Prague, Czech Republic 2011

Travelogue

May 7th

Tina and I were really excited about going to Prague - for so many different reasons. The Marathon which four of us would be running together and where I wanted to beat my own personal record, the historical city and of course last but not least meeting up with about 30 true warriors from around the world cherishing our friendships and making new ones. And of course we were more than happy that Tina's sister, Kathy and her boyfriend, Matthi had decided to join us. Not only to visit Prague but also to see what we have been up to for the last 4 years...

After a hearty breakfast the four of us hit the road and it was easy going all the way to Prague. The sun was shining and so were our moods. The crystal clear air was full of anticipation. Were we ready for a great weekend - Hell fuckin' YES we were!

Showing the world which band rules forever more - the undisputed Kings Of Metal. And hey - how cool was that. The day before we left I went to a gas station to get the car ready wearing a MANOWAR t-shirt (haha) and the cashier asked me if I'd ever been to a MANOWAR concert (!!!). I said yes of course. She said that she had seen the Kings in 2002 and 2007. I said, "Cool, I was also there in Bobelingen and Stuttgart" and smiled and said good-bye. On our way to Prague an old guy (guess he was in his mid-forties) who was driving beside us on the Autobahn gave us the Sign Of The Hammer - awesome! That is Heavy Metal MANOWAR style - uniting people everywhere.

Driving into the Czech Republic the scenery was so damn beautiful - coleseed fields as far as the eye could see. We entered Prague after 4 1/2 hours listening to Return of the Warlord (you bet!)... And after a small discussion between loved ones due to a slight malfunction of our navigation, Matthi told us to just follow the sign overhead - eh, yeah, why not.

The view from our hotel room on the 6th floor.

We checked in and met up with many other warriors who had also just arrived. Lars, Miri and Holli had made the journey on their own traveling together by car. Others also came by car or plane or even train. I had been crossing my fingers that David's car would make it without any problems because he had said that there was something wrong with his radiator. And I guess it helped.

Tina and I personally knew everybody that was there - some for as long as nearly 4 years. It was as it always will be - unbelievable. Seeing and being together with the greatest and truest people on earth. People who can look into my eyes and vice versa. People who I feel more than comfortable with. People who I plain and simply can trust.

And to all our Brothers and Sisters who were not able to join us this time - believe me when I say you were there - deep in our hearts and souls - dearly missed and never forgotten.

But of course there was one member of The House Of Death who Tina and I had not yet met before. Anastasiya from Moscow who had traveled all the way to Prague by herself to meet our family. She was so happy that she could make it and had been ueber-excited for so long. And there she was. It was really beautiful to finally meet her. A little person with a huge heart - "nice and polite", sometimes crazy and always vibrant with energy (except on some mornings, hehe). We also got to meet Kristina who was traveling with David and Olja. After she got rid of her shyness she never stopped smiling. Speaking of David and Olja...thanks so much for your grandad's Rakia - the best I've ever had (but pssst, don't tell Joro ;) - hahaha).

After David, Paddy, Lars and I got our starting packages at the EXPO we met up again in the lobby and finally made it to dinner. Damn we were starving.

Some of us had bought 3-day-passes for the public transportation while others were able to ride for free - minger (yes, we can see you - so put your hands down)...

The dinner was delicious - we had traditional Czech food and a couple of great tasting beers. At some point Olaf walked in and we were introduced to his wife, Lene. What a wonderful charming person with bright shining eyes. It was really nice to meet her.

We went back to the hotel, had a nightcap and hit the sheets - well, at least the runners did. Tomorrow was going to be our big day so we needed rest and besides I'm not the type of guy to sit at a bar drinking water...

May 8th

The Marathon was over, all four of us had crossed the finish line and now late in the afternoon we had set out for an early dinner or late lunch - call it whatever you like - we were fuckin' hungry! We walked into a restaurant and the owner looked at our black t-shirts and said she didn't have any place for us to sit although the place was fuckin' empty - stupid bitch. And then we came around a corner and the owner of a quite posh looking place almost literally pulled us inside his restaurant which was also empty - well, it was only 5 pm...

Not sure what was going to happen - we went inside. Immediately the staff started shoving tables around so we could all sit together. After a small ordering-odyssey the guy put on some music. It was modern day crap so Jen decided to ask him a question, "Do you know MANOWAR?" No, he didn't but hell he got his laptop and played MANOWAR throughout our entire dinner (and that was quite long because David and I had two dishes each and they had forgotten Magda's first one!). How fuckin' awesome was that!?! He and his bartender were even doing the Sign Of The Hammer by the end of the evening. It was amazing. And they loved us - fuck, of course they did.

The winner beer.

Claudia and Marius - a great couple who drove all the way to Prague from Romania by car!

Holliwar

The owner of Steel! ;)

After that we headed to Hells Bells Drunken, eh I mean Rockin' Pub. What a fuckin' shithole. The two guys that were serving us had an alcohol level of about 8 per mille together. They did play one or two MANOWAR songs and Painkiller so our mood was quite good at the beginning but then it was Slayer all the time - and then they changed the music into disco music, Depeche Mode and Visage and whatever else kind of bullshit. I mean, for fuck's sake - we were in a Metal Bar, weren't we? And at the end when we finally wanted to leave they tried to rip us off. Haha - the first thing that came to my mind was Anvil's documentation - they had played at the bar and the owner had tried paying them with Gulasch...

Erik - Videograph Of Steel

Oh fuck - turn it off - turn it off!

K & K

I'm actually wondering why Sandra's tongue isn't green...

Beautiful Sisters

Red, hot and nice!

Miss Painkiller

(Northern) Irish!

Let us out! And out we went back to the hotel for our last drinks. Our mood was still great - despite Hells Bells - and a great many of us were quite, eh yeah, I forgot - hicks... Paddy and I were the last to go to bed - me actually persuading him to get the fuck up stairs - vivid memories of Birmingham coming alive while doing so!

May 9th

Today was the time for sightseeing. Matthi did a fantastic job leading us through, up and down and all around this wonderful historical city. The sister-city of Vienna. It was amazing - across the Karl's Bridge, to the Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral over to the Metronom and into the old city - brilliant and very worthwhile.

The House Of Death 2011 Prague

A true Warrior couple!

Fuck, I really hate cobblestones...

...but I have to admit that I enjoyed this! ;)

The Four Runners Of Steel

We walked back into town and damnit - we were thirsty. So we headed straight towards our first Irish Pub. Great staff, great food and Guinness as good as could be!

Check out the Dubliner's...

We walked through the town a bit until we hit our second Irish Pub of the day -the Dubliner's. We walked in and haha - I guess she found her Paddy, didn't she? The place was huge and very nicely decorated and we had a good time again!

Now we wanted to find the largest Irish Pub in Prague - the one Thor had told us about. Of course we mixed up the names and ended up in...

...probably the smallest one in the entire city. Well, as it goes - Manowarriors never can be put down and always hold their heads up high. And up the stairs we went and there we were - in our own little living room - with couches , tables, chairs and we were alone. Haha - Marius who had his cellphone with him went to the owner and asked if they could play some of his music - real music - not for wimps and posers. So, there we were altogether being able to party and to listen to MANOWAR the whole evening. It was fabulous. The place was a bit expensive - but hell, everything has its price!

Where the fuck is my Absinth?

Olaf and Lene - a wonderful couple!

Paddy and our Beer Machine

Are you ready Dani and Olli? I guess you are! Awesome couple!

Hex - Hex!

Oh fuck - crazy relatives ;)

Francisco, is that you?

Sisters Of Steel

Anne and Jens - yet another wonderful couple!

We went back to the hotel pretty much knackered - but who cared. Anastasiya gave me a great gift - a bottle of Russian Mead. That was so damn nice of her! Thank you so much again.

Well, we kept on drinking and Olja and David had brought an extra bottle of Rakia and Anastasiya another bottle of mead for all of us to share - holy shit, what a night.

May 10th

Like all things in life - everything comes to an end - the good things it seems, far faster than anything else. It was time to say good-bye. Sam and Jen had already left and ever since that day they walked into that bar in Cork in 2009 Tina and I just can't get enough of that crazy couple. Magda gave me and my three sons a special gift - Polish Mead. Haha, great stuff - thanks again you crazy little witch! We finished saying our farewells, laughing, crying, hugging and kissing each other as true family members do before parting...

Once again The House Of Death proved to be one of a kind - our brotherhood is without equals. MANOWAR and their music has brought us together and we now stand as one. Growing together and strengthening our bond and friendship everytime we meet.

And yes, we will meet - again and again and again...