Basic Hungarian Phrases

Hi.......Szia (see you)
How are you?..........Hogy vagy?
Good morning..........Jo napot
Good bye.................Viszlat
Thank you.............Koszonom
Good......Jo
Cool.............Kiraly, allat

I'm going for a drink and waiting for some of the group that went caving this afternoon.

I had to kill one hour of internet.

Australian Recommended

Little Britain is a character-based BBC radio and television sketch show written by and starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams that relies largely on simplistic caricatures and heavy use of catch-phrases. Its title is an amalgamation of the terms 'Little England' and 'Great Britain', and is also the name of a Victorian neighbourhood and modern street in London. Lucas and Walliams continue to deny press speculation that the third series would be the last. An American version of the series will be made for HBO by Lucas and Walliams in 2007.

Many of the characters on the show have their own often-repeated catch phrases. Many have become well-known in the United Kingdom, and the show has gained a mainstream following.

Terror House Museum

This prominent and from the outside, elegant building gave home to the torture chambers and interrogation rooms of the Soviet manipulated Hungarian Communists. Murdering and in all cases unjustly enprisoning innocent people simply for not submitting to the Communist dictatorship which ended in 1989. The Russians showed up as liberators from the Nazi Germans and stayed as the plague of Hungary.

When you are visiting Budapest, this place is one you should not miss. Especially if you are a visiting Hungarian descendant of ones that were fortunate enough to escape. The exhibitions depict a glimpse of the horrible events which took place in Hungary. Hundreds of testimonial footage from survivors, jail cells and torture chambers display the Communist Terror which hung over the people.

This monument stands as a reminder of the inhumanity that once ruled Hungary and a forever lasting image of a lesson well learned about Communism.

I'm a Biker

I need to buy a bike when I get home. A three gear mountain pedal bike. Yellow.

I miss riding my bike now that I've been on one. Last time I rode a bike was in 1992 when I left Banff. The year I gave my bike away. Sob sob.

Riding in Budapest yesterday afternoon was amazing!

Even though the main streets have bike lanes, there are roads that don't, and crossing the street can be very dangerous. Especially with a group of six.

Our guide took us to all the major sights- Hero's Square, City Park, Inner Pest & Buda Castle. It was so much fun. We all laughed and had a great time!

You should of seen all the local's trying to get out of our way as we rode by them.

The bike had this little bell you could ring...but I just kept yelling "beep" "beep" to get people out of the way.

It was so cute to see little traffic lights for the bike lanes.

Red STOP.
Green GO. And try not to kill yourself or others.

Amusement Parks and Me

I forgot to mention that all of us went to the Wurstelprater Amusement Park our last night in Vienna.

The Riesenrad (meaning "giant wheel") is a Ferris wheel at the entrance of the Prater amusement park in Vienna, Austria. It was one of the earliest Ferris wheels, erected in 1897 to celebrate Emperor Franz Josef I's golden Jubilee. The designer was an Englishman, Walter Bassett, which explains why the wheel's diameter is a round number in Imperial units - 200 feet (approximately 61 m). The Riesenrad is now one of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions, and symbolises the city for many people.

The wheel originally had 30 gondolas, but was severely damaged in the Second World War, and when it was rebuilt, only 15 gondolas were replaced. The spokes are steel cables, in tension, and the wheel is driven by a circumferential cable which leaves the wheel and passes through the drive mechanism under the base.

The Riesenrad famously appeared in the post-war film noir The Third Man. It is also featured in the 1987 James Bond film, The Living Daylights, and appears prominently in the 1995 Richard Linklater film Before Sunrise.

There is no entrance fee to get into the park; instead, each attraction charges its own fee, the attractions being individual businesses mostly owned by local families.

Some of the group went on some pretty scary rides. I only went on the very fast racing cars!

Dinner was onsite at the Schweiserhaus Restaurant.......yummy!

Hello Budapest

I'm here.......just getting ready to go on a bike tour of the city.

Budapest or Buda-Pesth, (approximate pronunciation Boo-duh-pesht), is the capital city of Hungary and the country's principal politial, cultural, commericial, industrial and transportation center. The official language spoken is Hungarian. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with the amalgamation of right-bank (west) Buda and Pest on the left (east) bank.

Goodbye Vienna

It was short but very sweet!

A very beautiful place indeed.

Where is Austria?
Austria is in Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia.

What is the Capital of Austria?
Vienna, Austria.

What is the official language of Austria?
The official language of Austria is German.

What is the official currency of Austria?
The offical currency is the Euro.

Global Forums and Me

I'm always where the action is!

Who would of thought that I would be walking by tons of security the other night in Vienna Austria...........

Hosted for the first time by the United Nations, in partnership with the Austrian Goverment, the 7th Global Forum on Reinventing Government will offer workshops & meetings, designed to contribute directly to the Millennium Development Goals by strengthening state capacity and improving the quality of governance. Over the course of four days, the conference will examine best practices and alternative strategies for "Building Trust in Government". Senior officials will have the chance to exchange innovations in government reinvention, share perspectives with international colleagues and discuss different methods of strengthening public confidence. The conference also aims to promote better international and regional cooperation, while giving government officials an opportunity to exchange good practices and experiences. Participating in the Forum will be heads of state, prime ministers, ministers, parliamentarians, government officials, experts, CEOs, representatives of international organizations and civil society organizations.

Venue: From 26 to 29 June 2007 at UN Headquarters in Vienna.

I obviously could not attend due to other pressing engagements!

Classical Music and Opera

Our evening out at the concert the other night in Vienna was a good time!

90 minutes of a full orchestra with a conductor and 6 opera singers.

Our seats were right up front. 39 Euro's ($60.00 Cad)

This city is full of history for this type of music and if you are a big fan, you would be in heaven.

Lots of choices for concert halls, as well as churches for organ music.

They even have the stars in the walk of fame for the great composers right in front of the opera hall.

Promoters are everywhere dressed in Mozart gear selling tickets to anything that suits your schedule.

As long as you have money, anything is possible!

Museum Quarters In Vienna

This place rocks for the arts!

Vienna's new Museum Quarter, or MuseumsQuartier Wien, is the museum world's answer to the shopping mall. The vast complex combines old and new buildings into a single entity of 20 museums and cultural organizations, plus cafés and shops to provide a break from intellectual overload

I went to the Leopold Museum which had a a great Adolf Holzel exhibit as well as some Klimt.

I really really wanted to go to the Museum of Modern Art- but had no time.

This would be one of the first things I do if I'm ever in this amazing city in the future!

Museum of Modern Art, Ludwig Foundation Vienna. "MUMOK," as the Viennese have dubbed the MUseum MOderner Kunst, is the largest Central European museum for modern and contemporary art. Its new building has an exterior of anthracite-grey basalt lava, and the interior design is a futuristic blend of cast iron, basalt, steel, and glass. The museum's collection includes works by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Oskar Kokoschka, Andy Warhol, and other internationally renowned artists.

Amazing Apple Strudel

Yesterday was a great day in Vienna! So much to do in such little time.

I spent the morning with Zoe & Sarah at the Schonbrunn Palace;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sch%C3%B6nbrunn_Palace

What a huge and amazing place.

I took the classic pass for 16.90 Euro ($25 Cad). This gave me a self guided tour of the palace (state rooms, and private apartmentsof the imperial couple, Franz Joseph and Elisabeth, as well as the 18th century interior from the time of Maria Theresa.). We also got to see all the gardens and this wild garden maze that we got lost in for a little while.

My favorite part of the tour was the apple strudel show with our free sample. Yummy!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound sweet apples -- peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried currants
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 slices brown bread, crumbled
1/2 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1/4 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a bowl, combine apples, raisins, currants, cinnamon, sugar and bread crumbs. Stir well.
Spread several sheets of pastry generously with melted butter and lay them on atop the other on a baking sheet. Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the top sheet, then roll the sheets up to form a log shape. Brush with melted butter again.
Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and fruit is tender.

Missing Boyfriends

The girls on the tour are all very funny.

They all wanted to travel on their own even though they have boyfriends at home...........YET...this is one of the topics that often comes up.

Boyfriend boyfriend boyfriend..........

I should just make one up.

Smoking Sucks

A lot of people smoke here.

Everywhere.

Please STOP smoking in my air space.

I HATE it!

Hello Vienna

I'm in Vienna today! Yippee........

So far it's amazing. Everything you think it is!

It took several trains to get here...aprx 6 hours from Cesky Krumlov.

Tonight all of us are going to a live concert.

Vienna is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primate city; with a population of about 1.7 million, and is by far the largest city in Austria as well as its cultural, economic and political centre. Vienna lies in the very east of Austria and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city ranks third in the world in terms of quality of life.

Goodbye Czech People

You rock.........and so does your food and history.

I love your country!

Oops I Did It Again

I did say I would never go rafting again......however, peer pressure got me once again.

The group wanted to rent a raft yesterday, and seeing as the raft was 1,200 Kc, it only made sense that I went as well. This then cost us 200 Kc's each ($12.00) and we even got a bottle of rum!

Let me clarify by saying that this was a calm river...no rapids, other than a few spots....not even rated as they are minimal.

We spent the next four hours enjoying the Vltava river in Cesky Krumlov.

The Vltava is the longest river in the Czech Republic. It is 430 kilometers long and drains about 28,090 square kilometers.

It was a beautiful day to go rafting. Loads of sunshine and laughter.......

We even stopped at one of the bar pit stops along the way to enjoy a few drinks and the local folks making us laugh as they liked to talk to the tourists.

The only mishap was Katie wrecking her camera when she threw herself into a photo shot and her camera got wet. Oops.......

You've got to love rafting when it's in a safe environment.

Dinner that night was also an amazing experience at a medival restaurant.

We were eating in a cave.

Ceskz Krumlov...great place to be!

Far Too Relaxed

So the plan was to meet up tonight at 8 pm ...our last night in Prague... go for dinner and then a jazz bar.

Oops.......8:05 pm and I'm still napping in my great big bedroom in the apartment. Napping is the best.

The sunshine, visiting the art world, then having some vino and listening to classical music just wiped me out!

At least I wasn't like Zoe today who was really really relaxed.....1: she couldn't find her way back to her apartment to drop off a painting she purchased and 2: she lost her concert ticket.

This is one over relaxed Australian.

Church Concerts

I spent the afternoon today hanging out with Zoe, first having a glass of white wine and then going to a live concert......4 violinists and 1 bass...playing Mozart, Vivaldi, Schubert, Bach, and Handel.

The concert was held inside a church, 300 Kc's each ($16.00). Student prices. Another negotiation.

I can't say that I listen to this music in my home, but I am familiar with some of it and I really enjoyed the one hour of amazing music.

These guys were all very talented.

Here I was....5 pm...sitting in a romanesque church, listening to live classical music.

I love my life.

Dancing At the Roxy

Saturday night in Prague, what does one do after dinner and drinks with a new group of friends? Go dancing of course. Everyone was game. We walked and walked to find a salsa club, then most changed their minds. The next club was my suggestion. Only Sarah wanted to stay. I don't think any of them enjoy this type of music. Oh Oh.

We got there just before midnight and were lucky enough to not pay cover charge. Two vodka and red bull's each and dancing until about 2 am. The DJ was just getting started with some decent music as we were leaving.

This tour group might be a bit more mellower than the Dragoman crazies!!

'Roxy Dance Club is a popular nightclub on lively Dlouha street, close to the Old Town Square.This is one of the Prague’s best-known clubs. Music spans all genres but tends to be a little heavier than other clubs in Prague. Drum ‘n’ Bass, Jungle and Techno often feature here. The slightly dilapidated interior and big open spaces, gives Roxy more of a warehouse feel than a modern club. The dance floor is very large, and there is some cool lighting and video projections. Drinks are cheap as well.'

First Dinner Out

We all went out for dinner last night for a typical Czech meal. I of course ordered the beef goulash with dumplings. I really like that very filling dish. Yummy!

I'll have to ask G & M if they know how to make this superb meal.

It looks like we are going to be great as a group. All different....so it won't be boring.

Our leader is so new to this that she didn't even ask to get her meal for free (a practise many tour leaders do....but really not supposed to).

I know that the leaders don't make much money, so I took over and asked the restaurant manager if her meal was free due to her bringing 6 people with her, and that she would be coming back with other groups in the future.

He laughed. I persisted. He continued laughing.

I did manage to get him to give her a free meal and one drink in the future when she brings a group of 15 people.

Livia was shocked I did this and told me that this is why she loves Italians.

Italy is her favorite country so far.

Small Group of Eight

Our group met up last night to meet and discuss what we would be doing from now until Venice. In Venice we will have others joining us ....until then.....this is who we are so far:

• Livia....our Tour Leader....25 years old. Hungarian. Been with company for 3 months.
• Trainee Tour Leader (coming this evening)
• Sarah. Singer/songwriter. Occupational therapist (30's) Only smoker and vegitarian.
• Zoe. Primary school teacher (20's)
• Katie. Event Co-ordinator (20's)
• Sisiley. Lawyer (20's)
• Graham. Project Manager (50's)
• Me. Unemployed

All are Australians.

I know they are all going to miss their vegimite.

Art And More Art

Yesterday I walked over the Charles Bridge to spend some time at the modern art- Kampa Museum. 200Kc to view the museum and the two art exhibitions of Frantisek Kupka and Piet Mondrian. Very Nice.

As I was walking to the Museum, I noticed all these cement blocks- one over the other- in some funky design in all sorts of colors. Naturally I walked over to see what this was all about. For 100Kc ($5.00) you get to purchase one of these blocks that you paint and then they display along with the other blocks. This is a fund raiser for one of the mentally disabled projects they have on the go here in Prague for a town near by. Of course I had to participate, so I painted my block red on one side with blue, green, purple hearts and a big yellow flower! Didn't take long and it was fun trying to not get paint on me or my hands.

I just got back from another art exhibition in the Old Town square. Alfons Maria Mucha and Salvador Dali. 250KC to view both. Some of Dali's stuff is great, but the majority of it has the weirdest messages. He must of been on acid when he painted.

All of the others are off on different tours of Prague seeing as they just got here.

I of course did it all the first day.

Smarty pants me.

No Casino For You

I thought one of my activities for Friday night would be to check out one of the many casinos I've seen on the main street of Prague. Play a little. Double my money....or lose it.

As it would turn out.....I didn't win and I didn't lose.

I picked a casino, walked past two big security guys at the front who tell me to go up the winding staircase. At the top is another big security guy who tells me to go to the reception area.

Here I'm thinking there is a cover charge and deciding if I really want to go in to play my $20.00, when I notice that the people up front in the line are taking all sorts of time with the receptionist. I get excited as I then think that I would have to negotiate the cover....and I like to negotiate!

Wrong.

What she wanted was one piece of ID...to register in the computer....preferably your passport. Next, she wanted to know what hotel you are staying at and room number. PLUS she then takes a picture of you.

She tells me this is Czech rule...all casinos....when I refused her from step one.

I can just see identity theft all over this process.

Very shady and not worth me doubling my $20.00.

I Need Sleep

The last four nights sleeping on the same block as several "cabarets" has left me needing loads of sleep. First I thought it was just jet lag......but now I know better.

Last night was a typical night.

Loud loud talking when the boys leaving the clubs go home. Now remember that the boys leave at different times...so we had this happening all night. Felt like a run way at the airport when the traffic controller lets a plane take off every 5 minutes (or whatever time distance he has to follow).

Overheard conversations:

"DAD" "DAD" "DAD" "NOW COME ON, GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THERE...LET'S FIND ANOTHER BAR". "DAD" "DAD" "GET THE F*** OUT OF THERE." "YOU WILL HAVE NO MONEY LEFT"

"WHERE'S JIMMY?" "OH, HE'S IN ONE OF THE ROOMS SHAGGING"

This gives you an idea of the conversations taking place just outside our window. We also had garbage trucks, sirens, laughing, music, and loud cars to add to the entertainment.

I'm going to miss Atlas Hostal in Prague.

No Sales Pitches

So here I am....Friday night....in glorious Prague, wondering the streets looking for something to do.

I see most of the guys not walking with girls approached by all sorts of people...

• Drug Dealers to sell them drugs
• Promoters to get them in the "cabarets"...strip shows...to see some "titty" (they are loud promoters)
• Promoters to get them in the pubs/restaurants

I've got to say that these are great sales people and they work hard...knowing lots of languages to "pitch" their product.

No one tried to pitch me anything.

Boys have all the fun.

See Through Cellulite

Someone has got to tell all these girls I've seen wearing tight white pants and a thong that they have very visable cellulite on their fat asses.

Don't they turn around and look at themselves in the mirror before they leave the house?

Very gross.

Please shoot me if I start dressing like that.

Moving On Up

This morning I took a cab to the new spot I will be living at for the next 2 nights. I'm sure the mean taxi driver ripped me off....150Kc. My fault though, as I did not want to carry my backpack for the 15 minute walk. I'm lazy and a princess.

My new sleeping quarters is in Stare Mesto (Old Town), in a huge apartment. Third floor. Three large bedrooms, kitchen, one full bathroom...with a tub and a separate shower PLUS a washing machine and one half bath. Huge.......I'm guessing around 1,000 square feet. All furnished and very nice (other than the areas that have carpets...which are badly stained and need to be replaced).

I'm not sure whose apartment this is....Intrepid must rent it off an apartment agency. I just know there are 3 apartments on each floor.........so we have "real" local neighbours.

I'll be meeting my new roommates this evening, as our first meeting is at 6 pm.

Coming from a dorm style setting, this now feels like I've won the lottery.

Lost in Czech Translation

I'm finding the Czech language very difficult to learn.

The pronunciation is crazy even if you have a dictionary with both languages and picture on it.

Everyone sounds Russian.

Some of the basics:

• ano (yes)
• ne (no)
• dekuji (thank you)
• prosim (please)
• nemluvim cesky (I don't speak Czech)
• pivo (beer)
• caj (tea)
• Anglicky (english)...for when I have to change the keyboard language
• zpet (back)....only because I recognize the arrow on the menu bar

The only word I don't butcher is 'vino'..........which of course means wine.

You've got to love that!

Ghost Walk Tour

Included in my Ultimate Tour the other day was a free night tour. I went. Andy came as well. I thought it was pretty lame. I didn't get scared....AND... I slept like a baby that night. No nightmares. Must of been the massage from that afternoon!

"Prague was always a "magnet" for strange creatures, during the centuries attracted lots of scientists, alchemists, artists... Albert Einstein, Mozart were involved!!! In the dark alleys, archways and nooks the desperate souls rise from the dead, grope in passageways, rotten graves open... Ghosts are trying to run away from their terrible trial... You can still smell blood and tears from so many murders, suicides, executions, tortures..."

Ugly Crocs

Yes, crocs are ugly....but they sure are great when walking on cobblestone roads (which is most of Prague).

I brought my black ones and have found them to be awesome. Especially when it rains!

I've noticed in shoe stores that crocs are also for sale here........even though you don't see ANYONE wearing them.

The cost is crazy....1, 200 Kc....that's $60.00 Cad. Double the price of Canada.

No one has made fun of me yet.....unlike when I was in Central America wearing my red crocs.

"Ronald McDonald wants his shoes back........"

Oh that hurt.

I left the shoes to my Guatemala family. I'm sure Zoila is still wearing them around the house.

My Red Light Neighbourhood

I'm in prime real estate in Prague. Right across the street from several main tourist attractions.

"Big, flashy and expensive, Darling is a tourist-oriented brothel that will knock your sox off, perhaps literally, with its sheer audacity and brashness. Something of a Disneyland for adults, this place is packed nightly with up to 100 of the prettiest robocopulators you've ever seen. Helpful street hawkers in orange jackets are happy to give you a free tour before you commit. And if you don't like what you see you can pop across the street to the equally large (but slightly less beautiful) Cabaret Atlas."

I'm NOT planning to go there.....unless of course some of my buddies from the Dragoman trip were here.

They liked to expert with new things.

Stags, Stags, Stags

Prague is one of the more popular spots for boys to have their stag party. Especially for the British.

They come for the weekend. 10 or 12 of them....always enough "players" so they can have a quick game of soccer or some team sport they like.

Pale and loud.

Looking for fun.

I see them going to the Cabaret (which are strip bars....and there are lots of them around here)...as well as trying to find a pub...especially an Irish one.

Surprise. Surprise.

Oh To Be Eighteen Again

A lot of people always say they would never want to go back to those young years.

I say....bring it on (knowing full well this can never happen again).

The latest 5 roommates are all around that age. 1 couple and 3 guys. Gap year....British folks.

They are so cute. No mommy or daddy around. All on their own. So postive and wanting to enjoy ever minute. No expectations just excitement.

How could you not want to be that age again?

With money of course!

Nigerians In Business

I thought I would support this internet spot. One of the cheaper ones I have found. 50 Kc per hour (aprx $2.75). They are giving me a deal.

I hope it is a legal business.

The Ultimate Tour

Wanting to learn more about Prague, I joined up with a tour company on the Wednesday morning...6 hours...1,000 Kc (about $55 Cad).

Our guide was very passionate about his city and had great knowledge and facts about everything.

The tour covered the Old Town, Jewish Ghetto, Lesser Quarter, Prague Caste and Charles Bridge. We walked, took a tram and also a boat tour on the Vltava river.

Included in the tour were 2 drinks and lunch. I had the beef goulash for lunch, as well as 2 glasses of white wine.

Obviously I can't remember a thing on all the history, other than it took over 600 years to build one of the churches we quickly stopped in to see.

Oh....and that the Old Jewish cemetary has layers of dead people. 12 deep..with each tombstone placed in front of the last.

You kind of remember stuff like that.

Money in Prague

They still have their own currency. The Korun. Often called "crowns".

You get about 20 Crowns for $1 USD.

The Czech Republic plans to adopt the Euro currency in 2012.

Kids and Money

I'm staying at the Atlas Hostel near Wenceslas Square....great location (I'll blog about the cabarets on my block in a separate entry).

My room is quite large, with 4 bunk beds and a fridge that doesn't work. The room faces the main street and when our windows are open you can hear everyone walking by. It sounds like they are in your room....this often happens when loud drunk people are walking by an open window.

My roommates: Dan & Andy from the USA...23 years old...computer guys...travelling for about 2 months. Liz and Jeremy from the USA...early 20's...not sure what they do. Some other young couple...not sure from where. Kyle...23...writer from the USA.

I had forgotten that people this age have no money.

I spent the first night looking for a bar with Dan & Andy that served cheap beer.

They are on a budget.

Every penny counts. Oops....I mean to say koruns.

Watch Where You Are Going

I've never before seen several lamborghini's in the middle of an airport...all bright, shiny and new.

Naturally, I kept walking while I was staring at them all....wishing I had 60 Pounds to buy the 4 tickets in this raffle.

So did this beautiful man who bumped into me....or was it me into him?

Gatwick airport rocks!

Don't Touch My Body

Checking into a British Airway flight to Prague from Gatwick airport was quite an experience.

First of all....a very long long line at the check in counter.

They make you go through the normal security check in like every other airport does these days, however, they also do body pat downs. Full ones.

Why oh why did it have to be a girl giving me the pat down?

I wanted the hunky boy to make sure I was a safe passenger to let on the flight.

Who makes up the rules anyways?

We should get to pick who touches our bodies.

Wicked and Very Evil Liquor

Absinthe is sold here everywhere....and very cheap!

Absinthe originated in Switzerland, used in medicines. Best known for its popularity in late 19th and early 20th century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers whose romantic associations with the drink still linger in popular culture. At the height of this popularity, absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive, psychoactive drug; the chemical thujone was blamed for most of its deleterious effects. By 1915, it was banned in a number of European countries and the United States. Even though it was vilified, no evidence shows it to be any more dangerous or psychoactive than ordinary alcohol. A modern absinthe revival began in the 1990s, as countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale.

I plan to try it before I leave.

Giving Away Children

On my way to the airport I had a very interesting conversation with the cab driver, who moved to Calgary 6 years ago from Ontario, and previously from Somalia.

He spoke about how his mother's brothers wife could not have children, so his mom "gave" him to her brother and his wife to raise him as their child. This also happened to one of his sisters, who went with another aunt and uncle of his. Supposedly this is very common practise. When either a married brother or sister cannot have children, they then ask their sibling to have one of theirs to raise as their own.

No legal papers....just by conversation.....and this can happen at any age of the child.

I'm thinking "wow"....what a great way to get rid of your bad apple!

Vegetarians and Nose Rings

I was sitting next to a young girl on the plane who was from Vancouver...moving to London (flight originated from Vancouver).

Her first comments to me were "......love your converse runners......"

She had several lip rings and one infected nose ring.

A very odd girl.

Her meal selection on the plane was tofu.

I Love Prague

In 1993 Czechoslavakia split into independent Czech and Slovak states.

In May 2004- Czech Republic joined the EU and Prague soon became the second most popular European destination after Paris. Population 1.2 million.

My observations so far:

• Very clean streets
• Loads of history....complete with Castles, Palaces, Cathedrals, Museums and Bridges
• It is quite a wealthy city
• Czech's I've seen so far are good looking people. No one is fat. Very stylish and a lot of them are tall
• Loads of tourists walking around...all ages

I arrived here on Tuesday June 19th, flying out of Calgary on a Flyglobespan charter flight. I was a bit worried before boarding the plane, as some of these charter flights can be very jam packed with no leg room. This wasn't the case with this charter. I was pleasantly surprised.

I was even more surpised to see that the planes and staff were all Italian!

Expiry Dates

It's interesting how clean one's fridge gets when you know someone else will be house-sitting for you!

Those expiry dates sure are useful.

Rules To Follow When Travelling

1. Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise.

2. Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations.

Reading & Me

This past Saturday, I attended a training session for one of my new volunteer activites I plan to do when I'm back in the city......Read With Me.

This is a literacy program funded by local companies that pairs adult volunteers one-on-one with struggling young readers.

I had absolutely no idea of all the different types of books that are available to young readers. Wow! I was very impressed.

I especially liked the "wordless" books. These are very cool picture books only...no words... where the "reader" makes up the story based on the pictures they see on every page.

I've always loved reading and think that this is going to be so much fun when I get started!

Kids and Soccer

I had the pleasure of going to see a 3 year old play what they call soccer several weeks ago in Edmonton.

Dante was a bit shy that night, but he did manage to play goalie for a few minutes at least. His team members often left the field to have a cry or for whatever reason they felt like it. It was very funny to watch. I had to stop laughing and asking where the players were.

The best part was at the end for snack time. I had no idea yogurt came in tubes!

I went to another soccer game a few days ago...this time it was an all girl match. Play off's for my goddaugher Abigail.

Watching 12 year olds play was very different. You really had to know how the game was played.

That didn't matter too much, as Gorete & I did not stop talking the whole time.

The last time I watched a soccer game was on TV and it was the World Cup.

The Italians won of course!

Europe and Me

My next travel adventure is just around the corner!

I fly out of Calgary June 18th to London- FlyGlobespan- $323.00 one way- includes all taxes. I even upgraded this to the economy- premium service- with the added benefits of: generous seat pitch • 30kg luggage allowance• complimentary seat selection• priority check-in• complimentary drinks• full meal service (which I can select)• in-flight entertainment, and complimentary headsets. Wow!

7,028 Km.........for aprx 9.5 hr flight.

I'll have a 4 hour window to then make a connecting flight at Gatwick airport via British Airways to Prague- $ 95.00 one way-taxes included.

1,035 Km.......for aprx 1.5 hr flight.

Once in Prague, I've set myself up at Atlas Hostel for 4 nights ($20.00 per night- 8 person mixed dorm), before I hook up with my Intrepid tour on June 23rd.

My itinerary with the tour includes Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Budapest, Bled, Venice, Lake Garda, Cinque Terre, Florence, Naples and ends in Rome (July 15th).

I plan to stay in Rome for 8 or 9 nights if possible and then I'll make my way over to see the relatives.

Not sure how long I'll stay in Italy. I really want to do some more travelling and hope to get to Munich for Oktoberfest.

My plans are to stay in Europe until I want to come home.

That might be never, so I'm planning to return around my friend Vince's wedding in Toronto on October 20th.

I'll have to wrap my head around the Euro dollar and things not being as cheap as South America.

Na zdraví

Worm Free Canadian Peas

I purchased my first 2 bags of fresh garden peas this afternoon and can happily report that they were worm free!

You've got to love Canada for that.

Mountains and Change

I spent last Saturday in my old town of Banff, visiting with some great friends.

They say change is a good thing, but when you walk the streets of Banff, you wonder if it really is.

As usual, many new restaurants...which are okay I guess. I have a problem with all the franchise stores moving in.

Does one need them all there? Do people really go to a mountain resort to see the same stuff they see in the city they left?

I wonder.

Maybe people like the comforts of home everywhere they go.

I guess the only constant are the mountains.

Cascade Mountain is still my favorite.