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hatredmadeofgold · 8 months ago

Note

Your fanfic pushed me to set up a trip to Prague. I'm going soon, and I'm really excited.

Hey anon! Honestly this blew my mind when I found your message in my inbox last night because I didn't expect someone to actually get so interested in travelling to Prague from just reading Sing to Me but omg I hope you're having tons of fun there!

I sat down and made you a list on google maps for all the locations mentioned in Chapter 5 and 6 together with notes where what exactly happened + some locations from the Eastern Europe Chapter of MGS4, in case you want to check these places out yourself.

I do recommend walking or taking public transport instead of a taxi or car to explore the city, Prague is extremely walkable and all these locations are within walking distance from each other. Yes, I walked to all of them when I first went back in 2021, but for someone who isn't used to walking much it might be a little more. Luckily I was in Prague as well back in March this year together with @cyborgdumptruck and took tons of photos and videos for the revisions of those chapters that I still got on my to do list and I thought I could share some with you :]

From left to right:

Náměstí Míru Metro station (Line A)

Bazilika sv. Ludmily at Náměstí Míru (Peace Square) that Sam wanted to take a photo of but Raiden didn't let him, saying that they weren't in Prague for sightseeing

Arkada Hotel, the hotel that they were staying at which is just a few hundred meters walking distance away from the square

I didn't mention the exact location of the restaurant that Sam ordered himself some dinner while Raiden just waited impatiently for him to finish eating, but I imagined it being somewhere near Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square) where you can also find the famous Pražský orloj (Astronomical Clock). The restaurant in that scene I made up because honestly the area is a very popular tourist spot and therefore the prices are ridiculous compared to other places in Prague where you could get something to eat. This is also why I wrote in the current version of Chapter 5 that it's a less busy street near the square and not directly at it, but it's also a point that I have on my revision list of things that will be changed about the chapter. They definitely walked through this place though, and Raiden gets annoyed at Sam wanting to take photos of the area since it's overall a nice spot with beautiful old buildings that even have hand painted walls.

Popular tourist spot aside, it's absolutely possible to get good photos and videos of the clock and the area overall and we were there during warm weather on a sunny day around Easter, so it was quite packed with people already.

Karlův most (Charles Bridge) with Pražský hrad (Prague Castle) in the background. Raiden took Sam across this bridge to show him around the Malá Strana (Lesser Town) district, but then started to heavily dissociate on their way there and began 'acting strange' in Sam's eyes.

This is, by the way, also close to the location where Liquid Ocelot massacred all the joint army-marines unit trying to stop him at the end of the Eastern Europe Chapter in MGS4, and also where EVA (Big Mama) died.

Maybe you'll get an idea now why Raiden might have dissociated so heavily when they crossed the bridge, although he wasn't present at those events... it's not because of those, but they're connected (¬‿¬)

This is Kellyxír! (Maps Link) The bar that Raiden dragged Sam into, and then got shitfaced right in front of him. I also took Sam's diary with me that I got last year to take a photo for the @mgsr-sing-to-me blog that ended up becoming a GIF instead (I love the Live Photo function of iPhones ngl). I had also ordered the same drink that Raiden had, The Breath of Uroboros, the Dragon (costs 333 Kč which would be around 14 USD). Sadly I had to crop the video because I am not comfortable sharing my face on Tumblr for now.

I have to say that in the revision of Chapter 5, I'll try to make that scene a little more elegant than it currently is.

On their way back to the hotel, Raiden nearly pukes on Sam from having absolutely overdone it with alcohol at the bar. I imagined this happening when they just reached Malostranské náměstí where they could take a tram back to Náměstí Míru to get back to the hotel.

Fun fact, when I was checking the locations that I mentioned in my fic, we coincidentally found the church in which Solid Snake (Old Snake) met EVA (Big Mama) in MGS4 and it's literally around the corner to Malostranské náměstí. And yes I am pretty sure that it was that exact church given the photos on Maps showing the insides of it. Unfortunately we didn't manage to go inside due to it only being open for visitors for an hour per day.

This is a really funny coincidence if you ask me, I was in tears when I noticed it 😂

The agreed rendezvous point with their client Tomáš Růžička in Chapter 6 is the Bazilika svatého Petra a Pavla located inside the Vyšehrad fortress. Getting up there takes a little while, especially when you're getting there from the Vyšehrad Metro Station (Line C), you'll be walking at least 20 minutes when you aren't familiar with the area 😅 But it is a really nice walk! Also there is a beer garden (Na Hrádbach) at the fortress where you can get something to eat and drink without paying tons of money. Just please take cash in CZK with you just in case, I am very unsure if they let you pay with card.

Lastly, here are some photos of Magistrát hlavního města Prahy (Prague City Hall). Sadly the building had construction work done when we went back in March, so those aren't the prettiest pictures. I will change the scene in revision of Chapter 6 where they get here because I am not really happy with it ಠ╭╮ಠ Getting to the place though helped a lot with making decisions for what exactly will be changed.

Anyway, hope you're having tons of fun in Prague and thank you so much for letting me know that you're reading my fic and got inspired to travelling there because of it. It really made my day :3

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theodoreangelos · 8 months ago

Photo

Prague, Lesser Town and Castle district, Czech Republic

Praha, Malá Strana a Hradčany (Pražský hrad), Česká republika Prag, Kleinseite und Hradschin (Prager Burg), Tschechien Prague, le petit côté et le Hrad(s)chin (château de Prague), Tchéquie Прага, Мала-Страна и Градчаны (Пражский град), Чехия Photography by Alexander Nariswari.

Old Town, Prague, Czech Republic

My favourite view in Prague - captured from the Charles Bridge Tower.

by Alexander Nariswari from Denmark

Source | Google Maps

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pucktoxicity · 4 months ago

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https://www.tumblr.com/pucktoxicity/760802007984537600/some-of-you-guys-are-delusional-luke-doesnt?source=share

Congrats on the promotion!

My personal take (if you're looking for a discussion) on this is that Luke was asked to do waayyy too much last year. He should have been a third pairing D with veteran presence around him to mentor him. Instead he was thrown to the wolves in his first year of professional hockey.

Unlike the other anon I don't believe the AHL would have done him any good (He didn't really skip it anyway, he just went a different route). He would have just done what's he's always done and skated his way out of trouble against lesser skaters.

I do think a little more accountability would have been good (the occasional benching for a few shifts might have been positive). However, Fitz has mentioned that accountability looks different for different players so maybe that's something to do with it. Maybe they wanted to show confidence in him and let him play through his mistakes, maybe he responded better behind the scenes etc.

I think this year will be different, I think (hope) we'll see a big improvement in his defense (which, to be fair, on a shift-by-shift basis wasn't bad at all, he just had a lot of blunders). He will hopefully be sheltered more and last years experience will have shown him what he needs to improve (he's already bulked up massively by the looks of the pictures so hopefully he won't get thrown around as much)

thank you so much! ❤️

i’m always open to a discussion, and i know i have a few anons who love talking players/puck/performance, so this is great!

i think you’re right. i think there was too much put on him for where he’s at in his career, and i really think it’s because (nobody get mad at me for this, it’s my opinion) expectations were too high. i am NOT saying luke is a flop, or a waste of money, anything like that, i just think he was expected to immediately be the best of the best in the league, and that wasn’t the case. i also agree - he should’ve been on a lower D-line with a vet. the team did kind of try that with him and marino, but i don’t think john was the right person for him to be paired with.

i also don’t agree that the AHL would’ve done anything good, but i do know why that anon said he should’ve been put there. he has made mistakes that come across as him not being nhl-ready (speaking broadly. luke girls you scare the shit out of me please this is JUST AN OPINION) and like he wasn’t trained enough for the kind of team and competitive league and division he’s in. benching him would have been great. (sorry) i think benching him would’ve been a smart choice, but with lindy and greene, it wouldn’t have been a beneficial benching. if we had the kind of coaching staff that benched him, and talked him through okay, watch how jonas does this or pay attention to the way marino clears out the puck when we’re on the pk, and gave him constructive advice and had him quite literally watch and learn, that would’ve been great for luke. instead, lindy and greene would just bench someone and then pretend they weren’t sitting there.

hopefully sheldon keefe has some good plans for our D this year. i think he does, and i know nico, jack, and timo are very eager to sit down with him and talk about this upcoming season. plus, i think after the way last season ended (with the guys being loudly booed off of the ice at the end of each period), fitz and upper management will be eager to make sure this shit gets turned around, and we have a great season!

and with that being said,

devils hockey will be ruining our lives again in 12 days, and then when we open up in prague on the 4th. let’s get hurt again! 😁😭

#nj devils #luke hughes

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hyperesthesias · 1 year ago

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Moments of Mirth

Notes: I thoroughly enjoyed writing this. This installment goes specifically with this piece: 5 Prague Waltzes, B. 99, by Antonín Dvořák -- a Czech composer.

Context: Anya and Viktor are childhood friends from Zaun who recently reconnected. She is a wealthy potential donor to the Academy; she is also a mage and a theoretical physicist, and is a different, humanoid species. In this scene, Anya has been invited to attend the Academy Symphony Ball; while Viktor was not initially invited, she asked him to attend. Despite his anxiety, Viktor participates in his first ball, and his first waltz.

Word Count: 3,649

potential warnings: smoking, mentions of the deaths of parents.

AO3 link

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

The Academy did not always have a Symphony in its three hundred year duration. But it being an institution of both science and progress, many students, donors, and faculty felt the necessity of the Symphony’s addition – music and math are intrinsically intertwined, and the implementation of an orchestra not only bolstered the students’ wherewithal to endure the torments of study, but it also enriched the lives of other students who had no talent for the musical. Donors and faculty also found great pleasure in listening to the sometimes awkward moments of practice, and the grand and final result during concerts and galas. It was the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Symphony’s installation, and the heads of the Music Department found it an opportune moment to seize in the supplication of funds for new instruments and for scholarships towards students of lesser fortune: A Symphony Ball, hosted by the Academy.

Anya stood alone in the foyer of the ballroom, where others mingled and laughed – officials from the Academy swam in and out of the crowd, hoping to ease friendly relations and create a generous atmosphere. Champagne was served liberally, but Anya found that she had not taken a sip from her glass. Instead, her attentions were focused on the entrance to the event, hoping to witness the arrival of her liaison and her companion for the evening – Viktor. He lived in an apartment at the Academy, and despite this, he was still late. She found herself anxious and mildly irritated that he left her to her own company, and she wondered if his nervousness had gotten the better of him. Viktor was an intelligent man, and stronger in spirit and integrity than any number of Piltovans combined, but his physical constitution was still weak. Nervousness often plagued him with malady. Her irritation turned to worry, and she conjured wild scenarios of her friend laden with sickness, stricken in bed and unable to move.

Viktor had been delayed by no other reason than the petrification he faced as he stared himself in the mirror upon dressing: he nearly did not recognize himself. He was, of course, accustomed to the white vests and ties of his Academy uniform, but his uniform vastly differed in both quality and appearance to the tuxedo he currently wore for the ball. It was a soft fabric, softer than he had ever touched before, with weight and stiffness to it, the jacket hung heavy on his shoulders, and the collar held taut around his neck. Anya purchased the entirety of the outfit for him: including the white gloves and handkerchief, and the glossy black shoes – he could nearly see his reflection in them. But the reflection of the mirror is what fuelled his misgivings for attending: when he watched himself, as he touched his face and ran a hand through his slicked back hair, he saw only the boy from Zaun who used to dread the company of his peers, who shied from events due to his lack of ability to participate and the strange looks he would receive. He never learned to dance. He had no reason, neither had he the coordination. The paralysis in his right leg rendered him incapable of keeping time. He feared he would only make a fool of himself – and of Anya.

But her gladdened smile greeted him as he arrived at the event – later than he realized and anticipated –, it alleviated his fears momentarily. She fought the crowd to approach him, and when she stood only inches from him, he took note of her: she had forgone the traditional clothing of her people, in favor of a Piltovan ballgown – it was a gentle mauve color that seemed to shimmer in the soft lighting from the chandeliers above them; its collar swept low across her chest and its sleeves hung off her shoulders; cream lace accented the decolletage and the sleeves, with light blue ribbon tying itself into bows at her shoulders. The skirt of the dress nearly obstructed her from leaning all the way to embrace him.

"Are you alright?” she asked, and pulled from him to look him in the eye.

He instinctively wrapped his free hand around her as she clung to him; the boning in the corset constricted her breathing – either that, or she had been holding her breath for some time: it was short and pale.

He leaned into her palm and nodded, taken off guard by her greeting. “I am fine. I apologize for being late,” he said.

She shook her head insistently, and cupped his face. “I was worried about you.”

“You do not need to worry over me, Anya,” he said, feeling somewhat defensive, that he should not appear frail or powerless. But he calmed the instinctive agitation that had arisen in him with the knowing of Anya’s mercy and grace. Instead, he took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm; he passed his cane from one hand to the other to accommodate her. “Shall we?”

“Let’s,” she smiled and leaned her head on his arm.

The ballroom glowed from the polished floors to the high, gilded ceilings and walls; lively music floated the air as groups of dancers amused themselves in the center of the room. They spun and swayed as a collective force, and yet each individual carried on smiles and conversations all their own. It was an ocean of mirth and delight, yet Viktor felt himself uneasy. Anya gave quick waves and glances towards people to whom she had been previously introduced, though she was no more at ease than he – he could see it in the tightness of her face: perfectly restrained and held together, she reserved herself inward, and kept close to his side. They shared a glance of embarrassment at their awkwardness, neither had ever attended such a grand event, and neither knew the appropriate customs. All the other guests knew each other well enough to make genial conversation, and seemed to follow a rubric of etiquette.

The pair mingled through the crowd, and Viktor fulfilled his duty in introducing her to various officials from the Music Department, who imparted on her details of upcoming events: a graduation ceremony, and a Yule Ball at the end of the year were of particular interest to her. She asked numerous questions regarding them throughout the evening, and two members of the department entreated her to dance as they described to her their roles in each concert, and how her donation might help them.

Viktor watched from the edge of the ballroom as Anya spun gracefully among the other guests. If he listened for her, he could hear her laughter and the sound of her smile. The ribbons of her dress trailed behind her as she twirled with her dance partner, the bustle flowing lithely behind her footsteps. He saw now her hair: it was done in a long braid down her back, nearly past her knees, adorned with fresh flowers that resembled the color of her gown, and threads of silver that wound throughout the plait.

Out of every attendee of the ball, Viktor thought, Anya was the most elegant and the most celestial. He had not felt her beauty until that moment.

Viktor left the ballroom for the balcony behind him, and took a breath of the Summer’s night air. The balcony wrapped around the outer perimeter of the ballroom, with many doorways onto and out of it; guests mingled and held quiet conversation with each other as the music continued to fill the atmosphere. Viktor was among a few who were entirely alone, who needed respite from the large crowd inside. He doubted they were nervous in the same way as he, but there was a part of him that enjoyed the thought he was not alone in his anxiety. He saw an older man at the far end of the balcony with a pipe, and he found smoking a favorable idea.

He reached into the inner breast pocket of his tuxedo and made from it a packet of cigarettes and a book of matches. Viktor rarely smoked, but he was surrounded by it and many other pollutants as a child in Zaun. At times, when he was an adolescent, though he had never smoked once, he craved the taste of cigarettes – especially in moments of duress. Eventually, his rebellious and youthful curiosity and desire developed into an occasional indulgence, prompted by stress.

He rested his cane along the parapet, and leaned on its stone railing, taking one breath after another at a decreasing pace.

Anya listened to the officials with patience and concession, but her smile grew weary and thin. Many of the men with whom she danced enjoyed talking, and only talking – she was a fair listener, but she was seldom met with equal fairness in being listened to. It made her tired and fatigued, and as the song crescendoed, she welcomed its ending – along with the ending of her partner’s company.

She quitted him with polite gratitude, and fled the arena before anyone else could demand her society. Instead, she wandered the edges of the ballroom, looking for her friend. She could neither see him, nor hear the sound of his cane throughout the crowd; but she knew he would not abandon her completely. Viktor had the habit of retiring somewhere, disappearing entirely from view, when he felt overwhelmed and threatened. It was a trait they shared – though he to a far greater degree. As children, they sometimes encountered each other in the same hiding spots, though they never fought for territory. They welcomed each other’s lonesomeness, and in it they felt safe. Thus, it was not difficult for her to discern where he went to hide.

Anya made her way to the balcony, and searched only for a moment before she found her friend a few yards away. His head was in his hands, and a cigarette was between his fingers. She sighed and approached him gently, stopping just short of him.

“Are you bored?” she teased.

Viktor’s eyes landed on her immediately, and he stood as straight as he could. He simpered, almost ashamed to look her in the eye. “I don’t…like parties. I never know what to do with myself,” he admitted.

Anya smiled with compassion and came to his side, leaning on the parapet as he had been. She took the cigarette from him with a quick pinch. Then took a breath of it herself. “Do you remember,” she breathed out a white cloud of smoke, “when you stole your father’s tobacco? You brought it to the dam that afternoon, and we shared it.”

He chuckled quietly. “He was so angry with me. He made me work to pay it off.” He watched as she held in her laughter, and he found her even more fair in the starlight. He shook his head to rid himself of the notion and focused on the memory, instead. “What was it you took from your mother?”

“Cordial,” she said, and handed him back the cigarette. “It was cherry cordial. She hid it in the cupboard above the stove. But I knew all her hiding places,” she laughed.

“It was good,” he said, recalling the taste of its tart sweetness. “Back then, I thought it might taste like something from Piltover.” He looked on the skyline in front of them, illuminated by a thousand lanterns, and by millions of stars and a waxing moon above them. “Did you ever think,” he started, and the rest of his words felt caught on his tongue, “that you would be here? That you would be in a place like this?”

Anya remained quiet for a little while, and for a moment he believed he had offended her, or garnered in her sadness when he had not meant to. But she let a sigh and spoke: “I always had hope I would be somewhere other than Zaun. Otherwise I would not have bought a lottery ticket,” she eyed him, somewhat amused with her circumstance. “But I did not know what to expect outside of daydreams. The harder I worked, the farther I was from freedom. I felt helpless. That I would never taste fresh air. Even now, I wonder if it is a dream. But I had hope. It was the only thing I had.”

Darkness fell over her countenance, and an agony painted itself clearly across her features; despite the ill illuminated night of the half-moon, he saw her pain etched deep as stone. Viktor realized then, that from the time they reconnected he had viewed her as a gilded herald of fortune. Her misery in Zaun did not escape his notice, but he understood now he romanticized her life and her luck. The happiness in her fortuity must have only been met in equal measure by her grief.

“What of your parents?” It was the only time he asked of them. Since they met again, she had only spoken of them in the past tense, and he was acutely aware of their absence in her daily activities. He knew better than to reawaken old wounds, especially in the deaths of parents.

“They were murdered,” she said, her hand falling to her chest. He handed her the cigarette and she took a quiet breath. It embered and dissipated to the end of its ashes; she placed its remains in an ashtray beside her, watching as the last of its fumes withered in the night. “They were caught in crossfire – one of Silco’s endeavours. They went out to make a delivery of spices. I never saw them again.”

His own parents had been killed in a bombing, he knew what it was to be an orphan: the pain of blood, with no blood relations to console him.

“Let us not dwell on such heavy things, zlatíčko. Dance with me, instead.”

“I…cannot,” he said. He downturned his eyes to imply his inability.

“You cannot sway me? You cannot put your arm around me, and hold my hand, and lean with the music? You do not need to waltz, to dance,” she encouraged him keenly.

He repressed a chuckle and took a step towards her. With a genial bow, he offered his hand to her. She placed her fingers in his, and upon them, he placed a mild kiss. As he rose, the symphony began another piece, and he noted most of the other guests who had been their company outside recused themselves to the ballroom. Viktor and Anya were nearly alone on the balcony.

He carefully placed his other hand along her waist, as hers fell onto his shoulder. She gave him an amused expression at his apprehension to touch her, and she fitted his hand more confidently along the boning of her gown.

“Don’t be so modest,” she simpered. “I won’t bite.”

He smirked and shook his head, beginning to sway in time with the music. “You relish in teasing me.”

“Only because it makes you laugh.”

Viktor was an austere man, as he was a young boy – what little giggles could be heard were scarce and often not by the cause of any common humor. As a girl, Anya found it a prize to make her companion laugh and smile; he was a child riddled with terrible misfortune, and she hardly had anything to give him that would alleviate his worries. But she laughed often and heartily with her parents – and it was the only thing she knew how to do for her little friend.

The lines around his eyes and brows as a man told of his stern and grave temperament, she saw few lines that indicated weathered grins. She hoped her company brought him some kind of happiness, and hearing his voice again – quiet as it always was, but deeper and hoarser now – brought her immense joy.

They moved back and forth to the instruments of the waltz that played in the other room, unaware of any other persons besides themselves.

The novelty of his surroundings was beginning to weigh on Viktor, yet he felt most himself in the presence of his friend. It was kind of her to invite him, and she had no reason not to. But all throughout his years in Piltover, he was acutely aware of the unkind glances his status garnered.

“Do you pity me?” he asked her.

She gave him a double look, taken aback by his sudden and odd query. “What?”

He did not repeat his question.

She sighed, her lips pursed and taut. “My compassion for you has never been insincere.”

“Not pity,” he doubted.

“Friendship,” she said. “With it inherently comes compassion. Why would I want my friend to suffer, as you have?” She shook her head, thinking of barons and members of the council who turned blind eyes and withheld aid, lest they infringe on their profits. “Pity is insincere and fleeting. It never lasts beyond the attentions of those who see what they want to see.” She looked on her friend, handsome in the moonlight, if not tired and worn. He was terribly young – even for his own species; yet he looked as though he had lived a thousand lifetimes of hers. “I thought of you often. I have never forgotten you, neither has my compassion.”

Viktor swallowed, left uncertain of what to say. He believed himself to have been left alone, with no one to think of him, neither remember him with fondness. To be proven wrong was a shock and a welcomed relief.

He said nothing for a while, and instead swayed his partner with gentleness and grace, turning her in a soft spiral as the music continued. They laughed as she hurried in a small circle, then returned to his hand. He had never danced with anyone before, and he found it a beautiful intimacy, to be so close with someone in tandem; it was foreign to him, but not objectionable. He could have danced with her for all hours of the night had his body allowed him, but by the end of the song, fatigue crept into his leg and back.

As the waltz ended, he bowed once more, and took her hand to place upon it another kiss. This time, after he rose, he gave her a small embrace. He could not look her in the eye, but he kept his head down as he pulled away.

“Thank you,” he said.

Anya at first thought he meant for the dance, or perhaps for her invitation.

“For not forgetting me.” It was only then he glanced at her.

She caressed his face, and thumbed the sharp edges of his cheek. “I could never forget you.”

The brief notion of her life, hundreds of years from that point in time crossed his mind – long after he expired and the impression of his life faded into reverie. He quickly dispelled the thought. Instead, he turned to lean on the balcony’s edge again, leaning one way then the other to stretch his back. She ran her hand along his spine, hoping to relieve some of the tension in his vertebrae.

Jayce was invited to the Academy Symphony Ball by Heimerdinger, who wished the rising pupil and engineer to become familiar with donors and officials who could provide him with funding and connections. He had never been to a white-tie event, but he had attended a fair share of donor events, both for the Academy, and for his father’s factory. Social graces and etiquette were not unknown to him, though he found discomfort in the way he was perceived by the other guests – a mixed reception of scepticism and welcomed change. His first instinct was to find a friendly face, someone with whom he was familiar.

He had been at the ball for nearly an hour, alone – except for the occasional company of Heimerdinger, who introduced him to various donors – when he retreated to the balcony for a breath of air. It was quieter, darker outside, and he felt more at ease in its arena than in the ballroom. There were few people who lingered there, and in the near distance he saw the profile of his newfound friend, Viktor. He had a cigarette in his hand, and he spoke with someone obscured, and in a language Jayce did not know.

As he approached him, he heard the beautiful song of laughter from a woman; he began to see the figure of Viktor’s companion: it was the starlit woman who entered their lab several weeks ago, in search of their mutual friend. He recalled Viktor telling him the woman’s name: Anya, a potential donor to the Academy. Viktor called himself a liaison to her, but as she massaged his back, and shared of his cigarette, it seemed the two were far more acquainted than business relations.

He watched as Viktor smiled: he now shifted and leaned his back against the stone railing, while Anya inclined herself to him, against his thin figure. Her eyes could not be taken from his, and Viktor was entirely unaware of Jayce’s presence nearby. He heard the sound of Viktor’s laughter, in a way he had never heard it before: free and unfettered by pain or constraint.

He had hoped Viktor might introduce him to Anya, and his hopes were more than that: that Anya would be in want of his affectionate company. But Anya’s affections were distinctly elsewhere, placed fully in the hands of his friend. There was no disappointment in Jayce, but a gladness for his partner – and an eagerness to hear Viktor’s perspective of his alluring companion.

Jayce left them undisturbed, and before he turned from them completely, watched as Viktor asked for her hand to dance. She took it without hesitation, and rested her head on his shoulder as Viktor moved them back and forth, in the serenity of a starlit night.

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hanne-in-prague · 10 months ago

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My internship will take place in the capital city of Czech Republic, Prague.

The city is known for its golden roofs, narrow streets, countless monuments and just as many nicknames.

What I definitely want to see in Prague is the Prague Castle, the Town Hall of the Old Town with the astronomical clock and the Lesser Town.

I am really looking forward to it!

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amazingczechia · 3 months ago

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Strahov Monastery (Strahovský klášter in Czech) is among the most enchanting sights of Prague and one of the architectural gems in all of Czechia. It’s located just a stone’s throw away from Prague Castle in the Strahov district of Prague, on the western edge of the Lesser Town, the heart of the Golden City.

Read more: https://www.amazingczechia.com/sights/strahov-monastery-prague/

Photo: © Bigstock/isogood

#prague #praha #prag #praga #strahov #czechia #czech #photography #foto #photo #travel #travel photography #destinations #beautiful destinations #europe #central europe #europa #czech republic #european heritage

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harrison-abbott · 4 months ago

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Back in 2016, I self harmed quite severely and had to go to hospital. Thankfully, I survived, and I’m still here.

But following that crazy incident, my self esteem was at an all time low. I just felt so unachieved, and I doubted my credibility as a writer. What made it worse was that my elder brother got married, and he had all of these fantastic friends, and he was a successful musician – so I felt like a lesser sibling.

And my girlfriend at the time kept comparing me to him in a negative way, and not just him but my other siblings too. So all in all I was pretty mucked up in a psychological way.

The NHS assigned me to a therapist so I could speak about the self harm incident. And he was really fantastic – a very nice, engaging man. And he asked lots of questions that tucked in to the issue and he seemed to guess the dilemma without really knowing me. It helped to speak to him.

Then in the summer, I was in Poland and my then girlfriend said something that ruptured my self esteem all over again. I nearly jumped out of a window, ten storeys up in a Warsaw hotel. And, thank God I didn’t – as I wouldn’t have survived that fall.

Anyway, when I got back to Scotland, I tried to get in touch with the therapist again – because he had invited me to come back for a final meeting about various issues.

But the man had left the practise. He had moved on and worked somewhere else now.

I still really needed to speak to somebody, so I spoke with this chap on the phone, who I thought was a therapist as well. In a really desperate, frenzied mood, I went in and met this new man. And I splurged out all of my issues to him. As I was speaking, I realised that he wasn’t a therapist in a specialised sense: he was a regular GP. Not that he wasn’t a pleasant man as well – he was – but as I was relaying my problems in a manic manner, it was obvious he didn’t have the skills to help me out.

It was really embarrassing. And after I left, I just felt totally lost. Like nobody could help me. ‘I’m the only one who can help me out,’ I thought. So it was as if after all that had happened

I literally couldn’t even turn to the NHS for aid.

I needed to come up with a solution for the whole thing. What I wanted most of all was to become a published prose writer. So I started writing short fiction intensely. I reckoned, ‘I have to get some fiction published – there is no other route’. I wrote stories and sent them out in the latter half of 2016. And they were routinely rejected by the publishers. And each rejection was a further stab and did nothing to ease my issues.

But I just kept trying. And in 2017 I wrote a story based on a man who attacked me when I was in my teens. It was a fictional story, with the premise being his assault of me.

That was in January when I wrote it, when I was in Prague. And in March 2017 it was published. I’d done it. Somebody liked it enough to publish my fiction. I knew that writing was what was going to keep me alive. And, though life is often very hard, it’s worth living for the mini achievements you put the work into.

#writeblr #real life stories #spilled ink #tumblr writers #writers on tumblr #stories

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mechabro · 1 year ago

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It's been a while since I shared any of my own work, so I wanted to introduce my second resin toy, Emitt the Golem. Emitt is inspired by the mythical Golem of Prague, who was crafted by Rabbi Judah Loew to protect his people from being persecuted for their beliefs.

Even in today's modern world, there are people who view others as "lesser" because of their beliefs or values. Hate does not help us grow though; it divides us, distracts us, and leaves wounds that may never heal, even across generations. Emitt is a reminder to choose kindness instead.

You can pick up an Emitt for yourself in my Etsy store. I do small runs of Emitt in the signature "Red Clay" colorway and some occasional one-offs, and am also open to custom colors - just reach out and I'll see what we can do!

#emittgolem #resin toy #art toy #golem #prague #judaism #kabbalah #art #etsy

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haveamagicalday · 11 months ago

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Books read in 2023

Here is a list/short reviews of the books I read in 2023! My top ten can be found here.

4 Stars

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham - A year prior to the start of our story, Isabelle's beloved toddler was stolen in the night while she and her husband slept. Since then, Isabelle rarely sleeps and won't rest until her son is found. When a podcaster comes to town looking to interview her about the case, Isabelle sees this as a chance to dig up new clues that may lead her to her son. This is a great follow up to Willingham's debut and I loved the setting and overall vibes of the book.

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine- What's interesting about this book is it was released about a month before American Horror Story premiered their season that is based on it. So I don't know if it was commissioned to be written for that purpose or if Ryan Murphy got wind of it prior and sought to make the adaptation or what. I have not seen the new season and I've heard it isn't that good but I really ended up liking this book! Anna is a young actress determined to have a baby. After many rounds of IVF it finally happens. But then tragedy strikes and Anna miscarries the baby, or so she is told. She can still feel the baby inside her and the doctor's confusing answers and explanations are just a further mystery to the phenomenon. As her miracle pregnancy goes along, threats to her safety and strange instances build up to a shocking conclusion. I was expecting it to be kind of silly but it was an engaging read with a surprisingly happy ending. It did not go in the direction I thought it would and I was pleasantly surprised by that. Would not recommend it if you are pregnant or trying to be though.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M Romero- Illana, a biracial Jewish girl, is sent to Prague to live with her aunt for the summer. Illana discovers a Jewish cemetery behind her aunt's house where she meets the ghost of a long dead boy, named Benjamin. The two become friends but their happiness is threatened by a mysterious man with no shadow that also takes a keen interest in Illana. Written in prose, this is a hauntingly beautiful fairytale.

Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia- I didn't realize going in that this would be divided up into a collection of short stories rather than a linear story. However the stories are all connected and often explain things that may have happened in the previous stories and there is a conclusion at the end. I really enjoyed the take on some of these lesser known fairy tales. My favorite was Doctor Death and the Prince's Riddle.

I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu- This is Lyu's second book and I have to say that she does toxic relationships really well. Both of her books have a mystery to be solved but they both read more like a character study and deep dive into a tumultuous relationship that the MC has. Chase and Lia are best friends that are estranged but when Lia goes missing, Chase's world is turned upside down as she follows a trail of secrets and betrayals to find out the truth of what happened.

The Legacies by Jessica Goodman- Another fun teen thriller from Goodman! Eight students from a prestigious prep school are selected to join New York City's exclusive Legacy Club. But tensions rise the week leading up to their induction Ball leading to a shocking death. There are moments you have to suspend your disbelief but that doesn't take away from the story. My only complaint is that it is told in first person with three different narratives and at times they don't sound much different from one another. I still flew through this one and look forward to the next book from Goodman!

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban- Jade is off on the adventure of a lifetime, a semester at sea visiting 11 different countries. But the presence of her ex boyfriend, now dating her ex best friend, leads to an obsession which spirals until a shocking murder takes place. Now Jade must clear her name and try to stop the killer from murdering again. I honestly enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. It was a page turner that was a lot of fun. I read after that it is apparently a loose retelling of Death on the Nile but for me it felt like murderous version of Suite Life on Deck lol

The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall- Eden attends a boarding school haunted by a river that takes all who fall in. All but Delphine who fell in six years prior and somehow survived. Now Delphine lives isolated in quarantine for a mysterious illness and Eden is tasked with being her companion. But the more time Eden spends with Delphine, the more she feels haunted by a dark presence. This was a very engrossing ghost story with some gothic vibes. There was a sweet love story and I loved the complexity of Eden and her relationships with her friends. There were a few creepy twists throughout but the most interesting aspects were the human relationships, especially between Eden and Delphine. A real fun spooky read!

Out of the Ashes by Kara Thomas- This is going to sound bad but I really don't remember this book but I gave it 4 stars so I guess I enjoyed it. This is Thomas's first Adult novel and focuses on Samantha, whose home was burned down and her entire family murdered years prior. However, renewed interest in the cold case reveals the shocking revelation that Samantha's baby sister may have made it out alive. This turns Samantha's world upside down as she desperately seeks answers. I do remember the ending of this and it was pretty satisfying

Royal Blood by Aimee Carter- Evan is the secret illegitimate daughter of the King of England in an alternate history. Circumstances force Evan to spend the summer with the father she never met before and her secret is quickly found out. What was supposed to be a fun night out with her half sister and others turns deadly and Evan finds herself the main suspect. This is another book I enjoyed more than I thought I would. It's like the Princess Diaries if it were a thriller. I also love that despite being a series, the mystery and storyline was wrapped up in the end

The Sandman by ETA Hoffman- I had no idea the ballet Coppelia was based on this! The ballet is so cutesy and this is so dark and creepy. I would love to see a version of Coppelia that followed The Sandman more closely.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher- This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty that tells the tale of Toadling, the fairy that was sent to bless the princess on her birth. Now that the princess is asleep, Toadling guards the tower but in a shocking twist, she is determined to keep everyone out of it. A fun and interesting take on a classic fairy tale!

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins- This is an interesting retelling based not on Frankenstein, but the story behind the novel's creation. Emily and Chess are two friends that are spending the summer in Italy at a beautiful Villa. The Villa just happens to be the same place that famed rock star Noel Gordon spent a summer in 1974. Along with Noel is Pierce Sheldon (an up and coming rock star), his girlfriend Mari, and her stepsister Lara. The summer turns deadly for the group which inspires Mari to write a prolific horror novel and then disappear from the limelight for the rest of her life. Now Emily is determined to discover what really happened that summer by using clues from Mari's novel. This was a really fun read and while the big mystery was honestly not that solid, the characters and unique premise were interesting enough to hold the plot.

3.5 Stars

Mister Magic by Kiersten White- A mystery children's show called Mister Magic was canceled and nearly erased from history 30 years prior to the start of the novel. Val was a child actor on the show but has no memory of it. When her fellow castmates find her, they bring her along for a reunion which is bound to expose dark secrets along the way. So, this had to be partly inspired by Candle Cove, no? I really enjoy all things to do with lost media and was super excited when I read the blurb for this book! For the most part, I think it lived up to expectations. The ending wasn't a let down but it did leave me wanting more. There was also an reveal about two thirds of the way through which I wish would have been made sooner. It wasn't really a twist or anything but it did add a lot of context that could have been used earlier. Otherwise it just felt really thrown in at the end.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay- At the end of 1999, four teens are attacked during their shift at a Blockbuster. Only one survives and the killer is never found. Now it is 15 years later and a similar crime takes place at an Ice Cream parlor. A solid thriller.

The Quarantine Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot- A welcomed return to the diaries of Princess Mia. This was a fun read but it was also kind of tough to read about people dealing with the beginning of the pandemic. Not the best of memories to be honest.

Where He Can't Find You by Darcy Coates- When I started this I was expecting more of a mystery/thriller based on the blurb but it became apparent pretty quickly that this is a supernatural horror novel instead. A small Midwest town is haunted by a mysterious figure known as the stitcher. When someone goes missing, the town knows that there is no hope of ever finding them until the stitcher wants them to. And they'll always find them in pieces. When Abby's younger sister goes missing she is determined to find her no matter the cost. It becomes a race against the clock to find her with the help of Abby's friends. This was very reminiscent of horror like It or Stranger Things. TW: Body Horror, Gore

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard- I flew through this one but in retrospect, it was very cheesy and what I would deem a Fast Food Thriller. Fun, but you really have to dispense your disbelief throughout. Summer and Leo are best friends who swindle and pickpocket. Leo makes the mistake of going after a self made millionaire and when he offers her the chance to visit his exclusive island, she jumps at the chance. When Leo doesn't return, Summer is determined to infiltrate the island to get her friend back.

3 Stars

The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone- I loved Johnstone's Mirrorland but this one was a let down in comparison. The book takes place in a small island town and I could not keep all of the townspeople straight. Plus the mystery just wasn't that interesting and it dragged in a lot of places.

Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie - A ghost hunting reality tv crew decides to make their thirteenth episode about the infamous Paranormal Research Foundation. Written as journal entries and transcripts, things get creepy real quick for the crew. I felt like this book started off strong but faded as it went along. I was not a fan of the last third but recognize that others might like the direction it went.

Loved by PC Cast- The first book in the Night of House sequel series. I decided to read this because the tumblr blog: @houseofzoey was making me feel nostalgic. It was not good but it was fun to revisit the characters and world. As always, the stakes are high but the conflict is resolved ridiculously easy. Zoey continues to be one of the worst characters in existence but the others are enjoyable in a dumb way.

Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill - This was kind of a tough one to get through. I love the author's later work and this had the same style of writing but felt lacking in comparison. I found both The Lonely Hearts Hotel and When We Lost Our Heads oddly whimsical despite the heavy subject matter but this was definitely just bleakness with no hope in sight TW: Child Abuse/Neglect, Pedophilia, Drugs/Alcohol

Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead- Ruth is the preacher's daughter in a small southern town. Ruth's only friend as a teen was the bad boy Everett who she was bonded to with a dark secret. Now as adults, bodies are being found in the swamp and Ruth and Everett want to get to the bottom of things. This book had such a great premise but did not deliver. The religious town is portrayed as cult-like but the messaging behind this book was confused and all over the place. We are clearly supposed to root for Ruth and Everett but by the end of the book, I wasn't rooting for them either. Also there are way too many references to Twilight. At one point Ruth seriously thinks that Everett is a vampire and I don't know if that was just to be funny or if we were actually supposed to believe that as well.

Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw- People on Goodreads hated this. It has one of the lowest ratings I've ever seen and I really don't think it deserves that. It's not the best but it's not that bad. A lot of people were bothered by the "purple prose" but I didn't mind it (I also hate that phrase). However, it was somewhat confusing and anticlimactic.

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno Garcia- Garcia's last few books since Mexican Gothic have been really disappointing to me. I was expecting a lot of spooks with the cursed film premise but there really wasn't much of it. When we finally did get some magic towards the end it was pretty cheesy. Neither of the characters were really likable and the ending with them was weird. Overall not my favorite of Moreno-Garcia's but also not the worst.

This is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore- I'm going to be honest, this was one of my first reads of 2023 and I don't remember a single detail. Two teens find a body in the lake and mystery ensues!

To Make Monsters Out of Girls by Amanda Lovelace- This was not my favorite of Lovelace's. I'm starting to notice she writes a lot of her poetry based on a past relationship and at this point it's like, girl move on!

We'll Never Tell by Wendy Heard- Another book I really don't remember. The official blurb describes it as a whodunit doused in Hollywood lore. I remember it being a fun little read but apparently not that memorable.

Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham- The idea behind this was really fascinating but it lost its appeal one third of the way through. Three friends visit the island that an author wrote and based a children's book on in a similar vein to Watership Down or The Wind in the Willows. To their surprise, the characters in their beloved book are real and they want their visitors to celebrate the famed Harvest Day with them. Pretty quickly things fall apart and the majority of the book is the characters being hunted and it got old pretty fast. There were definitely parallels and themes of colonization but the colonized and mistreated characters were also the villains seeking revenge so... make of that what you will

Wolfpack by Amelia Brunskill- Written in prose this book is about nine girls who live together in a cult commune. It was a very quick read but nothing really happened. One of the girl's goes missing and the rest of the book is trying to figure out what happened. The book's biggest problem is that it's told from 8 different perspectives and they all blend together. When the reveal comes at the end it leaves little impact because we don't know or care about these characters.

2 Stars

Daphne by Josh Malerman- Daphne is a local boogeyman. A seven foot tall, denim clad woman who always has her face painted like Gene Simmons. That image alone was too ridiculous for me. Kit is a teen on the basketball team whose teammates start disappearing one by one. She believes Daphne is the culprit. The book was more so a metaphor for mental health struggles but it was just too silly and boring for me to enjoy. I couldn't picture any of the scary stuff that was happening very well and people seemed to under react to a lot of things. Plus I learned way too much about basketball.

Unrated

The Little Book of Manifestation by Astrid Carvel- I was going through it when I read this lol. Whether you believe that you can actually manifest things in your life or not, I do think positive thinking goes a long way and this was a nice little reminder of that.

Brother by Ania Ahlborn - Just a big bummer all around. I read this in one sitting but looking back some of it was kind of boring? The book was much tamer than how it was advertised to me. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of implied gore and horror but we didn't see much of it. To give some background, the main character lives out in the Appalachians with his murderous family. He helps kidnap women, the mother tortures them and then they eat them. With a premise like that you think this would be horrifying. We are given very little backstory as to why they do this. Well, it turns out to be rather boring as Michael (our lead) spends most of the book feeling sorry for himself and trying to woo a girl at the record shop. He also has a tumultuous relationship with his abusive older brother, who he fears but craves approval from. Not much happens for the majority of the book and then we have an explosive ending in the last 1/3rd. And it's just a huge bummer. TW: Rape, Murder, Gore, Cannibalism, Attempted Incest, Abuse

Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Flops by Ken Mandelbaum - A look into Broadway flops over the past 40 years. The flops are categorized oddly and usually there is only a page or two dedicate to each one which made it really repetitive. I think would have preferred a detailed deep dive into maybe 10 or so Broadway flops.

Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls by Kathleen Hale - This book doesn't focus so much on the crime but the aftermath. For those who don't know, Morgan and Anissa, two preteen girls, stabbed their friend (who lived) in an attempted sacrifice to please the popular Creepypasta character, Slenderman. Of course, all the coverage of this case focused on Slenderman and the dangerous of the internet but really this is a case of severe mental illness that went untreated for a long time. Anissa did the stabbing but ultimately it was Morgan that concocted the whole plan. Morgan showed signs of schizophrenia (a disorder her father was also diagnosed with) at a young age but this was ignored by the adults in her life. After the crime took place, Morgan was denied any kind of treatment or medication during her time in prison prior to her sentencing. Morgan was left to live in her delusions and hallucinations for over a year before she was finally given help. In a harrowing section of the book, Morgan describes "waking up" from her psychosis only to be flung into a nightmare where she had committed a terrible crime against her friend. No where am I saying that Morgan does not deserve the prison time she was given but the prison system's treatment of mental health was really highlighted here and was horrifying to read about.

#books #book reviews #book review #book recommendation #book recomendation #literature #my post #non disney #my reads

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cloudsofbespin · 2 years ago

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anyway, i know the location. carol posted that story from malá strana (”lesser quarter”), overlooking the petřín hill. one of the most beautiful parts of prague. the narrow streets are magical and so very parisian

#i wonder if she's staying in one of the hotels there #or if they're on set/location

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ohsalome · 2 years ago

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Hi! A Slovak... Supporter? Fan? Person that has agreed with a lot of your stuff? Anyway, you talked a lot about common history of Ukraine and Russia, but I was wondering about the Ukrainian perspective on the period in which we Slovaks lived with parts of the Ukrainian nation in one state, that is, the Habsburg monarchy and especially First Czechoslovak Republic. Like, what were you taught in school about Carpathian Ruthenia? Is this period remembered more positively or negatively?

Hiiiiiii Minette! I remember you <3

A quick disclaimer beforehead: I finished school before 2014, things might have changed since then. I will be referring to modern textbooks in order to fix the gap, but bear in mind I had no experience of learning from them and I don't know what the teachers are like today. But the general vibe I have from my school years is that we learned a lot about russian empire and Rzeczpospolita, but not nearly enough about other eastern european countries. Looking at the current programme, it seems like the things have improved since then somewhat.

The general imperssion I have left about the Habsburgs is that it was opressive towards ukrainian pesantry and ukrainian national distinctiveness, however in comparison with russian empire, some laws were better. It's kind of a "lesser of two evils" situation. There were many revolts, one of the most prominent being оприщина (idk how it's translated in slovak... but in polish they call them zbójnicy) that are generally perceived as a righful uprising against the unjust opression.

As for the First Czechoslovak Republic, I am surprised to see that modern books dwell more into it than I remember from my school years. (Although it might have been the proverbial "you were just drawing the eye" situation). In general, I'd say it's described with a lot of sympathy, with the exception of the times Czechoslovakia shut down the separatist movements and/or movements for unification with other ukrainian republics.

The history of Czechoslovakia has become a successful example of parliamentary democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. [...] Czech and Slovak politicians voluntarily agreed to unite. This union, combined with a relatively tolerant attitude to national cultures, allowed the state to strengthen. - Історія: Україна і світ. 10 клас. Гісем

After the collapse of Austria-Hungary, the majority of the Ukrainian population of Transcarpathia spoke in favor of unification with the Ukrainian People's Republic. However, on May 8, 1919, the Central Ukrainian People's Council, created by representatives of Uzhhorod, Presov and Khust councils, proclaimed the unification of Transcarpathia with Czechoslovakia [...] where it was guaranteed the rights of autonomy. The Ukrainian population of the region in Czechoslovakia did not experience as much discrimination as in Poland or Romania. - Підручник по Всесвітній історії. 10 клас. Щупак

In political development Czechoslovakia was the most democratic state in Europe. [...] T. Masaryk had close ties with Ukraine. He was sympathetic to the Ukrainian liberation struggle and supported Ukrainian emigration. In the years between the two world wars, the Ukrainian Free University, the High Ukrainian Pedagogical Institute named after M. Drahomanov, the Ukrainian art studio and the gymnasium were established and actively functioned in Prague. [...] In the Carpathian Ukraine and Slovakia, Hungarian national parties advocated the annexation of these lands to Hungary. Alongside them were Ukrainian political parties that sought autonomy for Carpathian Ukraine. - Підручник по Всесвітній історії (рівень стандарту). 10 клас. Сорочинська

Those were just some passages relevant to your question, but for the most part the textbooks focus on Masaryk, the policial and economical systems of the Czechoslovaika, and the Munich agreement. On the topic of the latter, there is this one quote that I find sadly relevant:

From the statement of the Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia K. Croft to the Ambassadors of England, France and Italy (September 1938): "For us it is a disaster… I do not know whether your countries will benefit from the decision taken in Munich. In one thing we are sure - we are certainly not the last, after us others will suffer."

Can't really speak for the "is it remembered more positively or negatively" aspect, becuase (a) this topic isn't brought up often in the current conversation about history, and (b) I don't have relatives from that region that could testify from their own personal experience. The impression I got from reading the textbooks is neutral to positive.

Thanks for the question, this was fun to research!

#response #just please don't say ''fan''

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