Christmas in Prague

Old Town Square

Well I think that Katie and I have both concluded that if you can’t be with your family for Christmas the next best place would be Prague.  I know that it may sound like a broken record that we come away from these individual trips raving about them saying, “It’s the most amazing place in the world.”   But for anyone who has been to Prague, you know that it truly is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  Prague is one of the only cities to escape destruction during World War II so some of the buildings that were built in the 8^th century are still standing today.  Architecturally it is by far the most awe-inspiring place either of us has ever been.  What struck me was how old the city was, but how clean and well preserved everything is.  The tourism industry has boomed in the past 20 years since it was only in 1989 that what is now the Czech Republic was still under communist rule.  In 1993 Czechoslovakia peacefully split to become the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  As a result it’s kind of crazy to think that tourists couldn’t even travel to Prague until 1990.

Mmmm...Chocolate-covered Strawberries

In light of multiple flight cancellations throughout the UK, we found ourselves quite fortunate to be flying out of Bristol and having smooth travels to the Czech Republic.  We were met at the Prague airport by a private driver holding a sign that said “Mrs. Katie Mohr,” and we were taken directly to our hotel.  Interestingly, they drive on the right side of the road here, something we haven’t been around for a few months.  Although we immediately found ourselves looking the wrong way when we crossed the streets, it was a quick adjustment and the familiarity was somehow comforting.   We stayed at the Art Deco Imperial Hotel, which is located right in the heart of the city.  Our package included an upgrade to an executive suite, one dinner at the hotel restaurant and room service breakfast each morning.  Like the rest of the city our hotel was beautiful, very modern and had all of comforts we had hoped for in the place where we would spend Christmas, 2010. 

The Astronomical Clock

We spent the first days exploring the city and wandering the streets to Wenceslas Square (as in “Good King Wenceslas”) and the Old Town Square, which were both filled with people shopping the Christmas markets.  The main attraction in the old town square is the astronomical clock.  This two-story clock has been updated over the years but was first erected in 1410.  Every hour, on the hour tourists gather to watch the little show of apostles parading out of the face before returning back inside for another 60 minutes. 

Bin Filled with Carp

One Czech tradition that we HAVE to write about is the traditional Christmas carp that is eaten on Christmas Eve.  The first day we arrived, we noticed that literally on almost every street corner there were huge bins the size of small swimming pools filled with carp.  Additionally, there were lines of people who were waiting to either buy a live carp to take home, or have the worker behead and de-scale right there before taking it home.  These were of course the patrons who chose a less traditional route.  Most Czechs had bought their carp 4-5 days prior to Christmas Eve, where tradition states that you keep it in your bathtub to fatten it up until it’s ready to be eaten.  That is of course until you need to shower, when the carp is transferred into the toilet for a short time until you are done showering.  That’s right, this actually still happens as one of our friends who lived in Prague for a few years confirmed.  I can’t get Katie to like fish that has been swimming in the ocean, let alone one that’s been swimming in a toilet.  Needless to say, we did NOT have carp on Christmas Eve.

Old Town Square

The weather was much colder than we have been used to in Truro so the 20-degree, snowy air felt much more like home than we have experienced this year.  The markets that lined the streets were mostly filled with ornaments, clothes and Bohemian crystal, but the smell of food hit you like a wave when you rounded the corner at the entrance of each market.  The smell of traditional Czech sausage, roasting chestnuts, and a sweet rolled cinnamon bread called Trdelník, filled the air and was as much a part of the atmosphere as the shoppers, carolers and bright Christmas lights.  The backdrop of buildings ranging from 100 to 1000 years old made us feel like we were walking around a movie set.  It was very clear that the “traditional” Christmas here far predated the United States…or as my Dad put it, most of the buildings were built before Christopher Columbus was even born.       

Anyway, on Christmas Eve we strolled along the famous Charles Bridge where numerous King’s used to parade across to the old town square after being crowned up in the castle.  We found some cheap last minute tickets to see a marionette performance of Don Giovanni, one of the operas that Mozart premiered in Prague.  After that, we came back to the square where there was a sung Christmas Eve mass completely in Czech.  Randomly, as we were on our way back to our hotel, we came across a club called “Bed,” and decided to stop in to see what it was all about.  To our surprise, instead of it being filled with tables and chairs, it was filled with beds, where people were sitting around sipping cocktails.  Needless to say, we kicked off our shoes, climbed into one of the beds and had a nightcap before heading back to our real bed in the hotel.  

Drinking in Bed : )

Katie sampling the local beer

On Christmas morning, we just spent the morning relaxing, had room service for breakfast and exchanged presents.  In the afternoon, we ventured out and were surprised to find most restaurants, stores and markets open for the holiday.   One of our friends had given us some great advice on where to go that was less touristy and we were glad we took her advice.  We had lunch at a great pub where I finally got to have some real Czech food.  Let’s just say that the traditional food in the Czech Republic is a cardiologist’s nightmare, as it basically consists of pork, sausages, and beer…but man was it good.  A quick word on beer…the Czechs invented lager so everything I kept reading was how the Czech republic had the “best beer in Europe.”  As a result I was kind of envisioning Prague as the Milwaukee of Eastern Europe, but after my first sip I knew what all the fuss was about.  To be honest, I could probably do a whole blog on all of the different beers I am trying out here, but let’s just say that it was some of the best beer I have ever had and leave it at that. 

Christmas night, we had a great dinner in our hotel restaurant and then spent the evening on Skype with both of our families.  It was great to see everyone together and we were thankful to be part of it…even if it was just over the computer. 

Cathedral at Prague Castle

Sunday we watched the changing of the guard at the beautiful Prague castle.  Incidentally, the Prague castle was built in 870 AD and still acts as a base for the head of state, making it the oldest working castle in the world.  After that we wandered around the western side of the city where there were a lot less people and we found more reasonably priced art and Bohemian glass.  It was here where I even got to use some of the Czech phrases I had learned : )  Our last night was spent watching the Prague Symphony Orchestra playing the “Best of Mozart” in a beautiful music hall and then taking in the city at night one last time. Needless to say, when it came time to leave, we were both very sad.  Katie and I both agreed that Prague is a city where we would love to visit again someday.  We had relatively smooth travels home and were glad to have Tuesday off for the observation of Boxing Day in the UK.

Roasted Chestnuts?....Yes Please.

As we looked back on this weekend, Katie and I continue to be so grateful for these experiences.  We both walked away from this weekend knowing that it was yet another ‘once in a lifetime’ experience that we would never forget.  Although our families were in our thoughts, we continue to remind each other not to take these things for granted.  Prague was filled with a lot of those “moments” for us when we would look at each other and say “Is this really happening?”  If you can’t spend it with your family, at least you can spend it with the one you love the most in an amazing European city. 

ALF & Rainbow enjoying room service : )

To see the remainder of our pictures from Prague, click on the link below:

Link to Prague Slideshow

Merry Christmas from Prague !!!

Christmas Eve in the Old Town Square

Wishing all of our family and friends a very Merry Christmas.  We'll post more on this amazing city later.  Love you all !!!

The Holidays in Britain!

It’s Friday afternoon and John and I are both home.  Sad to say, John got the flu yesterday so he has been home sick :(  As it turns out the American flu shot does not prevent against European strands of the flu.  He’s taking a nap now, so hopefully he starts feeling better soon!  Poor guy!

Christmas Popper!

We have had some fun things happen over the past week or so leading up to Christmas.  We had two Christmas parties last week, one here in Truro and another in the coastal town of Falmouth.  The Christmas party in Truro was at a hotel and went really well.  I met a handful of John’s colleagues and we also had a sit-down, five-course dinner.   Each setting had a Christmas cracker (or holiday popper), which when pulled open, makes a popping sound.  The Christmas crackers are typically used on the table as a decoration and contain a fun surprise of candy, a small gift, toys, a written joke or a paper crown. 

Then last Friday night, we had a more formal Christmas party at a hotel in Falmouth.  It was definitely an escapade getting to the party!  We ran into a closed train line, a late bus, getting lost once we were in Falmouth and going to the wrong hotel!  By the time we got to the hotel we were worried about being those Americans who show up late to a dinner party.  Luckily for us, the dinner started an hour and a half late, so no one even realized we were running behind.  Whew!  Once we were there, we had a really nice time.  The hotel was gorgeous and we had a super nice dinner.  We did have to leave a bit early though, as we didn’t want to miss the last bus home.  There are definitely days I miss having a vehicle! 

Or as we call it, baking soda :-)

Once the Christmas parties were finished, we had a really nice and low-key weekend here in Truro.  We decided to make cookies and hot cider on Saturday and have somewhat of a Christmas weekend.  We had multiple laughs at the grocery store and at home trying to figure out recipes that had American measurements and ingredients and figuring out how they translated here.  We found out baking soda = bicarbonate of soda and Crisco = a stick of vegetable fat.  I also spent some time online figuring out how to convert some of the measurements (such as grams to cups)…..thank god for Google!!!!  The peanut butter blossom cookies (no Hershey kisses here, so tried chocolate buttons as a substitute) and hot cider both turned out really well, so worth the effort. 

It’s been great trying out some British Christmas traditions.  We have had mulled wine, mince pies, Christmas pudding and Christmas cake.  We have heard many references to “Father Christmas” (a.k.a. Santa) and about how popular pantomime is this time of year for children and their parents.  And we are looking forward to hearing the Queen’s yearly Christmas message on Christmas Day.  Even though we are lacking the cold and the snow, it has truly felt like the Christmas season here.

Our Charlie Brown 3-Foot Christmas Tree

If John is feeling better, we have tickets to see a Christmas concert at the cathedral here in Truro tomorrow.  Then next week is already Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!  We head to Bristol Wednesday night and then fly out to Prague early Thursday morning.  So we are definitely getting excited for our first big trip since moving here!  But more than anything, we are looking forward to spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together, while hopefully skyping and chatting with friends and family.  

TV Tax, Bills & Uggs

Truro Late Night Christmas Shopping

The past week or so has been relatively quiet for us here in Truro.  We spent this past weekend here, which was really nice considering how busy things will be for us in the next couple of weeks.  We did meet up with some friends Friday night for drinks in town.  It was great to check out some new pubs and just relax and catch up with friends.  Saturday and Sunday we spent finishing up our Christmas shopping, sleeping in, catching up on tv shows and just enjoying some down-time together.  Life is good!

This week begins a busy Christmas season for us!  We have a Christmas party in Truro tonight, another Christmas party in Falmouth Friday night, a Christmas concert next weekend and last, but not least, Prague in a couple of weeks!  So lots of fun stuff happening.

 

So as we continue to experience Cornwall over a longer period of time, here are some more random tidbits we are seeing:

- There is a yearly television tax here in England!  You pay based on if you own a black and white tv (the tax is less) than a colored tv (the tax is much more – around 130 pounds a year!).  Apparently the television tax pays for the BBC as well as allowing the BBC to not have commercials.  In order to be sure people are paying their television tax, there are vans that drive around and can detect if you have a television signal coming from your house or not.  Crazy!

- As we were setting up miscellaneous bills for our flat, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that you can pick which week of the month you would like to pay each of your bills (the 1^st, 8^th, 15^th or the 22^nd).  This allows you to pick when paying the bills works best for you and spread your bills out…..brilliant!

- We continue to be amazed at how cheap and accessible flowers and plants are here!  They are in the front of most stores and it’s not uncommon to walk down the street and see multiple people carrying home a bouquet of flowers!

- Women’s trends still fascinate me!  The look for winter continues with the tights and leggings with either dresses or long knitwear.  But now women wear dresses and knitwear with ugg-looking boots!  You would think the nice outfit wouldn’t go with the warm winter boots, but most every woman wears it here.  It seems no matter what country I’m in, those Ugg boots are everywhere!

- And no matter if women are wearing the comfy winter boots or great dress-up boots, they wear their socks underneath pulled up so you can see the tops of their socks over the top part of your boots.  Guess it shows they have warm feet throughout the winter!

- As most would expect, drinking tea is a way of life here!  When people stop over, it’s etiquette to offer a cup of tea (which most will take you up on).  At work, John has realized that it’s rude not to ask each and every patient if they would like a cup of tea (which again, most take him up on).  And most days when John is in the head and neck clinic, the team takes a short break from seeing patients to have a cup of tea.  Tea is offered in every restaurant and bakery in town.  The grocery store we go to has a little café in it and each time we stop in there, there are dozens and dozens of teapots with teabags stacked and ready to be sold. We even asked a friend how many cups of tea she drinks in a day and she guessed around five, which she commented she thinks is common here. Since moving here, I find that I make myself a cup or two of tea a day. When in Rome (or when in England)!

Ripped From The Headlines!

With it being a low-key week, thought we would post some information on some of the top stories here in the UK:

- Truro and the county of Cornwall has been getting snow and cold weather throughout the past weekend and this week, which is actually a very odd occurrence for where we are living particularly.  You would not believe what a frenzy snow causes here!  This is taken from BBC News this Monday “The Met Office has issued a flash warning of severe weather with 5cm (2in) of snow expected in places”.  Yes, you read that correct, severe weather because of 2 inches of snow!  Monday morning John went to work and found that the majority of the hospital staff weren’t able to make it in due to the “severe weather.”  There were over a 100 school/college/daycare cancellations and people were advised to stay home if possible.  Train lines closed and even buses stopped running.  Poor John waited outside at the bus stop for over a half hour Monday morning waiting for a bus, any bus, to drive by and get him to work.  If they only knew what severe winter weather really looked like?!?! 

- There has been an uproar from university students in England due to a recent threat of the government raising tuition costs.  Currently students getting a college education will not pay more than 3,290 pound a year for tuition.  The government will be voting in December to allow universities to charge up to 9,000 pound a year, which would be effective in 2012.  There have been demonstrations all over England by students opposing this sharp raise in tuition and these demonstrations are a top story.  This would affect universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.  Attending university in Scotland is free to the Scots and all students in the EU.

Some other changes the English are looking to make is raising the fixed student loan interest rate of 1.5% to 3%.  Keep in mind that they would only raise your interest rate if you are making over 41,000 pound a year.  And they also have a system in place where graduates do not have to make repayments if they make under 21,000 pound a year.  If they make over this, they are only charged 9% of their total earnings. 

As a recent graduate paying back my massive student loans, following this story has been fascinating, especially when comparing what is going on here compared to in the States.  What I would give to have my student loans be under either the old or the possible new policies here in England!!!!!  When talking to some locals about all of this, they commented that they can’t believe what is going on with the possibility of tuition being raised.  One person had said her generation was given a free education and now that they are in power, they turn around and take that away from the younger generation.  We have heard people call this a disservice to university students and that it’s completely unfair for students who want to get a proper education to finish school and begin with such a large amount of debt.

- Not in the headlines, but something John found out recently.   People aged 60 and over receive extra government funding (up to 400 pound) a month to help pay for their heating bills.  The same goes for cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy.  The government has determined that in both cases the 60+ and cancer patients both struggle to keep their internal body temperatures as high as those of us who are younger and healthier.  As a result, it is understood that if you are over 60 or undergoing certain cancer treatments, you are eligible for this benefit.  What a country :)