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.

Nympheas

Look at what I have in my garden. The weekend was warm, so I was able to stay by the pond, listening to the ducks, reading a book. Unfortunately the weather is back to being gloomy and rainy so I don't know how many pretty pictures I'll be able to take while sitting in my garden, so enjoy.

I haven't felt as happy as while I was lounging next to this pond, on the grass, soft wind and a warm light. Time stood still.

This reminded me of another special moment. I have admired Monet's paintings at The Orangerie, the purpose built museum in Paris. I spent hours just admiring the colors of the huge canvases exhibited there. He painted some of these wonders while practically blind. I feel a bit like a painter when I was taking the picture below. I'm really sorry I don't have any bit of talent at painting. Suddenly Monet seems so realistic, though.

The pond in front of my house reminded me of Monet having focused his last 30 years on paintings of water lilies in his garden. He was almost blind towards the end, and I think that it must be soothing for a painter to have not darkness in front, but wonderful images of the sky reflected on a pond of water lilies.

Wherever the road may lead you

I've been working for two weeks now, I'm already starting to feel tired. It's not yet very challenging but we're getting there.

I thought I should show you my road to work. Every morning I walk about 20 minutes to work and another 20 from there to my house, unless I make a detour in the town for some groceries.

This is where I start my journey. I open this door and I face the outside world.


I had to cross a dangerous street every day but I discovered a shortcut behind the house. This creek passes nearby.

The town is quite well kept, with beautiful houses and gardens, people here seem to have a passion for gardening. I'll try to take pictured of the houses I like best, like this one.

A big part of my walk takes me along a road outside of the town.

And the road goes on... It's usually quite busy, bikers, trucks, cars and me, walking along.

And here we are, our stop for the next 9 hours or so:

At the end of the day, I can go home, or take another road, into town. This is the road I took to get from the train station to the plant, on my very first day. I don't really need to go into town anymore, I discovered that there is a bus stop and a grocery store behind my house, so I don't even need to move that much.

And finally, home. Or at least, my home away from home. A nice place to rest after a hard day's work.

In my secret garden

As I type these words I'm sitting by the side of a small pond in the garden of the beautiful house where I have a flat. A nice one, a bachelorette pad, all equipped with all a girl could ever wish for, kitchen (I'm an independent woman, I cook, you know), huge bathroom with a nice shower to soak in for ages. Big, comfy bed, wardrobe to put all my clothes in. I feel like a princess.

But how did I get here you might ask me. Well, darlings, this is a long story. First, I got on the bus, as you all know, at 5.30 a.m, one Tuesday morning in Bucharest, at the end of March. And got off the following day, with a little delay at the boarder crossing, in Prague. And the journey had yet to begin. I had money to exchange, a heavy luggage to carry and a train to catch.

Finding a good exchange rate in Prague can prove to be tricky. You have to check for charges, because even if the rate could be good, there might be a charge applied (a percentage) , so be ware and be aware, especially try to find the exchange rate in advance. I prepared myself for a walk around Prague, carrying heavy luggage up and down the stairs, when, all of a sudden, in the Florenc bus stop, I find, much to my surprise, a good exchange rate. I take advantage of the opportunity and I head towards the nearby subway station.

The subway in Prague is a very good means to get around the city. You don't do a lot of sight seeing, but there are good connections between the lines and with other means of transport (trams run very well as well) and the fares are quite cheap.

I took the tube just for one stop, to the main railway station, Hlavní Nádraží, a busy, busy place and where you can have difficulties buying a ticket. I took the train to Bakov nad Jizerou and then, the adventure continues, carrying a suitcase through the town, then through the field to a factory in the middle of nowhere. Where I started work, or rather met my colleagues and my new workplace for the next six months.

And then I got to this wonderful place that is my appartement? No. First I went for a few days in a penzion or guest house, 14€ per night, clean, but not a place to live in for 6 months. And with a little help I found my house, completely furnished and having all I need.

For my friends and family, photos are on flickr, for those of you who got an invite and didn't answear, to bad. And for the rest, well, my little hobbit hole is in a crimson house, with big windows and a tilled roof, one floor and a big attick, a big covered porch and a huge japanese garden. And my appartments overlook the lawn and a small pond with edges made of black painted wood recovered from railroad tracks ( an element of decor that ornates the flowerbeds on the slope of a hill).

As for my work here, I'll tell you next time. I'm going to make myself a tea and sit on the porch.