseballBaseball

The only distraction during the The only distraction during the boring three-hour baseball boring three-hour baseball match (Buffalo, New York) was match (Buffalo, New York) was provided by “buster” (living provided by “buster” (living mascot). The buster made mascot). The buster made American audience applauding American audience applauding by precisely aimed kicks to the by precisely aimed kicks to the Buffalo Bisons players.Buffalo Bisons players.

Fence ShoesFence Shoes

You can get rid of your hopeless You can get rid of your hopeless lethargy caused by Nebraska - lethargy caused by Nebraska - the state of endless corn tracts the state of endless corn tracts full of irrigating monsters and full of irrigating monsters and the state of deserted landscape the state of deserted landscape with coyote dens - by looking at with coyote dens - by looking at well-worn riding boots on fences. well-worn riding boots on fences. It’s the local cowboys’ custom.It’s the local cowboys’ custom.

St. HelensSt. Helens

The burned landscape around The burned landscape around the volcano Mount St. Helens the volcano Mount St. Helens (state Washington) starts (state Washington) starts turning green after twenty years turning green after twenty years again. You can even see our again. You can even see our daisies there.daisies there.

Czech MealsCzech Meals

Do you miss “knedlo vepřo Do you miss “knedlo vepřo zelo”? There are enough Czech zelo”? There are enough Czech pubs in America. Just in N.Y.C. I pubs in America. Just in N.Y.C. I know a few ones. In one of them, know a few ones. In one of them, Golden Prague, “knedlo vepřo Golden Prague, “knedlo vepřo zelo” would cost you around 400 zelo” would cost you around 400 Czech crowns (insignificant Czech crowns (insignificant amount for Americans).amount for Americans).

ConesCones

The cones in northern California The cones in northern California can turn into dangerous can turn into dangerous weapons with a bit bad luck. weapons with a bit bad luck. That can happen when they fall That can happen when they fall down from trees because they down from trees because they are as big as a head.are as big as a head.