dobrý den, or whichever daytime-appropriate utterance is currently sanctioned within the republic.

there is, as you have likely inferred by the timestamp (or lack thereof), some amount of backlog to address. this wave of electrons should have been dispatched earlier, but the days have a tendency to compress themselves into some indescribable amalgamation, within which intention exists but execution does not always follow. a familiar pattern, i'm sure, as you've observed it yourself. still, the weblog (or "blog" as the populus would call it) persists, of which i am glad. onward.

the stralsund entry was a delight to read. i did not know what a “sound” was before this, so that’s knowledge gained. it’s always interesting how very specific things get very specific names (deeper than a "bight", wider than a "fjord", let's call it a "sound". weirdly marvellous). feels like something you could spend too long thinking about, so i will not (or is it already too late?). snap back to reality (oops, there goes gravity).

the journey there, passing through neustrelitz and neubrandenburg strikes a nice balance. the pattern is visible, and now difficult to unsee. i am filled with fear they will haunt me in my dreams now. thanks for that. the description of the journey is detailed enough to form a clear picture, but not so detailed that it removes any reason to go there yourself. it flows naturally from one observation into the next, which suits the tone of the whole weblog well.

missing a stop on a train when anxiously coding away to meet deadlines (i'm assuming here) is something everyone in IT will have experience with sadly. please don't trip the poor worker-ant, they did nothing wrong (even though it's javascript).

your description of the water boiler sounds like bad design. i would not feel comfortable using it, even though it sounds easy enough to not get the wrong parts wet. glad this is not the mainstream design.

berlin remains on the "want to visit" list, even if busy places are not exactly my preference. too claustrophobic-ish for me. your description lines up with what i imagined; either centuries old or aggressive glass-deco. tk maxx is best left alone. the more you think about it, the worse it gets.

the ohm club sounds like a solid place. the hostel stories, less so. “hassle” might not be the right word, but it doesn’t sound particularly enjoyable from this side. maybe you enjoy the ruckus. i won't assume. maybe that’s part of the experience, maybe not. the fruit-and-other-things platters do sound like a strong addition though. nice touch.

the smaller encounters remain the most engaging parts to read. some funny, some a bit heavier. the laundromat conversation stuck in particular. hearing about venice from a venitian lands differently than the general “tourist city” idea that most people i've spoken with about venice give it. i hope he’s doing well, and that his uber eventually materialized.

i think i heard of ramleh. in any case, it triggers some memory response, but i can't quite access it. listened to it though (the hyper vigilance album on the youtube). listening to it while writing this in fact (yes, i skipped reading just to click on all the links in your weblog entries first, i'm not sorry). sounds good. reminds me of swans (the band, not the animal). you probably know them. will add this to my favorites.

the positioning of tall people at shows is an underappreciated issue. your approach makes sense. the other guy's choice of location: questionable. he was probably in search of the perfect spot for optimal musical experience. optional for him, less so for everyone else.

i now read the part where you talk about the likeness of ramleh to swans... now it's not just probable you know them. solved. onwards.

the advice you gave your roommate about the cities in belgium he wants to visit sits somewhere between helpful and mildly destructive. hard to tell without follow-up data. at least it was honest, which is more than most people offer. hope he keeps an open mind.

the bartender situation reads exactly as described: efficient, attentive, well-executed. fully deserved tip. the bullerbyn place looks less like a traditional bar and more like a plant-forward space that happens to serve drinks, which i can get behind. i love plants.

the bracelet-ring-doorbell-combo sounds like a good way to have remote control over who enters and who doesn't. still a few variables, edge-cases and whatnot that would flunk this system, but whatever works works.

cool mountains (hills? not sure. cameras make height-differences difficult to gauge). either way, i'm sure samwell will enjoy. also, the mcdonald’s door code situation. strong. no notes. mcdonald’s wins again. prague has great nature around (even in the middle of the metropolitan areas). good sightseeing location, divoká šárka. will note it for future exploratory missions.

prague zoo (zoologická zahrada) is also a great tip to visit. unless you're not a fan of the idea that animals are held captive for the enjoyment of man. zoos remain a bit of a grey area. if the animals are well treated and have space, it's at least a more defensible version of the concept. not entirely convincing, but not the worst outcome either. last time i was there, they seemed cared for and loved.

the gallery segment is not entirely my thing, though the convent setting does add something. ending the day with goulash and beer, however, feels correct in a way that requires no further analysis.

eating outside remains the superior option. you get your meal and something to observe at the same time: people moving about, animals doing their thing. your example of the dog refusing to give up the object was stronger than anything i would have come up with. hope it held on.

the sleeper train still seems worth trying. want to do this too when going to sweden. i've seen videos of these sleeper trains; the beds are often not very large. you mentioned your stature; no more explanation needed. hope you at least had a comfortable enough sleep to be rested enough for the next lap of your journey. a midday nap in the park seems a great plan either way. definitely should do that regardless of the level of the sleep you had or didn't have.

wishing you many more experiences, encounters and bread-and-hummus-for-breakfast filled days on your travels. take care.

ps.: i did not intend for this electronic mail to be of this length. i'm sorry if it's too long (or not sorry at all if it is received in well spirits)