Halloween

First one's N's
N has been to 2 Halloween parties this year. One was on the last day of school before midterm break (Thursday night - because Friday was independence day holiday). They had a disco, with the hall all done up in the Halloween theme. She had a great night dancing with Claire and Rachel.


And...N did her first ever Jack O' Lantern at the second Halloween party tonight. An American owned cafe in Old Town "Bohemian Bagel" ran a Halloween night where the kids watched Charlie Brown, made Jack O' Lanterns out of pumpkins and had to go through a spooky room to ask a skeleton'Trick or Treat' to get a bag of lollies. We were invited by N's new friends(Isabel and William)from ceramics classes on Tuesdays (American's staying for 4 months being home schooled).
N especially liked giving her pumpkin a lobotomy, putting her hand into its top and grabbing out its innards. All the seeds have been kept to cook, which we have been told to cook slowly in an oven covered in salt. N went as a corpse medieval princess (like the 'Corpse Bride').

Louis Armstrong

Last night we took some of 'The Firm' to the Louis Armstrong restaurant for a quiet meal & drinks. We had a good time.

Pictures courtesy of N.

Circus @ Krc

Can you see the ghost tiger & the scantaly clad acrobat ?

M's attempts at using the night functions on the camera - then the battery died !

We are preparing for the winter, buying new clothes & shoes for the growing girl. M prepares for a long week with 60+ IT managers in Prague. Lots of dinners & smoozing. Some major announcements will occur that may impact M's options for a return to Oz - lets see.

M

MP at the Rugby

M with his $1 beer at the Rugby. This is at half time, note the surrounding Czechs, suitably unimpressed by the Aussies gigantic lead.

Giselle

N and I decided to go to the ballet last minute today. Decided at around 12:30 to go to a 2pm show. Rolled up at 1:30 to the National Theatre, got tickets for 100ck, $5AUD (@$2.50 each) up in the gallery. Wonderful show, especially the second half after Giselle dies and the 'ghosts of the brides that died before their wedding days' danced in the graveyard. N knows all these Ballet's so she was restless and was hanging out for the last act...and criticised the length of time they spent getting to the part when Giselle dies of a broken heart.

We have tickets for the Nutcracker closer to Christmas. She is hanging out to see that one.

Czech Republic vs Waratahs Ragby at Slavia

Yes.... Ragby..... or as we Aussies would say Rugby.



Great game, NSW Waratahs 94 Czech Republic 3. Thought we should go to support the team, and I knew my brother would be proud(as he has always supported the Waratahs). M donned his Aussie jersey and off we went. There was a good Aussie turn out, about 30 odd from the CANZA group, plus many more in Aussie Rugby jerseys. Here's some shots...


Who won the Aussie Rugby??

Ross in Prague

Last time we were in Cambridge we convinced Ross to come over for a weekend of climbing. Fortunately Friday and Saturday were fine enough to endulge in some fine Czech climbing. On Friday M and Ross went to Srbsko, did 4 climbs before calling it a day (and it started drizzling),then congratulated themselves with 3 beers at the local pub before stumbling to the railway station and home.

On Saturday we hired a car and drove to a lovely limestone climbing spot SW of Prague called Roviste (quaint little village nestled amongst plantation pines and running along the banks of a river). After driving the length of the town and giving up on translating the Czech directions in the guide we asked a local. We had found the spot but didn't realise it - the parking spot for the climbing area was a patch of grass between two dilapidated vacant ex-holiday houses at the far end of the village. Then a 10 minute walk up hill before decending back down a slippery, stinging nettle sided track to the bottom of the cliffs. N spent her time finding interesting rocks, colouring in and playing fetch with someones dog.

On Sunday the rain had settled in so we decided on a drive in the country, east about two hours, to Hradek Kralove for lunch. We discovered the town largely closed down on Sundays, but this allowed us to wander around without crowds. The old part of the town has a large cobbled square with a central large statued plague column and surrounded by pastel painted house fascades and an impressive old church. Then we travelled to Kutna Hora, via Sedlec and the Bone Church (the highlight of the day for Ross). We walked around Kutna Hora - St Barbora, Jesuit College. Then home. Matt did a fantastic job of driving in the drizzly horrid conditions, his first weekend driving in CR!
From the Jesuit College looking across to St Jacob(Kutna Hora)