Trip to the Golden City

We spent this past weekend in the capital, Prague. This beautiful city, founded in 885 A.D. is also known as: The Golden City, and The City of a Hundred Spires, and The Mother of Cities. None of these nicknames does it justice.

We don't make it to Prague as much as we would like.  It's a two-hour forty-minute train ride. So, to make it worthwhile, we either need to leave early and stay late or spend the night. For this trip we did both, leaving home at 6:30 Saturday morning, spending the night at a friend's apartment, then getting home around 8:00 p.m. on Sunday (I know it's not that late).

It's fun to get around in Prague. At the train station, they announce arrivals and departures with the first four notes from one of the movements of Ma Vlast by the Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. Within the city we traveled by bus, trolley, and, my favorite, the Metro (subway). I dig the long escalator, the peculiar smell, and the rushing wind as the train approaches in the tunnel. Traveling below ground, however, makes it tough to get a sense as to how the various parts of the city fit together.

Escalator down into the Metro.	The Metro.	A Trolley. From Prague

The first place we went was Prague Castle. A person really ought to spend a couple of days there, we spent part of an afternoon. Here are some photos...

Prague Castle from across the Vltava River. From Prague

The central element of Prague Castle is the Saint Vitus Cathedral. It is a Gothic church with the most amazing detailing outside and in. It also contains the tombs of many Czech kings and priests.

Front door of St. Vitus.	Above the front door.	One of the many statues on the exterior.

We also went into the best preserved Romanesque building in the Czech Republic, Saint George Basilica. It is both austere and beautiful.

Relief over the one of the doors of Saint George.	The Basilica from behind, the different elevations looked cool.

Golden Lane is a narrow street with tiny buildings that were once the home of alchemists and Franz Kafka. One of the buildings has a collection of armor and weapons that made Caleb drool.

Looking down an alleyway.	Silas at the stairs to the armor and weapon museum.	The buildings of Golden Lane.

We finished our tour of Prague Castle with a visit to a dungeon named Daliborka.  Its first occupant back in 1498 was a young lord, Dalibor, who sympathized with the plight of  his cruel neighbor's serfs and encouraged them to revolt. Captured and imprisoned in the new tower, he used his last few coins from which he should have purchased food from the guards, and instead bought a violin. Czechs say that misery taught him to play. Townspeople would gather beneath the tower to listen to his sad melodies and in return would send food up to him. One night the crowds gathered to listen, yet the music never came.  They later learned he had been executed that morning.  Some say that occasionally one can still hear the faint strains of a haunted violin coming from that tower.  (We tried to convince Caleb to play his violin there in the shadows some night and freak people out.)

After the visit to Prague Castle we ate at a smoky restaurant/bar, because our thirteen-year old bottomless pit was getting desperate for food and there was no time to be choosy (not a highlight of the trip), but then had dessert at a fancy sugar shop which has been in business since 1905. It was nice.

Chandelier in fancy sugar shop. Neat thing...they had a photo of the place from the early 20th Century. The interior has been updated, but elements of the old design were carried artfully into the new. (Photo by Lucy)	Lucy with her treat.

On our way home we went past the statue of Saint Wenceslaus (as in "Good King Wenceslaus looked out on the feast of Stephen...")and I snapped this photo...

On Sunday morning we visited the Prague LDS congregation. We got to see a couple of familiar faces and met some new people. Kristine and Silas stayed at church for the children's Sunday School, while Caleb, Lucy and I went to the Jewish Quarter. We visited the Pinkas Synagogue where the names of some 80,000 Bohemian and Moravian Jews killed by the Nazis are inscribed on the walls. The Jews were confined to this ghetto for much of their 1000 years of residence in Prague. We walked through the cemetery where, because of lack of space for traditional burials, some people were buried 12 deep. The proximity of the gravestones to each other has an ethereal quality.  We didn't get a photo of this, but we highly encourage you to click on the link so you can see photos.  Finally, we went to the dazzling Spanish Synagogue where there is a display of Jewish history in the region during the 19th Century - a time when reforms allowed more freedoms for Jews and Czechs were asserting their national identity. We didn't got into the Old-New Synagogue - the final resting place of the Golem of Prague. This part of our trip was one of Caleb's favorites.

We met back up on the Old Town Square. There was a fair going on and the square is surrounded by some of the most magnificent structures in the city.

Church.	Some old building.	Jan Hus statue (notice statues on buildings in background).

Old City Hall.	Cheese vendor's display (photo by Lucy).	Clock on old town hall (photo by Lucy).

We walked down to Charles Bridge, probably the most iconic place in all of Prague. Seeing the statues on this old stone bridge would be worth the price of a plane ticket. We walked through part of the city below Prague Castle. We saw a man in armor with a sword. Silas asked "what is he doing?" Kristine told him that he is probably just trying to drum up business for this tower you can climb. Silas didn't care for that pragmatic answer and instead informed her that "he is defending his tower from bad guys."

Crossing a bridge over a little arm of the Vltava River, we came across this fence with all these locks attached to the bars. They all have the names of a couple on them. Apparently, lovers put their names on the locks and attach them there as a symbol of their affection. In the water below....dozens of shiny keys thrown away.

Fence with lover locks.

We came home inspired and reminded why we wanted to come to this place so rich in history.

Peter & Kristine

What Tribe Are We?

I went running with Aleš this morning. It was beautiful. It's now light enough at 6:30 to see where we are going. I mentioned to him that Torah Bright won the gold medal in snowboarding last night. He said to me, "She's one of the tribe you know."

He was referring to the Mormon tribe as discussed in an article entitled "Mormon 'tribe' feels like home" in the Mormon Times by Orson Scott Card. The gist of it is something that Mormons recognize and take comfort in - the fact that no matter where we go in the world, we have brothers and sisters with whom we share a bond of common beliefs. So whether it's inviting the visiting geology student with dreadlocks that you never met before over for dinner after church on Sunday or cheering for a daring, young snowboarder, we kind of stick together.

That got me a thinking about watching the Olympics and the athletes for whom we cheer.

Of course we cheer for the Americans because we share a nationality with them. And, with a country as big and affluent as the U.S., there is always something for which to cheer. Going back, we can all remember when the U.S. Hockey team beat the Soviets in Lake Placid, NY in 1980. Or, yet farther back, seeing video of Jessie Owens winning at the Summer Olympics in Berlin in 1936. It's funny how victory seems all the more sweet when there's ideology on the line.

Being from Minnesota, we feel a little closer to those athletes who grew up just down the road from us. It's been fun to watch curling since the men and women are almost exclusively from Minnesota or Wisconsin. Hearkening back again to 1980, lots of those hockey players and the great Herb Brooks were Golden Gophers. Curling, hockey, wrestling - that's where you're most likely to see our folks shining.

Canada - as Minnesotans we are culturally and linguistically much closer to Canadians than we are to New Yorkers or Californians. When I was on my mission, missionaries from out west used to comment on my accent and think I was Canadian. I've always had an affinity for our neighbors to the north. I think I just respect them for how hard life must be up there. Plus, they are clean and polite. I have to admit a certain amount of pride at receiving a single vote to become Prime Minister of Canada once (thanks Ginny). So, when the Canadians play (as long as it's not against the U.S.) I cheer for them.

Well, you knew this one was coming. Little by little we become more and more Czech as we live here. Beyond that there is the fact that Kristine's ancestry, through her father, is Czech. Genetically, she and the kids are Czech. So, when the Czech hockey team with the great Jaromir Jagr plays or when Martina Sáblíková skates, we go wild. Especially because Martinka (as we affectionately call her) started out skating on ponds, just like Minnesota kids used to start playing hockey. With a population of only 10 million, they're holding their own with two medals so far (still more impressive is that Slovakia, with only has half as many people, also have two medals).

You don't hear a lot about Argentina during the Winter Olympics. As the country grows wealthier, though, I expect we'll someday see some downhill skiers come out of the Andes Mountains. Still, whenever I see any good news from Argentina, it is pleasing. To some degree the same holds true for any Spanish speaking country. So, if it seems that I respond defensively to people who would discriminate against Latinos, it's because they are my hermanos.

Which brings us to the question of to which tribe we belong. As we get older and have more dealings with people from different backgrounds, we realize the vast majority of us share a basic set of beliefs and dream similar dreams. So we start to feel connected to people regardless of arbitrary political divisions, minuscule genetic variations, or mother tongue and our tribe expands to include all those who love freedom, all those who promote tolerance, all those who believe in kindness.

The great chief of the Mormon tribe, Joseph Smith, put it this way:


"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

Enjoy the Games!

Peter

Love and the last couple of weeks summarized

Happy Valentine's Day!

I rolled out of bed this morning, ambled off to the kitchen, fired up the computer, and was met by...

Kristine finished reading a draft of my book last night (Lucy beat her, though, finishing yesterday afternoon) and I'm hoping that her loading this as the desktop background indicates she does not disapprove of the ending. Things were a little tense here the last week or so as they read and reacted to things. But more on that in a moment.

Yes, Valentine's Day. I know some people say Bah Humbug. They might even go to an anti-valentine's party to celebrate singleness (secretly hoping they'll meet that special someone). I for one like it. I love my wife and don't mind letting her know it. I like to get homemade valentines from my kids. So, I will keep Valentine's Day with a roasted duck, dumplings and red cabbage, with a lemon meringue pie (or at least something that contains the same ingredients and rests in a pie tin), and, if luck should smile on me today, with the classic Czech fashion of smooching in the street.

Caleb and I went skiing in Austria with the Chrdlovi family. We made the hour drive across the border where the old check points now lie dark and quiet and, in the case of the Czech one, for sale. After riding the deluxe, six seat lift to the top, we looked down over the gentlest slope. Caleb said, "This is the easiest one?"


We shoved off. Caleb flew down the hill. I thought, "Oh man, he is out of control he might hurt himself." He was thinking the same as the steep initial slope got him going too fast for a simple snowplow approach wasn't enough to maintain speed control.

He survived that first run. Then Aleš, our running, biking, XC skiing, downhill racing, climbing, Branch President, doctor, friend gave him some lessons.

I eventually learned a lesson too. Now I know how the head of a hammer feels. My whole face felt like a fat lip after I planted it into the, thankfully, soft snow.
Couple of interesting observations: people are generally good skiers here (lots of people spend a week as a family in the Alps), most folks, young and old, wear helmets, we saw no one hauled off the slopes by ski-patrol (a several times a day occurrence at Mount Kato). Aleš assured me that during holidays in the Netherlands, when the Dutch come out for a week of skiing, there are a lot of ER visits.

Like I mentioned, I finished the second draft of my book about a week and a half ago. Cost me forty bucks to get it printed - most I ever spent on a book outside the organized crime ring known as college textbooks. Kristine and the kids have been reading it. I've been chewing my nails. I received some threats (if this turns out like that, you better get used to sleeping in the bathtub), some reactions ("How could you?"), and some affirmations ("It's starting to grow on me"). Also, a ton of suggestions for wording improvements that will make it much, much better.

We've gotten more snow. Folks say this is the best winter (lots of snow, yet pleasant temperatures) here in 40 years. Most years they only have snow on the ground for a couple weeks with gray and rain the rest of the winter. Good thing it's been snowy since we're missing a heck of a winter back home.

We've had a couple of orchestra concerts, a little illness (Silas with a cold, me with a high fever for a couple days), more downhill skiing (at a small local hill) and XC skiing. Otherwise, kind of the same things - school, english classes, etc.
Peter

The Family According to Lucka Harffova

Silas-Silas is a Sunbeam now, so we teach him at home on Sunday evenings. We recently watched Prince Caspian, so now he pretends that Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, Reepicheep, and Aslan live in our house.

What he misses most about home: his house and his friend, Joseph S.

Lucka- I am totally loving the Czech Republic! I'm not sure if I want to go back to the U.S.A. Although, I do miss a lot of stuff. What I miss most about home: It changes a ton. Right now it would be the unbelievably great access to great books. But by tomorrow it might change. What I love most about the Czech Republic: I have no idea what so ever. I love it all!!!!!!!!!!! (almost) By the way, my English grammar has melted like the snow. Although, my Czech grammar is definitely improving. In a few years you won't see me like this. I won't say anything else about it to build up the suspense.     









Caleb- He likes skiing. What he misses most about home: friends. What he loves most about the Czech Republic: learning to fence.  













 Kristinka-She loves the Czech Pastries .

Petr-Done with the second draft of his book. It is a fairy tale. What he misses most about home: yerba mate What he loves most about the Czech Republic: running along the Malse river at dawn.

Bernie Czech and Other Czech Media Darlings

Back at home in the USA we didn't get TV reception and I won't buy cable until it's free and comes without unsightly cables, so we got our video fix by getting DVDs from the library or video store. We also still carried with us some of our old, idealistic anti-TV feelings from back when we didn't even have a means to watch videos and had to content ourselves with playing games, reading, and talking to one another.

Well, we're in a new country now with a different culture and different language. Just like billions of people worldwide learn about America through such shows as Dallas, Little House on the Prairie, and The Simpsons, we turned to the TV to bring Czech culture and native speakers into our living room.

We get three channels: CT1, Nova, and Prima. Programming is like US TV with the following notable differences:

• shows don't necessarily start on the half hour, or even the quarter hour, they can begin whenever
• because of the flexibility they have more shorts (usually children's shows or news) that may only be 10-15 minutes long
• commercial breaks don't occur every eight minutes or whatever the interval is in the US, they are much less frequent, but when they occur, you may as well get up and do the dishes or go for a jog, the breaks are long
• in addition to shows produced right here, they have programming from all over the world dubbed into Czech.
• there are a lot of cop and criminal investigation shows on
• they have more PBS style programming for kids on the commercial stations (it may be that all the stations are partially supported by taxes).

The brightest star in the Czech television sky is our good friend Večerniček, or, as Silas calls it, "Bernie Czech." This TV show has been on Czech TV since 1965 and airs at 6:45 p.m. each night. It starts with a little guy greeting the children by saying "Dobry večer" (good evening) (Click here to watch on YouTube). They then show a short, usually animated (often stop motion) show from somewhere in the world. They are cute stories for small children. Each one is self contained, but they might run a series with the same characters for a week or two. The show ends with the little guy saying "Dobrou noc" (good night) indicating it is time to get ready for bed (Click here to watch on YouTube).

This show is a cultural institution here. It's not just kids that watch it, whole families gather on the couch, children in laps, grandma in her chair, to see it each night. Sometimes the episode they show is old, from when the parents were kids. It's delightful.

Another show that we like is called Zpivanky. On TV a couple of times a week, each one takes a Czech folk song and puts actions with it. They are sometimes cute, sometimes just weird, but they maintain a cultural literacy that would otherwise be at risk of disappearing. It's interesting also, given the history of the Czech people, that when their culture was being exterminated by the Austro-Hungarian empire, one of the things the Czech nationalists did was to scour the countryside writing down the words and music to the old folk songs (as well as stories and the language). Now many hundreds of folk songs are known. Antonin Dvořak (and others) took advantage of that work and incorporated some of the melodies into their classical works (like what he did using American folk tunes in the New World Symphony). Here's an example of one of the episodes of Zpivanky.

Finally, there are the fairy tales. Many Czech fairy tales (some of which are variations on the ones familiar to us from the Brothers Grimm) have been made into short movies for TV. Each Sunday at 1:05 they show one on CT1. During Christmas they were on all the time.

The Czechs have also produced plenty of movies. They have a distinctive humor - which I usually don't get. I watch them anyway though, hoping to someday understand what they are saying.

Peter