Sunday, July 19, 2009

Firsts



Today I had three "firsts". First time to the top of Powder Tower (Prasna Brana) that was built in 1475 under the reign of King Vladislav II Jagiello intended to contribute to the beauty of the Royal Court (King's residence). In the 17th century it was used to store gunpowder; hence the name "Powder Tower". A family of four can get in for $200 czk or around $11.00. It's an pretty nice view of the city but not much more. If you have vertigo or are claustrophobic then you will want to pass on this one. I rather enjoyed the break from walking around the Old Town. I give it a 5 out of 10.

The second thing was going to the Bohemia Bagel. Definately worth the trip for the super-sized hamburger (200 grams or just over quarter pound)with the works. They come with french fries - more than one person can eat - and small bit of coleslaw that was a bit strange for my taste for 135 czk or about $7.35. Come hungry. As my friend Barrie would say, it's a good place for some good ol' comfort food.

My most interesting experience today was catching a pickpocket on the metro with his hand in my bag. I grabbed his hand, squeezed his fingers and threw his hand out...his response was nothing more than a defiant snicker and moved on to the women next to him. Lesson here is to keep your purse zipped shut and under your arm pit the entire time on the metro and trams. NEVER put your bag down or across your chair or you and it will soon part :(

Weather Schizophrenia


It is wise to follow some good advice and bring a portable umbrella and a light jacket at all times. Sunny then rainy...rainy then sunny; you just never know. Visitors to Prague can glean information about how to pack for their trip and what times of year are best to come to this beautiful city at http://www.prague-guide.co.uk/articles/prague-weather-and-when-to-go.html
We're heading to the Bohemia Bagel http://www.bohemiabagel.cz/home.html today for some much needed fresh air, relaxation, yummy food and cappuchino! You have to go to this place when you visit.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Odiferous Bohemians


Some (many) of the men here smell like a vat of Limburger cheese on the trams in mid-July. Deodorant and antiperspirant are apparently optional. I've had to learn to hold my breath and not make sour faces...as anyone who knows me, holding my facial expression isn't an easy feat. So, I had to research this phenomenon and strangely enough this is not only socially acceptable, but preferred by the Czech women - they like their men to smell like MEN...really stinky men (argh). In fact, the women generally look and smell like they stepped out of a beauty magazine and the men they are with look like they just got out of bed with the clothes they've been wearing for a month, unshaven and unbathed. Very confusing. Okay. I realize that I'm generalizing here but these situations seem to keep repeating themselves and I'm just pointing out my personal observations. When my husband left for work this morning, I told him that he is probably offending the women on the tram. Looking confused, and a little hurt, he asked "Why do you say that!?" To which I replied, "Your deodorant and cologne must be very offensive". We laughed; needing no further explanation.
Live and let live, I suppose.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Conversion Crazy

I've forgotten everything that I learned in elementry school about the metric system and wish I hadn't. My mind is working overtime trying to convert everything from the weather, cooking measurements , distance, speed, and don't forget money (well not exactly metric...but you get my drift). Today's tip for traveling or moving to Prague would be to make sure you bring a measuring cup/spoons with both US measurement and metric. Here's a link I used when trying to set the oven for cooking and converting my recipes http://www.allfavoriterecipe.com/RecipeCookingMeasurementConversionChart.aspx
And speaking of weather, I took a glimps of what the weather in my home town is and see that it is 46 C (115 F) and it made me feel guilty about complaining of the heat on the tram today when the temperature here was 25 C (77 F). I suspect the winters in Prague should be revenge enough. Here is a link that you can get the weather in Fahrenheit or Celcius with the click of a button. Look for the icon under the weather picture labled "C/F" http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/55
Oh, and don't forget the feet to meters thing. We are trying to find a suitable place to live and really struggle with square meters to square feet...oh and the I wish I'd measured my furniture and brought my measuring tape with me so when we are looking at houses I could know for sure if my bedroom set and livingroom furniture will fit into the smaller rooms. I love the smaller living quaters (less to clean) but have American furniture which seem colosil by European standards. So, measure before you move!
Shopping is interesting trying to figure out if you are getting a good deal or paying too much. My point of reference is totally blown, but have figured out a quick way to convert US dollars to CZ crowns (kc). At present the US dollar is about 20:1 which makes things easier. Here is an example where I should have shopped around before I bought, but got too emotional instead of calculating the value of what I was buying to the price. Some Nike flip-flops were 690 kc. First divide the total amount by two (about 450) and then drop the zero. I payed about $45 for a pair of flip-flops! Probably too much...but they are Nike :)
Well, happy shopping!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Where Have All the Children Gone?


Here is a curious thougtht...where have all the children gone in Prague? Walking around the past two weeks, I've noticed that there are almost no children over the age of 5. Well, as it turns out, it is a Czech social norm for families to go to their summer homes for the duration of the summer! If they don't have a summer home, then they send their children to summer camps away from the city. They are really big on outdoor activities. Too bad my kids are the only ones to be found in a 30 mile radius (or so it seems). Parents start signing their kids up in the fall because the programs fill up fast. Thank goodness my husband planned for us to go visit his family on the Croatian coast for two weeks or I think I would lose my mind trying to entertain two 8 and 10 year old boys! Well, next summer I will know better.

I did manage to befriend another English speaking family with an 11 year old girl. I've arranged for us to see Ice Age in English located in Praha 1 not too far from our flat. Here is a link to find a movie theatre (AKA "Cinema") http://www.expats.cz/prague/directory/cinemas/0///

Discovering Havlíčkovy Sady and Basketball Camp

We have a temporary flat in Prague 2 also referred to as Vinohrady which is within 5 minutes walking to Pragues second largest park, Havlickovy Sady. If you love the outdoors and need a quick get away, then you have to check out this site http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/havlickovy-sady-park.html or get a 360 degree view of the park at http://www.360cities.net/image/havlickovy-sady-in-prague-czech-republic
There are two kids playgrounds which are geared mostly for smaller children, however the playground at the top of the park at the entrance Rybalakova has a basketball court where you can either bring your own ball or ask the attendent to borrow theirs. There is a basketball camp conducted in English if your youngster wants to attend http://www.basketballcamp.cz/

First Week


Moving from the U.S. to Europe has proven to be both exciting and confusing. Everything seems familiar and so foreign; such a whirl wind of emotions. Visiting with the children several times over the years have made the transition for all of us much more seamless than it could have been when moving with an 8 and 10 year old. The kids are looking at the move as another vacation and not fully understanding that they are here to stay and that they will have to make new friends, go to a new school, and get used to new traditions and social norms.
An example of some differences that have popped up are:
1. People smoke everywhere; in restaurants, bathrooms, etc. They haven't yet picked up on the second hand smoke issue :)
2. They LOVE their dogs. I've seen just about every breed of purebred pooch known to man. I am a dog lover myself, but wish they would pick up their poo. There are little land mines on the sidewalks! People can even bring their dogs on public transit. Because of the close relationships people have with their dogs and bring them everywhere, the dogs are very well behaved. They patiently wait outside the shops for their owners to return without any leash and won't leave. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it for myself.
3. Everything is closed on the weekend. Europeans really love their personal time and make no bones about taking time off for their families and friends. I suspect the U. S. consumerism culture and economy has brought us to the point that buying stuff is more important. In this, we have something to learn from the Europeans.
4. Everyone walks everywhere. Believe it or not, I really love this about Prague. You don't really need to have a car if you live in the city because the tram, metro, or buses will take you everywhere you need to go. Short walks from each station or to your final destination is exillerating. The down side to no car is having to carry your groceries and having to shop everyother day to keep your supplies.
5. Be prepared to pay to use a public toilet (genrally 10-20 cz = .50-$1.00) in some restaurants and metro stations. One German women about 20 yrs old tried to go in without paying and the Czech attendent chased after her and refused to let her in the stall...mental note; always carry change!

Ciao for now!