To the tune of June

If June was a piece of classical music, it would be a capriccio for its lively pace. Visitors/birthdays/last days of school/goodbyes/doctor visits/etc. - we're still spinning.

But who's complaining? We've wrapped up our first school year together in Prague and feel blessed beyond measure. So this post doesn't have a point other than to draw a metaphorical neon highlighter across some of the bits that really stood out in what we could remember of crazy June.

I turned 35. Yep, I said it. I was a bit sick on the special day, but did manage to have sushi with the TyVoles and a little shopping/cake outing. My favorite birthday gift was "Retro," a book of Communist-era products and ads, from the TyVoles. It's in Czech, though... Another incentive to learn the language!

Aunts and uncle and cousins - oh my! We were tickled to have two families come in the same week. BW's Aunt T and cousin K stopped in from Iceland and Germany, respectively. They energetically continued on to Munich. My Aunt and Uncle J&J and their girls Lv and Lna made a segue to us from an Austrian tour. Their pipes burst in their small Zizkov Air BnB flat (boo hiss) and they were moved to a luxury rental smack at the end of Wenceslaus Square (woo yes)!

School's out for summer. I finished teaching 6 courses, directing 3 drama productions, producing a literary journal, externally marking IB exams, helping with yearbook, seeding a drama department, chaperoning multiple trips, devising an IB TOK Day, planning a Research Skills week, etc. etc. It was a nutty - but lovely - school year. And I got gifts from students like a bottle of Czech booze. BW also got inextricably involved at school, as an exam invigilator, cookery teacher, English tutor and end-of-year BBQ chef. To top it off,  our spectacular school celebrated 20 fantastic years with a chain of special events like a huge balloon release!

We got cozy with Prague. Partly because we had visitors and partly because we were out more for friends' birthdays and goodbyes (international schools are tough that way), we got to know Madame Praha better. Here are a few things we learned...

1. There's a Stalin/Lenin foosball setup in Vodka Bar Propoganda. It's really just a painting hanging over a game table, but I think it's hilarious.

2. It's strawberry (jahody) season right now. This cafe had lots of the seasonal offerings.

3. There were (are?) exhibits scattered around Prague titled "Against Memory Loss," which paid tribute to victims of the Communist regime and declared that crimes of Communism should not be forgotten. This one was in Lucerna Passage off Wenceslas Square, which is featured in the photo.

4. We tried to visit new places that showed Prague from different angles. Here's a view from a riverside cafe that provides an almost underbelly look at Charles Bridge.

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Can't-miss Czech experiences, Part 2

The second half of a post on things that will spark your senses in the Czech Republic!

6. Mix beer and history in Pilsen

In the General George S. Patton Museum

If the first pilsner ever to be created is still going strong worldwide, you can assume the formula is a winner – but you'd better have a taste for yourself! Visit the Pilsner Urquell Brewery in the Bohemian city of Pilsen for a tour on the history and production of the golden brew, and then polish off a few samples straight from oak barrels at the end.  Check for tour times in English.

Pilsen is also brimming with other types of history; it has one of the largest synagogues in the world, a heady gothic cathedral, and the unique George Patton Museum, which documents Czechoslovakia's liberation from the Nazis by US troops. And back to beer; Pilsen also has a charming and informative Brewery Museum in a 15^th century house that documents beer brewing and drinking over the centuries. 

7. Skip between chateaus in South Moravia

The magnificent Chateau Lednice

Two chateaus and their captivating landscapes in grapevine-rich South Moravia are not only mere kilometers apart, but they’re also both UNESCO world heritage sites. In the grandiose Chateau Valtice, one can make like Liechtenstein aristocracy by sampling the vibrant wares of an award-winning wine salon. Learn about Czech viticulture here and then meander through the showy halls and gardens.

Neighboring  Chateau Lednice is where the Liechtensteins spent their summers. The stunning interior drips with ornate wood carvings, and the English park outside is dotted with whimsical monuments, such as a Roman obelisk and an Islamic minaret. Rent a bike to cover more ground and pack a picnic to eat with your newly-purchased Moravian wine. For more information, visit Czech Tourism.

8. Hike like a Czech

Hiking signs in the woods

 Avoid the tourist crush and go where the Czechs go – into the woods. There is an extensive network of 40,000 km of color-coded trails throughout the country, with every meter marked on easy-to-read maps available at knihovas (book stores). The trails are maintained by Czech Tourist Club volunteers who clear obstructions, pick up waste and lovingly paint strips of red, yellow, green and blue on trees, posts and rocks so you won’t get lost. There’s no better way to find quaint villages and crumbly castle ruins, and hikes are available for every level of ability and fitness.

While there are endless options for stellar hikes, two particular areas offer very different flora and fauna. The Trebon region is flatter and full of picturesque woods and peat bogs, and has been named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for its rich marshes and water birds. Hikes can be found at the webpage for the city of Trebon. In contrast, the environs of Cesky Raj have hillier hikes that wind through thick conifer forests and volcanic sandstone pillars, not to mention peaks capped with medieval ruins. For more information, visit the official Cesky Raj tourism website.

9. Follow Kafka’s footsteps in Prague

Kafka hung out here

Franz Kafka may have been a blip on the literary scene when alive, but posthumously, he’s been recognized as one of the paramount writers of the 20^th century. In fact, a handwritten manuscript of his novel The Trial was purchased for almost 2 million dollars – not bad for a guy plagued with worry over being mentally and physically repulsive. You can trace his peculiar story with tour guide Ivan through Prague’s Old Town buildings, cafes and the Jewish cemetery where he was laid to rest. 

In addition, the Kafka Museum conveys how Prague, which he called a “little mother with claws” affected his prose, as well exhibits the city’s topography as presented in Kafka’s writing.

10. Enter the mouths of the Moravian Karst

from Prazak / Wikimedia Commons

Straight out of a Jules Vernes novel, you can float down a subterranean river and weave through a toothy  labyrinth of dripstone stalagmites in the caves of the Moravian Karst. While these spectacular geological features extend about 92km, five caverns are currently open to visitors. Having been discovered in early 20^th century, they are remarkable well-preserved.

The karst are popular with locals, so be sure to reserve tickets ahead of time in the summer months. A cable car and two trains are available to assist people in getting around the region.   

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Can't-miss Czech Experiences, Part 1

It seems every cobblestone in the Czech Republic leads you to a new way to spark the senses, from the aroma of roasting pork knuckle in a forested village to glittery Art Nouveau cafes crowning Prague’s historical center. The country is all at once rooted in Slavic tradition yet brimming with artistic and civic innovations.

Yes, the tales of perfect and plentiful cheap Czech beer do ring true, but this central European gem is so much more than that. Imagine soaking in spas, sleeping in castles and hiking to a subterranean river.

1. Soak in Bohemian Spas

Spa colonnades in Karlovy Vary

The warm, mineral-rich groundwater of West Bohemia has been renowned for its relaxing and restorative prowess for centuries; Beethoven, Goethe and Casanova were all devotees.  Three Czech towns – Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně – form an opulent “spa triangle”, and treatments can be found for a steal compared to Western prices.

Aside from the curative elements of a visit, the cake frosting-esque colonnades and frescoes bedecking these spa centers are pure eye candy. In Karlovy Vary, purchase a porcelain cup and follow the locals around to decorative fountains for swigs of spring water, or visit Moser glassworks or the factory that produces the Czech herbal liqueur Becherovka. And then go for another massage.

For another, more “hoppy” wellness option, head 10km south of Mariánské Lázně for a proper spa experience in a bath of – you guessed it – Czech beer. Connect with the Chodovar Brewery for more information.

2. Roam ‘round  Adršpach -Teplice rock cities

Let's rock!

Along the Czech-Polish border, cities of rock rise from the Earth, ready to charm and cradle visitors eager to see their peaks and crags. It’s the stuff of Czech fairytales – sandstone formations named things like “mouse hole,” “sugar loaf,” and “elephant square” – and they're utterly enchanting. Within the Adršpach -Teplicerock region, one can find waterfalls, a turquoise lake with local boat rides and cozy pubs to quench explorers’ thirst.

Interestingly, the area is home to one of Europe’s largest breeding sites for the Peregrine Falcon, which is protected by federal law. You’ll also most likely see rock climbers and jumpers. Stay the night in Trutnov and take a train to the rocks early in the morning so you and the falcons can have them all to yourselves. Walking trails vary from easy to more arduous; e-mail info@skalyadrspach.cz for more information on specific routes.

3. Go “houby hunting”

Dezidor / Wikimedia Commons

Forget beer – Czechs and mushrooms (houby) go hand-in-hand. Wild mushroom foraging May through October is a national hobby that not only gets people out into fresh air but also provides a bit of earthy nature on the dinner table. Ample areas around Prague include the Kunratice Forest and Obora Hvězda, though weather conditions and numbers of pickers can dictate where the ‘shrooms are most prolific. The best rule of thumb for anywhere in the country is to head into woodsy areas that get decent sun the day after a good rain. But beware! Poisonous varieties do exist, and it's imperative that one consults a field guide and/or knowledgeable local. Consult the Czech Mycological Society for assistance and check out this Prague TV guide for photos. If you’d like to access a tour guide, consider Prague Off the Map’s alternative tours. Don't forget a sharp knife, a clean basket and a big appetite.

4. Behold the bones (and more)

A bony coat of arms

While spending time with skeletons may not sound seductive, the “bone church” in Sedlec, near Kutná Hora, really is a sight to behold. Bedecked in the bones of tens of thousands of plague and war victims, the Gothic church and its basement ossuary are fetching in a macabre sort of way. Fibulas, ribs, skulls and even malleus (those are ear bones) form ornate pyramids, chandeliers and even a coat of arms.

The adjoining church was built on its spot thanks to a Cistercian abbot who sprinkled dirt from the Holy Land there. When the plague hit in the mid-14^th century, it became a highly sought-after burial place. Around 1511, a half-blind monk exhumed skeletons and stacked the bones, and in 1870, a local woodcarver was employed to put them in order; he arranged them into the elaborate designs you can see today.

The town of Kutná Hora has more to offer, as well; the stunning St. Barbara Cathedral, a lovely historic center, and a medieval silver mine make for a perfect day excursion outside of Prague. Tour companies offer trips, but it’s cheaper and quite easy to go by train yourself.

5. Catch some Zs in a Czech castle

Chateau Hruba Skala by Marzper / Wikimedia Commons

Castles and chateaus aren't just for princesses. Slip into royal slumber after eating, drinking and being merry in one of many stately structures around the country. Suggestions? At Chateau Herálec, unwind above a 17^th century orangery.  Snooze elegantly on a 14^th century foundation in the Chateau Hrubá Skála. At Štiřín Castle, check out the chapel's Baroque alter festooned with Venetian mirrors. And for a more Spartan experience, the Cejkovice Chateau has basic rooms from the era of the Knights Templar, in the Czech Republic’s wine region. A bit of online research will turn up myriad options.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday linkup, hosted by Bonnie Rose and friends!

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Vinohrady summertime

Where do we live? We've nested on the edge of Prague's Vinohrady neighborhood, named for the fact it was blanketed by the vineyards of King Charles IV in the 14th century. You can get there in just a couple of tram or metro stops from all of the major tourist sites.

Map of the center of Prague from Smichovhotels.com

Its hallmark is its grand architecture and it's known as an expat hotspot, but the only time we really notice English is outside of Western entities like Starbucks or at events like World Cup festivities. Anyhow, the 'hood is a superb summertime hangout, and here are our most recent 3 reasons:

World Cup mania is in full-swing, meaning that Vinohrady's Riegerovy Sady beer garden, with its two big projection screens, is packed to the gills. So much so that our Scottish friend about went mental on the people who'd stand smack in front of our table, blocking the view: "Big mahn in tha gleen shehrt- out ma way ya tossehr!" This is one place where you can find dozens of languages being spoken as people from all over the planet come to cheer on their teams. 

Patios are sprouting outside of cafés and restaurants, which are plentiful. We recently found A+ spring rolls and pho in Vinohrady, at Ha Noi. Authentic Vietnamese food is something we've really missed since leaving the U.S. and this does a decent job of filling the void. 

Finally, it seems that festivals are always popping up in this area. Here's a Taste of Slovenia event we stumbled upon on a cool summer evening in Jiřího z Poděbrad Square. We collected a pile of info about traveling there; Ljubljana is high on our list.

Ahhh...summer... This post is part of the #SundayTraveler blog linkup hosted by PackMeTo.com!

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Sicko

I've been sick. It's easing now but for a few days it was feel-like-I'm-swallowing-cockleburs-and-shivering-under-16-blankets-and-even-my-bone-marrow-hurts sick. Went to the (English speaking!) Czech doc and he took my temperature twice, looked confounded, and then had a nurse take it. "It's unbelievably high," he said with a furrowed brow. My teeth were chattering.

In the U.S., if I was sick I'd hop in the car and drive 10 minutes to the local HealthPartners Clinic. Here, the journey is much more ambitious, especially when you feel like you might faint along the way.

From school, I take the tram. (From home, an additional metro leg is added.) 

Then I have to walk downhill...

...past these old painted lady storage containers. There's no road for cars near them, which is odd.

After about a 7 minute walk, I end up at the gates of the Canadian Medical Center.

Apparently it used to be a sanatorium, according to this tile?

It's a stately, mansion-esque building on the outside...

...and on the inside.

The verdict: An ear/nose/throat infection, hayfever, a high fever and something "-itis" in my chest. I left with 5 prescriptions and a note for a week off work, as is the status quo in this country. So are prescriptions for a week by the sea or a trip to a massage therapist! 

Spent a Friday and weekend at home and am back in the grind, though another day off would've probably been prudent. Now BW is sniffly...

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One evening in Prague

"36 Hours in Prague" by the New York Times...

"24 Amazing Hours in Prague" by CNN Travel...

There are bowlfuls of articles on the internet touting brief trips in Prague. But what if a visitor has only one evening?

Ma and Pa R and their friends the Ns swung through the Golden City for one short night on their way to Italy. Having not seen my parents for almost 11 months, it was hard to have them for such a short stint, but our quick visit was dynamite and they'll be back in a couple of weeks, when school gets out. 

So what did we see in our few hours in the city? Well, knowing that they'll be back soon, we didn't cram castlesquaresbridgegardenschurches all together. Instead, we drank in a couple of sites while the sun set and had a proper Czech feast. 

We started under the horse's tail at Wenceslas Square...

 ...and then circled around to the other side for a group pic.

We made our way U Dvou Kocek. Good beer, yummy food - just don't accept the tourist-aimed aperitif ripoff at the end.

Even Jayda got into the action.

We continued on to Old Town Square and had a quintessential photo snapped in front of the Astronomical Clock.

And after a quick stroll through the square...

...we escalator-ed it home.

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Liebster Love

Yee-haw! Czechesotans has been nominated for a Liebster blogger award :) The lovely and talented Cynthia from ADVENTURINGS, a blog about her Bohemian life in the Czech town of Ceske Budovice, put us up to the task.

First, here are my subsequent nominations:

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere: How do people in Mongolia live? I didn't know, either! Loads of pretty pictures and interesting bits on yurts and things here, folks.

Mark in Maine: Mark is a gifted journalist from St. Paul, MN, who is now a Bangor transplant thanks to his professor wife. He has an eye for small-town detail that's both quirky and informative.

Tonbogirl: I'm a sucker for good design and creative clothing, and this visual fashion diary out of Bratislava is top-notch. Plus, writer Marika speaks like 5 languages!

Ricky Yates: Rev. Yates is an Anglican chaplain in Prague who writes extensively about Czech history and culture. Consider yourself educated after reading this one.

And second, here are my answers to Cynthia's questions:

1. When you think of the word “home”, what place comes to mind?
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, even though I was born in a teeny-tiny town in North Dakota and BW is from the 'burbs. St. Paul's Cathedral Hill neighborhood (the stomping grounds of F. Scott Fitzgerald) is where BW and I made a home together before getting the international bug.

Super St. Paul!

2. How important is it to learn the language of the country where you’re living?
What I should say: Oh-so important!
What I'm saying instead: It's easy to live in Prague and not know Czech. We are embarrassed by our lack of Czech, but the language is really flipping hard.

3. What was your biggest travel or expat “oops” you’ve ever made?
Um, like a thousand. In Thailand, I had a bad stomach, bought meds from a dubious pharmacist, and then got even sicker from the meds. Good thing the view was so spectacular!

It was pretty splendid once we survived the asylum

4. What is a city or place you LOVE that is totally off the tourist radar?
Kandy, Sri Lanka. It has a temple containing one of Buddha's teeth. It was awash in flower offerings and incense and people dressed all in white - just lovely.

In the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

5. How do you like to unwind after a long day?
Me: Writing, playing with the dog, eating BW's cooking, walking around Prague. Most evenings, I'm marking papers or planning lessons. BW: Cooking, watching TV online.

6. If I gave you free tickets to fly anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Japan! BW wants to eat at a famous restaurant featured in the documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi." I waitressed in a sushi eatery in grad school and am fascinated by Japanese food and culture. Origami, haiku, ikebana, nigiri - everything seems so precise and beautiful. 

7. What’s the best material possession you’ve acquired in the past two years?
My wedding ring. I'm not a "diamonds are a girl's best friend" type of gal, but BW designed it himself and it reminds me of a Mucha painting - and our commitment to each other, of course.

Mucha!

8. What inspires you most, creatively?
Living abroad, definitely. I tried to write a blog in the U.S. but just couldn't give it steam. I also like taking a boatload of random photos and using them as stimuli for blog posts/poetry/short stories.

9. Best book you’ve read in the past year?

Probably "Freedom" by Jonathan Franzen. It begins in the St. Paul 'hood we left and follows a twisted plot line through the destruction of a "normal" American middle-class family. The writing is superb.

10. What’s your travel style like? Slow, fast, budget, luxurious….

We like to do home exchanges so we can stay in one place for a while and keep costs down. Plus it's fun seeing how other people live; here's a photo of a quirky spot we recently stayed in:

11. What are your travel plans for the rest of 2014?

Sumava and Cesky Krumlov (southern Czech Republic) in early July with my parents. Home to Minnesota and North Dakota for a month this summer, and probably the south of Spain for the Fall when BW's parents come to visit. Christmas somewhere exotic, hopefully. (Japan??!)

Cesky Krumlov, via Wikimedia Commons

Finally, here are my 11 questions for my Liebster nominees:
1. If your blog was a song, what would it be and why?
2. What is one thing you reeeeally like about the town where you live?
3. What are you doing this summer?
4. Name a place you've traveled that you'd recommend to others and why.
5. Who is someone you look up to?
6. What drives you crazy?
7. Where do you do most of your blogging?
8. How do you spend your free time?
9. What is something cool you've found?
10. If you could switch places with someone for a day, who would it be?
11. What gets your creative juices flowing?

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Caps & Gowns & Cake & Security Guards

The Year 13s' graduation was yesterday and it was splendid - accomplished youth; a sunny day; masterful music; a big lawn... 

...the U.S. Ambassador's lawn, to be exact. 

The school had a connection through one of our families, and since I was a Year 13 tutor this year, I got to plant my kaboodle on the piazza during part of the ceremony. 

Couldn't have been more proud of the graduates- even after eight years of being a high school teacher, sending a fresh crop of thoughtful young people out into the world never gets tiring. What a blessing to be privy to such promise and possibility.

I was too busy corralling the kids and pinning grad caps into place to take pictures during the event, but here are a few more from the grounds, pre-ceremony.

See the tables below? After the big event, there was a snazzy "walking buffet" of canapés, along with non-alcoholic cocktails and a carrot cake the size of my bathtub. I ate my weight in that cake. BW was volunteering back at the school during graduation and he was okay with that. Just don't tell him about the carrot cake.

I'm a nobody from a town the size of a jellybean, so this was high rolling in my book. But this is not a post meant for me; it's a post meant to send unconditional love and many years of success (and cake!) to our graduates. May their dreams be bigger and more beautiful than an ambassador's residence times a thousand :)

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