CZECHGREATS

Winter is winnowing away and while there's been lots of theatre-going and park-walking, we've also been checking items off the ol' to-do list, which seems to sprout another few inches every time we pick it up.

- Get hole in rear of red pants stitched up

- Bathe the dog

- Write reference letters for students
- Make Czech travel plans for family visiting this Spring

- Get winter coats dry-cleaned
- Have taxes prepared

Etc. Etc. Etc.

A post I wrote a couple of years ago detailed some CZECHACHES - minor annoyances involved with living in the Czech Republic. Today, I want to highlight CZECHGREATS, or things that make life here pleasant. These are the sorts of things I'd miss should we move.

First off, art being at your fingertips all the time, everywhere, is a CZECHGREAT. On the weekends we'll scan the internet for something to do and there are always more art exhbitions than we have time to see, from vintage photography to performance art to contemporary sculpture and more. Below was a retrospective of Olbram Zoubek at Prague Castle a couple of years ago.

It's a snap to hop on a train, bus or bike and access nature within minutes of Prague proper. Being able to live in the city yet easily spend a morning hiking before popping back into Prague for dinner is a CZECHGREAT. Just don't climb and then get stuck on a pile of logs like our pup.

There is an abundance of starožitnictví (antique shops) and bazaars in this town, and they're very reasonable. Finding a set of old Czechoslovakian crystal goblets or yellowing 1970s film posters is surely a CZECHGREAT, whatwith the history and mystery attached. (And said items help one de-IKEA-fy) one's home. This is our favorite, in Prague 2.

Another CZECHGREAT is the wealth of opportunity to learn about history, sociology, conflict and more. Below, my feet are poised on the edge of a WWII memorial in Plzen after visiting the General George Patton Museum there. It's true that museums exist everywhere, but the Czechs do an extraordinarily good job of providing lectures, exhibits, tours and more to the public. I know more about Bohemian King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV than I ever thought I would!

For those with a sweet tooth, a CZECHGREAT is the gaiety surrounding desserts. Coming from diet-obsessed America where people are swearing off anything with sugar in favor of Paleo this or Whole30 that, it's lovely to sit in a cukrárna (sweet shop) and have a slab of carrot cake or ice cream with warm strawberries. Food culture is quite different here.

I could write heaps more about CZECHGREATS, but I really should get the floor swept as dustbunnies are pooling in the corners. Perhaps you have more to add?

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Frantiskovy Lazne in February

Reasons to go to the charming little Czech spa town of Františkovy Lázně in drab February:

1) Goethe, Beethoven and Franz Joseph the First were all regular guests to the mineral baths and spa treatments here - and you'll be able to follow in their footsteps without the Spring/Summer tourists.

2) There's a big aquatic center called the Aquaforum where you can easily while away 4 warm, relaxing hours for about 200kc (120kc more for the sauna, too).

From www.frantiskovylazne.cz

3) Someone yarn-bombed lampposts and flower planters in the center, and it looks like they're wearing sweaters.

4) You can "take the waters," i.e. drink the highly carbonated mineral spring water from fountains scattered around town. The taste is vile but it's supposed to be very healthy; you can get rid of that Winter cold.

5) The chilly evening temperatures will cause you to seek refuge somewhere warm and you may stumble upon a gem like the Country Saloon Bažina, an "American" country bar. The night we went, a band played Kenny Rogers and Alan Jackson in Czech! (They need to ditch the flag on the left, though.)

6) There are numerous parks, and many hotels offer Nordic walking tours through them with all the retirees (who are basically the only other people in the town besides you).

7) The grand 19th century architecture is striking - no matter what time of year you come.

8) You might quietly spot a celebrity in a cafe. We saw Czech comedian/actor Lukáš Pavlasek while we were eating this afternoon snack.

9) There are a number of peaceful spots to pop into, such as the Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Olga.

10) It's just a lovely cure for the long Winter doldrums.

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Czech culture learning materials

As a teacher, I'm constantly compiling materials for lessons, so I thought, why not gather some materials that I've used for learning about the culture here in the Czech Republic?

Anyone can jump on Amazon and search for books on Czech customs and culture. The list I've got here is comprised of things that have helped me understand the dark humor, the lean toward egalitarianism, the penchant for house-slippers, in a more holistic manner.

Of course, the best thing you can possibly do to better grasp Czech norms is spend time with actual natives (and you should make every effort to!); these items are only meant to be supplemental.

Things that have helped me understand Czech culture*
*And please do recommend more

1. Films. Ask your Czech friends for some suggestions. I've been directed toward, which are all comical yet disconcerting at the same time:

From "Closely Observed Trains"

• Pupendo - about the difficulty of family life under Communism in the 1980s

• Closely Observed Trains - a coming-of-age story set during WWII in German-occupied Czechoslovakia, based on a novel

• Firemen's Ball - satire about Eastern European Communism, centered around a village's bumbling fire department

2. Literature, of course! (Sorry, Kafka, for not listing you.)

From the "Unbearable Lightness of Being" film adaptation, starring Daniel Day Lewis and Juliette Binoche. 

The book is better.

• The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Placed in 1968 during the Prague Spring, this philosophical book about the tangled existence of four broken people is one of the most transformative things I've ever read, and I'm not exactly sure why. 

• The Little Town Where Time Stood Still by Bohumil Hrabal (also the author of "Closely Observed Trains). The story of a zany and delightful young brewer's wife in rural Czechoslovakia in the 1930s, and how political change impacts her village.

• No Saints or Angels by Ivan Klima. Set in modern Prague, a divorced dentist must confront her family's Stalinist past whilst managing her difficult teen daughter, ex-husband and new love. It provides a frank picture of current drug culture in the city city, too.

• Now that we're becoming parents, I've enjoyed perusing bookshops for Czech children's books, which I'm beginning to be able to read: Here's a list.

3. Theatre. I still can't understand theatre in Czech, but here are some good foreigner-friendly bets:

I couldn't find a theatre gif, so here is Tom Hulce as a young Mozart in Czech director Milos Forman's award-winning film "Amadeus"

• English performances of Jara Cimrman plays at the Žižkovské divadlo in Prague 3. Cimrman is a fictional playwright who "wrote" many of this country's most famous comedies, most of which are set in the early 1900s. They are side-splitting hilarious!

• Drama and opera with the Czech National Theatre. A number of performances have English subtitles, and you will be blown away by the quality of theatre here for the price. I can't recommend Czech theatre highly enough.

4. Hiking. I've written about it many times on this blog - from a visiting parent hike to a hike where we found odd things. 

I love it because it gets us out of Prague and into various villages and landscapes; this country and culture is so much more than its capitol city. It forces us to use our Czech language more, too.

Are you an expat who has other tricks for learning about the local culture? Or are you a Czech who has suggestions for doing so? I'm always looking to learn more, so - again - please do share materials and ideas!

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25 years of lasky (love)

A love poem translated by *Václav JZ Pinkava:

The sort of love that results in 25 years of togetherness is extraordinary, and we were able to celebrate  it recently at our friends' quarter-century anniversary. As this couple (whom I've crassly given the pseudonym "TyVoles" on this blog - sorry, guys!) is a pair of world travelers, I thought the aforementioned poem fit nicely.

Our couple also has enormous senses of humour, so the day started off with Mr. surprising Mrs. with a Czech comedian performing a mock marriage ceremony in front of family and friends at a Prague restaurant.

 Afterward, we crossed the street to the Rotunda Nalezení sv. Kříže where our couple had a proper vow renewal. Being from the 11th century, that rotunda has likely seen many happy pairs consecrate their marriages.

Then of course, what would a ceremonious anniversary be without a party with copious food and drink? My favorite is the traditional Czech wedding food Šunka plněná křenovou šlehačkou - ham rolls with horseradish cream, and BW and I ate our weight in it. And somehow the evening ended with BW taking home an entire tub of leftover tlačenka (headcheese) and onion in vinegar.

Much more importantly than food, though, we always love seeing the TyVole family and their friends, and with some minimal Czech language skills now, we could even chat a bit with the grandmas.

So cheers to "heart(s) with dewed pearls a-beading" and all of the beautiful things that come with long-term commitment through the many changes that life brings. We raise a glass to our lovely friends.

*Mr. Pinkava has translated many Czech poems at http://www.vzjp.cz

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Czech things that intimidate me

I used to throw the hammer in college and have broken up my share of high school brawls. However, there are a few things that I'm too big a wimp to sample whilst living in the Czech Republic. Here's what and why:

- Slevomat.cz

This is the Czech version of U.S. sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial. The content - discounts on body waxing and rotating sushi - doesn't intimidate me, but the vernacular does; it's all in Czech. I'm at the point now where I can understand conversations on the tram and can speak like a toddler, but don't feel confident purchasing an item or service with fine print I can't properly understand. Even if it means 25 percent off a round of laser tag.

- Tlacenka

I.e. headcheese in a a viscous gelatin. I think of brains as zombie food. I just can't.

- Ambivalence toward nudity

This is an item I wish I was more relaxed about. I admire this body-positive, non-sexualised consideration of the human figure au naturale. It's normal to see little ones frolicking in a fountain sans clothing on a hot summer day, or a woman breastfeeding her child in a cafe, or elderly people sunbathing in their gardens in their skivvies. On a recent trip to the Krkonosse Mountains, I even ran into a hiking group with their tops (but not bras) off. I wish I felt that ease. Below is Jan Saudek, a Czech artist famous for photography featuring nudes.

By Karolína Černá - FilmCZ.Info

- Mliko

I don't think a glass full of beer foam with just a smidgeon of liquid at the bottom is a hugely popular thing - but it's still a thing. Perhaps it's an elixir of youth; I've mostly seen older gentlemen order it. Even so, I'd sooner go thirsty than gulp a foamy substance.

*Last 3 photos via Wikimedia Commons

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Wine not?

I'd wanted to see the film "Spotlight", but the cinema where it was showing was a 15-minute walk from our tram stop and it was POURING rain out. So we ducked into a nearby wine bar called Bokovka, snuggled up and never did make it to the movie because the cheese and wine were just too fetching.

Bokovka goodies

The sommelier, Roman, took his time explaining the vín to us and even whipped out a Czech wine map to point out where various grapes were grown. We were seduced by a bottle labeled "Sideways" (which is English for the Czech word "Bokovka"), and Roman told us it was made by a young guy in the Pálava Region in South Moravia.

So guess where we took our long-weekend holiday for midterm break?

You guessed it - Czech wine country! 

We stayed at a nondescript pension in the village of Pavlov and wandered in and out of tiny little family-owned wine cellars, sampling the wares, snacking on smoked meat and cheese, and sticking coins in the damp cellar walls. Not sure what the point of that was, but as you can see behind my head, lots of people did it.

 Our highlight, though was the wine tasting we'd booked at NEPRAŠ & Co., the makers of the "Sideways" wine we'd had in Prague. 

The owner, Ondřej, and his mother, Ludmila, walked us through their offerings and were extraordinarily informative. We learned so much about vineyards, grape varieties, Czech viticulture history and so on; we can't speak highly enough about the experience!

And we bought far more wine than we probably should have... a lot of loved ones will be getting wine this year for Christmas!

If you go...

Pavlov is 2.5 hours southeast of Prague by car. 

Call ahead to our friends at NEPRAŠ & Co. and they'll hook you up!

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A doggone good hike

A post by Jayda. Woof.

Mom and I went for a two-day hike in the Czech Křivoklátsko woods all by ourselves, since dad is out of town on a cookery course. We had everything packed up before going, from rain gear to my doggie treats to a special turistické map mom got at the Neo Luxor bookstore on Wenceslas Square. I just had to get my fuzzy behind up early enough to catch the right bus.

Yeah, that's right. I'm in a puppy bjorn. Got a problem with it?

Day 1 

KM hiked: A measly 4
Missed buses: 1
People met who spoke English: 0
Maps lost: 0

We rode into the town of Rakovník and had plans to switch to another bus... but we missed it; mom had us standing on the wrong side of the rode when it whizzed by. And there wasn't another one to our intended trail-head village for 4 hours! Doggonit! I was pawing at mom to share the hard-boiled egg she was peeling in frustration when an old man hollered at us in Czech from behind a fence. He'd been locked a decaying old track-and-field-complex near the bus-stop, and said something about a "klíč". Mom knew that meant "key," so she ran into the building adjacent to the track and found a lady who could let him out. He was laden in photography equipment and took mom's and my picture; I gave him my best bow-wow.

At least Rakovnik was pretty

With grey clouds looming, mom made the executive decision to walk to the local train station and catch the next carriage to Křivoklát, where we'd booked a pension for the night. So... the first part of our hike was gone to the dogs. We considered getting off early at this station to get at least somewhat of a hike...

It's pronounced MYEH-stetch-koh

...but decided against it as it had begun to sprinkle.  Safely in Křivoklát, the walk from the train station into town was pleasant but wet.

With the rain falling abundantly at this point, we nestled into a restaurant. Mom read and drank grog and planned a more local hike for the afternoon, and I dozed on the bench next to her. The waitress loved me and kept clutching me to her cleavage. 

Waiting for the rain to subside

A grey day

When the rain lessened to a drizzle, we did a mini-hike around the town environs and up to the local castle. 

Oh, the things you find in the woods

Křivoklát Castle

Mom noticed how it was a sort of crossroads for a number of hiking trails; she said she'd like to explore the area a bit more in the future.

So many places for me to mark my territory

Back down in town, we checked into our cozy little pension, which had a castle view!  

And then we went out for a big schnitzel at the local pub and mom got asked on a date by a local yokel. She replied, "Můj manžel bude mít zmatek" and the whole pub erupted in laughter. (Translation: "My husband would have confusion.")

Carbing up

Day 2

KM hiked: 12
Missed buses: 0
People met who spoke English: 0
Maps lost: 1

Now THIS was a proper hiking day. For mom, anyhow; my little legs tired fast and mom had to carry me most of the way. And the first 4km was straight uphill! 

We wound our way south through the village of Roztoky, with some neat garden patches...

So that's where they grow all of the horseradish  

...and into the woods.

Paradise

Pink-tongued happiness!

It was quite mucky in spots

Someone made a house my size!

If only mom could have read the Czech interpretive signs

On the last 4 km of the hike, we passed a village and a couple of developmentally disabled adults ran over to us so they could pet my cute noggin. Then some Ukrainian construction workers joined and insisted that they give mom and me a lift to our goal town because they couldn't understand why on Earth we'd choose to walk so far. But we persevered. Mom discovered she'd dropped the map somewhere on the trail, but we followed the trail markings and were fine.

Bless these markers!

We reached Novy Jachmov about an hour before our bus left. I made some chicken friends there. 

#chickensoup

We caught a bus to Beroun, and then a train to Prague. Despite a couple of mishaps, I give the hike two paws up!

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