Happy All Hallows Eve

Expat Expo 2009

Today was the first ever Expat(riate) exhibition in Prague, held on the exhibition grounds in Holešovice(where the car show was earlier this month). It was geared toward families with small children, since most expats here in Prague are in that category. It had 79 booths by businesses that cater to the expat community; from relocation companies, to English speaking schools, newspapers like the Czech Business Weekly and Prague Post, to MBA programs in Prague to English Healthcare and Dentisy clinics, and companies that help expats locate positions. Mostly though, it was for the kids...with clowns, balloons, face painting, playground, etc... I will look forward to see how it is written up. Lots for free stuff as well and Halloween candy! It looked like a full success.

Happy Halloween

"Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble." - William Shakespeare

from Macbeth

Scene: A dark Cave. In the middle,a Caldron boiling. Thunder.

and A Perfect Witches Brew!
BOO! Baf!(in Czech) to You! Happy Halloween!

Playground Train

“The only way to be sure of catching a train is to miss the one before it.”
G. K. Chesterton

Photo: ...in an upscale playground on Slovansky ostrov(island) in the Vltava

End of October update

The weather is typical fall here now as October comes to an end; some rain, a lot of gray skies, with some sunshine once in awhile. Not many colors in the trees this year. Surprising. No reds or Oranges. None. Mostly browns and yellows. Interesting. The leaves are starting to fall en-mass however. Have been on daylight savings time here since last weekend.

A nice unsolicited comment the other day: The head of the legal department at one of the firms where I teach, who is one of my students as well, asked me how long I had been here in Prague. I mentioned that I came May 08, she remarked: “Wow, your pronunciation of Czech is really excellent” So… what a nice thing to hear. Thanks Nina; > moje ucítelka v Pittsforde.

There is a first ever expats exhibition this weekend and I plan on attending. A day filled with events for expats and their families. It is suppose to be a big deal, supported by big firms here and would be nice to meet some other expats.

Am invited to the new home of one my students as well this weekend. It was just completed two months ago. So will go north to a small town to enjoy a dinner of Home made Gulaš (Goulash), wine and good conversation with a friend and her family. I am intrigued as well to see the inside of their new house/home.

Halloween is this weekend and then November. It is refreshing to not see any Christmas decorations yet. I am sure the malls back in the states are already decorated. It is like it is savored here, enjoyed, not rushed into, even though in a country that is mostly atheist.

Am finally settling in. ..and am finally feeling comfortable. Still enjoying the cafes, but not as often, and that makes them more special. Cheers

Reaching Beyond your grasp

Charlie Houston, physician and mountaineer passed away recently at age 96. In a conversation with Bill Moyers related to reaching beyond one's comfort zone, he once said, "Even pygmies standing on the shoulders of giants can reach, can see further than the giants can."

Life is about continuing to reach...
to look forward to that next corner, around which is...in part the unknown;
and doing so even at moments when you think you have lost the energy and will to do so.

Photo: Most Legií on an October Sunday afternoon

“A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I liked this quote. Yes, one single event can change a person & their life, while awakening much.

"All mushrooms are edible - once”

Photo: BIG Mushroom in an old garden

Sunlight through the leaves

Photo: Sunlight shining through fall leaves on the castle grounds in Hluboka nad Vltavou.

Tranquil setting

Here are some more pictures of Hluboka nad vltavou should you wish to see more. Just copy and paste the link.

http://picasaweb.google.com/a.scott.carey/HlubokaNadVltavou#

Photo: as I walked to the town of Hluboka nad Vltavou, past two large lakes or ponds as they might call them, I happened upon this tranquil setting.... really quite perfect.

“A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery



Photo: Church near Havelska market

falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn,"

Hluboka nad Vltavou

I caught the 8am train this morning and traveled 3 hours south to this small town in southern Bohemia. Hluboka nad Vltavou is a small city situated on the Vltava River, with about 5000 inhabitants just 10 km north of the city of České Budějovice. The town itself is surrounded by picturesque countryside with dozens of ponds (Bezdrev) and has rich woods adjacent to the castle and its grounds.

Originally a royal castle, Hluboka was founded together with the neighboring town of České Budějovice in the 13th century by the Czech King Premysl Otakar II. The Schwarzenberg family bought the castle in the 17th century. The castle underwent a complex development, and its appearance has been marked by four reconstructions. In 1871, it obtained its present Neo-Gothic appearance thanks to the Schwarzenberg family, in whose possession the castle had been from 1661. They created an castle with 140 lavishly furnished rooms, eleven towers (the main one is 60 m tall) and bastions, with an indented facade that is dominated by a huge Schwarzenberg heraldry.

I took a chance that the sun might come out today. The entire country has been under a thick layer of clouds all week and today forecast was for the same. BUT, 30 minutes north of Hluboka and the sun came out and stayed out all afternoon until I boarded the train to return to Prague. Wow, great luck! and positive thinking!

From the train station is was a 5km walk to the town and castle!! Phew. But it was a lovely day as I said and a young couple pointed me in the right direction. And I always seem to forget that ALL castles are on the tops of Hills! This place was lovely and so worth the trip.

The longing for a destiny is no nowhere stronger than in our romantic life. All too often forced to share our bed with those who cannot fathom our soul, can we not be forgiven if we believe ourselves fated to stumble one day upon the man or woman of our dreams. ~ Alain de Botton, On Love

...wonder if there is an Alain onde Top?

Photo: na Michalská.

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.
-Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Still remember reading these words over the Atlantic ten months ago, 4 hours into my flight and still believe they are so true. The Little Prince was a most special gift. ...and I liked the qualities I saw in the giver.

Photo: from inside a small cafe; an angel

Happy Birthday to ...Me!

Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again. ~Menachem Mendel Schneerson

So I turn another year older today and In Prague again!! Again! Didn't ever expect to be here again this October 21st, but nice all the same, just as last year. In spirit I know I am not alone on this day.

I had other words already written here for today, but then I found this quote and it was a most uplifting "gift" to read the words and to remember nice things.

"Yes we are [friends] and I do like to pass the day with you in serious and inconsequential chatter. I wouldn't mind washing up beside you, dusting beside you, reading the back half of the paper while you read the front. We are friends and I would miss you, do miss you and think of you very often. I don't want to lose this happy space where I have found someone who is smart and easy and doesn't bother to check her diary when we arrange to meet." ~Jeanette Winterson, Written on the Body, 1992

...so to all my friends on this day, where ever you are, here or there: I offer my salute to you and i will toast you on this my Birth remembrance Day over a glass of something suitable to toast you with...

Photo: The Dancing House. Dancing? ...I would settle just to talk, over coffee, and to know that book roads & bridges are still being built and Kamions are still pointed out with much exclamation.

Perspective

Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived. - Anon.

A Blue Door.....in an old wall

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.
~ Joseph Campbell

..or create doors where there are only walls...

Sunday, 2009 Prague Auto Show

Today was quite cold & gray and it rained steadily for most of the day so this morning I decided to catch the 2009 Prague Auto show at the Exhibition Grounds in Holešovice. across the river from Kobylisy. I took Tram 14 from the Kobylisy Metro stop and was deposited right in the front of the Fair Grounds; ticket was 100 czk.

These pictures are not the greatest, but I wanted to just five you a glimpse of the show. The Little white car is an Aixam, really tiny with tremendous car mileage. The blue Hyundai is made in CZ as it says and the Green one is the new VW Scirocco but only for Europe.

Budvar along the Vltava

The Czech and ?original? version of Budweiser...of course, still being contested in the courts of the world.

Czech Budvar was founded in 1895, with its first brewed batch being completed in October of that year. But, interestingly, that brewery directly related to the historical tradition of brewing beer in České Budějovice which dates back to the 13th century when the town was founded and chartered for brewing rights as a brewery town/city. The name Budvar comes from the name of the City where it was founded: České Budějovice or Budweiss. The city of České Budějovice or Budweiss as it is also called was founded by Přemysl Otakar II in 1265. 1265!! Wow! How cool is that!

Mr. "Anheiser Bush" founded his Budweiser in 1876 which of course dates before the Budvar date of 1895. But old "Chris" hadn't even discovered America yet back in the 13th Century as beer was actively being brewed in České Budějovice. One thing is for certain, lawyers will continue to wrangle this issue for years to come, perhaps helping to keep both companies advertising campaigns alive as well as the beer in the public eye.

But there is no comparison in the taste of these Beers. Budvar is a robust but mellow brew, well balanced, smooth, with a citrus taste of hops and pours a crystal clear amber with a creamy frothy head and is easy drinking... The other... well they do make good TV commercials I guess.

Holly Tree

Friendship is like the holly-tree. Love is like the wild-rose briar;
The holly is dark when the rose briar blooms, But which will bloom most constantly?
~Emily Brontë

This is a Holly Tree! I had never seen one before a few weeks ago. At my home I once had a great Holly bush that was 4 feet round and taller than I, but a Holly Tree, I never knew there was such a thing. This was at a friends home in southern Bohemia and was straight as an arrow, about 12 ft high and not coaxed nor coerced into being a tree. Cool!

Major Snowfall yesterday in the CZ mountains

Heavy snowfall cripples Czech roads: Per The headlines this morning. This is an excerpt quote from the news:

"About 60cm of wet snow fell in the Frýdek Místek region within two days. A snow calamity at night and a strong wind have caused problems in road and railway traffic in the Czech Republic, with snow and falling trees stopping tens of trains mainly in mountainous areas in north Bohemia and east Moravia. In east Bohemia, hundreds of households have been left without electricity since the morning.

In the east Moravian area of Vsetin, at the Beskydy mountains foothills, roads are covered with a 30-cm layer of snow and blocked by fallen trees. Road managers have declared a state of calamity. Firefighters recommend that drivers should better not go to the mountains. Several roads have had to be closed for transport in Vsetin and other areas. The snow continues falling".

So there you have it! It rained most of the day here in Prague, and was about 37 F, same as in Rochester, but still felt cold to the bone...since it IS only the 16th of October!

North Prague

God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road.
-Isak Dinesen

First Snow

It was 0C today, with snow flurries most of the day here in Prague, turning to rain on and off. It didn't stick here other than on cars front grills or on windshields of parked cars. In the mountains northeast of Prague, near Liberic, they received 30cm(11.8 in) to 60cm(23.6 in) of snow which closed roads and railway lines. So the first visible snow for this season...and a bit early here as well.

Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to. ~George Seaton

Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother. ~Kahlil Gibran

Photo: Small Memorial in the very small village of Budínek, near Dobříš.

Patterns

As we begin to become aware of the narrative patterns around which we structure our lives, we learn how to take charge, revise, refine, and even completely rewrite them.
~ Mandy Aftel

Photo: Patterns adjacent to the Vltava

Fall Harvest in a local market

Our deep respect for the land and its harvest is the legacy of generations of farmers who put food on our tables, preserved our landscape, and inspired us with a powerful work ethic. ~James H. Douglas

In my wanderings... A Prague Market. Here is a sample of how the Fall Harvests from around Prague appear in the markets... Of course, the bananas are not from here... But walnuts are everywhere and still the grapes and plums abound.

Pankrac Arkady - Formula 1 Exhibit

Pankrac Arkady(Arcade) is the name of one of the newest Malls in Prague. It is in The Pankrac section of Prague, where I happen to teach several lessons per week, so I walk through this mall frequently. It is really one of the nicer malls in Prague but also one of with more of the pricier stores as well. Today the mall had a great exhibit of about twelve Formula 1 race cars, as I captured here. It was a nice exhibit for someone who happens to like fast cars...like me.

Služská ulice - Today

This is the street I Live off of, Služská about 2/3 of the way up to the left is Báštská where my flat is.... and the sidewalk which caught my eye today as the sun happened to poke through as I walked back to my flat this morning. Brrr, It was cold today. Only 3C or about 37F. The sun came out periodically as you can see in these pictures. Snow is expected tomorrow in the mountains northeast of Prague and the temps should be close to 0C here in Prague. I will break out my winter coat for the first time tomorrow.

An Artist and his Inspiration

Beauty comes as much from the mind as from the eye. ~Grey Livingston

Photo: Artist and model along the vltava

Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.-- William Cullen Bryant

Photo: Fall decor at a local shop near Můstek.

Rainy Day

Today it is cold and rainy. A typical Fall rainy day. No different here then back home. Am laying low once again, as I have been attacked by a stomach bug once again… ach jo. But there is much to do… just came back from Albert, where I have laid in a new supply of Banana’s and eating so many I feel like a monkey.

Will capitalize on staying in, by starting a new book entitled: “A year in Merde” by Stephen Clark, a guy from the UK who lived worked in France for a year. It was suggested by one of my students at AIG who travels to France alot and it is suppose to be a funny read.

And there is ironing to do after all... and the European “football” playoffs on Czech TV and the diversion of a Harry Potter movie on my laptop, and will enjoy a cup or two of Lapsang Souchong tea which I brought with me from the states.

And life here: teaching is going well, but still only have half a teaching schedule. This will impact the financial resource line. Have a few private students which helps. Am really enjoying Legal English and started one new class this week: she wants me to “teach” her Strategic Management for her MBA course where her assignments are suppose to be all in English, of which she is not at the MBA level, so this should be interesting.

Stop...and savor Life

True Story. My family and I were moving to Syracuse many many years ago as I was taking a new Position. I was renting a room at an elderly woman's home, until my family moved to join me. The woman was blind but so remarkable in how she lived and ambulated through life. She made fresh pasta every week and even road a bicycle and took daily walks in her neighborhood. Yes, she was very blind. One day she exclaimed as I returned to her home after work: "Wow, did you see how beautiful the flowers were today along the sidewalk?" I said I hadn't noticed. She said: "that is the trouble with you people that can see...you never see the beauty around you."

So today,take notice of something special that you see on your lunch hour. or, Remember someone's great perfume as they passed you by or the fragrance of a flower. Stop in wonder at the baby who is playing in their carriage or the little person just learning to walk. They are in awe of their surroundings. Try to think of what they are thinking. Perhaps have a glass of wine and actually savor it's bouquet and its taste...For the first time!. ...or Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double-dip ice cream cone! For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do. Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Photo: a bunch of amazingly bright flowers on almost every street corner in Prague.

Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things. ~Elise Boulding

Somebody's home with a window full of their nice things

French Foto Shoot

Was out walking this afternoon near Můstek and came upon this photo shoot; a French photographer, fancy camera, a hair-dresser, this girl in a robe...it was 48F and when she took off the robe, the pictures make it look like it was 70. Well I just had to start shooting as well..... until they chased me away.