seeing the sights

Hello all!

Sorry I haven't written in a while. I am going to claim the fact that I went to the Czech Republic for a week, and the getting ready/traveling/settling back in has taken a long time. First of all, I absolutely LOVED the Czech Republic. I don't think I can explain it...but I will try. See, everyone told me I was going to love Prague, and I tried to take that with a grain of salt. Usually, when everyone tells me I am going to love something, I don't. Maybe I just don't like the idea of jumping on the bandwagon or doing what people expect, and it has turned into a psychological problem...but, when I tell myself that I am going to love something- I usually do. Again, it could be that I psychologically fool myself into loving it...or maybe I just know myself really well. Sorry if this is all really confusing. Basically, everyone told me I was going to love Prague...and because of that I wasn't in a huge rush to visit the Czech Republic's capital city. I mean, I knew I HAD to, just to see it. And, you can't go to the Czech Republic and not see Prague, right? But, regardless of what other people told me about loving the city, I knew I would love the country on the whole. And I DID
My wonderful friend Martina was really upset when my other attempt to visit her country failed miserably...so she invited me to stay with her family for a week! After sorting out timing and flights, I was on my way! Her family lives in the Northern region in a little lake town called Stare Splavy. I LOVED her family even though we couldn't understand each other AT ALL. But that made it kind of funny and awkward and, on the whole, wonderfully pleasant. Martina's grandmother was really excited about me coming and wanted to cook me a traditional Czech meal (rabbit, pork, dumplings, red cabbage & white cabbage). And it was topped off by a celebratory "welcome drink" - champagne, a glass of beer (her grandfather insisted the I had to have beer with this meal), and then a shot of plum brandy with her grandparents. They tried to get me to have another shot (for my other leg- apparently you have to have two or you will be "unbalanced"), but I was already feeling my American's-don't-know-how-to-drink-ness, so I politely declined the offer.

The week included a trip to Prague, visiting some friends from Pine Forest Camp where I worked last summer in Hradec Kralove, hiking up to Bez Dez castle, laying out at the lake near her house, going to see Harry Potter in Mlada Boleslav, touring Cesky Krumlov with Martina's mom and friend (and drinking Champagne with them from a gas station on the car ride home- don't worry, Martina was driving), and practicing how to drive a stick shift in an abandoned air field near Martina's house. So, yeah, it was GREAT. Martina and I were both so sad to leave. We kept joking that we were probably two of the saddest people who have flew into Geneva. Vacations are lovely things, aren't they? Maybe I should move to Europe just so I can have the 5 weeks off, it's fabulous! Of course, I am going to be a teacher- so I thinking I will have plenty of time.

There was a lot more to my trip- but I think writing it all out is more trouble than it's worth. You can always just stalk my pictures on facebook.

If I were to make any suggestions about visiting the Czech Republic, I would say: have someone Czech with you. Seriously, unless you are just going to stay in Prague (which really doesn't count as experiencing the country), it is best to have someone really show you around. I think my favorite place was Hradec Kralove. Maybe because I wasn't expecting anything from it, and it surprised me. It's a beautiful city with parks and two rivers and a gorgeous city center. Also, if you have ever desired to indulge in alcohol- it is ridiculously cheap in the Czech Republic. One night I got a pint of beer AND a cocktail for less than 5$. That doesn't exist in Geneva.

So that's all about my trip for now- biggest news is that my parents are coming to Europe and I am going to MEET THEM IN ROME! I love Italy, and I love my parents, so I am really excited. Then my sister is coming with her bf and we are all going to tour the Loire valley together. Hopefully I will be able to impress Melissa and Daniel with my French :).

I feel bad now giving my family just one small paragraph- but I getting sick of writing. So I will have to do them blog justice when they actually come.

Have a wonderful day!