First Day of Rain

I have been here 37 days and today is THE first day of rain I have had here...seems incredible... So today is gray, cold, cloudy, cold, wet... AND...

...on the way to one class this morning, the Metro had just pulled into Pražského Povstání station on the Red C Line and all the power in the Pandrác area of Prague went off. Emergency lights underground went on. The Metro stopped working just as the doors opened.. Phew... and up above, the trams were stopped cold where they were...the office buildings were dark with no lights and the traffic lights were black and of course the cars were backed up trying to go on their way(but not too badly).. I had a class to get to so I walked to Budějovická. Not too bad a walk (but it was raining!!) Here is a map showing the Red Line and the stations in question(down in the Podoli area)

http://maps.google.cz/?ie=UTF8&ll=50.080057,14.425392&spn=0.126241,0.228653&t=h&z=12&lci=transit&t=h&layer=c&utm_campaign=cs&utm_medium=ha&utm_source=cs-ha-emea-cz-sk-trs&utm_term=praha%20metro

But it was good exercise... and the class was a good one. The execs wanted me to tell them what I use to do so I Got to talk about my position back in Rochester, what I did and why I had to leave.

A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), The Critic as Artist, 1891 ..no truer statement.


Photo: stairs and a boat on the Vltava

New Class...

Had a new class today...a group of 3 attorney's from one of the firms where I have been teaching for the last month. I prepared a lesson of Legal English from a combination of internet materials and the one legal text that the school had. It went famously and they each remarked... it was just what they wanted in a lesson. So very cool! Now to try to at least match this success next week... but it was fun and I enjoyed it as well. Cheers

Heading off from the Vltava

And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything. ~William Shakespeare

Today....

Freedom and love go together. Love is not a reaction. If I love you because you love me, that is mere trade, a thing to be bought in the market; it is not love.
To love is not to ask anything in return, not even to feel that you are giving something- and it is only such love that can know freedom. -J. Krishnamurti

Photo taken today as I walked along the Vltava... picture perfect day yet again.

St. Vaclav Day - Czech Statehood Day

Today, September 28th is St Wenceslas Day, commemorating the Czech nation's patron saint, Prince Wenceslas, or Vaclav. He was slain by his own brother in the year 935 near Prague. Today commemorates the birth of the Czech Republic in that it was he who started the Republic then. Today is a National Holiday with flags flying on many buildings throughout Prague.

In Addition men with the name Vaclav celebrate their name day today as well. It is similar to a birthday but only better so it seems. Name days are bigger deals than birthdays.

..and as today was a holiday I did not have to teach, so I wandered Prague with my camera once again, sitting along the Vltava for quite a while reading and enjoying a Budvar, the king of beers. Cheers.

Essence of Tranquility

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~John Muir, 1913

Photo: The essence of Tranquility in the Japanese Garden at Troja Botanical Gardens

Picture Perfect

Just one more for today... I loved this shot. Taken in Dobříš.

Me

Taken today.... at Karel Chapek's house...

Karel Čapek - His Home in Dobříš

Karel Čapek(January 9, 1890 – December 25, 1938) was one of the most influential Czech writers. He wrote with intelligence and humour on a wide variety of subjects. His works are known for their interesting and precise descriptions of reality, and Čapek is renowned for his excellent work with the Czech language. He is perhaps best known as a science fiction author, who wrote long before science fiction became established as a separate genre. He can be considered one of the founders of classical, non-hardcore European science fiction, a type which focuses on possible future (or alternative) social and human evolution on Earth, rather than technically advanced stories of space travel.

His home was lovely and the gardens allowed for a relaxing cup of coffee as the red and green leaves floated down in the light breeze, and while two little children gibber-gabbered while playing.... Vlak.. choo choo train throughout the garde

Dobříš Chateau

Was invited to spend today with a friend from School, Katka, in her town of Dobříš, and at her home, 40km south of Prague. Caught the 9am bus from Smihov and was there 42 minutes later. A nice place with an amazing, sprawling Chateau with gardens and mazes and thousands of chestnuts all over the ground. After spending time there we ventured out of town a bit to the home of Karel Chapek, a famous "speculative fiction" writer from before the war, who first coined the word, Robot, and who wrote against the Nazi's. His home is now a museum of his writings and his homestead was, well... green, comfortable, relaxing, with art work all through the property and gardens. Got back to Prague around 7:00pm and a pleasant day with sunshine and just a hint of Fall in the air... More to follow... dekuju.

off the beaten path

Dreaming is an act of pure imagination, attesting in all men a creative power, which if it were available in waking, would make every man a Dante or Shakespeare. ~H.F. Hedge

Unplanned Saturday

The eternal quest of the individual human being is to shatter his loneliness.
- Norman Cousins

Today, I am bit under the weather… caught some gastro bug. Gave me a chance
to slow down, sit outside here in the backyard, and read, and think, watch butterflies flit about and experience the sounds of a Prague residential neighborhood; sounds of people talking, children playing and the light breeze blowing through the trees. It is a beautiful day here and many people are out using and enjoying their backyards.

Although I had to cancel my weekend plans to explore the countryside, still, laying low may be a good thing. On the other hand, I have a strong sense of loneliness today, due to many things I guess; questioning of decisions of this year, a sense of loss, thinking of what the future holds and if & when life will normalize; what ever that means.

Sitting here amidst the trees and the blue sky, has made me know One thing for certain: how much I miss my children. ...And has given me to think about how nice it would be to have the discussions, connections and contact as we once had before I came here last May.

….here are some pictures, showing where I sat on this afternoon, instead of seeing the Castle, Zamek and vinobranni I had envisioned seeing.

Woman on a Black Horse

Last week's events – 18-24 September
By Petra Pokorná | Prague Daily Monitor |
25 September 2009

"A mentally disturbed woman was riding a horse in the upper part of Wenceslas Square on Friday, holding a crucifix, praying and repeatedly calling "anticommunism", the press has reported. "

This was the headline in the Prague post this week. I was actually there right in the midst of this event, 20 ft away. I saw this young woman, wearing a black riding outfit, on this beautiful black horse, riding up close to the statue of Vaclav IV on Wenceslas square. I thought it was an advertising promotion, but noticed two police officers Keeping on eye on her and using their radios... soon, a couple more Police units arrived and a women who looked to be a horse handler, grabbed hold of the horse to calm it as the police grabbed this woman from her back/blind side...she screamed and screamed at the top of her lungs holding this cross close to her chest... soon an ambulance arrived and they strapped her on a gurney face down and she was whisked away still screaming....but about Slovakia...unless the words for anticommunism sounds like the word Slovakia...Slovensko. I was there... but unfortunately did NOT have my camera with me...wouldn't you know it! Turns out Her name is Leona Grešáková, and she was in this years 2009 Czech Miss Beauty Pageant. This is Scott reporting...from Prague, and that's the way it is....

Here is the link:
http://tn.nova.cz/zpravy/regionalni/pomatena-jezdkyne-z-vaclavaku-byla-finalistka-miss.html

The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. ~George Elliot

Photo: An Angel. ... she is somewhere in Prague

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. ~Gilda Radner

Photo: A dog and a cafe....

Photo: sidewalks and tree rings

ČSA - cancelling its Prague - JFK - Prague flights

Czech Airlines yesterday announced that it lost 1.3 Bn Czk in the 1st Q of this year and it's flight occupancy has decreased to below 60%. To fight the crisis CSA announced the following:
a) is going to dismiss up to 860 employees in the next seven months
b) will reduce or eliminate some flights.
c) Effective, 28 October 09, it will be canceling its regular daily flights from Prague-New York-Prague.

Pity, I have taken Czech Air flights on all my trips to Prague save one... It was a nice flight and always nice to hear them all speak in Czech. Alas, now The non-stop of choice becomes Delta, for about the same price and it leaves Prague earlier in the morning and gets into New York earlier in the afternoon as well.

Architecture & Color

Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in. ~Amy Lowell

This apartment building in Malastranka grabbed my eye... The color was differently mellow, but eye catching, the door incredibly detailed and the architecture was quite Prague.

Cappicino & Chocolate

..with whipped cream flavored of hot chili's.....

After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you can conquer enemies, lead armies, entice lovers. ~Emily Luchetti

Autumn Harvest

First Day of Autumn

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot
I love the Fall the best... My favorite season.

Photo: Autumn colors in Troja

Bezděz Castle

I went north today with one of my students, Lucka, and her boyfriend Mirek to climb to and see the amazing castle called Bezděz, about 74km northwest of Prague. Bezděz castle is the castle immortalized in the epic poem by Czech writer Karel Machá in his poem entitled "Maj"(May).

This castle is incredible and the walk was both exhilarating and tiring, as it was almost straight up the side of this "mountain", but once on top, worth all the energy. Amazing views of the Czech countryside.

Machá's epic lyrical poem "Máj" (May), published in 1836 shortly before his death, was judged by his contemporaries as confusing, too individualistic, and not in harmony with the national ideas. Máchá's genius was discovered and glorified much later by the poets and novelists of the 1850s generation and "Máj" is now regarded as the classic work of Czech Romanticism, and is considered one of the best Czech poems ever written.

After reading an english translation of this poem several months ago I was hoping to one day to see it and today I did! An amazing drive through great countryside and what a sight to see this castle arising in the distance out of the fog and haze that had not yet dissipated. Thank you to Lucka and Mirek for just a great day. Dekuju moc.

PS: one starts walking up at THE bottom of that Hill... from the car park at the bottom in the town...then THE journey begins.

A Summer Afternoon

Summer afternoon: to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

Of course, not the very most beautiful words to say or to hear, but still very nice as the summer winds down and disappears for another year.

Tomorrow Autumn begins.... Already!!

Today's Sunset

Looking from Náměstí Miru down toward Smichov...

The Grebovka Wine Festival

Today I ventured to Prague’s second largest park, Havlíčkovy sady. It is located on the other side of Vinohrady at the border with the Vršovice district. The park is also known s Grebovka park. And for a weekend every mid-September, it is home to one of Prague’s most crowded Vinobrani’s.

The park's most notable landmark is the beautiful Villa Gröbe (Grébovka). This is a wonderful example of a Neo-Renaissance villa which was built as a luxury summer house for industrialist Moritz Gröbe in 1871 - 1888. The house stands majestically in a tastefully landscaped, terraced garden on the top of a slope that's covered with a functioning vineyard. Right underneath the villa is a reconstructed gazebo where you can sit and drink the vineyard's wines and enjoy some light snacks.

It was a beautiful afternoon, blue skies, and around 75F. and the above photos are from the day. A really nice time.

Pathway through a stream

Patience: A minor form of despair disguised as a virtue. ~Ambrose Bierce

Nino.....

Don't shake the tree when the pears fall off themselves. Slovakian Proverb

always enjoy(ed) my Czech lessons and I am using it more now then ever. Although only in simple sentences or perhaps more like thoughts of just a few words, it is nice to be able to do even that..and all thanks to you... dekuju...

Photo: The Slovak Republic's Flag flying outside their embassy(I think)in Prague.

Red & White, Blue and Green....

The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it. ~Wendell Berry

Photo: Across the river off Ujezd ulice; I happened upon this quiet little "triangle" with a quaint little café with a few red & white umbrella's, a tiny blue restaurant, a massive green door, all adjacent to the quintessential cobble stone street.

Two important words, left out...

Missile Defense Treaty - US radar base

You may recall my blog/this picture last year on 08 July 08 on this subject. At the time, and currently as well, more than 65% of the Czech people were against having a radar base south of Prague in Brdy, on Czech soil.

It was reported today that President Obama has cancelled the missile defense initiative that was signed last year between the US and the Czech Republic.

At first glance it seems like the Czech People won on this issue; except it was not their opinion that swayed Obama’s decision, it was Russia. He was afraid of pissing them off.

It would have been wonderful if he had done it based on Czech opinion, or any majority opinion, but that was not the case. And in the final analysis, it was not the Czech People that won, it may have been Iran. Here are excerpts from todays news report:

PRAGUE – 17 Sept 09 - President Barack Obama has decided to scrap plans for a U.S. missile defense shield (radar) in the Czech Republic and Poland (actual missiles) that had deeply angered Russia, the Czech prime minister confirmed Thursday. Premier Jan Fischer told reporters that Obama phoned him overnight to say that "his government is pulling out of plans to build a missile defense radar on Czech territory."

NATO's new chief hailed the move as "a positive step" and a Russian analyst said Obama's decision will increase the chances that Russia will cooperate more closely with the United States in the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

The decision to scrap the plan will have future consequences for U.S. relations with eastern Europe. "If the administration approaches us in the future with any request, I would be strongly against it," said Jan Vidim, a lawmaker with Czech Republic's conservative Civic Democratic Party, which supported the missile defense plan.

Road to Prague Castle

Although every man believes that his decisions and resolutions involve the most multifarious factors, in reality they are mere oscillation between flight and longing. ~Herman Broch

So things are going well. I do not yet have a full teaching load and can only hope to soon. I am enjoying using my brain once again and teaching. I believe my students are enjoying my classes and I am back to getting the Czech Business Weekly every Monday when it comes out and using it frequently. It feels good.

I found this small pub here in Kobylisy, about 6 blocks from my flat and was there last evening enjoying an apertif of the Czech Spirit Becherovka... when I started to think how fortunate I am for being able to be here once again. I am once again assimilating into life here and it feels good and I am more and more comfortable.

I do miss certain things that were in my life here last year in the Fall, at Mikulas and at the beginning of 2009. I seem to always give my all to the things in life I love. I guess that is me and most likely I will continue to do so. I believe if you give something your everything, your all, what ever happens... is meant to be, even if not what you wanted. So over that Beckerovka and with a clear evening sky with stars just coming out, I noted, that I am lucky to be here and to have friends, both still in my Life and friends I have been honored to share time with, who have left, but left part of themselves within me.

So this road to Prague Castle is a road to many more opportunities here, both in feelings, senses, and seeing things visually and with my heart as well.

So this morning, I will find a cafe, enjoy an espresso and teach a private student and then...figure out where I will explore this coming weekend. Perhaps Another Vinobrani...

Malostranska by-way

Expectant of greater things,
We try climbing -
Higher
And Higher;
An effort that costs us much,
Leaving us short of breath
To find only
The ground below is much prettier.
~Phillip Pulfrey, "Mountains" Love, Abstraction and other Speculations

Serendipity

...by its nature, pure chance; but chance that brings a smile to ones face.

This afternoon, It was nice to see you again my friend
it was a very nice moment in time.

A door to prosperity....

Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom. ~Merry Browne

This door is on the main branch of the Česká Spořítelna Bank in Prague 1 on Rytířská ulice. It is the bank where I do all my banking. I use their expat center often. It is an amazing building inside; paintings on the ceiling and walls, and sculptures, ornate moldings and a long marble stairs/staircase. It is beautiful and truly magnificent..for a bank.

This link will show you just what I see: http://prague.tv/video/expat-center/

The link has a video which highlights the bank and the expat center which I use often. Take a look.

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability. ~Sam Keen

Photo: Sitting along the Vltava...on a hot August day two weeks ago.

Troja Wine Festival, Part II

...these last two days were spent in part enjoying Vinobrani in Troja, the northern most "suburb" of Prague. For more pictures of this event see:
http://picasaweb.google.com/a.scott.carey/2009TrojaVinobrani#

Photo: One of the reasons I went back for day two, a litre of Burčak, and a bottle of red wine from a vineyard in Kutna hora. The little glasses are given out free so all visitors can taste wine freely... but not free; you can sample wines for 10(55 cents) to 20($1.10) krowns per little glass.