Here we are walking along the Charles Bridge (Karlův Most) in Prague

Here we are standing around a geocache spot trying to look inconspicuous...I guess when you are geocaching you must do everything in secret so as not to alert others of your presence while rummaging through rubbish bins or investigating sewer drainage pipes. This man in the cap was also geocaching and as we were obviously looking around for the geocache he muttered to us out of the side of his mouth, "two meters to your left". We then knew we had found a comrade in arms and a helpful one at that. So we all opened the goecache together. Our new friend is from Slovakia and spoke perfect English and had already found 15 caches that day.

The view from Tom and Dawn's hotel window in Prague.

Jedeme do Prahy vlakem....

We are going to Prague by train

On our final day with Tom and Dawn we headed to Prague with them by train. They had to be in Prague that night so we decided to make a day of it so that we could spend as much time together with them as possible. The train trip was really nice...see our youtube videos for footage of how to operate a Czech train toilet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp-26lH74_g

Český Krumlov ve zimě...Cesky Krumlov in winter

Here are some pictures of our trip to Český Krumlov with Dan's brother, Tom and Tom's wife, Dawn, while they were here visiting us in February. This is a protected UNESCO world heritage site. A meticulously maintained medieval village. Very beautiful in winter...and very cold.

Coyan Reunion...Coyanovi Sraz

We haven't seen Tom and Dawn in almost two years though both of their daughters (Mallory and Ciera) have been to see us. So it was well overdue, their visit to the Czech Republic. It worked out perfectly as Dawn is a teacher and had her spring break exactly when we had ours. So they hopped on a flight and came to see us. We were together for four days (they spent a few days on their own in Prague and Berlin) and we had many adventures. You can check out the full details at Tom's blog www.tomcoyan.com

We spent time sightseeing (Praha, Hluboká, Temelín (the nuclear reactor)) and sledding, talking, eating and hiking around...oh and geocaching (don't know what geocaching is? Neither did I.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching

Pictured above we have found a cache in an antique train by the train station in České Budějovice and another cache in a tree stump in front of Hluboká castle where we had been sledding. Tom and Dawn are really into it and they found many caches while they were here. It was really fun, like a scavenger hunt for grown-ups. We were so glad they came and look forward to seeing them in 4 months when we get back to the US this summer.

More snow pictures...here we are on a forest hike with Danny's brother Tom and his wife Dawn.

Konečně, sníh....finally, snow!!

For the last three weeks it has snowed almost constantly. We have had a couple of feet of it here in our town. We made our first real snowman (complete with coal eyes and mouth and carrot nose) and found a killer sledding hill right in front of the castle. We can get going pretty fast on it. We have taken many snow hikes in the forest and have just enjoyed it so much. The snow also coincided with spring break and Danny's family visiting, so it was just perfect. AsI am typing this now I am looking out the windaw and watching the snow cascade down!!!

Off to the gynecologist

Well it has been a couple of years since I visited the gynecologist...I was hoping to wait till I got back to the States, but I fear I can put it off no longer. Medical care here is just not as good as it is back home and since I am so picky about my dentist and he only gets access to my mouth, you can imagine what horrors I have been envisioning in the days leading up to my gyn. appointment.
1. In my 20 odd years going to the gynecologist, I have only ever had female doctors and "here there be men".
2. Doctors here are not so particular about hygiene...i.e...wearing gloves, paper on the examining tables and so on.
3. My friend who made the appointment for me told the doctor that I am American. His response was, "Is she fat? Because I don't think she will fit on my examining table." She assured him that I was not only thin but very pretty (her words) and he smiled and said, "Well then, I am looking forward to her appointment." EWWWW!!!
So, I am completely grossed out...but I have to go anyway. I will tell you how it goes.

Knife sharpening 101

Most of the time here in the Czech Republic I feel quite at home, like everything is normal. Every now and then though I feel completely out of place or have an overwhelming feeling that I am in another country. Today was that kind of day.

I was in the cafeteria at school and I was standing by the metal bucket that contains hot tea. I was dispensing myself some tea and I casually looked over at the kitchen office window where one buys the lunch cards. Standing in the window was the lunch guy who sells the cards. He was sharpening a knife that had to have been at least 18 inches long. He was using smooth, slow strokes and had a quasi maniacal look on his face as if he was really enjoying sharpening this knife. Now this isn't so shocking until you realize that he was facing a huge line of children who were eagerly awaiting their lunch. I was in the middle of what looked like a line of children awaiting some horrible execution from lunch man slash executioner. I wish I had had a camera...this was a really creepy scene that I don't think would have occured in the states apart from a Wes Craven film at your local cinema.