Ringing in 2012

New Year's is not my holiday. Too many drunk people, too expensive and too many expectations. I like it low key. So G Unit and I spent the day watching MI5 (is it 5 now?), going to the grocery store and then watching lots of stupid movies and the West Wing while eating dinner, dessert and sipping some sparkling rose. Laid back and lazy. Just the way I like it.

Then G Unit said he wanted to take me out to the bridge to watch the fireworks, which we had been hearing off and on for an hour or so. I wasn't too keen on leaving the apartment. One I'm lazy, two it was warm inside and the TV was on and three I'm lazy and four we periodically hear fireworks at our apartment throughout the year and can even see them if we stick our head outside the window. Couldn't we just do that now? But I wanted to make him happy and start off the New Year right.  and So he grabbed a manhattan to go from the home bar and we walked out our building and towards the river.

It was more than I expected. First it was packed, second it was 360 degrees of fireworks. Czech's don't do this halfway apparently. It's not like 4th of July in the States where you wait and wait and wait for 10 minutes of fireworks. Nope they start early here and it seems like it goes on for an hour before the Kaboom and an hour after. I should have expected all the fireworks. When G Unit and I were at the store I noticed that there seemed to be a stampede at a particular kiosk which just happen to sell fireworks. I guess I just thought that these fireworks would be set off outside the city, not on a busy bridge in between trams. So the reason that we had 360 degree views of fireworks as well as ones right over us  was becaise there were fireworks being set off all over the city by random citizens. It was pretty crazy.

Either way it was a great way to ring in the New Year with my husband and I thought you'd all like to see it too. I hope you all had a safe and happy New Year's Eve with your loved ones. Happy 2012.

Santa's on his way to Prague

I am so fascinated with the Santa Tracker. He's starting to hit Eastern Europe now and should find his way to Prague soon.

Kept Man and I have been very christmasy this year. We got the tree. We baked the cookies. We listened to carols and we watched tons of movies. I got in my favorites, Scrooged, It's a Wonderful Life and One Magic Christmas. Plus loads of other silly movies while making christmas cookies.

I've also enjoyed experiencing Christmas in Eastern Europe. The traditions are basically the same but just that little bit different. Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve. And Santa basically is celebrated earlier in the month with St. Nicholas Day. It's all a big jumble to me but still all the thoughts and ideas I'm familiar with are mixed up in there and it's interesting to experience a new version.

It's been fun seeing Prague all decked out for Christmas too. First there is the snow. Then there are the Christmas markets with food stalls, spiced wine, candied nuts, traditional/homemade gifts and randomly singers. Every day when I step off the tram in Andel and start walking home someone is singing on the stage set near all the christmas stalls. And it's not Christmas music they sing. Kept Man asked me if it might be Karaoke as it can be that painful. Once I found myself knowing the melody of a song but not being able to recognize it as the words were in Czech. I realized as I walked home that it was a song from the movie Grease. Trippy.

Kept Man and I exchanged one gift this evening, as is our family tradition. I gave him belgian chocolates. I love watching him eat them. He's always so delighted. And he got me an angel for the top of our tree.

I've been saying for weeks that I want an ornament. I like to get one every year to remember the holiday by. You'll notice that our Angel is holding a fish.

It's very traditional in Eastern Europe to eat carp for dinner Christmas Eve. Why I haven't really been able to find out. Something about luck. Carp have been everywhere the last few days.

All of a sudden kiddy pools showed up on street corners full of fish and people buy them and have them butchered right there. On the wholes it's pretty messy. Apparently some people take the fish home alive and put it in the bathtub until Christmas Eve. Although the girls I work with were telling me that they don't even like carp and people apparently have started protesting the carp sales in the street. It's now an animal rights issue. Go figure. So now we have an Angel with a fish to remind us forever more of Prague.

Kept Man and I are now getting ready for bed and for a mellow Christmas tomorrow. We're on our own with plenty of presents to open, monkey bread to eat for breakfast and I'm sure a silly movie to watch during the day. Then I'm going to cook dinner for once. Lamb. I like lamb for Christmas although I don't think it's a traditional dish anywhere for the holiday. Oh well. Here's to our own traditions.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas in Prague

Kept Man and I purchased a Christmas Tree today.  I didn't get one last year (Morocco) or the year before (too lazy) but living in a christian country with temperature appropriate weather for the holidays a tree was mandatory this year.

Only one problem all of my great ornament collection is at home cluttering up mom's closet. So we purchased some generic ones so the tree didn't look naked. And I strung some popcorn and we bought some lights. Not spectacular but it's tree and I'll take it.

And now I will continue to watch Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer with Kept Man. Next week? Christmas cookies!