Europhile: C'est ma vie!

Wanted: Internet Free Europe

We've got radio, now we just need email access ...

... and a grammar function for flannel jammies.

posted by europhile @ 05:42 0 comments

You know it was Thanksgiving when ...

1) There are more dishes scattered about the kitchen than you personally own.
2) When the phrase „I think I need some tums“ just means it was a good meal.
3) When you’ve eaten so much that just looking at the leftovers on the stove is enough to plunge you into the deepest cleaning-related apathy you’ve ever experienced.
4) When you have more leftovers than you have containers to put them in.
5) When the lights are dim and no one is talking and suddenly it’s Friday afternoon about 3.30. (Or if you’re me, it’s Sunday morning around 9).

And finally ...
6) When Dan didn’t have room for any fresh brown bread!

But it was a good meal. It may have been a chicken, but we named it „Turkey“ and we ate it with cranberry, mashed potatoes, stuffing, carrots and nice red wine. And the best thing about it was that we didn’t even set off the bleeding fire alarm. :)


Dan with "Turkey."


The table (duh) complete with Erica's home-made stuffing, "Turkey", carrots, cranberry (courtesy of Erica's Mom, shipped a thousand miles, mashed potatoes, and french (wait...) wine.

That's it. Thank you for all the postcards and shipments of beef, but I really am eating enough! :)

posted by europhile @ 08:26 0 comments

Speaking of Bulgaria (err, Thanksgiving) ...

Today, I'm thankful for a lot of things. Among them are the following:

- 1-crown rohliky
- Scottish tea (couldn't find Irish)
- My favorite lahudky, Jan Paukert
- Scarves
- Textbooks
- Wool
- Having ears (so that I can put a pen behind them, duh)
- The 24-hour potraviny
- Text-messaging
- Christmas markets
- Paperclips
- The way a shirt and tie make students pay more attention
- Czech people that don't mind that I speak awful Czech
- English people that don't mind that I speak awful English
- That it's not so cold that the snot freezes in my nose
- French
- Shepherd's Pie
- That we have a petunia that just won't die, despite being surrounded by snow
- Instant soup
- That the rest of the week's lessons are ready!
- That despite my propensity to complain, I lead a pretty dang blessed life.

What are YOU thankful for ? (I'm sorry, the rohliky are only here - you will have to survive with turkey and stuffing!)

posted by europhile @ 09:38 0 comments

And what would an awesome flat be ...

... without an awesome flatmate???

The self-proclaimed "sous-chef," we actually trade for that role!


She even let me put the Guinness poster in our dining room. =)

AND, she is responsible for the our Thanksgiving Turkey (made out of paper), which I promptly named "Bulgaria".

Well, I think it's funny, and frankly, that's all that matters.

posted by europhile @ 09:29 0 comments

Snih! See!

posted by europhile @ 09:27 0 comments

U Vinoteky

Blue neon lights in the window recall a herna bar – a place with dirty patrons, large fingerprint-stained glasses of pilsener, and the ever-smiling faces of gambling machines – but the old wooden sign bearing a bunch of grapes and the purple-tinged “Moravskych vin” title suggest something else. It’s a welcome sort of a place, coming in from the cool Prague twilight. The door shuts quietly and a dog looks up at you trustingly. Inside it’s smaller than you think it will be, and the patrons look up at you from their cigarettes and wine glasses that don’t stay full for very long. There’s a football match on the only television and everyone is glued to the screen, except perhaps the older gentleman by the door. It’s a corner pub and the bar takes up the lion’s share of the corner. It’s all wood inside, and bunches of purple grapes hang low overhead. A chalkboard advertising the “Finest Wines and Spirits” hangs to one side, and despite being written in English, seems to fit. A Tullamore Dew sign hangs opposite, partially hidden by a lazy cloud of smoke. The bartender is friendly here, and he tips his head when he notices you. Co si date? He asks what you will have. He doesn’t mind that you’re foreigners. You order your glasses of červené vino, and he fills them from the large glass pitcher on the counter. He brings two generous glasses of red wine to the bar, and takes a large Mattoni bottles from the old man next to you, topping it up with Rulandské for the trip home, or wherever he might be going. Then Slavia scores and the ruddy-faced man to your right you starts yelling in a hoarse voice, pounding fists on the table. A man on the other side of the bar yells back – and you think, perhaps he’s just not a fan. Or maybe he’s agreeing, it’s hard to say, but the bartender smiles indulgently and the place begins to feel just a little bit homey.

posted by europhile @ 08:56 1 comments

Today's English Lesson Topics

Good morning, class! Today we're going to talk about ...

Choose the correct option:
(a) U2
(b) Sailing
(c) An exam
(d) Beer

...
...
...

If you chose ANY of the above options, YOU ARE CORRECT!

What a day for lessons, I really must say.

posted by europhile @ 04:59 0 comments

Let's Write a Fairytale

Český Krumlov - They call it the "fairy tale" town of the Czech Republic. Perhaps this has something to do with it ...


Town, as viewed from the castle


Castle, as viewed from the town!


And what would a blog be without a picture of the author ?

They call it the "fairy tale" town. I suppose that all fairy tales are a bit different. Ours involved a crazy bus ride, a cute hostel, potato soup, used book stores, used clothing stores, svařené vino, lovely sunny weather, a playground, tequila with a Czech national volleyball star, lots of pictures, and a pub with gulaš and Kozel on tap.

But I think if it ends with "happily ever after", it's still a fairy tale. :)

posted by europhile @ 08:54 0 comments

Why I love Prague (# 7)

The dogs. Czechs love their dogs. I mean they are crazy about their dogs. It isn’t uncommon to be eating in a restaurant when someone will come in with their dog, and the dog will lie meekly in the aisle. And it’s not unheard of that the waiter will bring a water bowl for the dog.

posted by europhile @ 04:39 0 comments

See Mom, I told you I'm eating!

In case anyone was still worried about my waistline - proof that I eat! Incidentally, thank you for all your concerned comments. Erica tells me it's no small wonder I haven't exploded, considering how much I eat. But I think she's just jealous.


Dan with "Czech Cookery" recipe book, (oooh... ahhhh).


Mmmm, potato soup. Yes, I take pictures of food, OK ????

posted by europhile @ 04:42 0 comments