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Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-31T16:03:00.001+01:00

Hi Everyone,
Today is New Year's Eve! Where's the time been flying? 2011 has been a very good year for me, despite some challenges with my health (namely, my back/leg injury from the Krknose trip). It seems to me that the year has passed by in hyper drive, and now we are in the very last day of this year, 2011, looking toward 2012 just after midnight!

Jiri and I have had a quiet holiday season this year due to my back. Entertaining has been pretty much out of the question, so we celebrated Christmas together, and will be just we two for New Years this year, too. It's been nice. The only thing I wished for was a white Christmas. Our winter weather is a bit off this year, as we've had lower than normal precipitation and the temps have been warmer than normal. Well, if lack of snow is my major disappointment, then I don't really have too much to complain about.

Going into 2012 will be an adventure for freelancing and also with medical stuff. I'm anxious to see what the neurologist will tell us in mid January--what will she want to do to get my back better? That's a question, very much up in the air. One thing I'm certain of is that I'm very ready to be fixed. I was ready almost 6 months ago, but sometimes these types of injuries take a while to improve. Freelancing work will also be an adventure as I would like to try some new things, such as creating my own products. I've only done a very little of this type of work, mostly in my Zazzle shops. So, this will be a new branching out for me, one that I hope will teach me more and also add to my income a bit. Czech Off the Beaten Path will continue into 2012, and I hope to write here more often than there was time in 2011.

Thank you for continuing to visit and read Czech Off the Beaten Path. Thank you, too, for your comments and corrections/clarifications. Discussion is what really makes a blog, and I hope we can have more discussions in 2012.

That's all for today. I would like to wish you and your loved ones a very happy New Year 2012, filled with peace, joy, love, and good health. I also wish you a prosperous 2012.

God bless,
Sher :0)

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Tribute and Farewell to Vaclav Havel

2011-12-23T14:27:00.002+01:00

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Hi Everyone,
Today I'd like to pay my respects to Vaclav Havel, a former and first president of Czechoslovakia. He was voted president after the fall of communism, in 1989. Havel passed away this past Sunday, December 18, 2011, after a suffering respiratory illness. He died in his sleep. His funeral is taking place as I type, and it is quite an affair, but more on that later.

Vaclav Havel the Man
Family Background
Havel was known for his modesty, intelligence and love the arts. He wrote over 20 plays, some of which were banned under communism. Havel was from a prominent and wealthy family that was a part of the political and cultural scenes in the 1920s through the 1940s. His family lost their property after the communists took power, and Havel was not allowed to attend secondary school or college due to his family's prominent background. From the very beginning, Vaclav Havel was put in an underdog position, but he didn't let that defeat his spirit. He managed to complete night school, earning his secondary education in 1954. During that time, Havel was an apprentice, as a chemical laboratory assistant. Due to the communist regime not allowing him to attend college, Havel later studied at the Faculty of Economics of Czech Technical University in Prague. He dropped out after two year,s and married his first wife, Olga Splichalova.

Havel the Playwright
Havel began to write plays after studying drama (by correspondence with the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague). His first play was publicly performed in 1963. The name of that play was The Garden Party. More plays followed after this, some of which were banned by the communist regime.

Havel the Dissident
In 1968, during the communist crackdown on the Prague Spring, Havel was at Radio Free Europe, then located in Liberec, giving the play-by-play account of what was happening during the invasion and subsequent period of normalization which followed. Due to his work at Radio Free Europe, the communists banned Havel from the theatre, and he was forced to take a job in a brewery. Havel wrote plays about his experiences during this time of his life, and became famous for the character Vanek, who represented Havel in the plays.

Ferdinand Vanek
Vanek was the autobiographical character of Havel, and appeared in a trilogy of plays, where Havel showed what his life was like under communism. Through Vanek, Havel discussed the situation of “absurdistan.” In one vignette, Vanek finds his brewery boss in the office, with empty beer bottles all around him. During a discussion between the two, the brewery boss offers a better job to Vanek if he would be willing to fill out the reports to the security services about himself. The reports were difficult for the boss, as he had to make up information to include in the reports. This is just one example of “absurdistan” experienced by Vanek in Havel's plays. These plays were banned, but were distributed in the dissident underground.

There is one funny note I was able to find about Havel and Vanek—this was was a birthday notice put in the paper. It was for Havel, but due to censorship, the communists would have not included this birthday notice in the paper under his name. Instead of using Havel's name, his friends and supporters used the name of Ferdinand Vanek, and congratulated him on his 53rd birthday. Along with the notice for Vanek they include a picture of Havel, which made it past the censors.

Havel was all for peaceful and non-violent resistance. Former President Bill Clinton even compared Havel to Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Havel was the leading figure in the Velvet Revolution in 1989. There was no blood shed in this end to communism, in then Czechoslovakia.

“The Power of the Powerless”
Havel was also a great essayist; his most famous essay was The Power of the Powerless that he wrote in 1978. In this essay, Havel discusses life under the communist regime, saying that it could not last in it's then current form. He described the regime as “ unadulterated, brutal and arbitrary application of power, eliminating all expressions of nonconformity.” Havel urged people to live in truth, for doing so would undermine the foundation of lies constructed by the communist regime. There is much more, but that will have to wait for another post.

Charter 77
Vaclav Havel was one of the original signers of the document known as Charter 77. This document criticized the government for the lack of human rights. The document was signed by Havel and many others. The government was swift to act at the spread of Charter 77 by the dissidents. The communist government described the manifesto as an “anti-state, anti-socialist and demagogic, abusive piece of writing.” Those who signed the document, including Havel, were derided as traitors.

Those who signed Charter 77 later lost their jobs, and were denied formal education for their families. Along with this, their driver's licenses were suspended, and some loss their citizenship and became exiles from their beloved country. Havel and others were also detained and put in prison after trial. In all, Havel spent about five years in prison for various reasons. During these prison years, he developed respiratory problems that would later end his life.

The government offered Havel visas abroad and chances to recant, but he refused and stayed in prison. Havel's last arrest was only months before he became president of Czechoslovakia.

Havel the President
Again, the absurd came into Havel's life, when just after leaving prison, he was elected as president by the very government who had imprisoned him. Can you imagine going from prison inmate to president in only a few months? How remarkable for this shy, quiet playwright and dissident. Havel remained as president until 1992, when Slovakia wanted to split from the Czechs. Havel resigned the presidency, saying he didn't want to govern over the breakup of Czechoslovakia. The two countries split in what is now known as the Velvet Divorce. However, Vaclav Havel again ran for president in 1993, and was re-elected. He remained president of the Czech Republic until 2003. Here again, there is much more that could be said about his presidency, but that is also for another post.

Post-presidency, Havel continued to work for human rights and to support those imprisoned as dissidents around the world. Havel was seen as a guiding light for the former Soviet eastern bloc countries. His plays and essays helped others to overcome the regime and adapt to a life of freedom.

Funeral Ceremony
The Czech Republic has been in official mourning for the past three days, leading up to today's funeral ceremony for Havel. During the week, thousands of people gathered to show their respects. Many lit candles in places such as Vaclavske Namesti. Thousands of people followed Havel's casket through the streets of Prague, to where his body laid in state at Prague Castle. Thousands of people filed by his casket to pay their respects. It has been an amazing week with this outpouring of emotions and mourning.

Today's funeral took place at St. Vitus Cathedral, at Prague Castle. The service was everything it should be to bid farewell to a former president. The ceremony lasted about two hours, and was attended by at least twenty-five heads of state, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, Germany's Angela Merkal, France's Nicolas Sarkozy and many others. The U.S. delegation included Sec. of State Hilary Clinton, her husband, former president Bill Clinton, along with Madeline Albright (former Sec. of State), and David Eisen, the American ambassador.

After the state ceremony today, Havel's body will be cremated and taken to his family's tomb at St. Vaclav Cemetery in Vinohradska. Havel didn't want a grand head stone, but rather requested that he have the same as everyone else—a simple headstone with his name and date of birth and death. He even requested that no titles be included on the stone. Even here, Havel shows his modesty.

My Admiration for Vaclav Havel
Back in 1989, I was a young, stay-at-home mother with two kids. I clearly remember the news reports on TV discussing Havel and Lech Walesa and their leadership and work to overthrow the communist regime. The Fall of the Wall was something I never thought to see in my own lifetime, but it happened. Those were heady times, even in the US, to see freedom knocking down the wall of communist repression.

Havel was a quiet and modest man, but he wasn't perfect. None of us is perfect. Even so, there is much I admire about Havel and his life. He had a strong spirit and wasn't afraid of the truth or standing up for what was right. He led a nation out of an abusive regime and into a new life of increased freedoms and human rights. Havel never gave up; even when in prison he kept his vision. I also admire Havel for his peaceful, non-violent revolution. These are the traits I admire in Havel, the man. Havel has been compared to the first president of Czechoslovakia, T. G. Masaryk. I would agree with this comparison—both were great philosophers who wanted to free their country from repressive regimes.

This is my tribute to a great man. I would like to thank him for his tireless work to free this beautiful country from repression and abuse. If not for he and other dissidents I would not be here today, enjoying life with my Czech husband. I experienced my own dark times of repression and abuse, so I can readily relate to Havel and the Czech people who came out of communism. Though the situations were different, abuse and repression are wrong, and we have to strive to throw off the dark and work to reach out to the Light and Life. I share this with Havel, though my own situation was only a small matter compared to what he strove for. I worked for the life of my kids and myself, while Havel worked for his life and those of the people in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

This post is my tribute to the man, Vaclav Havel, who changed the course of history for millions, and even touched those in other parts of the world. Thank you, Mr. Havel, for your tireless fight for human rights and peace. Rest in Peace.

That's all for today. I'm a foreigner still learning about the Czech Republic, and I'm sure this post has some errors, as much as I've tried to get the facts straight. Please forgive these, and if you'd like to elucidate and clarify any points, please do so in the comments. There's so much I need to learn—and you all do help me a lot when we have discussions here.

Have a great day.

God bless,
Sher

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© 2011 by Sher Vacik. All rights reserved.

Seventh and Fifth Anniversaries

2011-12-11T13:56:00.000+01:00

Hi Everyone,
Today is a very special day at our house. Jiri and I are celebrating our seventh wedding anniversary, and the fifth anniversary of when I moved to the Czech Republic. Time has sure flown by. Looking back at pictures from that time, it seems we were in a fairy tale.

We were married in Prague, at the Old City Hall, in Old Town Square, Prague. Our wedding was a civil ceremony, but we later had a religious ceremony, on December 31st, 2004 back in my then home town in Texas. Both of our ceremonies were beautiful. I have to say that while the city magistrate, here in Prague, did not use the Bible verses we had requested, he did manage to fit in the spirit of those verses during the small sermon he gave that day. I was surprised and very happy by that nicety.

After our wedding here, in Prague, we had a fun and beautiful wedding reception. We rented a restaurant, and had a small band, lots of food and alcohol. And my Mom had her very first beer--ever--that day! Some of our Czech guests talked Mom into trying it. She did, but I don't think she's had any beer since our wedding day.

My Dad couldn't come to the wedding as one of my grandmothers was very ill, and Dad had his hands full ith my two then teen-age daughters. To celebrate our wedding day, Dad made pancakes for the girls. It was very special, for back then, Dad was not known to be a guy who did much in the kitchen. He continues this tradition each Saturday, now, back home, making breakfast for a bunch of people on Saturday mornings.

These pictures are very personal to Jiri and I, but I wanted to share a glimpse of our special day with you all. Our wedding day was like a fairy tale, and so hard to believe that we were married here, seven years ago already. Today, I still look around, amazed to find myself living in Prague--now for five years. Over these years, Jiri and I have continued to work out the cross-cultural issues of our relationship, but I have to say that things are nice and settled now. We are an old married couple :0) I would like to say to my husband, "Happy anniversary, Dear. I hope we have many more to come."

That's all for today! Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

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(c) 2011 by Sher Vacik. All rights reserved.

Online Gift Shopping for Expats

2011-11-25T13:47:00.006+01:00

Christmas presents by heybucketme

Hi Everyone,
Today's post is my way of supporting expats and capitalism. Online present shopping can be a boon for expats. Christmas shopping can be challenging when you’re an expat far from family and friends, who live back in your home country. The years when I go home for Christmas, it is easy to buy gifts to take back with me. I usually buy gifts that are found here, in the Czech Republic. These presents will be the most exotic and different since they are from a foreign country. However, when I spend Christmas in the Czech Republic, I typically shop online for gifts for everyone back home. There are several benefits for expats who shop online for their Christmas gifts:

Shopping online saves money on postage. Mailing gifts back to the U.S. is not only costly, but you also have to worry about presents being broken, lost or stolen.

Checking “wish lists” makes choosing a gift easier. Wish lists make it easy to find the best gift for your loved ones or friends. Several online stores allow customers to create wish lists, including sites such as Amazon and other online stores.

Create one-of-a-kind gifts. You can even create one-of-a-kind gifts by visiting online stores such as Zazzle and Café Press. These shops are known as print-on-demand stores, where you can order a gift, and they will print it up and send it where you specify. You can use a favorite photo, a graphic image you’ve created, and more to create a unique present for family and friends. It’s possible to personalize all of the items available for sale at these stores. Each gift you create will not only be personally selected, but also created by you. If you aren’t artistically gifted, you can find many items that can be personalized to make wonderful gifts. One more note, Zazzle and Café Press allow you to offer your unique creations for sale to the public. This is a great way to earn some extra money to add to your expat budget and/or to use for holiday shopping.

Digital gifts are popular. Other gift options include digital gifts you can give via iTunes and Amazon, among other online shops. You can gift digital versions of music, movies, books and more through these shops. Another gift option is to make a present of a gift certificate for your giftee. You can specify the amount to be credited to the gift certificate. Many major online stores allow you to send real gift certificates via mail or virtual (digital) gift certificates via email. Digital gifts are wonderful for people who have e-readers, such as the Kindle or Nook, or who use tablet computers, such as the iPad or Kindle Fire. Digital gifts are also great for family and friends who have iPhones, Android mobile phones and iPod Touches. Digital gifts are easily downloaded onto the devices and computers of your giftees.

Several different payment options. Ordering presents online gives you various payment options. You can pay for online gifts using debit/credit cards, PayPal, electronic checks and even bank transfers.

Some people believe online shopping is too impersonal and that it doesn’t take much effort to choose or send a gift. I tend to disagree. Online shopping takes real time and effort, for by the time you take to check “wish lists,” read reviews and compare prices, you will have spent as much time shopping for the right gift as if you had been to several stores. And you may have to visit several online stores before finding the right present. Online shopping is a wonderful way to find personalized gifts for your family and friends.

Gift-giving can be challenging when you’re living in a foreign country. However, with all of these online and digital options, you’re sure to find gifts to please your family and friends back home. Online shopping is convenient when done from your own home and offers several types of payment options. Following “wish lists” and/or sending physical or digital gifts or gift certificates ensures you’ll find just the perfect gift to send back home. I personally have used each of these methods, and will do so this Christmas. These are just a few ideas to help you with shopping for Christmas gifts for family and friends back home.

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

PS You can find unique Christmas gifts by following the links to my online shops in this post and below! You can find books about the Czech Republic and Prague, along with travel gear and gizmos. You can also find unique gifts such as t-shirts and more made with photos and images I have created.

If you use these links to make a purchase at Amazon or Zazzle, I will earn a small percentage from each sale. These programs are part of my freelance work online.

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Sher Vacik is creates designs and images to sell on her Zazzle shops. Sher is also a Zazzle Inc. affiliate.

Better Red and Fed?

2011-11-23T11:20:00.006+01:00

Hi Everyone,

I came across an interesting poll the other day on the Prague Monitor about how about 28% of Czechs believe their lives were better under communism. I’ve encountered this conundrum many times since moving here almost five years ago. Some Czechs have expressed this feeling to me, and I’ve wondered at the numbers of older Czech people attending Communist rallies in Prague. It is astounding to Westerners to hear that people who lived under communism think life was better back then. I have grown up in a free, capitalistic economy—this is what I’ve known most of my life. There are drawbacks, of course, with the capitalistic system and economic/political systems—including communism. However, when I’ve read about what it was like to live under the regime, I shudder to think of having to live such a life of repression. So, why are some Czechs feeling as if their lives were better under communism?

Image from Wikipedia

This is a poster for the communist

May Day celebration in 1946.

It reads, " Work and peace for

the Republic, well-being

for the people."

After conversations with Czechs about the issue of life being better (in some ways) under communism, several points have come together that help to solve part of the puzzle for Westerners.

1. The law required everyone to work; not many people were without some type of job. As a result, there were almost no homeless people and beggars that you can now see in many places here, in Prague. Those who refused to work were punished, and sometimes even sent to prison.

2. Most people had their basic needs met. Most families had a home, clothing, food and work. This was guaranteed under communism. The quality of these basic needs was not usually up to Western standards, but was adequate to live a somewhat comfortable life.

3. Everyone had pretty much the same lifestyle—there was not such a huge gap between rich and poor as we have now. There was not much crime under communism as there is nowadays. People didn’t have much, but at least had enough to survive.

4. Social care was adequate for most people under communism. Generally, families took care of one another, and took care for their elderly family members. Society took better care of those who suffered from ill health and handicaps. Currently, the Czech government is proposing cuts to all social care, including aid for handicapped and elderly people. I have personally seen many elderly people, near our neighborhood, picking through dumpsters just to find enough food to eat. This was not seen twenty years ago.

5. All workers’ income was taxed, with part of the funds going toward health care. Everyone had medical insurance through this tax and health care was subsidized. People could freely go to the doctor and receive necessary medicines for a small co-pay. Hospitals were free to all, as were any necessary procedures. The Czech government is working, at this time, to make the Czech healthcare system resemble the one we have in the U.S., including higher costs for health insurance, medications and hospital care.

Periods of Relative Comfort

It is important to note that while life was not easy under the communist regime, there were periods when life was somewhat easier for Czechs. One such period was the Prague Spring, back in 1968, when the government was headed by Alexander Dubček, then elected First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. Dubcek initiated moderate changes including decentralization of the economy, democratization and more rights for citizens. The Prague Spring was short-lived. It was ended in August of 1968 with the invasion and occupation of Czechoslovakia by Soviets and Warsaw Pact troops. The Soviets then began a brutal crack-down on Czechoslovakia, and life again became hard.

One Man's Memories of Life Under Communism

Jiri Slavicek (Czech Republic) – Remembering... by fondapol

Capitalism Difficult for Some Older Czechs
Typically, it is older Czechs (40 +) who remember life under communism. For these Czechs, capitalism seems harsh and destructive. Older Czechs remember being able to visit their chata (cottage) on the weekends and during summer holidays. Many people were able to have a garden plot near their flats or houses. You could grow a few vegetables and fruits, and keep a few chickens in the yard, and it was enough to keep your family provided with food. These Czechs view life during the regime as less complicated and easier than it is now, under capitalism. Though they do not want a return to communism and repression, they do long for the safety net that was provided by the government in that time.

The on-going world economic crisis is hitting most countries very hard, including the Czech Republic. This country is heavily dependent on exports to keep its economy going. A recent report disclosed that economic recovery for the Czech Republic has been slower than in neighboring EU countries. Before the crash of communism, the Czech Republic’s debt was non-existent. Rather, there was a surplus. However, after the switch from communism to capitalism, the process of privatization was accompanied by stealing of national property. Now, there is a 40% of GDP national debt load for the Czech Republic.

Under capitalism, life for many older people is becoming more difficult. Pensions are becoming smaller, while social services provided by the government are being cut. With changes in the healthcare system, going to the doctor and getting medicine is more expensive. Necessary hospitalizations and procedures are also expensive for older people here. During the regime, older people usually had enough money to do a bit of traveling, but now they can hardly make ends meet. There are not many retirement homes in this country, and the ones that do exist are typically not maintained in a manner to allow elderly people to live comfortably. Many families are also cash-strapped, and find it almost impossible to care of their elderly family members.

Effects of the Current Global Economic Crisis

Czechs are feeling the pinch more and more as they have to pay out higher prices and taxes from salaries that are much lower than in other EU countries. The typical Czech salary is about 23,000 CZK/month, which is equal to about $1209.99 (on date of publication). Czechs are being required to pay more due to new austerity measures currently being worked on by the Czech government. Starting in January 2012, for instance, the cost of heating will go up 10%, along with an increase in food prices and VAT. Some Czechs are dismayed by all these changes and find it difficult to cope with a free-market, capitalistic system. Is it any wonder that some look back to life under communism as a better time when they now struggle to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table?

For me, the choice is easy—I would choose freedom of life and economy over communism. Being poor and free is better for me than life under such repression as existed under communism. But many older Czechs remember life under communism, and while it wasn’t easy to live under the regime, many people remember they usually had the basics of life—a roof over their heads (maybe crowded in with other family members), a job, food and clothing. This was enough to live somewhat comfortably. These are the aspects of life, under communism, that some Czechs long for. Czechs do not long for the repressive regime, only the basics of life that were promised back in that time. These people feel if you have freedom, but no money, then you really have no freedom at all.

Transition and Recovery Take Time

Transitioning from a repressive, totalitarian regime is difficult. It is similar, in some ways, to when a woman (or man) is in an abusive relationship. They long for a better life, but are afraid to leave the life they are familiar with, even if it is a bad, hard life. The change from living under repression, of any type to a more free way of life, is difficult. The healing process can be lengthy. So it is for Czechs who lived most of their lives under the communist regime. It will take some time for them to adjust to this new way of living. Twenty years is not enough time to erase the marks of the old communist regime. It will take another generation, at least, before Czech society is on the way to a firm recovery from their harsh past.

That’s all for today. Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

Note: I have focused mostly on the older generation of Czechs, but I must also make a note about the younger generation. Those who are 35 and younger have fully embraced capitalism in this country.

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Točník Hrad

2011-11-15T17:17:00.003+01:00

Hi Everyone,

About a year ago, Jiří and I took a day trip to see Točník hrad, near Beroun in central Bohemia. We took the train from Prague, and got off at Žebrák, and walked a ways to Točník castle. Točník is one of two castles in the area, and is situated to the north and slightly east of Žebrák. The area is filled with beautiful rolling hills and farmland, along with picturesque towns and villages. We visited in October while the trees were turning and there was a slight chill in the air. I also remember many sunflowers along the way we walked that day. On the road up the hill to the hrad we encountered sheep and goats in a field. I found one sheep that really enjoyed having his ears rubbed.

Točník hrad is a fortress castle, and was started by Holy Roman Emperor Vacláv (Wenceslas) IV in 1398. The castle is situated on one of the highest points in the area, and offers extensive and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. The castle was not only built to be the personal residence of a king. Being a fortress, one of Tocnik’s jobs was to guard the trade route from Prague to Nuremberg. The castle also served as a place to entertain dignitaries. Točník is made up of two courtyards (forming an L-shape), one at the entrance of the castle, and the second courtyard near the main building (King’s residence) in the middle of the western wall. The other large building within the castle walls was used as a place for important visitors to stay, and contained a huge hall for entertaining.

After the death of Vacláv IV, his brother Sigismund became the owner of Točník. Over the years, Točník came to be owned by a strong Catholic family—the Šumburks. From there, the castle went on into other hands, eventually coming back to the Czech crown during the reign of Emperor Rudolph II. He was the last royal to visit the castle. Eventually this beautiful fortress became a state prison until about 1865, when it was abandoned and left to decay. The castle and grounds were later bought by the Czechoslovak Tourists Club, in 1923. The club worked to restore the fortress, and then sold Točník to the Czechoslovak Sokol in 1953.

Točník hrad is a beautiful fortress castle where you get a vivid sense of the past. You can almost see the lords and their ladies walking across the square, with servants rushing to and fro. You can hear the distant sounds of horses and other animals in and around the castle walls from a long ago time. If you listen closely, you might even hear the sounds of war, for Točník was devastated by the Thirty Years War (1618-1648).

The castle is used for festivals and weddings to this day. There is a beautiful chapel, and we saw several wedding couples and their parties on the grounds having their pictures taken.

If you are visiting Prague, and have extra time to tour outside of the city, a visit to Točník would make a wonderful day trip. The castle is closed for the winter months, but will open again in March. Here is the schedule I found on the Tocnik official website:

Točník Opening Hours

January-February: Closed

March-April: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 to 12 and 13 to 16

May-June: Daily, except Monday, from 10 to 12 and 13 to 17

July-August: Daily, except Monday, from 9 to 12 and 13 to 18

September: Daily, except Monday, from 10 to 12 and 13 to 17

October: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 10 to 12 and 13 to 16

November-December: Closed

Admission

Adults: 70 CZK

Children (6-15): 50 CZK

Seniors: 50 CZK

Children under 6 and those with disabilities: Free

Make a day trip Točník hrad and enjoy the scenery and the castle. Don't forget to stop by the castle's small hospoda for a snack. Točník hrad will not disappoint.

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

Photos property of Sher Vacik.

Life with a Cane

2011-11-09T15:14:00.000+01:00

Photo by westrow

Hi Everyone,

The past four months, since our trip up Sněžka, I’ve been dealing with a herniated disk and finding out that I have inherited a birth defect called spinal stenosis. It’s been an interesting time in my life. I had just had that milestone birthday, and then a couple months later ended up with a cane. That can be somewhat discouraging. Actually, that’s an understatement. A milestone birthday and a cane can be a very discouraging experience. For the first weeks after getting my cane, I tended to avoid friends and social activities. There is a kind of embarrassment in having to use a cane when you’re not so old.

Even so, after a while, avoiding friends and social occasions tends to become a bit old. I finally reached the point where I was desperate to get out and be around friends and attending social gatherings, such as church. I still felt embarrassed at going out with a cane, but didn’t care so much at this point. It felt so good to get out, even though I was walking extremely slow and had the cane. Getting out was one of the best things I did for myself.

Fall flowers by amyjayne10

Along with getting out when pain has allowed, I have been learning about people and how they treat those who use canes. It has been an interesting lesson. Czechs are mostly respectful to those who have canes and are having a hard time getting around. I have been shocked and surprised by the kindness of people—from teens to those much older than me. I do not look to be treated differently than anyone else, but having a seat on a tram, bus or in the metro is a boon. When you are suffering from a high level of back and leg pain, and have weak muscles from the injury and pain, you would be surprised at how standing while moving can affect you and your pain levels. I have been wrenched a few times (on trams/buses/metro) when seats were not available. Let me tell you, the pain level goes up by a factor of 10 for each level of pain. At first, when people would offer me a seat, I was surprised and hesitant to accept. But after several times of being wrenched while standing, I began to accept seats when they were offered. I have been very appreciative to all who have given up their seats to help me—thank you all so very much—I mean this from the heart.

There are some days when the pain is worse, and I need to take more time to get off and on the tram/bus/metro. I usually have to hang on to whatever handles and bars are available. A few times, some young men have even stepped off the bus/tram and then held out their hand to help me down. I was so surprised—this also made me feel very old, but I don’t care. When you need a hand, and someone’s there offering theirs, you’re very thankful. Another day, about a week ago, I was standing on a tram coming home, and an older man (he must have been in his late 70s) saw me having trouble, and got up to give me his seat as the tram was moving. He was still a very strong and vigorous man, and he held my hand and my lower arm and helped me to the seat he had vacated for me. This man did not let go of my hand/arm until I was firmly seated. This almost made me cry. I would have stayed standing, and have done so, rather than take an older person’s seat. However, this man insisted, and I’m most thankful to him for his assistance.

Fall imagery by lindaorso

Another lesson I’ve learned is that if you need to go around a person who is on crutches or using a cane, be sure to not rush past them too fast. It’s also best to avoid accidentally bumping into them. How have I learned these things? By being on the receiving end of a cane. People are usually in a great hurry for many reasons when they are shopping. Here, our local grocery store is crowded and small, with narrow aisles. Shopping there any time takes patience. Right now when shopping, I’m walking slower than my 97-year-old Grandma, and people are in a hurry to get past me. When these fast people are trying to get past me, they rush by in a whirl. I’ve been so dizzy since this injury occurred back in July, that anyone whizzing by almost causes me to fall down. Well, that’s where the cane helps—it keeps me from falling in these situations.

Other times, people with carts are trying to get as close to the cash register conveyor belt as possible so they can unload their carts. In doing so, these people will accidentally push or ram their carts right into the injury on my back. They don’t know, of course, that I am at such a high level of pain. But in such cases, it would definitely be more kind to not get so close to the person in front you. You just never know. And it’s also better to avoid rushing in a whirl past someone who’s having trouble walking—you might just cause them to fall. These lessons I’ve learned very well since needing to use a cane.

Daisies by limabeanlover

Life with a cane and disability are challenging. I have learned a lot about people—both good and bad, and how thankful I am for those who have been a help and who have been so kind as to give up their seats. I mostly don’t need too much assistance, but when traveling it is definitely best to be able to sit. I have been doing my own housework (most of the time) and cooking, though there have been some high-pain days when that hasn’t been possible. At times, I have been frustrated by living with this lower level of capability than I’m used to. However, I have also learned to live life a little slower and to enjoy the small things.

When you are recovering from a long illness or injury, it is best to view your time of recovery as a pilgrimage or quest, and take one step at a time. Just try to see how much you learn about yourself and others through the process of healing and recovery. And if you aren’t able to recover to the level you were at before, that’s OK. Go and do what you are still able to, and enjoy it, in spite of your illness or disability. One last bit of advice, don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to go out with a cane or any other assistance device. If you need it, use it. Keep living and don’t hide yourself away. We are social creatures, and you will only be healed through staying as active and as social as you can—even if that means only socializing online…do it. You’ll be better for it and feel better, in spite of what you’re going through.

God bless,

Sher :0)

PS I'm currently in a round of physical therapy and doing exercises to ease pain and regain strength. Right now, there doesn't seem to be much progress. I'm staying focused on getting better--this type of injury can take a while to heal--almost a year for some people. At this point, I'm almost 4.5 months into dealing with this pain and injury...just past the 1/3 of a year mark. That's a positive thing! If physical therapy doesn't work, I'm not sure what the neurologist will want to do next. I have to stay focused now, though, on the physical therapy and the hope this will work. I remember what Christ taught us, "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it's own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:34 New King James Version) In other words, don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has it's own worries, and today has enough trouble of it's own without having to worry about tomorrow's, too! I'm not always good about practicing this, but I'm working on it :0)

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Reverse Acculturation--Czech-American Style

2011-11-02T09:55:00.001+01:00

Hi Everyone,

I’ve written about my process of acculturation to Czech culture and society in past posts. Today, I would like to tell you about reverse acculturation—Czech-American style. When two people, from different cultures and countries, marry, they should expect changes to happen to them both. There are the normal changes that every couple goes through, such as which way should toilet paper roll hang, or which end of the tooth paste to squeeze, etc. However, in a cross-cultural marriage, a couple will also begin to adapt to one another’s cultures, and become a more blended couple in the process. This summer, one very obvious issue showed how much reverse acculturation has taken place in my marriage with Jiří.

In anticipation of holding a birthday party (mine), we were wondering how to store all the necessary foods and drinks, and how to keep it all cool when the temperatures were in the upper 20s and 30s C (70s and 80s F). I had the bright idea of buying a small college-sized fridge to help to keep bottles of wine, champagne, water, beer, etc. chilled. A college-sized fridge can hold many bottles, if you pack it correctly. After presenting the idea to my husband, we ended up on a shopping trip to a couple of electronics shops.

We began looking over the small refrigerators, and there were a couple that would have been adequate to meet the needs of the birthday party. These fridges would have also worked nicely when we have company at other times. However, Jiří decided they were too small, and they were not energy efficient. He began to look at the larger refrigerators that also had freezer compartments. I was not happy about this. Jiří’s reasoning was that one of these days we will move, and we’ll need our own fridge. Our current fridge comes with the flat we rent. OK, so if we need to buy our own fridge anyway, why not make it a bigger one that we can actually use to store things. In other words, buy a regular-sized fridge, rather than a college-sized one. So far, I was OK with his reasoning…well, kind of, but I was at least willing to go along with him, that is, until we got to looking at huge refrigerators.

Our European-sized fridge.

First, we looked at the normal-sized refrigerators. Normal-sized, by European standards, is small than what we have in the U.S. However, the normal-sized European fridge is not small, and can hold a lot of food in the fridge and freezer. We found a couple of normal-sized fridges that were nice, and then Jiří’s eye was caught by something bigger.

The something bigger turned out to be a fridge literally called the American Refrigerator. And is just like the ones I’ve had in the past, and that my parents currently have. An American-sized fridge is about twice the size of a normal European fridge. The American fridge, here, is the typical side-by-side fridge/freezer combination. The first one my husband looked at had an ice and water dispenser. However, when I pointed out our currently plumbing would not work with that particular fridge, Jiří relented. Then he went on to another fridge that was very similar, but without the water and ice dispenser. He decided this was the fridge he was going to buy. I looked at the price and said, “No!”

Our American-sized fridge.

As is normal in any relationship, be it work, friend or marriage, a disagreement ensued. We left the store for further discussion…the discussion actually lasted several days. I told my husband I do not expect to have such things here, in the Czech Republic. If I did, then I would definitely demand a car and clothes dryer. We have neither, and I’m very happy without those things here. A European-sized fridge was best, I thought, because if we move, chances are the new flat would not have room for a refrigerator the size of the American side-by-side Jiří wanted. A normal-sized fridge would be more easily accommodated in a new flat, and it would be easier to move than a huge fridge. Ach jo. We had several discussions, and finally I lost. Now we have a huge behemoth American-sized side-by-side fridge in our kitchen. I have to say, it is a very nice fridge, and I’m happy with it. But I definitely didn’t want one so big here. It really doesn’t make sense.

In part, Jiří wanted this fridge for me—thinking this would show his care for me in buying me something more American. On the other hand, Jiří has also begun to enjoy some of amenities he enjoys when we visit family and friends back home. Now, I will definitely become concerned if Jiří wants to by a private plane like Dad’s. Then I will have to put my foot down!

This is just one humorous example of the reverse acculturation that takes place in a cross-cultural marriage. Sometimes these changes are easy, sometimes the changes and adaptations are very hard. Our relationship is a blend, but it is interesting to see how Jiří’s being affected by my American influence in his life…hopefully for the good, though I did lose the fridge discussion…I would have been happy with a European normal-sized fridge.

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher

Photos by Sher Vacik

Holy Days and 4th Anniversary

2011-10-31T10:32:00.002+01:00

Hi Everyone,

I’m not sure where the months and days are flying to, but here we are at the end of October already! Pretty soon Thanksgiving and Christmas will be upon us. In fact, after church yesterday I wandered over to the Palladium to run errands (buying phone credit for my traveling husband), and noticed they were putting up Christmas decorations outside! So, the holidays have officially begun!

Halloween Pumpkin by 12lindaterry

Speaking of holidays, today is Halloween (also known as All Hallows Eve or All Saints Eve). Halloween is an ancient tradition, and is still celebrated in parts of the UK and Ireland, and of course, in the U.S. In the U.S. today, many children will be dressing up in costumes cute and scary for trick or treat, and adults will be dressing up for fun office parties. Here, in the Czech Republic, Halloween is not celebrated by Czechs. They view this holiday as another import brought to their culture by foreigners. Even so, the expat community does continue to hold Halloween parties and celebrations. You can find a list of party places on Expats.cz.

Vsehrad by kelly_cole5

Roman Catholic Czechs, and many other Christians, view All Hallows Eve (Halloween) as a precursor to All Saints Day, which takes place on November 1^st. All Saints Day, or Všech svatých in Czech, is a Christian holy day dedicated to the Saints and our dearly departed loved ones and friends. Some churches hold special services today, here in the Czech Republic. Families typically use this day (or the preceding weekend) to visit the cemeteries to care of the graves of loved ones. Czechs are very good about remembering those who have died. My own Czech family visits the cemetery and cleans the graves, leaving lit candles and flowers, wreaths and other small memorials on each family grave. The cemeteries become lit up at night from all the candles lit on each grave. It is quite beautiful. If you’re in Prague today, I would recommend visiting the cemetery at the Vyšehrad late in the afternoon. You’ll be able to see the beautiful flowers and candles on the graves, and how the cemetery is truly beautifully lit by the grave candles as daylight begins to fade.

Birthday cake and candles by crunkkxkiddx3

Today is also an important anniversary for Czech Off the Beaten Path. I started this blog four years ago, on October 31^st. The years have flown, and time continues to fly past as I carry on with my expat adventure in the Czech Republic. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything!

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher

Czech Republic in Facts and Pictures

2011-10-26T11:38:00.003+02:00

Hi Everyone,
I created a small magazine containing information, from around the web, about the Czech Republic. You can find some facts and figures on demographics, education, and economics. I've also included some photos and videos from around the web that will give you a taste of this beautiful country. Please let me know what you think!

One note, some of the pages contain more written information than what you can see on the page. If you look in the lower right hand (or left hand) corner of each page, you will find a gray circle with an arrow in the center. If you click on that circle, a small window will open with the picture and you'll be able to see all of the written material.

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher

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Blog Action Day 2011: Food

2011-10-15T00:00:00.000+02:00

Hi Everyone,

Today Czech Off the Beaten Path is taking part in BlogAction Day, and the theme is about food. Food is central to our daily lives; we each have to eat in order to continue life and thrive. Not only do we need food to live, we are also emotionally and culturally tied to food. Each of us grows up eating the food that is traditional in our family, culture and nation. There is a social component to food that weaves its way through all of our lives. We share food with family and friends on each day, special occasions and holidays. Each time we share food together, we develop relationships and open ourselves up to those around us with conversation and an exchange of ideas.

Svickova

Expat Life

I’m an American expat living in the Czech Republic, and am married to a Czech. My expat adventure began almost five years ago, back in 2006. My life has been completely changed after living outside of the US these past years. I have to say, my life has changed for the better. Expat life brings many new challenges, new ideas and opportunities, along with new realizations, not only about yourself, but the world, as well. It is almost impossible not to be changed on some level when you live overseas, unless you live completely isolated in your new home. Expat life also opens the door for social exchanges between people of different cultures. One of these cultural exchanges involves food. When a person moves from one country to another, they begin a new adventure with food. Expats have different ways of dealing with the issue of their daily food choices in their new country.

Czech and American Cuisine

Similarities and Differences

My husband is Czech, and this means I have close ties with Czech people. One half of my family is now Czech, and my husband’s friends have also embraced me and most of my “Americaness.” Through these Czech ties, I have been introduced to Czech foods. Czech cuisine is in some ways similar to the cooking I grew up with, but it is also very different in many ways. Some of the differences have to do with the parts of animals that are eaten, including blood and other parts. Americans eat more vegetables than Czechs. Czechs do eat a lot of potatoes and other root vegetables, but don’t enjoy broccoli and other veggies as much. Another difference is that Czech meals are heavier and contain more fat and sauces than the American cuisine I grew up with. This difference (in the amount of fat in Czech cooking) has meant I’ve gained weight since moving here. Living in the Czech Republic has meant a definite change in the foods I eat, and has even enlarged my dietary choices (along with enlarging me!).

Bramboraky

Another food related issue is the fact that Czech children are taught to completely clean their plates at every meal. In past times, under different regimes, Czechs led hard lives, and food was precious and at times hard to come by. So, everyone must clean their plates in order to avoid waste, which Czechs hate. Plus, not eating all the food on your plate could be seen as an insult to the chef of a restaurant, or to a friend who has cooked a meal to share with you. Thus, my adventures in gaining wait began with my move to the Czech Republic. I’m definitely not happy with this. I am currently in the process of losing weight, with the hope I will lose all the weight I’ve gained since moving here.

Food and Diet Challenges

One other detail I would like share is that I have many allergies, both airborne and food allergies, so this also has a large influence on what I can or cannot eat. I am extremely allergic to wheat, rye and oats, along with several other foods, spices and drinks. I have to be very careful when eating at someone’s home or when eating out. It’s not easy to have such food allergies, but it’s important to remember there are always worse conditions and problems. I have ten years of experience eating with these allergies, and have completely adapted to this lifestyle. Even so, I have faced some challenges with Czech cuisine and my allergies and the wheat/gluten-free diet.

One of the best things I have enjoyed about cooking in this gluten free existence has been using fresh ingredients and learning to cook from scratch. Before I was diagnosed with food allergies, I cooked from bags and boxes, rarely using fresh ingredients. I rarely cooked completely from scratch. After diagnosis, my life completely changed, and I had to learn how to cook from scratch with fresh ingredients. Cooking from scratch was a necessary precursor to my expat life and learning to cook a few traditional Czech dishes.

Gulas

Traditional Czech Cooking

Traditional Czech cooking includes many sauces that are thickened with wheat and other ingredients. So, there are many dishes I can’t eat. However, recently a new restaurant came to my attention, Na Zlaté Křižovatce. It is the only completely gluten-free restaurant that I know of in Prague. I must tell you; this place has helped me to enjoy some Czech food I’ve only dreamed about. One of my first meals at Na Zlaté Křižovatce was Svíčková. Svíčková is a traditional Czech dish of marinated beef served in a sauce usually made from root vegetables, topped with cream sauce and cranberries. Along with the meat and sauce, houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings) are served on the side. This dish is straight from heaven. It is also very fattening, so I’ve had it only once or twice, but boy…is it good. I have learned to cook a few Czech dishes in gluten free versions, but have not yet mastered svíčková. I hope to add this dish to my repertoire one day. I have learned how to make bramborák (potato pancakes), bramboračka (Czech potato soup), guláš (gulash) and řízek (schnitzel using pork or chicken). These dishes are very good, and can be easily made with gluten free ingredients.

My husband is a good sport with eating gluten free. He’s also very good about eating a diet of mixed Czech and American cooking. Most of our meals are truly a mix. I make more of our dinners with sauces than I ever made back home, in the US. Typically, my family would use gravy occasionally at suppertime, but most often on holidays. Czechs like sauces, which are a bit lighter than gravies. I make sauce to go with any meat now, and I have to say that I like a meat served with sauce, rather than eaten dry, as my family eats in the US. My sauces are light, and don’t contain much fat. I typically use bullion cubes that are gluten free, but which add much flavor, along with other fresh ingredients.

Kolacky

Czech sweets, such as cakes and cookies, are very similar to sweets that my family has made over the years. Czechs typically have cookies, bábovka (cakes) and kolačky (pastry) for special celebrations and holidays, though a kolač can also be an every day treat. Czechs also eat more bread than Americans typically do on a daily basis. Bread here comes in a wide variety; from loaves of bread to what Americans call rolls and knedlíky. I have yet to conquer baking Czech breads. Baking bread is very tricky with gluten free ingredients, especially when it comes to making Czech breads, some of which are very specialized.

My expat adventure has had a definite impact on my daily food choices, and has broadened my food tastes and cooking abilities. When we get together with our friends, who are a mix of nationalities, our appetizers, meals and desserts are always a blend of American and Czech dishes. Food has been a wonderful way to get to know new people and learn more about Czech culture. Food is a universal social connection—one way of connecting with others, in my expat life, for which I’m very thankful.

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out other blogs participating in Blog Action Day!

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher

Photo Credits

Wikipedia

The Past Few Months

2011-10-14T11:29:00.000+02:00

Hi Everyone,

It’s been a while since I’ve made a post about my expat existence here, in the Czech Republic. I have to say that Life has been extremely busy, and sometimes complicated, in the past few months. Even so, I’ve been working through everything and finally have a chance to sit down and update you about my expat life here, in the Czech Republic.

Double Graduations

Back in May, Jiri and I flew to the US to join my family in celebrating the graduation of both our daughters from university. This was a very exciting time. We enjoyed spending about two weeks with my whole family, and traveling to both kids’ graduations. Can you imagine—both girls graduated on the very same day, but in two different cities in two different states? What are the odds of that happening? My family had to make an important decision as to who would travel where for which graduation. We finally let the decision fall to the head of our clan, Dad. Dad did a great job in dividing us up. Both girls had a lot of support from family and close friends that day. We all had a great time. Later in our visit, Mom had a party for the girls’ graduations, and my birthday. That was also great, aside from the fact I was very ill with asthma and allergies. We had a wonderful visit with everyone back home, and all too soon it was time for Jiri and I to come back to Prague.

Milestone Birthday

During the summer, I also celebrated a milestone birthday. I will leave it to you to figure out which milestone I passed. And please, any friends who read this post, don’t mention my age. I’m not horribly sensitive about it, but would like to keep this information a little bit closer to home. This birthday year has been full of challenges on many levels and of all kinds. I’ve had a chance not only to look back over past years, but also this year, to see exactly where I’ve come from and what I’ve accomplished. I am not so happy with all my accomplishments, and so continue to improve on those. Even so, I have come a ways from where I was even ten years ago. I’m grateful for my years, though not happy with the fact that I turned my current age, and then ended up with a cane—more on that later.

Sněžka and a Cane

In July, we had planned to spend a week with friends (Ricky & Sybille) in the Krknose Mountains here, in the Czech Republic. Everything had been planned and reserved, and when it came time for us to leave, one of our gerbil clan (that’s another story) came down sick. Here, I will link back to Ricky’s post about our trip to the mountains, to where he makes a reference to our sick gerbil, and that he would leave that to me to explain. One of our little guys (gerbils) came down with a nasty infection, and needed to be treated with antibiotics daily, along with a special diet and a urological tea treatment. Some friends had offered to take care of our little clan while we were gone, but we couldn’t ask them to give the little guy medicine every day, etc. It also wasn’t logical to take our little sick guy with us on the trip. So, Jiri and I stayed home that week, but decided we would join Ricky & Sybille in the Krknose on the weekend.

All went well with our little gerbil guy that week, and by the weekend it was safe to leave him and the rest our clan for a day or so. We met with Ricky and Sybille in Pec pod Sněžkou, where we all stayed at the Nikola penzion. The Krknose are beautiful mountains located in the north eastern part of the Czech Republic, sharing a border with Poland. I’ll write more about this mountain range in another post, but suffice it to say, my mountaineering husband was determined to get to the top of the highest peak, Sněžka (the highest peak in the Czech Republic), with me in tow that weekend.

This was the easy part of the trail up.

Ricky, Jiri and I, plus Sam (Ricky and Sybille’s beautiful golden lab) began the trek Saturday morning. Sybille couldn’t join us as she had a calf injury that precluded her from making such a trek that weekend. Our trip up was a good walk/hike, and I was mostly doing OK, but had developed some horrible leg and back pains along the first rugged part of the path. My asthma was also acting up, but my inhaler saved the day. I’m thankful for emergency inhalers, and the walking sticks I chose to bring on our hike. By the time we made it to the first bouda, I was sure it would be impossible for me to make it up to the top of Sněžka. I wanted to stay there and wait for Jiri, Ricky and Sam while they made the trek up and back, but Jiri was not for that at all. He said it was only a little farther—surely I could manage that. OK, and I had a harder climb from then on with the pain and breathing. The way up the switchback is like a “lady’s walk” for some, but the steps are tall, wide, unevenly shaped rocks. This was quite a challenge for me, even though I have long legs (being 5’7.5”), my legs are still shorter than Jiri’s and Ricky’s, both of whom are over 6’. I took the “lady’s walk” at my own pace and finally managed to make it to the top. What a glorious view! Then we rested and started down. I can’t remember how many kilometers we made that day, but by the end, suffice it to say I couldn’t walk too well. I thought it was just muscles that were tired and out-of-shape. Eventually, I learned that I had a herniated disk, along with a birth defect called spinal stenosis. This is when I ended up with a cane.

I was put through the medical mill with MRIs, a steroid injection under guided CT scan, etc. So far, nothing has worked on the pain, and when I go for long times/distances from our flat, I need to have a cane to help with my stability, and wear a back brace to help take the strain of traveling in the Metro/trams/buses. This could all be a bit demoralizing after celebrating a milestone birthday, but I’ve been working through this whole process with the hope the pain will eventually go away, and I’ll lose some weight, too. I have lost some weight and continue to work on losing more. This will also help my back. I’ve gained about 25 lbs since moving to this country—Czech food is much heavier and contains much more fat than what I was used to eating back in the States. So, the weight gain from moving here I’m now in the process of losing.

Going Forward

As you can see, the past few months have been pretty busy for me. There have been times I wanted to write, but then when sitting in front of the computer, I found it wasn’t quite the right time to make a post. Sometimes it’s necessary to just experience Life and ponder a bit. My hope is to get back into posting on a regular basis once again. This coming Sunday, October 16^th, this blog is participating in Blog Action Day, on the topic of food. This will be a fun project. After this, I’ll be posting about various trips Jiri and I have taken and about expat life, in general.

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher
Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
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Photo Credits
Graduation Cap by nisia915 at Photobucket.com
Birthday Cake by DeborahWhite on Photobucket.com

American vs. European Perspective

2011-08-16T22:51:00.000+02:00

Hi Everyone,
After reading a news story today, I realized how much some aspects of my thinking and feeling have become more European. When you move overseas, and live away from your home country for a while, you begin to adapt to your new life--even in ways you don't realize. Today the realization hit pretty hard.

The news story that caught my attention was about a Swedish mother, in Amherst, Mass. She had left her one year-old baby son in his stroller, outside a restaurant, while she ran in to order some food. The baby was alone for about 10 minutes, and now the mother is being investigated by state agencies for possible child maltreatment.

My first reaction to this story was wondering what all the fuss was about. Then, I had to step back and think back to my pre-expat ways of thinking, being and doing. My pre-expat self would have been horrified by a parent leaving their baby in a stroller alone outside a restaurant. People just don't do that back home--it's not safe. Leaving your child or baby alone outside is like asking someone to come and take them away, which is unfortunately what happens to some unattended children in the US. However, in Europe, the situation is very different. Europeans are shocked that babies are not safe in such a situation, and this can be looked at as mistreating a baby.

When I first moved here, I was horrified to see mothers do the very thing this Swedish mother did. It is very common for a mother or father to run into a small shop for 5 or 10 minutes and leave the baby and stroller/carriage on the sidewalk, near the door. This way, they can usually keep an eye on the baby as they shop. I have never seen anyone leave a baby like that for long--it is usually no more than a few minutes. This is common practice in many parts of Europe, including the Czech Republic. Europeans don't see this as maltreatment of a child.

My time here has been close to 5 years, and now I don't bat an eye when I see such scenes as babies left in strollers outside of a small shop, or young children urinating in public, etc. It was quite interesting to realize this change in my thinking and compare it to when I had just gotten off the plane here, in Prague. Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of things that shock me and European ways of being and doing that I will not adapt to. Even so, to see my thinking has changed on such a matter as this news story was a startling realization. I can fully understand this Swedish mother's dismay as this is typical behavior where she comes from. It's just not done in the US, but I'm sure no one explained that to her.

I hope and pray all will turn out OK for this Swedish mom, and that no charges will be filed--and she be allowed to keep her baby. She made an innocent mistake--and I'm sure had no intention of harming her baby. And now, for me, I'm wondering if there are other changes in my ways of being, doing and thinking that will come to light one day. It's an adventure to see and realize such changes are occurring within yourself. I don't know if this change is good or bad--time will tell. But I'm hoping it's for the good.

That's all for today! Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Photo credit: maillewlder

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Expat Women: Confessions--A Book Review

2011-07-19T10:48:00.001+02:00

Hi Everyone,

If you are a woman who will be moving into an expat life, or if you are already living the expat experience, then there is a book I would like to highly recommend to you. The name of the book is Expat Women: Confessions, by Andrea Martins and Victoria Hepworth. Andrea and Victoria are both experienced women expats. Andrea, an Australian, has been an expat living in different countries, including Indonesia, Mexico, and Malaysia. She runs a wonderful website for expat women called Expatwomen.com where expat women can find insightful and helpful information about being an expat. Victoria, a New Zealander, is a trained psychologist who has also lived in many places, including Japan, China, Russia, and others. Andrea and Victoria have teamed up to write a marvelous book for expat women.

Expat Women: Confessions adroitly addresses questions written by expat women who are seeking guidance and advice on topics ranging from settling in to expat life, raising children overseas, to repatriation to back to their home country. "Sometimes expat life calls for improvisation and resourcefulness." This is my favorite quote from the book--for me this sentence sums up the mindset needed to be a successful and happy expat. Victoria and Andrea have written a book that offers creative and insightful advice on how to actually do more than just survive your expat experience--it helps you learn to thrive and enjoy your expat life. I wish this book had been around when I first became an expat five years ago.

The questions covered by the book are written by real women with concerns about expat living. All of the advice given by Andrea and Victoria is given in a warm way, as if you're talking with a friend. The advice is logical and helpful. For instance, one woman asked about how to deal with culture shock. In their answer, Victoria and Andrea were honest about the difficulties of culture shock, and then they go on with some suggestions about how to deal with it. One tip they offer is to research your new country as much as possible on all aspects of life there. This way you'll develop some understanding about the culture and society, while being better prepared for life in your new country.

Another expat woman writes to seek advice about how to deal with being pregnant far from home. She wonders about giving birth in a country where the medical system is different, and without the support of her family--she considers going back home to give birth and then return to her expat life. Andrea and Victoria advise her to seek as much information as possible before making any decisions. They suggest she become as informed as possible about what facilities and services are available in her new location. Andrea and Victoria discuss the need to be completely comfortable in the medical environment wherever this reader decides to give birth, and walk her through each option: staying put in her new location or going home and returning back to her expat location after the birth of her baby. The advice continues by looking at key considerations to evaluate before making a decision.

These are only a couple examples of the many questions answered by Expat Women: Confessions. I would highly recommend this book to you if you are in the process of considering an expat life, or if you are already in your new location. This book will be a helpful guide to your expat life and how to deal with many issues you might face in your new location. Expat Women: Confessions will help you to realize you are not alone--that many other expat women face similar issues, and you will have warm, logical guidance on how to have a happy and successful expat experience.

You can buy Expat Women: Confessions on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions by following the links below.

That's all for today! Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path Travel Store
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Sher's Stuff

Note: I received a free copy of Expat Women: Confessions to review. I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is offered as a service to help others who are considering an expat life, or who are already living in their new locations. Also, the links to Amazon (at the end of the post) are affiliate links. If you purchase the book using these links I will receive compensation as an affiliate member for Amazon.

(c) 2011 by Sher Vacik. All rights reserved.

Na Zlaté Křižovacte--Gluten Free Restaurant in Prague

2011-06-28T10:14:00.001+02:00

Hi Everyone,

Living gluten and wheat free is not easy, but it can become even more challenging when you move to a new country. I had been gluten free for 5 years before I moved to the Czech Republic in 2006. Five years of experience had seen me able to adapt to the new gf (gluten free) diet, even learning how to bake cakes and pies using alternative flours. After settling in to life here, I learned to cook a few traditional Czech dishes, but there are many that still elude me. One of those dishes is called svíčková. Svíčková na smetaně is a wonderful dish made with marinated beef served in a creamy sauce, topped with cranberries. This dish is usually served with dumplings on the side. I have watched my husband eat this favorite dish so many times, but I could not enjoy it due to ingredients that have gluten. That is, until one day last week when I visited a restaurant that specializes in serving nothing but gluten free food!

A friend had told me about this wonderful restaurant, Na Zlaté Křižovacte (At the Golden Crossing), that is completely gluten free here, in Prague. I was amazed, as it is difficult to find restaurants here that specialize in particular diets, most especially the gluten free diet. So, my curiosity was aroused and I decided to go for lunch one day. Na Zlaté Křižovacte is located close to the Florenc Metro Station, in Prague 8. It took me no more than three minutes to walk to the restaurant after leaving the metro. The restaurant is located in a building toward the middle of the block, and it’s very easy to see the two gf symbols prominently displayed on the outside.

I walked into the restaurant and was immediately met by staff that was very friendly, helpful and who spoke great English. They offered a choice of seating, and I decided to sit in the second room of the restaurant where it was quieter and I could concentrate on my meal without too much distraction. Na Zlaté Křižovacte is one of the cleanest restaurants I’ve been in anywhere, and one of the most pleasant. The décor of the restaurant is done with calming pale green and off-white walls, with beautiful paintings that match the restaurant’s color scheme. The tables are set with linens to compliment the colors and décor, and as I said—everything is impeccably clean. Na Zlaté Křižovacte is not only gluten free, but is also smoke-free and air conditioned. I must add they also had some very nice music playing quietly in the background—not at all overpowering. The ambience of the restaurant is a wonderful backdrop for some heavenly tasting gluten free food.

After being seated, staff brought a basket of bread to my table, along with some flavored spreads. The bread is excellent and the texture is like the wheat bread I remember so well. Na Zlaté Křižovacte’s menu, in both Czech and English, offers a wide variety of foods from soups and salads to main courses of fish, chicken and beef, along with a choice of drinks such as wine, soft drinks, and more. They have daily and la carte menus that also offer very tempting desserts—all of which are gluten free. Looking over the menu, svíčková na smetaně jumped right off the page at me. I had never been able to try this dish in the past, and now here was a completely gf version. Of course, this is what I ordered. The day I was there, the restaurant also offered pear strudel for dessert. This was heaven for sure, but I had to ask the restaurant staff if the strudel had cinnamon, as I’m very allergic to it. They were very helpful and even talked to the chef, and I was very fortunate, for the strudel did not have cinnamon. I don’t usually eat dessert, but that day I was splurging and went ahead and ordered the pear strudel.

My meal was brought out in good time, and it was done with a traditional presentation of the svíčková. The first bite was amazing, and it was the very first time I’ve been able to eat svíčková since moving here almost five years ago. The meat was so tender it fell apart, so it wasn’t necessary to use a knife to cut it. The sauce was a wonderful blended flavor and provided a very tasteful and delectable backdrop for the meat. The dumplings were lighter than air—truly so good, I could have ordered another plate. After eating the svíčková and dumplings, I finally understood the Czech’s love affair with this dish. Even those who are not on a gluten free diet will enjoy the offerings of Na Zlaté Křižovacte, for their food tastes like what I call “real food” (food made with wheat and gluten).

The dessert pear strudel was just as good as the svíčková had been. Strudel had only been a memory for me to this point, until eating at Na Zlaté Křižovacte. The strudel was delicate and flaky, and the pears were done just right—and not at all crunchy. The flavors were just what I remembered from eating strudel before I was found to be allergic to wheat/gluten.

Na Zlaté Křižovacte also provides other services, in addition to their restaurant. It’s possible to order bread (one week ahead) baked and prepared for picking up to take home. The restaurant also offers a variety of gluten free baking products for sale, and provides services such as take-home food, organizing parties for special occasions, and more.

Na Zlaté Křižovacte is a wonderful restaurant, and I plan to make more visits in the future. This is the perfect restaurant for tourists and Prague residents who are gluten free and need a safe, smoke-free place in which to have some delectable gluten free food. Even if you’re not on a gluten free diet, be sure to visit Na Zlaté Křižovacte and try their excellent food. You won’t be disappointed!

That’s all for today!

God bless,

Sher :0)

Note: This review was done completely on my own--I was not hired or paid to offer this restaurant review. I paid for my complete meal. This review is offered as a service to help others who are on a gluten free diet and need to find a safe place to eat away from home and avoid cross-contamination of their food with wheat and gluten products.

Sometimes the Water Goes Off

2011-04-28T19:04:00.003+02:00

Hi Everyone,
This morning I found our water was off around 7:30 or so. I wasn't sure what was going on, but thought maybe some nearby construction might be the problem. It happens and you just live with it. Not having water is definitely inconvenient when it hits with no notice. I called our friends, Ricky and Sybille, to see if they knew anything about the water outage. They said there had been a notice on their building's door letting everyone know the water would be off. UGH! I had been sick and Jiri was traveling, so neither of us saw the note. I felt really stupid for somehow missing this notice. Well, that's life in the Czech Republic at times, and also my life living in a bubble to try to stay healthy. You live and learn how to survive these minor inconveniences.

Along with the note we didn't see, the city was able to provide a tanker of water for those who needed water during the day. I didn't have to use it, but it's nice to know they do take care of us.

Thankfully I have had extensive lessons on how to survive when the unexpected happens. My folks taught my brother and I to be ready for an emergency at all times. We were taught to store extra food and water, emergency candles and matches, etc. We also learned how to cook when there's no power or gas, and hhow to manage daily life in such situations. And living through a few days when our entire house froze, along with living in the Rockies in a very rural area helped to prepare me for life in the Czech Republic. I've had to live several days, at a time, with no electricity, water or heat on more than one occasion, and that was back in the States! So, today's water outage was inconvenient and bit frustrating, but I managed OK.

As Ricky pointed out on Facebook, there are millions of people around the world who have to live with no indoor plumbing or running water every day of their lives. And many of these don't even have access to clean water at all. What to us is a rather minor inconvenience is for them a daily way of life. Today was a good reminder of how so many people around the world live...and what I and most of us take for granted every day. We really do need to remember those who are less fortunate, and help in any way we can by supporting charities and other groups who help people around the world have access to what we take for granted every day.

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
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Photo credit: ma87576

(c) 2011 by Sher Vacik

Vesele Velikonoce (Happy Easter)

2011-04-24T13:30:00.000+02:00

Hi Everyone,

I'd like to wish you all a very wonderful, happy and blessed Easter! We are celebrating Easter Sunday and Easter Monday here, in the Czech Republic. I have already had my Easter beating, so am good for this year :0)

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

Answers to Reader's Questions

2011-04-11T21:14:00.000+02:00

From Czech Off the Beaten Path

Hi Everyone,
Today's post is in response to some reader questions from MiGrant. Here is what MiGrant asked:

Since you ask... I'm (probably) moving back to Prague this year — lived there for a few years in the 90s — and right now I'm interested in practicalities. How hard is it now to get a residence permit for someone self-employed? Where to buy fresh vegetables? Where's the best Gold's Gym equivalent? Can I switch my

iPhone over to a Czech carrier, or will I have to get a new one? That sort of thing.

Thanks for your questions, MiGrant. I've been doing some detective to work to find answers, and here they are. Please remember I'm not an expert in issues dealing with visas and residency permits, and all information supplied here is basic and not to be used as an official guide.

Residence permit for self-employed.

The process is a bit long, and full of bureaucratic red-tape, but that's typical. You must be somewhat familiar with this aspect of living in the Czech Republic since you lived here before. One major change, as of this year, is that the Ministry of the Interior now handles long-term visa and permanent residency permits. This was formerly the job of the infamous Foreign Police. Another change since you last lived here is that people applying for permanent residency now have to pass a Czech language exam in order to live here.

MiGrant, you didn't specify if you are an EU citizen, or from outside of the EU. The requirements will be different for a non-EU citizen, than for an EU citizen. If you are non-EU, you will have to apply for a long-term visa at a Czech embassy outside of the Czech Republic. The visa process cannot take place while you are in this country. The application process usually takes from six to eight weeks, but can legally take as long as four months. In addition to supplying the required documents, you are required to undergo an interview as part of the application process.

Along with this, you'll have to supply the usual proofs of accommodation in the Czech Republic, along with proof of health insurance, and proof of financial means to support yourself in this country. This is basic information about you will need to apply for residency in this country. You can find detailed information on the Ministry of Interior's website.

Being self-employed you will first need to obtain your residency or long-term visa, then you will be able to either work under an s.r.o or zivnostensky list (trade license). This is a bit complicated to explain in one post, but there is a difference between an s.r.o and working for yourself under a trade license. Basically, an s.r.o. is a limited liability company and will offer more protection for your personal assets. There are also certain tax advantages to doing business under an s.r.o. The zivnostensky list (trade license) offers a couple of advantages such as less professional fees for accounting and tax compliance, along with being able to deduct more expenses for tax purposes. One of the main drawbacks to the trade license is that you will be held responsible for your company's liabilities, and the rate of income tax is higher than for an s.r.o. However, the trade license is easy to get and the cost is minimal.

Again, all of this information is only basic...I'm not an expert in this area. To find expert help, you might check on the Business Directory of Expats.cz to find those who will know all the ins and outs of getting the correct visa and the best legal way for you to be self-employed in the Czech Republic. If any readers have more specific information to help MiGrant with this question, please respond in the comments below.

Farmers Markets

Another reader had an answer to your fresh vegetable question. Sean said fresh vegetables are available at the now popular farmers markets. Sean's right. Farmers markets are popping up all over, and we have several here, in Prague. You can find a list of farmers markets on the Czech Off the Beaten Path website.

Farmers markets are growing in popularity here. I can personally attest to the fact that these markets have some of the best produce to be found in Prague. The prices on some goods are a little higher than the grocery store, but these products are well worth their price. And the quality is much higher than what we can find in our local grocery stores. Everything Jiri and I have bought there--from klobasa, fruit, vegetables and sadlo--has been excellent and fresh. All sellers are registered and bring produce from all over the Czech Republic. On my last visit to our local farmers market, I noticed a booth selling klobasa and other smoked meats from Croatia. Otherwise, all the other products were from the Czech Republic. We believe in supporting Czech business and buy regularly at our local market.

Prague Gyms

Here again, Sean was very helpful with his response to MiGrant's question about gyms in Prague. We have some great gyms all over Prague. A couple of those, used by many expats, are the Cybex at the Hilton, and Fitness Millenium. These are only a couple of the many excellent gyms found in Prague.

iPhone

You can use your iPhone here, but only if it is unlocked and you have a Czech SIM card. If not, you will have to buy a new phone and data plan once you come to Prague. I found three major mobile phone companies who carry the iPhone: Telefonica O2, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

I hope this information will help you, MiGrant, and other people who might have the same questions. Again, this information is basic, but you can find further details about each topic by following the links supplied in each section. Some of these links are in Czech only. All of these links are supplied to help readers find more information. I am not affiliated with any of the companies or organizations mentioned here (aside from links to material for this blog and related website), and I am not an expert in visa or residence applications.

That's all for today! I hope you all have a great week!

God bless,

Sher :0)

Photo credit: Sher Vacik

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Strasbourg's EU Complex and the Orangerie

2011-04-04T16:47:00.001+02:00

Hi Everyone,

Today’s post will be about the last part of our visit to Strasbourg, France. Jiri and I had a great time, in spite of my getting sick. We walked around as much as we could, and were able to see the Grand Island (the most ancient part of this city), along with the EU Parliament and the Orangerie.

EU Complex

Strasbourg is the official seat of the European Parliament (the directly elected parliamentary institution of the EU), and hosts twelve sessions of the EU parliament a year. The Parliament complex is located in the Quartier Européen (European Quarter) of the city, not far from the Orangerie. The main building is the Louise Weiss building, which was first put into use in 1999. This site also contains the Council of Europe and the Court of Human Rights. When you’re viewing this complex in person, it is impressive, modern and very well kept. The grounds are park-like and beautiful. The week we visited Strasbourg, there was also an EU parliamentary session taking place, making the city full of nationals from all over Europe.

Orangerie

After visiting the EU Parliamentary complex, Jiri and I walked over to the Orangerie. It is located just across the street from the Council of Europe. This park was built in 1804 and was dedicated to Josephine, the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Orangerie is a beautiful spot, not far from the Grand Island are, where you can go to enjoy some time away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The Oragerie is home to a small zoo with monkeys, birds, lynx and barnyard animals. The park is also famous for the storks that call it home. We were amazed to see all the storks not only in the park, but even nesting in trees outside the park. The storks were flying over our heads, and resembled pterodactyls with their long wing-spans and graceful flight. Leaving the park, we found one street lined with trees, and each tree had its stork nest.

The Orangerie is filled with lovely trails and walking paths. We also found a lovely lake near the center of the park. The park was alive with people walking, jogging, and sitting on benches enjoying the afternoon sun. People of all ages use the park. We found a pretty playground for kids, along with a skate board track, and found many people enjoyed walking their dogs in the park. Even in early spring, the park is a beautiful spot to spend an afternoon. I can only imagine what the Orangerie will look like once full spring has taken over, and flowers are blooming and the trees have leafed out. The park was truly a lovely and restful spot. We enjoyed our stroll there very much.

Miscellaneous Pictures

Here are some miscellaneous pictures from our trip to Strasbourg. We found the city to be a beautiful place to visit. In spite of getting sick there, I had an enjoyable time and am happy to have had the chance to see and experience one more place I never thought to see in my life.

That’s all for today! Next week’s post will deal with the questions from MiGrant, and other helpful information for tourists and expats coming to visit Prague.

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher

Sher’s Stuff

(c) 2011 by Sher Vacik

Photo credits: Jiri and Sher Vacik

Strasboug's Grand Island

2011-03-28T19:40:00.001+02:00

Hi Everyone,
Today’s post will cover Strasbourg’s Grand Island and our visit there a couple of weeks ago. Strasbourg is a beautiful city, and I’m happy to have had the chance to visit and see this city. This is one of the best parts of being an expat in the Czech Republic—taking opportunities to travel to other places. You can travel from Prague to most of Europe at a reasonable cost. Prague offers many different ways to travel: by plane, train, coach buses, rental car and even by bike. Living in the heart of Europe has given me some wonderful opportunities to see and do things I never would have done. Strasbourg was another great travel opportunity, and I’m happy to have seen it.

The most ancient part of Strasbourg sits on the Grand Island, in the center of Strasbourg. This area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and was once a Roman military outpost called Argentoratum. The first mention of Aregentoratum is in 12 BC. The center of Argentoratum was actually where the Notre Dame Cathedral now sits. This spot was once a Roman sanctuary, or holy place. After the Roman occupation, the area was occupied, in turn, by the Alemanni, Huns and Franks.

During our exploration of the Grand Island, Jiri and I didn’t mange to find any Roman ruins or other artifacts, but we did find houses and buildings very well preserved from Medieval times. Strasbourg did suffer some damage from Allied bombing during WWII, however many old, old buildings still exist. I was surprised at how well the old centrum of Strasbourg has been preserved. The Grand Island was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. It is one of the best preserved cities I’ve seen in Europe (aside from Prague), even after being bombed during WWII.

We found a commemoration to WWII American soldiers in Notre Dame Cathedral—you can see it in the slide above. It was a nice surprise to see this in the church. The other picture is of the Pillar of Angels, a pillar standing near the astrological clock in the church. There is a legend about this pillar. It is said two, rival architects were arguing over the pillar. One said the pillar was not enough support to hold up the vaulted ceiling. The second architect said the pillar would be strong enough. The second architect won the job, and built the Pillar of angels. Sure enough, the pillar is strong enough. The first architect still lingers somewhere near the pillar. He said he would stay watching the pillar to see when it would fall. This first architect still watches the Pillar of angels, but now he has turned to stone. He is a sculpture by a banister in an alcove overlooking the pillar. I didn't see him, but read about this story. The moral of this tale is faith in one's work, and possibly the angels are indeed reinforcing the pillar to keep it standing. The last picture is of old graffiti. This is real, and is from the 1600s. There was even older graffiti, but the years have made it hard to see, and it wouldn’t have shown up well in a photo. Amazing to see century's old graffiti in Notre Dame.

The next pictures are from the rest of Strasbourg’s center. As you can see from the pictures, Strasbourg is preserved very beautifully. Many of the houses are still lived in today. I’ve lived here for almost five years, but this fact is still amazing. Houses built several hundred years ago are still being used. The only buildings this old back home are the Pueblos in Taos, and these have been continuously lived in for over a thousand years. I seem to have some affinity for medieval houses. They especially draw me--why, I don't know. I never tire of seeing them.

The Grand Island is a busy place filled with many different types of shops—from butchers and patisseries, to clothing and shoe shops. There is a plethora of restaurants. As you can see from the pictures, we even found a couple of Mexican places. Mexican and Chinese food seem to be in most places in the world, along with McDonalds and KFC. We didn’t eat out too much, but I did some cooking in our kitchenette at the hotel. Shopping for produce was a wonderful experience. The closest grocery store, Simply Market (or something like that), had the most beautiful fruits and vegetables I’ve seen in a long time. Our stores, in Prague, are not known for excellent produce. However, you can find high-quality produce at the Farmer’s Markets around town. To see such fresh produce made me hungry. The dairy products were also great—butter and cheese. They actually have salted butter there! We don’t have that here, so it was a nice touch to enjoy in Strasbourg. Jiri was also able to enjoy fresh bread. The smell of that made my mouth water! I’m allergic to gluten, so I had to bypass that treat. But Jiri immensely enjoyed this French treat.

Strasbourg’s Grand Island also offers many museums. We weren’t able to visit those as my allergies were not cooperating, but if you visit Strasbourg, be sure to look up their museums. You won’t be disappointed.

Well, that’s all for now. My next post will be about the “new” part of Strasbourg, and some of the sites there.

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)
Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
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Photo credit: Sher Vacik
(c) 2011 by Sher Vacik

Trip to Strasbourg, France

2011-03-21T15:46:00.007+01:00

View Larger Map

Hi Everyone,
Here is a continuation about our trip to Strasbourg, France a couple weeks ago.

Jiri and I took an overnight Eurolines bus from Prague, Czech Republic to Strasbourg, France. It took around ten hours to travel, going across Germany most of the night,and finally reaching Strasbourg around 6:30 Saturday morning. Our trip through Germany was mostly uneventful. Our bus stopped in Plzen, and then crossed the German border where our bus was stopped by the German police.

There is an interesting procedure Czech tour buses must undergo before traveling too far into Germany. The German police typically signal each tour bus to follow the police car to a rest stop area. At the rest stop, the police board the bus and check everyone's passports. The police are looking for illegal immigrants, drug sellers, and who knows what else. It's always funny for me when the police finally take my passport. They see I'm an American, and immediately become very animated. I guess they become excited at the prospect of finding an illegal American in the Eurozone. This has happened to me a couple of other times, but the police are quickly disappointed once they review my passport and find I have a legal residence permit for the Czech Republic, and I am not an illegal traveler in the Eurozone. On this trip, the German police took away what looked like at least of a third of the passengers' passports, taking them to their police car to verify all the information. Thankfully, everyone seemed to be legal and the bus had no problems going on with the trip. We were stopped for about thirty minutes with the police at the rest area.

After that, our trip was uneventful and long, and we finally pulled in to Strasbourg early on Saturday morning. It was cold, but it felt very good to finally be out of the bus when we reached Strasbourg. Jiri got our luggage and we began the long walk to our hotel. We stayed at the Victoria Garden Appart'Hotel (point A on the map below). Thankfully they had a luggage closet where we could put our suitcases till check-in time rolled around. Check-in time was around 10:30 that morning, so we had some time to become acquainted with the central part of Strasbourg Saturday morning.

View Larger Map

Our hotel
The central part of Strasbourg is called the Grand Island, and is an UNESCO World Heritage site. You can see the Grand Island on the map above--it is the part of the city that looks like a ring. The ring is formed by the canals that surround the Grand Island. The city center is the oldest part Strasbourg, and is a wonderful mix of new and old architecture, parks, canals and more. The city center offers a very lively shopping district, along with restaurants, museums and more. One of our first places to visit was the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Before the city of Strasbourg existed, it was the site of a Roman city called Argentoratum. The current site of the cathedral was first used as a Roman sanctuary or holy place. Later, Christians used the site to build the cathedral. The Notre Dame Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The first church of this name was built in 1015 and was of Romanesque style, but was later destroyed by fire. Renovation of the church began in 1176 and was completed in 1439. At this point the cathedral was redone in the Gothic style. One interesting note is that the church stands at 142 meters (465.879 feet), making it the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1864. The church is a beautiful mixture of French and German influences. We actually visited the church twice in order to take it all in.
The cathedral has so many things to see and treasures to appreciate. Some of the stained glass windows in the church are from the 12th to 14th centuries, there is an exquisite astronomical clock from the 17th century Renaissance period, and precious statues and tapestries all over the sanctuary and side chapels. The organ in the church is huge and overwhelming, but beautiful. Part of the organ dates back to 1385, and the organ works to this day.
One interesting note about the astronomical clock--it seems they have the same legend we have about our astronomical clock here, in Prague. Both legends say that the city managers hired a clock maker to construct the clock and its works. Once the clock was built and running, the city managers hired a bad guy to attack the clock maker, blinding him, so he couldn't make similar clocks for anyone else. I feel sorry for the clock makers in Strasbourg and Prague!
That's all for today! My next post will share more pictures and information about the other parts of Strasbourg we visited!
Have a great day!
God bless,Sher :0)
(c) 2011 by Sher VacikPhoto credits: Jiri Vacik
Czech Off the Beaten Path WebsiteCzech Off the Beaten Path Travel StoreCzech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & MoreSher's Stuff

Hazards of Travel and Strasbourg, France

2011-03-14T10:25:00.001+01:00

Strasbourg, France

Hi Everyone,

It’s been very busy here at Czech Off the Beaten Path since my last post. Jiri and I took a trip to Strasbourg, France last week, and we are finally back home after a good trip. We had a good time, but I was sick for most of the trip. When you have severe allergies and asthma, traveling is always an adventure. You never know exactly how conditions will be at various hotels and cities.

Allergy mask and prednisone--two things

I can't live or travel without.

Jiri and I do as much research ahead of time as possible, reading many reviews of hotels, while also taking in time of year (seasons), etc. Even with all this prep work, you occasionally run into problems, as we did on this trip. Unfortunately our hotel had a mold problem, which caused me some trouble. Mold is one of my worst allergies, and can be one of the most challenging to deal with when traveling. The other trouble at our hotel was the detergent they used for washing towels and bedding. Our first morning at the hotel, I woke up with a very red, somewhat swollen face. I looked as if I’d spent the night crying—which I hadn’t. But I was definitely having an allergic reaction, and developed a good case of contact dermatitis.

Aside from the mold and the detergent issues, Strasbourg is a beautiful city in the Alsace region of France. The city is a wonderful mix of old and new, French and German. There is a mix of architecture all around, with many preserved medieval buildings and homes still in use today. We very much enjoyed the time we were able to spend in Strasbourg, and I’ll share more about our trip in the next post.

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

PS I’m also working on the questions raised my MiGrant and will have those in another post, too!

Radio flyer by morgan5274

Survey and Question

2011-02-28T21:56:00.004+01:00

Hi Everyone,
This isn't a post as much as it is a survey and a question. I'd like to find out what readers would like to learn about the Czech Republic, expat life, etc. If you have some ideas, please leave them in the comments section. I'll read and respond to each (as long as they're not spam--spam will be deleted). It would be fun to see what type of information you would like to find here. Let me know!

Update March 1, 2011
I've already received a couple of great responses from MiGrant and Samurai Mom (see below). So far, the suggestions have been questions about moving back to the Czech Republic--see details below, along with suggestions to include information about how it feels to live here. I am already getting some ideas for future posts! Thanks to you both for your suggestions!

Another suggestion/request from an online/real-life friend is to remove some of the widgets and things from the sidebars here. That's a valid request/suggestion. I know all of those widgets slow down the page loading time for readers, so I'll take care of this when I have a little more time. Taking away some of those widgets will help to speed things up, while also making things look a little cleaner around here.

This blog was at one time my only online presence, and so I loaded up the sidebars with information about some of my other online projects. The past few months, though, I've been working on my own website, SherVacik.com. The new site is a home for all my online projects. My site is in the process of being built up, but so far I have a blog, portfolio and resources page, along with an about page and contact form. My future plans include adding an image gallery, along with other things still in the idea phase. We'll see how it goes and grows. I love having a home for all my online activities. With that in place, Czech Off the Beaten Path can take a load off--meaning it doesn't have to be the major point of saying "I'm here!" any more. That's where SherVacik.com comes in to help out.

Anyway, if you have questions or suggestions about what type of posts and information you'd like to see here, please leave questions and suggestions in the comments section!

Thanks!

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path Travel Store
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Sher's Stuff

Childhood Memories

2011-02-21T11:01:00.000+01:00

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday Jiří and I had a fun discussion in the afternoon. While having lunch we were watching an old Czech movie on TV, dating from the 1960s or 1970s. I can’t remember the name of the movie we were watching, but it was funny. As we watched the show, Jiří was taken back to his childhood years and how Life was in that time compared to now. I always enjoy hearing stories from my husband’s childhood because I not only learn more about him. It’s also an opportunity to see the differences between my own childhood experiences compared to Jiří’s. These comparisons are not in the range of good vs. evil, or even better vs. worse. The comparisons are only just that--comparisons, and are interesting to see how our lives were different during our childhood years. Surprisingly we are even able to find some commonalities between our childhood experiences lived on opposite sides of the world.

Common Bathrooms

One real-life issue we discussed was to do with flats (apartments). Back when Jiří was a boy, people lived in a block of flats and there was usually one common bathroom per floor. I can’t imagine having to share a bathroom with my neighbors. It just doesn’t compute, and yet that was the reality back in the 1950s and 1960s here, in the Czech Republic. Of course, people in the U.S. have long lived in flats, but I don’t remember, in my Mid-Western upbringing, ever hearing of people in an apartment building having to share one bathroom per floor. This circumstance may have existed in earlier times and other places, but not in my own experience. It is just incomprehensible to me how an entire floor of families could share one bathroom.

When I was growing up, my family of four lived in a small house less than a mile from my grandparents’ home. Our house was small, but nice. My brother and I had our own rooms, and my parents had their own bedroom. We had one bathroom, living room and a kitchen, with a basement used as part laundry room, tech/workshop room, and part that was fixed up to use for a play area and could also be used for parties. It was a nice house with a yard and trees, flower beds, etc. We had that one bathroom for all four people, and I can’t imagine having to share that small bathroom with a whole bunch of neighbors. My mind can’t even get around that idea. Yet, people here, in the Czech Republic, did share one bathroom per floor with their neighbors, and managed it OK, though I’m sure there were times when it must have been difficult. I won’t discuss the difficulties of one bathroom per floor shared by neighbors here as it might not be a good topic for polite conversation in the blogosphere. All I can say is I’m happy things have changed.

Childhood Freedom

My husband’s family spent many years living in beautiful parts of the Czech Republic, often near nature, with sprawling forests, hills and mountains. Jiří talks about the freedom of his childhood often. He speaks about how he used to love to wander the forests and hills near where his family lived. He enjoyed playing the trumpet in that time, and used to take his trumpet to the forest and play for long stretches of time. When you live in a block of flats, playing the trumpet is not a good thing—most people don’t want to be bothered with the sounds.

Apples on tree by yellowfang4

Another story Jiří’s shared with me is when he was a boy, living in a small city, he and his friends would enjoy visiting a walled-in garden. The garden was beautiful, and filled with flowers and even apple trees. These apple trees were a source of temptation for the boys, and they would try to scale the garden wall, and then race to pick some apples before the garden’s owner could catch them. The garden was owned by an old man with a cane. And I am sure this old guy had a lot of exercise racing after these bad boys—threatening to beat them with his cane if he caught them. Jiří has said it was more in the way of a prank and trying to see if that old man could really catch them. Now it could be this old guy was having as much fun as the boys, while also getting some exercise and excitement. I can just see this old guy at the end of the day smiling at the thought of chasing those boys and scaring them with his cane.

The younger years of my own childhood were spent in a suburb of a big Mid-Western city. This is where we lived less than a mile from my grandparents. It was a safe place, with lots of trees, green grass and many adventures for an imaginative girl. Though we didn’t live near sprawling forests and hills, our family home was not too far from a vast area of open fields. As a kid, my best friend and I would wander those fields pretending to be pioneers in a wagon train on the way out West. We would take our stuffed animals and dolls in our “wagons” (red Radio wagons) and travel the West fleeing Indians and other dangers.

Teddy bear by tieqa89

Also in that time, my brother and I walked the six or seven blocks to school during the school year—rain or shine. In the spring, when the snow melted, I would manage to find and jump in all the icy water puddles on the way back home after school. My Mom was so mad when I’d come home soaked and my galoshes filled with water. She was not only mad, but also worried as I had a tendency toward croup and bronchitis. Back then it was also normal for kids to ramble in the park safely without adult supervision. My Mom let my brother and I ride our bikes to the city park, near our home, to play on the huge hill and the play equipment. No one worried about kids being abducted and other tragedies. We suffered the usual broken bones, scratches and scrapes, but nevertheless my brother and I had a pretty free childhood, though we did have to be back home on time for lunch and supper.

Old TVs by BrightColors1234

The Advent of Television

Jiří and I had different experiences with TV. I grew up with a TV in the house, though it was black and white, and we had about four stations that I can remember. That was great and everyone in the city and suburbs had pretty good reception. Jiří can remember a time with no TV, but he said they definitely had radio. Jiří’s family first got a black and white TV in the 1960s. He told me that their TV was placed on top of a wardrobe, and neighbors (who didn’t have TV) would stand outside the windows watching and listening to the TV programs. My family had its first color TV when I was about five or six years old. On the other hand, Jiří said he didn’t have a color TV until the 1990s. That’s quite a huge difference between our experiences.

These are only a few of the differences Jiří and I have discussed over the years. I’m looking forward to more discussions of this type. Again, it’s fun to learn how things were different for both of us on opposite sides of the ocean. However, in our differences we still somehow seem to find more commonalities. This common ground is where we have been able to establish our marriage and it’s a wonderful experience—still progressing and changing us both for the better.

That’s all for today.

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher