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springy, pt II
i am bursting with love for this spring weather and the new greenery that’s popping up around me every day. it’s the time to start waking up and do all the things you’ve been wanting to do in the long winter months. i love that it’s when things start to happen: the first day of spring, alex’s birthday, easter weekend, the may 1st holiday, and then my birthday. this year i also got to add in a visit from my dad into this line-up. killer view of the square from my dad’s suite at hotel zvon looking at the north entrance to knezka street, the black tower greenery along the…
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what a week
they say the hardest part of doing nearly everything is taking the first step, which was last week. this week feels as though the first steps are starting to bud: my first german lesson since 2008 will be next tuesday (!!!) and we met with our chill and laid-back engagement shoot photographer to talk plans for the end of the month. last time i’ve had professional portraits taken was over ten years ago at age 17, so what better time than now to have a go at it again? even if we don’t use these photos for really anything, they will be such a special keepsake of our time living…
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krumlov-ing it, pt II
there’s something about tiny český krumlov that makes me really happy. of course it’s beautiful and a unesco world heritage site (also the second most visited town in the czech republic) and its geography is quite unique (the vltava river makes an “S” curve through the compact center), but it could be other reasons. it was the first place i ever visited in the czech republic, way back in 2006. it was one of the reasons we moved to budějovice, because i knew how great south bohemia was already. or that i’ve taught kids there. but maybe it’s just that it’s a laid-back place to be with relaxed people and a…
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springy
some photos above from last weekend’s “spring fest”: a 20C day that was spent taking strolls around the neighborhood, eating ice cream (and a delicious breakfast of apple oatmeal, as you can see above), and loving life. there is something about the first couple warm days of the year that really instills that life loving feeling in you. this week has generally been really exciting and busy. i bought my wedding dress on monday evening, and the entire dress process was so ridiculously painless that i thought i might be doing it wrong. many ladies go to bridal gown salons with all their best friends so they can help them…
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karlovo náměstí
prague’s “other” square is actually quite larger than the more famous old town square at approx. 70,000m² (the 27th largest in the world). it’s the absolute heart of prague’s nové město (new town), founded in 1348 by who else but bohemian king charles IV. when it was built it was supposed to become the most important square of new town until vaclavske namesti (wenceslas square) became far more famous and used in modern czech history. although much quieter than the other famous square in this district, i like it for its proximity to the river and everything that seems important in prague. wenceslas square is great for shopping, but this square…
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a conversation
so, i’m standing in the kitchen at my language school, washing a tea mug when a fellow teacher (czech) enters the room. Her: (something in Czech)Me: …….. ?Her: You don’t speak Czech?!?!?Me: No……….. not really.Her: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE? Me: Well, it’s been over a year now…. [By now, it’s safe to say I was feeling extremely sheepish]Her: Well, are you going to learn?Me: I would like to, it’s just… I don’t know how long I’ll be living here for.Her: When will you know?! [She’s kind of a ball-buster, this one]Me: Sometime this spring.Her: It’s spring now!Me: (start to slowly back away) Err… well, definitely by May or…
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march noms
a low-key, windy weekend here in south bohemia: i focused most of my time and effort on planning the epic slovenia trip in june. and have realized, dang, slovenia is AMAZING! a country half the size of switzerland with so much to offer: alps, adriatic beaches, caves, glacial rivers, countryside, karst plateaus, national parks…. i am really looking forward to it. and with the recent acquisition of a blender last month, i tried my hand at making delicious creamy almond milk– a drink which i would buy exclusively instead of milk while living in the states but never have been able to find it here. fortunately, it is so easy…
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weekend, unplugged
i went offline this weekend, not entirely by choice. the internet was down (or rather, “the landlord’s wifi we’ve been leeching has not been working”) which initially would bum anyone out that just wanted to sit in bed and read some blogs on a sunny saturday morning, but it was somewhat of a blessing in disguise. i picked up wild by cheryl strayed (whose earlier book dear sugar i had previously enjoyed) and plowed almost 70% through that baby… and i almost never do that kind of thing! what a great novel to get you in the mood for a) nicer weather and b) a hiking trip, preferably along the…
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DAILY PHOTO: upper panská street my second favorite street in české budějovice, a purely pedestrian lane covered with cobblestones and lined with bright colored cafes, hostels, shops, and restaurants. HAPPY FRIDAY, all! looking forward to sushi and sunshine in my weekend.
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what i love about “home”
české budějovice isn’t what i consider HOME home, but it certainly is my home for now and it’s important to think about and remember why i chose to live here and what makes it great. i’ve thought of plenty reasons, but here’s my ten favorite things about good ol’ CB. 1. i LOVE my flat i could easily spend days holed up here in this haven of english speaking, great cooking, and ornate early twentieth century architectural detail, but force myself to get out once and awhile. we really got lucky! the flat next door is vacant as it’s being remodeled, so we don’t have to worry about being too quiet…
