Snow on the Charles Bridge

As I write this, Czech Republic is covered in snow and my only hope is that I will be able to take  my flight back home, next Wednesday, very late in the evening. Winter came early in this part of the world, it brought way below 0 temperatures and it seems that snow and cold are here to stay. Maybe I will eventually find the time to take some pictures until March.

End of November was a white hell. Snow storms almost every day, snow piling up to 30 cm very fast. And yet, the traffic was fluent, despite all the trucks breaking their metaphorical necks on the highways and people crashing into trees in the cities (First day of snow I saw 3 accidents). I find that the authorities reacted quickly, clearing the roads of snow (and the occasional truck). Now that the weather is a bit quieter, and the worst has passed, people are going about their daily business without minding very much the snow.

Tourists still come to Prague in large number, especially for the Christmas Market and I think that the City of 100 Spires is just as beautiful under the white coat of snow as it is in Summer. But the streets are full of melting snow and although not as dirty as I am used to see them, still not pleasant when you are on foot, running to meet a friend. Which is my usual situation. Personally, I like the snow but I don't like the effects it has on traffic, as it falls and on my shoes, as it melts on the sidewalks. The pleasant surprise is that people here do clean the sidewalks in front of their houses and so, after the first snow, in good Czech style, you see a lot of people with shovels in their hands, clearing paths for the passersby. No wonder Tolkien was inspired by Czechs in creating the peaceful, hard working and jovial Hobbits, I see this same spirit in these activities (and not to mention they love Fireworks too).

Luckily for me, so to speak, I spent most of my time at work or in cars, going from place to place so I don't have much to do with the snow on the sidewalks. I don't live in Prague, but for the holidays I find myself living more in Prague than in Plzen. With the end of the year close upon us, I have a lot of dinner parties to attend to, either related to my personal life or to my work place. It sounds as glamorous as it is tiring. In the past week I went to two office parties, one concert and one party with friends. All in the name of Christmas!

You will not see my on the Charles Bridge this Holiday Season, I am flying home for the holidays, but I did go to the Christmas Markets, in Prague and in Plzen and I did try the mulled wine and the Christmas cookies. Oh, Czechs love this time of the year so much. You should come and visit, it looks so different during winter, but still like a Fairy Tale, I expect to see the Snow Queen on her sleigh anytime.

I am sorry I didn't take any pictures of Prague but I think that from the picture you can see just how dramatic the scenery can look.

Source of the image: here.

Back in the Czech Republic (2) There and Back Again and Christmas in January

My hoards of fans are on my case to continue the story of adventures on the bus, so where was I? Ah yes, leaving Prague. I got on the bus, I sat down next to a girl, considering this to be the safe choice, the other was some strange manele-listening, jerking off kind of guy. Besides, sitting next to her must be some sort of camaraderie as we were the only girls traveling alone, the other two or three girls were with boyfriends or husbands (there was one more girl traveling alone but she was one head taller than the tallest guy so she could fend for herself).

I don't know how this happens but I always find myself talking to the person sitting next to me in the bus or train. I guess I get bored. Maybe I want to know more about my fellow traveler because we are crossing roads for a while, be it shorter or longer. So I can tell you that the Czech grandma in the Student Agency coach was going to visit her 3 granddaughters from her daughter. They live in Prague and love cookies and being read stories. Mihaela, the Romanian girl on the coach home, also has a daughter; a toddler living with her grandma and aunt which hasn't seen her working mother in several months. The Romanian is working here in a laundry, with other Moldavian and Romanian girls, speaks no Czech, gets a minimum salary and lives in a Ubitovany (like all workers) with her husband, also a worker.

So off we are, one or two passengers more than the number of seats, but at least I have an OK place: behind the driver. Of course the drivers smoked all the way and so they kept the window ajar and I was cold and smoked almost all the way . Had some conversation with the girl but dosed off now and then, that's how it is when you're traveling by night. Ate the delicious sandwiches my boy had made for me, drank very little water, read a bit of my book, Czechs in a Nutshell and that was about it. But really, Bulgarian music and weird looking guys with strange names (Trifon, he had a number plate with a name, that's how I know), I was like in a mafia bus taking girls and pimps to the West (only I was going East).

And just like they would do on the way over, they stopped in odd places like in gas stations in the middle of the road (to let people off or change drivers) and gave no toilet brakes (I managed to snack out). Yeah, I know, I talk a lot about toilet brakes but people, it's a necessity, really basic stuff that Eurolines drivers have to give every 4 hours and these guys had to be begged to stop the bus.

On the journey to CZ, I took the bus from Brasov and not Bucharest because there were no more places so I had to take a bus coming from Chisinau. Ludmila, from Prague, the Orlan girl, was traveling with us, again bossing everyone around and spreading wafers. Luckily she did stop the bus more than the first time. The trip you've all been waiting to hear about, was boring people. I had a Slovak seat mate, a blond that spoke English so we did talk a very bit. And I can tell you my mom's chicken schnitzel sandwiches were delicious. Other than that: boring, nothing to read, cause too dark, I just slept, listened to some radio and called the police when I got bored. Well, yeah, there was a truck on the side of the road, with nothing to signal it apart from a dim blue light that I might have imagined, so I called the cops, cause maybe someone was hurt there, right? Yeah, you've guessed it, false alarm...

20 Hours later, after snow blizzard in Hungary and police stopping us after the border we finally arrive in Prague, right on schedule (it helps not giving pee breaks) altough it would have really helped being late: no bus to Plzen for about an hour and a half (and the one I got was backed) and no boyfriend (back home only in 6 hours).
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you one last detail : no keys either. I had absolutly no keys of the flat or of the car so I would have been stranded outside in the cold if it wasn't for a friend who picked me up.

When the boy came and we finally went back home we had Christmas number 2, exchanging presents we had each got from the other one's parents. He got an apron fit for a chef and some scarves (he's French) and I got a lunch box and we both got tea mugs and a tea pot. I'll post pictures, promise.

That is more or less the account of my winter travels. Any questions? Feel free to ask.

The Trespasser

As I’ve told you, and you have also seen from my photos, I have here quite a large garden. And in it live a lot of animals. I’ve seen gopher holes in the back yard, bird nests. Lots of spiders and flies (there is a little river in the back yard). Fish in the front ponds and ducks in the larger one. My landlady’s dog. I’ve seen a huge frog.

And now, a new resident, let’s give a big round of applause to Sonic, the hedgehog. Pictured in two mug shots from this evening, when he approached me while I was chatting by the pond (better wifi reception there). I think we both were startled. He was quite sweet, attracted by the light, most likely, he just sat there, behind me.

At least he’s not meat on the road.

The Perfumed Garden

Vítáme vás, welcome, to my little corner of Paradise. I really love living in this place and as I might be leaving quite soon, I took some souvenir pictures that I will share with you.







The last picture of a door, is my flat. A quaint 30sqm, kitchen corner, shower and toilet, I pay 300 euros a month for it.And of course the ducks, they live in the pond in front of the house and in front of my flat there is another small pond with waterlilies and gold fish. And I just saw a hedgehog. I'll miss this place.

The lass comes home

Tomorrow, bright and early, I'm going home. Taking a little detour through Hungary and catching a plane from Vienna, but I'm getting there, for only 4 days. Can't wait to see friends and family. And this little thing.

This is my sweet fluffy friend, Serena. She's actually quite nice, albeit sometimes loud and I miss holding her.

See you guys Saturday.

Oraseanca din mine

Stau la tara acum. Ati cam vazut si din poze, am lanuri de grau si de porumb pe drum si din cand in cand ma opresc sa mananc corcoduse la marginea soselei. Dimineata e un cocos care canta, la 5.23 fix, parca e setat (cam tembel, uneori canta pe la miezul noptii). Cainii ma latra din curti cand trec, pe jos sau mai grav cu bicicleta. E liniste in rest, se mai aude uneori un tren, destul de multe masini dar nu deranjant, in nici un caz ca la oras.

Din cand in cand ma duc la oras. Ca azi de pilda, voi lua autobuzul de la marginea soselei, RATA daca preferati. Intr-o ora sunt in centrul Pragai. Mi se face dor de oras, de agitatie, tramvaie, metrou. Dar nu imi dau seama de asta decat cand ajung si intru direct in pielea orasencei care se descurca perfect sa navigheze printre turisti, cu mijloace de transport diferite si stie exact unde vrea sa ajunga.

Imi place Praga, mereu descopar ceva nou, desi m-am obisnuit cu locurile si ma simt chiar ca acasa. Ultima oara, eram pe podul Carol mergand spre castel, cand m-am intors, deasupra orasului vechi aparuse curcubeul iar in fata mea, era iubirea mea. V-am zis, ceva nou apare tot timpul, dar uneori redescopar ceva vechi. Asta e imaginea mea preferata cu podul, si jur ca exact asa arata uneori, spre asfintit. Poza e luata de pe un site cu carti postale, pragueartshop.com.

Revenind la povestea despre oras, se pare ca niste cercetatori care nu prea au ce face cu timpul lor au facut un studiu cam ciudat si cica unii oraseni sunt mai deranjati de zgomotul facut de pasari decat de zgomotul masinilor intr-o intersectie aglomerata.

Aseara stateam in gradina mea, era racoare, se auzeau greierii, cateva pasari de noapte, era perfect. Pe mine nu ma deranjeaza zgomotul naturii sau al pasarilor dar sunt atat de obisnuita cu intersectia aglomerata, cu tramvaiele in miez de noapte, cu agitatia orasului, incat uneori imi lipseste.

Mereu cand ma intorc acasa, redescopar mirosurile, caldura, zgomotele si mi se par unice pentru acel moment, de revenire acasa. Parca si vantul bate altfel, totul spune bine ai venit. Poza este de pe foroblog.ro dar lumina si toata atmosfera imi amintesc de ce simt cand vin acasa.

Sunt curioasa daca in august imi va fi greu acasa, in vacarmul Bucurestilor, fie si pentru 4 zile. M-am cam dezobisnuit de lumina care intra in camera din strada si de zgomotul perpetuu. Dar cu siguranta o sa-mi revin repede, once a city dweller, always a city dweller. Si in plus o sa fiu acasa.

Abia astept sa ma plimb prin oras, sa descoperim orasul impreuna, sa revad locurile mele preferate, prietenii, atmosfera. Ok si poluarea. Aici vad pasari si fluturi peste tot, intr-o zi am vazut iepurasi in camp, nu vezi asa ceva acasa. Dar nu conteaza, e orasul meu si are sarmul sau, diferit de linistea naturii de la tara sau de opulenta Pragai.

Si postul este in romana. Pentru ca mi-e dor.