Going Around The Zizkov Neighborhood in Prague

What have we been doing since my last post on this blog? We have entertained visitors Trevor and Jennifer for a week over Christmas. We have stayed close to home. We have relaxed and taken lots of walks. We have shopped and eaten out with T & J. We have had friend over to eat and play games. Life has been good. tomorrow we go back to school! But school is the reason we are here, so it is not bad.

On the left is the front door to our apartment building. It is not beautiful, but is functional and safe. Also it is convenient. When we leave, it locks itself automatically. Some of our friends live in places where it must be locked manually. This means that if someone is visiting you and they leave, you must acompany them to the door, unlock it, let them out and then relock it. Not convenient if you live on the 4th or 5th floor.




Below - perhaps - I have not mastered the fromatting in Blogger - is the street sign on our building. Note that Czech is language that requires different marks for letters. Czech has one grapheme (letter) for every phoneme (sound) in the language by adding accents to some of the letters. For example, in Czech the sound ch, as in church, is written č as our street name starts with. The next two pics after the street sign pic show our apartment building. You see our window on the Ondrichska street side just above the ubiquitious graffiti. Grafitti is everywhere. It freaked us out when we first saw the building - wondering - what are we doing in such a neighborhood. Now we know it is a regular, nice, safe neighborhood. I have a whole series of pictures in this blog to show you around our neighborhood which is called Zizkov. Zizkov is a specail place with convenient little potraviny's (tiny grocery stores), larger grocery stores, the most restaurants per capita of nearly anyplace in the world. Clothing stores, shoe stores, hardware shops, even a really nice, modern mall is just about five blocks from our apartment. A metro stop is four blocks south of us and a tram stop is three blocks north of us. We live in the same block as the famous Zizkov TV Tower that you will see in later pictures.






















The next picture shows our apartment building on the Cajkovskeho stree side. We have three window on the side where the cars are parked - just above the graffiti. Kathleen, a teacher new to CISP has the next window for her small apartment.

You will see a picture of a truck in the street parked by some cars. This is a Police tow truck that has spotted an illegally parked car. The driver stopped to potentially tow the vehicle by passing large, strong straps through each of the four wheels and then hoisting it straight up with the trucks boom arm, swinging it onto the bed of the truck and driving away. Space is so tight here, American style tow trucks could never get to a vehicle to move it. The Czech have a great system for the narrow streets and tiny cars - though I have seen Lincoln Navigators and Chevorley Suburbans here - even a Hummer.

Then you see a picture of the Zizkov TV Tower. Our apartment building is about 200 meters to the right of the tower.

Many Czechs have dogs. We have only JJ, our granddaughter's stuffed dog who tavels with us. JJ is kinda like an imaginary friend except that you can stuff him in your pocket and take him with you. You see him playing with one of his neighborhood friends. The dogs in Prague are much better behaved than the average American dog.

Then you see, but you must look hard, several dumpster like things on the corner. These are recycle bins for plasic, paper, glass, milk/juice carton. Recycling is big here. We have a small trash can inside. We just take a bag of trash outside to a trash dumpster about every two or three days. We carry plastic bottles, paper and glass bottles and jars out as we accumulate them.

Other pictures show a landmark "modern" Catholic Church building built in thd 1930s and designed by a prominent Czech architect. I think it is very attractive in it simplicity, though some would disagree with me. With the TV Tower in the background, you see typical building with shops, restaurants, etc. on the ground floor and apartments above. You see Jiriho z Podebrad Square (Namesti) metro stop. You may be able to pick out the entrances to the metro - steps going below ground covered by various strong, fixed canopies.

You can see an 11 Tram stopped at Jiriho z Podebrad taking people to the Muzeum and farther south and east. Then you see the inconspicuous entry to the International Baptist Church of Prague - our home church here. You walk through that door on a busy street, walk through a courtyard, enter a door, go down the hall, up the stairs and you will find great English speaking people from all over the world. About on third are from various African countries, one third from the USA and one third from Asia, Europe or Australia, etc.

Other pictures include my favorite ATM in a small square in the sunshine, the Czech school building we rent space in - the two pics with the red car across the street. Also, just street scenes within a few block of our apartment.

All for now.

The Last Three Weeks

What have we been up to? These pictures give some idea of one part of the life that we lead here in Prague. Prague is a truly spectacular city and at Christmas, there are displays, little stalls set up all over town selling various goodies such as food, drink, souvenirs such as candles, linens, paintings, hats, gloves - whatever the tourist or the local could desire, it is available on the streets in every square in town.

On the left you can see us at Old Towne Square. One of the really great spots in Prague. Lately it has been literally packed with people so thickly that walking from one side to the other is a slow process. But with all the stalls and the food and drink - why be in a hurry. One of our favorite foods to buy is called a trednelik or something close to that. It is a pastry cooked on a rolling pin like aparatus over gas flames . It is then rolled in brown sugar and other spices, taken off the spindle and handed to you on a napkin. A great tast treat it is indeed.

Also, there is mead and spiced wine sold unbiquitously in town. Wherever you walk on major streets there are stalls set up.

Below is what we saw on December 5th or thereabouts. There are myths in eastern and central Europe similar to some in the US about "being naught and nice". Numerous people dress as St. Nicolas, an angel and a devil parade around town in groups. Czech children, raised on stories of Mikulas, are over-awed by this spectacle, for they know what to expect. St. Nicholas will be asking each and everyone of them if they have been a good child during the past year.

Most children of course say yes and will be asked to sing a song or recite a short poem, after which they are rewarded with sweets and other treats. But if St. Nicholas suspects they have been naughty, well! Naughty children don't get sweets, they get a sack of black coal or hard potatoes. If they have been really naughty, they will be placed in the Devil's sack and sent to hell!

I have not put up anything new on this blog for sixteen days. The reason may be that life is becoming more routine and we have not traveled out of town for a month now. Also, things have been hetic at school. December 13th was the CISP Christmas Program. The preparations were going on for several weeks by Mrs. Johnson, our Director and Music Teacher. However the two weeks before the program, practices became more time consuming and everyone was getting a bit strtessed with the planning. Also, midterm grades went out, we had several teacher illnesses and miscellaneous distractions.

On the left is Jessica, a lovely 7th grade student at CISP. Here she is singing a solo at church last Sunday. I have mentioned before that we have many talented musicians at school. Fortunately, we have a music teacher coming right after Christmas so Mrs. Johnson can have more time for administrative tasks.

I previously wrote about seeing two Czech League soccer matches in one night. Garret, Kate, Rebekah and I went back to Slavia stadium to see Slavia Praha play Hamburg in a UEFA cup match. It was a defensive match with both sides getting fairly even possession times, but Hamburg were too strong for Slavia and took the victory 2-0, but the second goal was a PK scored in extra time after the Slavia keeper was given a red card and confusion resulted. The real fun is trying to get on a tram right after a soccer match.

Can you imagine 15 or 20 thousand people exiting the stadium nearly simultaniously and trying to board normal public transport. Rebekah, Kate and I got on a 22 Tram with Rebekah leading the charge into the "cattle-car-like" tram. I now know what a sardine feels like as it goes into one of those little, flat cans. Garret went another direction, but we all managed to show up at school the next day even though the start time was 8:45 PM - not long before my bed time.

In the ensuing days we began saying good by to Rachel, the student teacher who lived with us for three months and helped Liz much the past six weeks. Leah, Shiela and Kate had a going away dinner for Rachel Monday night. We set our alarm for 3:30 AM Tuesday as the cab was scheduled to arrive at 4:00 AM to take Rachel to the airport. Beth Given was waiting at our door at 4:00 AM to go to the airport with Rachel, so that was good. Her trip back home was uneventful until arriving in Montreal in a snowstrom. Her flight to Muncton was cancelled and she had to sit on the plane the next day for four and one half hours before it took off for her one and a half hour flight.

Liz, Rebekah and I took time out over a weekend to carry on a tradition that is part of many western cultures - cookie making. We missed the Hartman Cousins springerlie making party this year which is held at Scott and Carolee Hoffman's house each year. So this was a substitute for that event and cookie baking times we would normally spend with Steve and Kaley. All in all it turned out quite well.

The next weekend was dominated by the Christmas Program. I was at the auditorium where it was held from 11:00 AM until about 4:00 PM. I helped with student control - there was a dress rehersal for everyone before the real, live performance. It turned out quite well - with a few glitches here and there. Liz's class did well with their singing part. Massimo was given a part in a quartet to replace a solo song that was to be sung by a girl who was ill on the performance day. Liz and Rebekah each got massages at their favorite place immediate after the performance to wash away the added stress of the week. I watched soccer on TV at a restaurant near where they got the massages.

On the left here we are at the Old Towne Square in front of one of the stalls selling food stuffs of various kinds. We have tried the hot dogs, the tredneliks, the meade, mulled wine, crepes and perhaps other goodies that I don't remember at the moment.

Then the week of school before the Christmas Holidays began. Everyone tried to keep focused on academics, but it was difficult. I gave exams in all my classes. I was very pleased with the results in general. Friday was a half day with an odd schedule. The high school had Chapel - combined with the elementary school - then forty-five minutes of miscellaneous things like a French Class party, 7th and 8th grade classes. I and Terry orchestrated moving some furniture from the computer lab to the basement storage and a few other minor moves. Then the high school student organized party games began. The kids were very good and orderly and had a great time with all the 7th through 12th graders participating in indoor games. Plus there was food and drink for all. Then at noon school was out.

We have been walking to town most evenings - both for the exercise and to see the beauty of Prague. It takes us about 25 minutes to walk to Old Town. It is a downhill trip for the most part from our apartment on the hill where the TV tower is perched. But that means that the walk back is quite an aerobic activity. This is about the only regular exercise we get except for the daily uphill trek of about five blocks to school.

On the left you again see a group dressed up as St. Nicolas, an angel and a devil.

On the day school got out at noon, Garret, Kate and I went to view a building that we are giving some consideration to renting for the school for next year. We are a bit crowded and there is some concern that we need more space for next year. Two board members also went. Garret and Kate then came over and we went over the pros and cons of what we saw. Liz and I then walked to town to view the sites again - we do it repeatedly during this holiday season.




This last picture shows Old Town Square at night. The lighted, twin towers of the Tyn Church are in the background. You can see people and the first line of the Christmas stalls in the foreground. There are endless stalls and endless people that you can not see.

All for now.

We Rock for Jesus

Each Friday morning we have a chapel service for the upper school and a chapel service for the elementary school. The middle school and high school students are great worshippers and we have several outstanding musicians also.

The students pretty much run the praise part of the service themselves. We are producing several potential worship leaders for the future. The maturity level of several of the kids is outstanding, even though we like to play, complain a little, question authority, etc. We have totally outstanding students at CISP.

The first pictures show guitarists Robbie and David along with Aji running the power point for the songs. Jessica and Jessalyna are the two seventh grade girls in the front row near Mrs. Johnson, our Director.

The next pictures adds one of our keyboard players, Emily. You can not say enough good things about Em. She is just an around outstanding young lady. The next pic shows our young ladies getting into worship live. In the back row are Rebecca, Ana (not really visible), Wendy, Kate, Coral, Shaylinn and then a cool kid from Serbia, Igor and lastly Miss Miner. About the only people recognizable in the front row are Talyeah and then you can see the back of Timea's head.

Next we get a wide angle shot of the day's entire worship team. From left to right are Joana, Hannah, Luke, Em, Robbie and David with Aji working the comuter diligently as always.

In the orange shirt is Ci-On, another seventh grade boy. He is one of the quickest people you will ever encounter on a soccer pitch. Beware of his ball thieving skills! People are beginnig to appear in multiple pictures, but they are worth a second look.

The next picture shows the back row girls again. Wendy has for some reason jumped up to ask or answer a question. Just to Wendy's left is Joshua, another fine musician and able soccer player.

I have to tell you that Robbie, David and Aji are likely the cream of the soccer crop of boys while Lauren who appears in the last picture along with Coral and Wendy lead the girls. Lauren will probably play on a college team in the US in a few years.

Then the picture of Joana shows her straightening her hair or her scarf or someting. She is a character in my Alg 2 class along with Timea, Hannah and Caleb who came a bit late to Chapel and does not appear in any pictures.

The next picture shows some of out great middle school dodge ball players - Cail, Luke and Travis. Igor appears again behind them as does Miss Milasova, our great Czech and German teacher and a fan of Slavia Praha. She is really a great friend and lots of fun and full of wisdom.

Next are Kate and Shaylinn. Kate's mother runs a restaurant in Prague and has a little shop where she sells some American food stuffs.

Shaylinn and Kate

Last but certainly not least are the upper class girls. From left to right sitting: Timea, Taleyah and Lauren. Standing are Emily and Hannah with her new shorter hair - Hannah has her back to you.

King Wencelas Skit

Liz had her 1st and 2nd grade class work on a skit to perform for the upper school chapel sevice and for the elementary chapel service. She invited parents, grandparents and interested parties to the second performance.

We warned the high school kids to be polite to the little kids and not to laugh at them. That warning was completely unecessary. The little kids blew us all away with their acting and singing. The skit about the life of King Wencelas was really great. Liz and Rachel are to be highly commended for such great performances out of the rambunctious ones. Liz's class sang loudly and clearly. They enunciated well and spoke so all could hear them for the most part.

The whole skit was a truly rousing success that impressed the older kids and gave them a challenge to do equally well when they present their part of our school's Christmas Program on Saturday, Dec. 13th.

You can see that costuming was not used; there were no props or sets. It was just a well written skit (by Liz and Rachel) which was acted well.

Congratulations to Hope, Massimo, Amber, Mollie, Carl, Sava, Edmund, Si-youn, Najou, Angelina, and Shamima for a fine performance.

Cesky Krumlov Pics

Cesky Krumlov turned out to be a real jewel. We had heard good things about it, but my expectations were exceeded by the beauty, quaintness and grandeur of this city south of Prague. We left home at 6:00 AM on Friday morning after TG day. A quick walk to the metro, three stops on the green line, then switch to the yellow line at Mustek and a few stops to Andel. Up the steps to the bus plaza and we see the Student Agency Bus signs. We had time to walk around a bit to try and wake up before boarding for our three hour ride to CK. The Student Agency buses are first class. They have comfortable seats, a WC, a stewardess serves free coffee and other treats for a price. It is a dark and dreary morning as we leave Prague.

We arrive in CK about 10:00 AM, disembark and look around to figure out which direction to head. It is soon obvious that we should walk up a small hill that partially blocks our view of the castle and churches that hold promise for us a beacons of where we want to end up. We find it is really quite a short walk to the “centrum” – the sign we look for that means center of town. We walk into the old centrum and find workmen laboriously replacing cobblestones on the street we are walking on.

The first picture you see is taken on the hill that we walked over from the bus plaza to get to town - quite a spectacular view to start and end the stay with.

So many streets and sidewalks are the little cubical stones that are about a three or four inch cube. The other common cobblestone is about about eight inches by twelve inches by six inches. These are laid in a bed of sand and then sand is put between the stones. It is a real art, the workmen chip the edges of each of the larger cobblestones to make them fit as well as possible. This art is practiced all over the Czech Republic and gives a certain quaintness and charm to the streets and sidewalks.

This next pic shows how high the wall of the castle is. I estimated it to be between seventy and one hundred feet from the river to the top of the castle. This was an incredible engineering feat when you consider that there were no power machines or power tools available.

Proceding into the center of town we start looking for a hotel and decide to splurge on a place with a sauna. Did I mention that it is only 32 degrees outside and and we plan to do quite a bit of exploring? For US$100 we get a really nice room with lots of hot water and the promise of a tasty breakfast - about $20 worth of breakfast in the USA, so it is not a bad deal afterall. Now for more pictures:

The pictures you see here tell two stories. First you see that I have acquired a new hat and gloves. It is very cold in Cesty Krumlov. Second, look carefully at the arches high above me and the statues in the archways about seventy feet off the ground. Now you see that Liz has climbed up and onto a statue and has our pet dog JJ with her. JJ goes with us on all excursions around the Czech Republic and reports our travel adventures to our granddaughter Kaley.

The statue that Liz is clinging to is one of those in the archways about high in the air. She just can not resist climbing up where I would never consider going.

The last pictue from Cesty Krumlov shows JJ just after he got out of the sauna. He is relaxing and cooling down a bit before going for his massage. The hotel was offering a specail on massages, so we indulged again and made this quick trip to CK something special.