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!

Cold Weather

A couple of things that make living in a cold climate ok

1. Gluhwein. How does it keep you warm even when it's freezing out? Kept Man has come up with a pretty good home version which keeps me happy when I come home from work.
2. Christmas markets and all the yummy food. Sausages, gingerbread, warm candied nuts and Trdelnik are worth the cold weather

1. It's picturesque. Walking to work with snow flakes coming down is pretty surreal for this California girl and it distracts me long enough get to work and back.
2. It really feels like Christmas. Screw fake snow and 70 degree weather. (I'll admit I'll probably be ready for the snow to be over after Christmas, but I can revel in it for now)
3. I actually have use for hats, gloves and scarfs. I've never used them so much before. And I look cute. 
4. I have a reason to buy and use leg-warmers. And I don't look like an idiot and no one cat calls, "Hey Flashdance" or anything like that. It's awesome. It's ok. I know you're jealous.

So winter time with snow is pretty much ok. The only downside? Slushy snow. And slipping. I was doing ok until yesterday when I totally bit it and landed on my ass. But I'm ok. The only bruise I have is from running into the corner of our bed. Which basically means it has nothing to do with my falling. I'm nothing if not a klutz. And in case anyone was wondering my foot is all better. I went to a doctor and she pretty much told me that if I had broken it it isn't anymore. And I can wear heels again. Yeah for winter!

Connected

Kept Man and I have entered a new era of our phase of living abroad. No longer satisfied with lame less than 100 KB per second internet we finally bit the bullet, got up enough courage and went to the local telecommunications chain and ordered internet for the house. It was installed yesterday. It's like we were living in the dark ages.

At the same time Kept Man had enough of our 13" macbook pro as our main source of multimedia watching. We had been debating TVs or computer monitor for a while but the cost, size and thought of moving it left me unable to make a decision. After a year of 20" or smaller screens we now have a projector Michele style. And such a tiny machine if we ever move. No need to sell it! And it's mobile! Want to watch TV in bed? We can do that! And with the big walls in our apartment there is plenty of wall space to have a projection at least 5 ft x 3 ft.

Not the greatest picture but you can make out the couch just below the screen

This TV addict is pretty much in heaven. And our inagurial movie? Teen Wolf. Surfin Safari. Awww yeah.

Run do not walk

and watch Jamie Does.

Jamie Oliver in different cities exploring the food and culture. The boy is hilarious (I mean seriously)


the food yummy and the scenery spectacular.

First episode is Marrakech. Kept Man and I are getting the cookbook. And I want to go to Stockholm

Vienna & Back

Mom asked for more pictures.

So I present a few of the ones we took in Vienna. The truth is we didn't do much. We hopped on a train from Prague to Vienna at the ungodly hour of 6am. This crazy hour was offset by the fact that I do heart trains and the view was relaxing. And there was a nun! On the way to Vienna! I'm sorry all I can think about when I think of Austria is the Sound of Music. Hence excitement over nuns. We will make it to Salzburg soon. I must experience the Sound of Music tour.

And then Kept Man went and took his test. Which he dominated by the way, if you were not aware. And I hung out in the hotel and caught up on TV. I know, I know. But I was tired people! And I had the whole night and next day to explore with KM. So I vegged. And loved every minute of it.

Then we went to dinner at the Biesl and managed to miss the cut off hour for dessert at a cafe.


The next day involved sleeping in and sight seeing. We visited a food market (what else?) and made a stop at Oberlaa for coffee, pastry and macaroons! I love macaroons. We should have bought MORE macaroons. sigh. After that we mostly walked around the inner stadt and looked at all the pretty buildings. I also attempted to shop. But very badly. Apparently the older I get the less patience I have to look for anything not on the internet that can be delivered directly to my door. We had lunch at a seafood chain restaurant Nordsee because well....it had fried shrimp. Eventually we made it to the Hofburg Palace and we had a look around.


After getting enough walking time in we headed to a restaurant called Meierei which translates to Dairy and/or Milk Bar. It's a beautiful little restaurant in the park that specialized all things dairy such as milk, hot chocolates, cheese, etc. I had a hot chocolate and Kept Man had wine and then we ordered an insanely sized cheese plate that we were unable to finish. You can see pictures from a food blogger here, which is how I found out about this place. I highly recommend it. I'd love to go back to try breakfast.

Later that evening we caught a movie. Cause we are party animals and that is how we roll. Later we had a late night snack of currywurst and french fries from a street vendor. Currywurst gets two thumbs up. Kept Man has raved about it since Hamburg and I have to say I agree with him.

We were up early again the next day and had coffee and pastries at Aida before catching a Student Agency bus back to Prague. Weird thing apparently getting to Vienna via train is cheap but heading back is super expensive. Thankfully the Student Agency buses are comfortable, cheap and easy and took about the same amount of time as the train.

And now here we are back in Prague thinking we might need to plan one more weekend trip before it gets really cold here in Eastern Europe. Any suggestions?

Fall in Prague

You know what I like about Prague? Seasons. Sure it's cold now that it's autumn and I'm having to wear a coat, scarf and hat. But that's kinda fun and it's not so cold that I've been driven to wear a heavy duty coat or gloves and I can still manage skirts with pantyhose. Plus I get this view

Doesn't mean I don't miss 70 degree weather in October. But forget the 75 degrees year round Santa Barbara weather I'm used to. This is about seasons. Summer, Fall, Winter Spring. Right? Mmmm I wonder when I get 75 degree weather again.