Hi Everyone,
I've been very busy since last writing on November 17th/18th about the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. It's funny how "busyness" come in spurts sometimes.
Directly after the 20th anniversary celebration of the Velvet Revolution my husband, Jiri, and I had one of my Czech friends and her mother over for a Saturday lunch. We all had a great time--and everyone said the food was good--which is a wonderful compliment when considering it was all gluten-free. This meal set off an entire week of cleaning, shopping and cooking--a real whirlwind of activity last week. The next episode of cooking was Wednesday when my husband brought home a couple of colleagues from work. This was my first business entertaining, and I must say that it was a bit intimidating. But we had a wonderful time and everyone enjoyed the meal.
The next big dinner was last Friday when we celebrated the American Thanksgiving (which was really on Thursday). Jiri and I invited two couples for dinner--one Czech couple and one English-speaking couple. You can guess which language we used that evening. I cooked a very traditional Thanksgiving meal--turkey and all. Cooking for this meal really started on Thanksgiving, and again, it was all gluten free--desserts and all.
There were some cooking adventures while making this Thanksgiving meal. The first adventure was picking up the fresh turkey. I ordered a 7 kg turkey (about 15 lbs). This is a good-sized turkey, however, in the US we sometimes have turkeys as big as 25 lbs to feed a huge gathering of family and friends. The fresh turkey I had ordered seemed huge to me, though. When I got it home it was too big for the roaster I had. Ach jo (Czech for, "Oh no, what's to be done now, etc.") I had to make a run to Tesco trying to find a bigger roaster that didn't cost too much. I finally found one, only to find that while it was big enough for the turkey, it was almost too big for my Czech oven. Our ovens here are small compared to the ovens we have in the States. The ovens back home are big--with racks and shelves that are able to accommodate a medium-sized turkey, along with a casserole or two. My Czech oven has one rack and the inside is about 2/3 the size of my oven in the States. Anyway, after moving the rack to the lowest position possible, and turning the roaster at an angle, I was finally able to fit the roaster and turkey into the oven. All was well with the world...until....
The next hurdle to preparing our Thanksgiving dinner was again the turkey--it decided to finish cooking way too early in the day. That was almost a disaster. I had started the oven on the highest temperature possible, put the turkey in the oven for 30 minutes at that temp., and then turned the oven temperature down to around 180 C. That is around 350 F. I was tired and didn't realize what I had done--and that's why the turkey was finished early. The temp should have been set to 140 or 150 C. Now with the turkey done early in the day (supper was to be at 7PM), I had to figure out what to do to save the meat and have it edible for supper in the evening.
This type of problem would usually be resolved by calling my Mom for advice. However, she was sleeping as it was the middle of the night for her. Calling Mom for turkey advice in the middle of the night would be very cruel, indeed. So, I turned to the Internet for help. Trying to think of the proper search term to use, I typed in "turkey emergency," "turkey help," "turkey done too soon," etc. Some very interesting websites were brought up, as you can imagine. Finally, I found one website that had some excellent advice. The advice came from a lady who didn't like the hustle and bustle or the stress of fixing the whole Thanksgiving dinner in one day. Rather, she enjoyed cooking most everything a day ahead--including the turkey. OK...how to do this without the turkey tasting like warmed up poultry on Thanksgiving? This wonderful lady makes her turkey and then takes all the meat off the bones. The meat is then put into a roaster. After this, broth (with the same spices used in cooking the turkey and used for the stuffing mixture) is poured over the meat. Then the whole is covered with foil and put into the fridge (refrigerator) till the next day. About an hour and a half before the big meal, this kitchen maven puts her turkey in the oven at a low temperature. She said this would ensure that the the turkey was brought to the proper serving temp without cooking the meat any further. The foil is left to cover the meat as it heats. OK..this seemed like it might work, but I was still worried the meat would taste like it was warmed up--and not fresh.
I must say that this lady's advice was great. I can't remember her website's name--I would surely include it here. But a hearty thank you goes to this cooking maven who saved my traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I did everything she said, and the turkey came out just like it was fresh off a cooked turkey. Thankfully, everything else came out OK, too. Jiri and I and our guests all had a fun time, and everyone said the food was excellent. The highest compliment was that all the food tasted just like a "real" traditional American Thanksgiving feast! My food is definitely "real," but it is all gluten free, and therefore is not "real" in the sense of using wheat, oats or barley.
This was my third Thanksgiving to spend in the Czech Republic, and it was as enjoyable as the second. The main thing I've learned about celebrating the holidays away from home is to be flexible, creative, and adapt the traditions with Czech traditions whenever possible. Everything is very different here compared to my home in the US, but I'm learning how to bring the traditions of my Czech and American family together--everyone benefits--but most of all me. Both my American and Czech families having a wonderful time while celebrating the blend of Czech and American traditions that has come to our lives. This blend is bring life and fun to both sides of the "Pond."
That's all for today--you all have a great day!
God bless,
Sher
PS I'm trying to help a friend win a contest called "Oes tsetnoc." This looks like Czech, doesn't it? :0) But it's not! This phrase is really the words "Seo Contest" spelled backwards! You can read more about this contest by visiting Hospitalera's Blog!
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Happy 20th Anniversary Czech Republic
Hi Everyone,
Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and the fall of communism in what was then Czechoslovakia. It was an exciting day, with celebrations taking part all over the Czech Republic and Slovakia. People were out en masse to enjoy the festivities and commemorations which took place. Jiri and I took part in the re-enactment of the fateful walk thousands of students took back on November 17, 1989. Again, there were thousands of people--covering all ages and walks of life--who took part in this walk yesterday. It all began at Albertov, then went on to the Vysehrad, and ended at Narodni Trida--following the original path of the first peaceful demonstration. Banners and flags waving and fluttering attended us along the route. Some of the slogans on the banners were sometimes in support of the current politicians, sometimes asking for a return of communism, and even demanding that former President Vaclav Havel "return to the castle" to become president once again. It was all very exhilarating for me--to see all of this taking place, when just 20 years ago freedom of speech did not exist in this country.
Jiri shared with me his memories of the day of marching 20 years ago. He was a young 30-something working in academia, and so was tied directly to students and their causes. There had been rumblings against communism for some time, only making a firm appearance in 1988 and carrying on into 1989. Jiri was very much in touch with the sentiments of the students and stood with them in solidarity. One of his friends called and suggested that they join the march on November 17, 1989. There was a feeling that there would be some fighting with police, even though the demonstration's intent was to hold a peaceful march. So, Jiri and his friend decided to attend the march to support the students.
Jiri explained to me that the march, of about 10,000 people, was very peaceful until it entered onto Narodni Trida (National Street), in downtown Prague. At this point, the student marchers were stopped and blockaded, by police, into an area about the size of two city blocks. There was a crush of people. I'm not sure how long the students were there--something like 30 minutes--before the police began to attack the crowd. Jiri described the marchers as varying in age from students to elderly people, and even included some children. Even so, when the police received orders to attack, anyone and everyone became targets for a very brutal beating. The demonstrators were shocked when the police began to charge at them with rubber batons. The beating doled out by police was brutal. Many hundreds of demonstrators were injured, with many sustaining terrible injuries which maimed them for life. We've been watching videos of this eventful beating for the past few days on Czech TV. The images are quite shocking and horrific. Jiri also received a blow from the police, but was not injured. Police did not let anyone escape, and even kept the injured from leaving the area to be treated for their injuries. Mass confusion and beating continued on Narodni Trida for about two hours before it ended. I would not call this a "Velvet Revolution," though the government did not stage any major retaliation against the demonstrations that took place on and after November 17, 1989.
Last night Jiri and I were a part of the massive crowd of thousands who gathered on Narodni Trida to celebrate. It was once again a place of mass confusion and a crushing crowd, but this time it was a party atmosphere. The crowd was very well-behaved and everyone enjoyed the spectacle of lights and sound. There was a fireworks display to symbolically mark the fall of the Iron Curtain, with the national anthems for both the Czech Republic and Slovakia being sung. After this, the marchers came down to the area of Narodni Trida where the beating had taken place--to finally end at a stage where singers were performing. We were literally crushed in the midst of that crowd, but it was a great and happy experience!
I was not here when the Velvet Revolution took place, but it was a momentous time for me, none-the-less. Back 20 years ago, none of us thought the Iron Curtain would fall in our lifetime. The Iron Curtain was an established fact that seemed as indestructible as the Great Wall of China. The will of the people was released back in 1989, and continues to make forward progress into the future. The Czech Republic is not finished evolving--the process will be several generations before the marks of the communist regime are removed from the psyche of the people. Even so, the Czechs are moving right along--I feel--on the right path to a brilliant future. They have birth pangs, but what country has not? As long as the people have a voice and a will things will continue to evolve in this beautiful country--the Czech Republic.
Happy 20th anniversary, Czech Republic!
God bless,
Sherry :0)
All photos property of S. A. Vacik
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Berlin Wall Celebrations
Hi Everyone,
Yesterday marked the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Amazing that twenty years have passed since that first moment of people chipping away and bulldozing the Wall. I was living in Oklahoma at the time, and had two young children--ages three and one. I was in the midst of fixing a meal for the kids and I when the news came on TV that the Wall was coming down, and that people were crossing over from East Germany to West Germany and vice versa. I can remember standing in the living room in shock. The Berlin Wall was such an enigma--and one that seemed as if it would last forever. It was like a miracle to see people standing on the wall at work dismantling it. That was the biggest and most shocking news story of the day.
Now, back to the present and yesterday's celebrations in Berlin. Jirka and I watched the celebration live, on TV, last night. The place of the celebration was in front of the Brandenburg Gate--the area was full of boisterous people yelling and screaming with excitement. The crowd and the very air were filled with celebratory eagerness. Some of the world's older dignitaries (from the days of the cold war) were present at the lively celebration--these included Gorbachev, Lech Walesa, and Hilary Clinton. Jirka and I listened to several speeches, and then watched as giant dominoes (symbols of the original wall) were set to fall along the old path of the Berlin Wall. Talk about excitement. The crowd burst out with more celebratory screaming and excitement. We enjoyed watching this symbolic fall of the Berlin Wall from Prague.
The felling of the Berlin Wall had a direct impact on the people of the Czech Republic. For the first time, they saw that communism was actually coming to an end. The rumblings of dissatisfaction were coming to fruition. The Soviets did not retaliate with a full military occupation and crackdown of Germany as had happened in the Czech Republic in 1968--the Soviet crackdown of the Prague Spring. Jirka has told me that the Czechs really did see that the regime had no hope of surviving once the wall came down. Things were definitely going to change--and they did...on November 17th, 1989.
The fall of the Berlin Wall also had a direct impact on my life, but I had no inkling of this twenty years ago. I was in a bad marriage and had two very young daughters, and was living in the middle of Oklahoma. Who would have thought that one day I would be living in a former Eastern bloc country--one that had been behind the Wall and completely off-limits? If it wasn't for the fall of the Wall, I would not be here now--married to my Czech husband, Jiri. Our lives would have gone completely separate ways. It is amazing how something like the destruction of the Berlin Wall can have such far-reaching effects--even to bringing two people together years later. I, for one, am very thankful the Wall came down--not only for those who won freedom, but also for my husband and I. We were able to come together due to this historical event--I was able to experience the freedom of a life free from abuse, and find new life with a husband who loves and treats me well. I've been able to find love and adventure in midlife--brought about, in part, by the fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago.
That's all for now...you all have a great day!
God bless,
Sher :0)
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(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath
Yesterday marked the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Amazing that twenty years have passed since that first moment of people chipping away and bulldozing the Wall. I was living in Oklahoma at the time, and had two young children--ages three and one. I was in the midst of fixing a meal for the kids and I when the news came on TV that the Wall was coming down, and that people were crossing over from East Germany to West Germany and vice versa. I can remember standing in the living room in shock. The Berlin Wall was such an enigma--and one that seemed as if it would last forever. It was like a miracle to see people standing on the wall at work dismantling it. That was the biggest and most shocking news story of the day.
Now, back to the present and yesterday's celebrations in Berlin. Jirka and I watched the celebration live, on TV, last night. The place of the celebration was in front of the Brandenburg Gate--the area was full of boisterous people yelling and screaming with excitement. The crowd and the very air were filled with celebratory eagerness. Some of the world's older dignitaries (from the days of the cold war) were present at the lively celebration--these included Gorbachev, Lech Walesa, and Hilary Clinton. Jirka and I listened to several speeches, and then watched as giant dominoes (symbols of the original wall) were set to fall along the old path of the Berlin Wall. Talk about excitement. The crowd burst out with more celebratory screaming and excitement. We enjoyed watching this symbolic fall of the Berlin Wall from Prague.
The felling of the Berlin Wall had a direct impact on the people of the Czech Republic. For the first time, they saw that communism was actually coming to an end. The rumblings of dissatisfaction were coming to fruition. The Soviets did not retaliate with a full military occupation and crackdown of Germany as had happened in the Czech Republic in 1968--the Soviet crackdown of the Prague Spring. Jirka has told me that the Czechs really did see that the regime had no hope of surviving once the wall came down. Things were definitely going to change--and they did...on November 17th, 1989.
The fall of the Berlin Wall also had a direct impact on my life, but I had no inkling of this twenty years ago. I was in a bad marriage and had two very young daughters, and was living in the middle of Oklahoma. Who would have thought that one day I would be living in a former Eastern bloc country--one that had been behind the Wall and completely off-limits? If it wasn't for the fall of the Wall, I would not be here now--married to my Czech husband, Jiri. Our lives would have gone completely separate ways. It is amazing how something like the destruction of the Berlin Wall can have such far-reaching effects--even to bringing two people together years later. I, for one, am very thankful the Wall came down--not only for those who won freedom, but also for my husband and I. We were able to come together due to this historical event--I was able to experience the freedom of a life free from abuse, and find new life with a husband who loves and treats me well. I've been able to find love and adventure in midlife--brought about, in part, by the fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago.
That's all for now...you all have a great day!
God bless,
Sher :0)
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(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
WBSD Wrap Up
Hi Everyone,
WBSD was a success once again! Thank you to all you expat bloggers who had posts up on Saturday! All the comments and reactions were very positive to our ring around the world! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as Hospitalera and I did! We got together to celebrate WBSD 3--it was so much fun watching all the posts go live and then surfing from blog to blog!
And a huge thank you to Karen, from Empty Nest Expat, for being our live Twitter reporter! You did a great job, Karen! You worked long hours on that...thank you so much!
We're planning the next WBSD for just after the holidays--sometime in January. Hospitalera and I will be working on putting together on a new official WBSD website! That's very exciting and will also make things easier to work on. Plus, it will be a site that hopefully everyone will be able to access. We'll keep you all updated. If you'd like to participate again, be thinking about some topic suggestions. We'll probably run a poll again for the next one--if you enjoyed that! Let us know with your comments!
Well, that's all for now. A big thanks to all of you who participated!!! You all did great work!!!!
Have a great day!
God bless,
Sher :0)
Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff
(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath
WBSD was a success once again! Thank you to all you expat bloggers who had posts up on Saturday! All the comments and reactions were very positive to our ring around the world! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as Hospitalera and I did! We got together to celebrate WBSD 3--it was so much fun watching all the posts go live and then surfing from blog to blog!
And a huge thank you to Karen, from Empty Nest Expat, for being our live Twitter reporter! You did a great job, Karen! You worked long hours on that...thank you so much!
We're planning the next WBSD for just after the holidays--sometime in January. Hospitalera and I will be working on putting together on a new official WBSD website! That's very exciting and will also make things easier to work on. Plus, it will be a site that hopefully everyone will be able to access. We'll keep you all updated. If you'd like to participate again, be thinking about some topic suggestions. We'll probably run a poll again for the next one--if you enjoyed that! Let us know with your comments!
Well, that's all for now. A big thanks to all of you who participated!!! You all did great work!!!!
Have a great day!
God bless,
Sher :0)
Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff
(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath
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