Prague Zoological Gardens

Hi Everyone,

This past weekend, my husband and I and some of our friends all met and visited the Prague Zoological Gardens, located in Troja, Prague 7. We were there on Saturday (March 29, 2008), though the weather was more spring-like, it was still pretty windy and chilly, and rain threatened. We just wore good jackets and took umbrellas with us. This was really the first nice weekend in about 3 weeks! People were coming to visit the zoo in droves. We heard that there were over 8,000 people who visited the zoo that day! That’s not including their dogs…there must have been twice the number of dogs also visiting with their owners!! This was a bit shocking! Every zoo that I have visited in the US does not allow our four-legged pets to visit with us! But all the dogs that we saw at the Prague Zoo last Saturday seemed to be very well-behaved and friendly with each other. It was really nice to see. And none of the zoo animals seemed to be afraid of the dogs. There so many kids there, too, of course! It was pretty crowded in all the exhibits. But this did not detract from the fun atmosphere or the prettiness of the environment there at the zoo.

Prague’s zoo is really more than pretty—it is beautiful as it sits on the hill above the Vtlava. The zoo actually goes almost right down to the river. So, while you are walking the zoo paths, you come across areas where it is possible to see the river and parts of the city of Prague. It is really very beautiful. Most of the time you feel as if you’re out in the country while at the zoo. The grounds are very well-maintained and very clean. I’m very sure that later in the spring, the zoo will be bursting with flowers everywhere! It will be a sight to see…we are planning on going back for another visit when the spring is farther along.

The zoo boasts a montage of 4,600 animals, from 630 different species from around the world. The animals on exhibit seemed to be very healthy, happy, and they were all very pretty/handsome (as the case may be!). Since it is now just early spring, many of the animals were in their winter quarters. The giraffes were in a huge winter barn where visitors could view them. I’m not sure how many giraffes they have, but this zoo is noted for successful breeding of these and many other animals, including gorillas. One of the cutest gorillas there is named Moja born November 26, 2007. She is very cute—she and her mom were playing near the visitor’s window, while dad was sitting on a shelf and looking rather forlorn! He looked a little bit hurt at not being the center of attention—everyone was busy gawking at his baby! The zoo is also well-known for its conservation efforts of the Przewalski horse, which is the only truly wild horse left in the world.

The zoo has many wonderful pavilions for everything from Africa to the rainforests of the Amazon. Each building is unique and very elaborate. The animals of the Amazon exhibit has a representation of the river life that can be found there (in the Amazon), including one huge Anaconda! There is also the pachyderm building where we able to see the rhinos and elephants. And there were many bird exhibits where we saw 2 different kinds of flamingoes, owls, African and domestic ducks. Every place we saw was very clean—the animals all looked very happy, except for the pelicans! It was nearing closing time, and their keeper was in their pen trying to round them up. But, the pelicans didn’t want to go inside just yet! It was funny to see their keeper trying to herd the birds…the birds were almost as tall as he was, but he was able to finally coerce them to go inside! At another exhibit, the zebras and other grazing animals were already lined up on the ramp that leads to their indoor enclosures…I’m sure they were ready for their supper!

We very much enjoyed our time at the zoo. I love animals, so this was a perfect trip for me…I’m just like a little kid looking at all the animals! My husband also loves animals, so it really was the ideal outing on such a fine spring day! I would very highly recommend a visit to see the zoo as part of any tourist visit to Prague. It is a nice break from the city—not far from the main tourist attractions of Old Town Square and Prague Castle. The zoo is a very nice way to relax from the jungle of the city, to see some very beautiful scenery and very exotic animals from all around the globe.

Well, that’s all for now…I hope you all have a great day!!!

God bless,
Sherry ttp://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com
© 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

All photos property of S. A. Vacik

Easter Part II

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a great and Happy Easter! My husband and I have just returned home from spending Easter at his mother's home. Here, in the Czech Republic, Easter is celebrated on both Sunday and Monday. Monday was a holiday here--most everything is closed for business on that day. It was pretty cold here, too...with snow and freezing rain in many parts of the country! We were all bundled up on the way to and from church...I looked like Nanook of the North with my furred hood on! 

On our way out of church, on Easter Monday, we were met directly outside the church door by a group of young guys who were ready to beat we women with the pomlázkas! There must have been about 5 young men waiting for us!! My husband thought this was great...and he got outside before his mother and I, and then watched us get a "beating" from those guys! It was all done in fun, though one of those young guys was a bit too enthusiastic about beating us! When it was done, I gave them some small coins and they were happy!

While we were walking home, we saw similar groups of young guys going around with noise makers, baskets (for gathering their rewards for beating the ladies), and pomlázkas. They were all laughing and having great fun while the women and girls were trying to get away from a beating. It's quite a sight and is pretty fun.

Another Easter symbol and tradition is the baked lamb, called beránek, in Czech. The lamb is widely used as a symbol of new life and Spring, but is also well-known as a symbol for Christ--the Lamb of God. In the past, an actual lamb was roasted and eaten as part of the main meal on Easter. But nowadays, most families opt for a baked lamb--one that is really a cake. It's possible to buy the cake mold in a kitchen/pots and pans type of store. You can also buy a baked lamb at a bakery or sweet shop. They are cute, but their eyes are a little bit scary...they have white eyeballs, with a small brown pupil. The lamb ends up having a bit of a crazed look! Still, they are cute...and very good to eat.

It is amazing to be learning about these (new for me) Czech traditions. It is also meaningful for me as part of my family heritage is also Czech and Slovak. It is interesting to see how much or what has been passed down in my family from those who came to the US from the "old country." I am very much enjoying the adventure of living in this new "old country" called the Czech Republic...and learning about my own heritage in the process.

Well, that's all for now...have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com

(c) 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Veselé Velikonoce!

Hi Everyone,
Veselé Velikonoce*! That is “Happy Easter” in Czech! Easter is a very popular holiday in the Czech Republic. Under the communist regime, Easter was only celebrated as a way to welcome spring. Since 1989, however, Easter has been celebrated as a holy day for the nation’s Christians, but it is also a time when ancient pagan traditions come to light.

Kraslice

Kraslice

One of the most well-known traditions of Czech Easter is the kraslice, or Easter eggs. This tradition dates back to ancient times when eggs were considered to be symbolic of new life and revitalization, and were given as gifts during the spring equinox.

Here kraslice are very intricately decorated, usually by hand. Various methods are used to create these beautiful eggs. It has long been traditional for girls and women to decorate these eggs on Easter Sunday. The kraslice are for sale in many of the Easter markets found all over Prague, but the biggest market is to be found is in Old Town Square. The array of colors and designs is like a beautiful kaleidoscope or a stained glass window. The kraslice are given to the men and boys on Easter Monday, by the women and girls, as a reward for being symbolically “beaten” with the pomlázka.

Pomlázka

The Pomlázka

The pomlázka, or whip, is another ancient Easter custom in the Czech Republic. The pomlázka is traditionally made by the men and boys on Easter Monday while the women and girls are making the kraslice. The pomlázka is made from willow branches that are braided together, and tied and decorated at the top end with ribbons of various colors.

The whip is used to symbolically “beat” the women and girls on Easter Monday! The belief behind this practice, from ancient times, is that beating would bring about long life, health, and fertility to the ones who were beaten. There is a similar practice with tomato plants that I’ve heard—beating a tomato plant is supposed to make it yield more tomatoes. Well, that's the theory, anyway.

My Reaction to the Idea of an Easter Beating

Being from the West, I have been acquainted with our own traditions of decorated Easter eggs since I was a little girl. But, when my husband first told me about the Czech practice of “whipping” the women and girls, and the men expecting to receive a reward for giving the beating, I was completely caught off-guard. I thought Jiří was only teasing me. My next reaction involved my somewhat liberated feminine side becoming outraged that Czech women would let such a practice continue.

My First Easter Beating

My first visit to the Czech Republic happened in the spring, just at Easter time. That visit I was an eye witness to the Czech “whipping” tradition. We were in Strakonice, where my husband's mother lives. During a walk on Easter Monday a group of young boys suddenly came up to us and began to “beat” me with their whips. It really didn’t hurt…and it was all done in fun. Since I didn’t have any decorated Easter eggs with me, I had to give each of the boys a small coin as a reward for their Easter "beating." I really didn’t mind it at all…it didn’t hurt…and it was very funny to try to get away from those boys and their whips. Plus, with their beating, they were really wishing me to have health and long life. Who could be mad at that!

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Easter, and hope one day you women readers will one day experience the joys of an Easter beating with the pomlázka!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

(c) 2008 by Sher Vacik

*Literally translated means "Happy Great Nights."

A Deeper Meaning

In talking to my husband about the damaged money issue, a deeper meaning has come to light on this subject, as well on the Czech thinking about how they handle the things they've worked for so hard. He told me that really we should take very good care of everything we have. Much energy (of all kinds) has been expended in the production of our belongings, as well as all the energy that was expended to obtain them. Therefore, we should take very good care of them and for them, and treat them with respect. This thinking extends to everything...from our computers and cars, to money, shoes, everything. And even more so should we care for our families and friends in this same way, but with love, too.

This is the whole idea of stewardship. I looked up the definition of "stewardship" in the Merriam Webster's Dicionary online (http://www.m-w.com/) and here is what I found:

2: the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care .

Wow...a very powerful word! Now, not all Czechs or Europeans or Americans, or others from the countries of the world behave or believe in this way. But what a better world this would be if we all had the idea of stewardship and applied it to all areas of our lives!

So, on thinking more about this issue of the damaged money, it is a much deeper idea that comes to light--one of stewardship, and being thankful for the things that we have and taking good care of them. And even more importantly, being good stewards of those in our care and in our lives...carefully and thoughtfully caring for and loving those who are in our lives, and being thankful for their good stewardship of us in return.

I would really like to send this message out to my folks, all of my grandparents, my husband, and my Mother-in-Law...they are all wonderful examples of good stewardship in action...and I'm very thankful for all of them and their stewardship of me...I am very much a student in this area and continually need and want their guidance.

God bless...and have a great day!
Sherry :0)
http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com/
(c) 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

More Money Adventures

Hi Everyone,
The money adventures continue!! I asked my Czech husband about the torn bill from last week--why was it no stores would accept it for payment? He said that when money is torn or damaged in some way, it loses its value and is not accepted as legal tender. This was very surprising to me! When you think about the condition of some of our US money...so much of it has been written on, it is torn and then taped together...it is sometimes very crumpled (and in need of a good ironing)...it might have a corner or a big hunk that has been ripped out of it...even so, the money doesn't lose it's value. It is still considered to be legal tender, and eventually, some bank will remove it and put a new bill into circulation to replace it. This is just how it works!! But not here in the Czech Republic!! If you have a damaged bill, then you must take it to the bank and hope they will accept it and exchange it for a new one!!! This is a very new concept for me.

So, it is imperative that you are kind to your money. That is, you should make sure it is properly placed in your billfold so as not to get it caught in the zipper, or crumpled up into a wad, etc... if you are wanting to use it here, in the Czech Republic, for your damaged money will not be accepted. This also goes for US Dollars, by the way! If you have US Dollars you would like to exchange for Czech Crowns, then those US Dollars had better be in great shape...or you will not be able to change them anywhere!! I learned this, firsthand, on a visit to this country a few years ago. No one would exchange my US Dollars because they were wrinkled! So, I was stuck with those dollars!

So, when visiting here, be sure to be kind to your money--both Czech and US--or else you will be stuck with it...just worthless paper to everyone here!!!

That's all for now...you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sherry :0)
http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com/
(c) 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath