2024-01-14 11:07
I apologise for the gap in posts. You must have thought I had given up on this blog, and maybe I had. Maybe having sold the house and been confined to the UK by Covid, bad knees and back it… Read More
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2021-02-18 18:52
I was talking to my son this afternoon via Zoom and we came to the topic of Czech prints of puppets. As those of you who are regular followers of this blog will know, the Czechs are experts… Read More
2021-01-20 11:31
I am mindful that I have not blogged here for a while. I have been unable to get back to the Czech Republic for a year now because of Covid 19 restrictions, which makes blogging difficult. H… Read More
2020-05-10 13:42
I am sometimes asked how I found our Czech house. The answer is Hannah's carpenter - Frantisek. She told him I was looking and he took it upon himself to find the right house for me. When I… Read More
2020-03-24 11:02
One thing being in the Czech Republic gives me is a tendency to observe more closely those little things, that usually I pass by. There I was walking around the square in Telc, a place bustl… Read More
2020-03-12 15:24
When the purchasers of my house first visited, they asked about the land around the house. On hearing that it had always been rented to the house owners by the council, they got very excited… Read More
2020-01-27 19:53
On this the Holocaust Memorial Day this post is about the concentration camp at Lety close to Pisek. Lety was built as a labour camp for criminals by the Czechoslovak authorities, but i… Read More
2020-01-13 20:27
Before Christmas I spent four weeks waiting to sign the contract for the sale of the house. In the end the signing took place on the morning of my departure date. So I am again in the Czech… Read More
2020-01-02 22:34
On the walk down to the train station I pass the swimming pond. The pond is now frozen over and soon the ice will be thick enough to skate on. But on hot summer days it is full of locals enj… Read More
2019-12-21 23:19
This little fellow came with the house. He was here when we took possession of the place on that bright sunny November morning in 2005. He has stood watch over the approach to the front door… Read More
2019-12-10 17:46
A friend and I were laughing recently about our mutual friend, Hannah, who always denied that wolves could be in the Czech Republic. But then she always denied that anything bad could be fro… Read More
2019-12-04 20:24
I have been listening to a delightful radio programme on the BBC called Susurrations of Trees - susurration is the English word for the sound trees make. The programme does not just exp… Read More
2019-11-30 14:08
I sometimes dream of houses; I did last night. Hannah used to take the Jungian line on house dreams that they are not about houses but about the dreamer, with the various floors representing… Read More
2019-11-24 12:23
One wonderful thing about my life in this country has been this blog. I don't think I fully realized its importance to me until now. Writing the blog was my first step towards starting writi… Read More
2019-11-21 16:23
I am in a strange state of mind. I have returned to finalize the house sale. Unless things get delayed, which they might, this is my last stay in my home. I am already saying goodbye to plac… Read More
2019-11-15 11:46
Olsina LakeAs I was lying in bed the other night I watched a battle taking place above my head. Mosquitoes that had escaped from the cellar when I was fixing the pump now bounced over the ce… Read More
2019-10-30 17:05
The other day I was clearing moss from around the hatch to the septic tank. I lifted the metal hatch to ease some moss out to find that we have squatters in the septic tank. One – a la… Read More
2019-10-19 07:57
On Saturday I met my friend Helena in Cesky Krumlov and walked with her over Dubik hill along the old pilgrim's way through the forest to Kajov. It was a slow affair, as we stopped to admire… Read More
2019-10-16 14:26
When I arrived back at the house a few days ago, I found my neighbour's lawn covered with shaggy ink cap mushrooms and others. I am told this happened last year. “Shame she can't eat t… Read More
2019-10-15 21:22
It has been a difficult year so far. Not long after I had returned from my short trip to check on the house, my mother died. It was quite sudden. On the saturday she went with my sister to a… Read More
2019-03-18 13:22
I have been wondering about blogging about the levels of tourism in Cesky Krumlov for some time now. You may think me a hypocrite for complaining about tourist numbers, having published a vi… Read More
2019-02-12 17:49
One of the problems with leaving my Czech house empty for months at a time is there are sometimes some nasty surprises when I get back. Once it was a blooming of dryrot fungus in the kitchen… Read More
2018-12-31 19:32
Another graphic from my collection of Czech exlibris and PFs (Christmas/New Year cards). This is of course Happy New Year card and was created by Ruda Svab. So to all of you a happy 201… Read More
2018-11-28 16:28
I have finally decided that my Czech adventure must come to an end and that I will be selling my Czech home. It is a heart-breaking decision to have to make. I love this house, this country… Read More
2018-09-30 14:34
Yesterday I went for a walk in the Sumava Forest. It was a delightful day - pleasantly warm and the forest had that lovely smell of resin and mushrooms. My walk began with a visit… Read More
2018-08-26 11:24
My talented neighbour has been chipping away at the statue of St Agnes of Bohemia at the bottom of the garden, and now she is revealed in all her glory.See https://czechproperty.blogspo… Read More
2018-08-13 11:38
The Czech Ministry of the Interior has issued some guidance for British citizens, who currently are residents of the Czech Republic. In the ongoing uncertainty of the shambles that is Brexit… Read More
2018-07-23 22:08
At the bottom of my garden an oak tree trunk is being transformed into a Bohemian saint and princess. The stillness of the evening is normally disturbed only by the call of my redstarts and… Read More
2018-06-19 20:54
Redstart on the fence next to the strimmerI spent the afternoon strimming the jungle that has grown in the yard. As I did so, I was watched by the redstart that lives in a hole in the back w… Read More
2018-05-06 19:56
On the side of the road between Volary and Lenora is a simple memorial. You can drive past easily without noticing the large rock with the granite plaque. As the Czechs commemorate the end o… Read More
2018-04-26 09:58
I am embarrassed to say that until this year I had never visited Galerie Hollar in Prague and yet it is so up my street. As regular readers will know I am a fan of Czech graphics and Galerie… Read More
2018-03-24 23:54
Tomorrow an exhibition of Czech exibris (bookplates) until 1945 opens at the National Monument at Vitkov in Prague and I will definitely be going. The exhibition celebrates the 100th anniver… Read More
2018-03-02 14:23
As a former arts manager I have always got a buzz with helping my creative friends, especially if I can do so by introducing them to each other. So when my friend Kristina, who runs my favou… Read More
2018-02-11 20:02
Yesterday we celebrated Masopust (Czech Carnival). It was the first time my husband had been at our Czech home for the festival. I am not sure why but he normally has returned to England and… Read More
2018-02-06 08:54
Yesterday I took my car for its two-yearly MOT and emissions test. It took a good hour of my time, with the waiting to go in and then the waiting while the tests took place. The Czech Govern… Read More
2018-01-31 19:57
So the Czech Republic has a new president who happens to be the same one as the old one. President Zeman won 51.4% of votes, seeing off his lacklustre opponent Jiri Drahos. The electorate is… Read More
2018-01-19 11:16
Today is the anniversary of the death of Jan Palach. I have written about the young student in the past in this post https://czechproperty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/jan-palach.html … Read More
2018-01-15 16:58
Yet another year goes by and I have again missed the re-enactment of the Battle of Austerlitz, which takes place in early December every year. I keep meaning to travel to the rolling hills s… Read More
2017-12-18 10:36
You will find beautiful glass Christmas tree decorations in gift shops and on Christmas market stalls all over the Czech Republic. The tradition of making these dainty baubles in this countr… Read More
2017-12-07 08:30
If you are thinking about sending a letter to Baby Jesus you better get a move on. The special Baby Jesus post box opened on the 3rd and will close on the 10th, when the White Lad… Read More
2017-12-04 22:18
I was in Cesky Krumlov two years ago today and thought I was just there for the Christmas market. Nothing was due to happen until the day after (5th December) when St Nicholas, accompanied b… Read More
2017-11-25 22:09
Wellingtons from the RAF 311 (Czechoslovak) squadron.Having just passed through the security check for my flight from Prague, I sat down to wait the opening of the gate. As I often do I star… Read More
2017-11-12 13:52
In the hills around my Czech home you can come across many memorials. Often they are wayside shrines to people who died on the roads. But a few remember those who died in the battle to free… Read More
2017-11-08 10:56
I was researching a trip for a friend of mine when I came across this building. The area I was exploring is the Sobeslav Blat area south west of Tabor, which is famous for its folk tradition… Read More
2017-09-08 11:17
I gave my Australian artist friend a tour of the more unknown treasures of the Czech Republic and Litomysl's Portmoneum had to be on the list of stops. From the outside the Portmoneum is a… Read More
2017-08-26 08:05
It is funny how people can be drawn to visiting a country. When I was running Czech Tours I always made a point of asking why people had chosen to come here, what had sparked their interest… Read More
2017-08-18 11:28
The Pig is the affectionate nickname given by the Czechs to a 1960s scooter and design icon produced by Cezeta. This is partly due to the scooter's snout and partly due to the pig as a Czech… Read More
2017-08-06 10:21
I have been looking for a present for my cousin's 25th wedding anniversary. It had to be small enough and tough enough to survive going in hand luggage. And this is what I found. It combines… Read More
2017-07-27 21:24
I have just finished reading The Other City by Michal Ajvaz.In this strange and lovely hymn to Prague, Michal Ajvaz repopulates the city of Kafka with ghosts, eccentrics, talking animal… Read More
2017-07-22 18:02
On a hot day there is nothing better than to order a carafe of domaci limonade and sit at a terrace table under a parasol. This is not lemonade in the fizzy artificial sense. It is in fact a… Read More
2017-07-13 13:57
I have been meaning to blog about walking the oldest nature trail in the Czech Republic for some time now. I actually walked the trail a year ago, but never got round to blog about it. … Read More
2017-07-05 16:57
The Czechs have two bank holidays back to back in early July (5th and 6th), which always catch me out.I roll up to a shop or bank only to realise my mistake. The two dates are both related t… Read More
2017-07-02 12:33
Before we had even bought our Czech home, we attended a performance of the Passion Play at the small town of Horice Na Sumave. This year I was invited to see it again by a neighbour who is t… Read More
2017-06-29 09:05
At last I have made it back to the Czech Republic! The last 12 months have been, as the Queen would say, an “annus horribilis”. First there was Brexit, which threw my whole futur… Read More
2017-03-05 19:47
Over the last seven days Masopust (Carnival) celebrations have been taking place across the Czech Republic. An important element of Czech carnival as it is in other countries is the wearing… Read More
2017-02-22 21:42
About a year ago I blogged about my new hobby of collecting Czech exlibris and other small prints. Well, the collection has grown a lot since then.In addition to exlibris (bookplates), a sig… Read More
2017-01-20 13:12
Yesterday we woke to bright sunshine, sparkling snow and frost flowers on the exterior window pane. This is the type of winter weather that first helped me fall in love with this country. Bi… Read More
2017-01-16 17:28
I apologize for the absence of posts over the last two months. Unfortunately I had a heart attack in mid-November and until now have not felt up to posting. In addition I was in England when… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-11-06 12:19
As a visitor to Prague you probably won't need to use many buses, as they mostly operate in the outskirts of the city. But if you do, they operate much as the trams do. You validate your tic… Read More
2016-10-25 18:24
My husband writes and gives talks about the history of buildings. His English Buildings Blog has just won the AMARA award for best architecture blog for the second year in a row. But despite… Read More
2016-10-11 00:00
I found this bag for the disposing of dog poo (it comes with a cardboard scoop inside) hanging on a post in Vimperk. Of course I had to have a copy for my dog-owning sister. The graphic's hu… Read More
2016-10-04 20:30
For my business I stayed in hotels around the Czech Republic and I put customers into hotels. And I tried to stay in the hotels before recommending them to my customers (it was a hard job bu… Read More
2016-09-27 00:00
The Golem legend, although it refers to the real historical figure Rabbi Loew, didn’t really appear until the 19th century. It seems to draw on or at least play to two separate traditi… Read More
2016-09-20 01:26
For a brief period in early Autumn stalls appear at the side of roads and outside supermarkets. Plastic barrels and bottles stand on market tables and beside them in a foldable chair s… Read More
2016-09-18 10:19
Today the last of my tours ended. The final set of customers, a group of walkers from Yorkshire, returned home. I have really enjoyed sharing my love of the Czech Republic with my customers… Read More
2016-09-13 20:48
Sometimes you meet people with whom you just click. Of course that is an experience that I have had in the UK, but somehow I find it happens more frequently here. I don't know why it is like… Read More
2016-09-08 14:19
As you walk up Resslova from Karlovo Namesti in Prague you pass on your left the Orthodox church of St Cyril and Methodius. Over a sealed opening into the crypt is a memorial to the paratroo… Read More
2016-09-04 15:07
I have been gathering a bumper crop of enormous backberries in my garden over the last week. My British readers may be saying "So what!" In the UK blackberries are something of a problem, sp… Read More
2016-08-28 01:56
I apologize for not posting for a few weeks. My elderly father has been in hospital. He came out today, just three days before I fly back to the Czech Republic from England. I have some clie… Read More
2016-07-29 00:00
This blog is taking part in the Magic Realism Bloghop again this year. Last year I blogged about Franz Kafka's Prague. This year I want to talk about my experience as a British writer in the… Read More
2016-06-12 12:00
I have been pondering whether to post about the British EU Referendum for several weeks. And now I have finally put fingers to keyboard. We bought our Czech house in 2004, so we are approach… Read More
2016-06-10 19:39
I have been meaning to make the journey to South Moravia to see the Ride of the Kings for several years. Until this year it clashed with work obligations elsewhere in the Czech Republic. Thi… Read More
2016-05-24 18:47
Hluboka Castle is one of the Czech Republic's most popular tourist attractions. It is a 19th Century white wedding cake of a castle, the sort of castle Walt Disney would dream up. Inside the… Read More
2016-05-10 17:06
You may have noticed on the news that the Czech Republic (urged on by President Zeman) is trying to rebrand itself as Czechia. This is meant to be the new official short English version of t… Read More
2016-04-26 14:27
As I passed through the wine country south of Znojmo on my way to Vienna, I stopped at the village of Satov. Here I was told by my friends at the Znojmo pension was a treasure: a wine cellar… Read More
2016-04-26 07:38
I have to admit that, despite having visited Brno both on my own and with customers, I hadn't made it to the city's Spilberk Castle. I don't know why; it was always on my to-visit list and i… Read More
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