** Holding Mail **

We've had a bad experience -twice in fact- with packages being returned because we were not in town to pick them up. Ceska Posta holds packages for 1 week. They notify us when a package arrives and again 3 days later. If no one picks up a package after 4 more days, then it's "Return to Sender". A pricey and painful lesson.

In late July we are going to Croatia for 10 days (and Ella's birthday is right when we get back), so we figure it's best to warn folks not to send anything until late July (okay, Grammy?). Anything sent before today will very likely to get here. Since they hold for a week and we're gone for just 10 days, the risk of something being returned is small.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Just wanted to post a quick "THANK YOU!" to everyone out there who has sent along birthday wishes, cards, and gifts via snail mail, email, facebook, and skype. It's been wonderful!!!! I had 7 different versions of "Happy Birthday" sung to me on voicemail alone! And I loved every one of them! I had a marvellous birthday and felt completely spoiled by friends and family here and abroad...not least of all by my awesome husband, Jeff.

And my birthday will continue as Jeff is planning a trip to the ocean for us...Croatia here we come! Woohoo!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Maylia
xo

Festival Season!

Prague marks the beginning of summer with lots and lots of festivals! June is full of them!

Last weekend we took in the Prague Quadrennial....the world's largest scenographic exhibition. What is that?!? Good question! It was a HUGE exhibition from theater people around the world showing off costume and stage design. Very, very interesting to see...if we felt a bit out-of-the-loop at times. Ella enjoyed it too, as they had interactive displays that were kid-friendly. Unfortunately, we are still without a camera so I will just include an older photo of the location of the exhibition (Výstaviště Exhibition Ground).

AND....I almost forgot to say we were interviewed by a Brazilian reporter for the newspaper Estadao. Photos and everything! I haven't been able to find anything on us but she gave me her email address, so I will contact her and certainly let you all know if we've become world-famous!!!!

Coming up this week, starting today in honour of World Music Day, is the United Islands of Prague Festival, which features free music on three of Prague's islands as well as on the banks of the Vltava. Here's some more info in english. I'm sure Jeff, Ella, and I will try to take part in some of this.

However, it will be tough competition on Saturday because we will be busy celebrating the summer solstice with a traditional Swedish Midsummer party. Our friends, Annika and Ingvar (and Victor and Linnéa) will be sharing this festive event with us. If it's a sunny day they will be hosting it here, in our garden. Hopefully we will be able to share some photos with you as I'm sure someone will have a camera. At this point I only know that we need to bring flowers to make wreaths and that there will be lots of new-to-us yummy food...

To top it off, my friend and "co-worker" (we teach the children's music class together), Leah, and her husband, Mirek, have organized an amazing street theater festival taking place July 2 to 4. It's called Teatrotoč Street Theatre Festival. WOW! It looks awesome! Can't wait to take it in...

I know this is only a taste of what's happening here in the city these days. Everyone's been telling me that June is a crazy festival month in Prague. Very happy we're here to take advantage of it!

Maylia

PS Here's a bonus Ella photo from the archives...June 6, 2007.

Praha Welcomes JoAnne
and misses her....


Last week we were so lucky to have our friend, JoAnne, stay with us. It was a short, but very sweet, visit of a mere 6 days. We still imagine she is here with us...particularly Ella who sometimes says, "JoAnne! JoAnne!" when she hears a woman's voice nearby. Ella is a big fan of JoAnne and it was a treat to watch them become friends!



We packed alot into 6 days! I got to see some things that were new to me, as well. We shopped at a Czech flea market, Bleší trh:


We attended a Fringe Festival play, (I also attended one with Jeff and another with Ella earlier in the week) and re-visited Kutná Hora with its "bone church". We admired artwork at the Mucha Museum, and were educated at the Jewish Museum (which includes several synagogues and a cemetary):


And of course we took in many other Prague sights, like walking the Charles Bridge (during both day and night) and witnessing the bells of the Astrological Clock:


JoAnne even had the opportunity to visit one of her long-lost Czech travel mates in their hometown of Jindřichův Hradec. This beautiful town in southern Bohemia is now on our "must-see" list. Ever the adventurer, JoAnne made the train trip down and back (complete with 3-minute transfers!) solo.


But, by far, the best part was just spending time with Jo.


Although JoAnne is by no means a novice traveller, this was her first trip to Prague; in fact, it was her first trip to Europe! If her claims are true, she has fallen in love and will return to us.



We can't wait!

Maylia

PS During a walk on the Charles Bridge, I dropped our digital camera. It is really broken this time! I say, "this time", because Ella has dropped it so many times but it has kept on ticking. Ironic that me dropping it is the fatal blow. Anyway, you may notice a decrease in the photo department for the next little while...

Bush is in Town (& Announces "Cold War is Over")


He's only here for a day (Tuesday, June 5), but a 24-hour anti-Bush demonstration is happening downtown. His entourage is in the hundreds. Security forces in the thousands. The Prague Hilton has turned into a military bunker.
What's the big deal?...a very hot topic here since last January, but CNN and US news have other news to print. The topic is Bush's missile shield in Europe.

US is gearing up to install a radar base in the Czech Republic and a missile base in Poland.

No one wants it here, but somehow the government changed its mind.

In true blogger writing style, I'll just say: "Russia is really pissed off about it all."

Justifiably so. Building new missile bases in Eastern Europe is a throw-back to Cold War days and it starts a new nuclear arms race. Sound overly dramatic? - Read on.

US has been quickly and quietly building up new anti-missile defenses in Alaska, California, England. Plus additional new military bases throughout Eastern Europe, in Romania and Bulgaria.

The 4 bases in Romania & 3 bases in Bulgaria weren't a problem for Russia.

US military in Eastern Europe only became a huge public problem when it was Czech and Poland's turn.

Russia finally called "foul" about this massive tipping in the strategic balance.

To Russia, the US says "Don't worry about it."
Rice, Cheney and Bush take turns accusing Russia of being in "another era."

Ironically, Secretary Rice also misspoke from that era, saying "The idea that somehow 10 interceptors and a few radars in Eastern Europe are going to threaten the Soviet strategic deterrent is purely ludicrous and everybody knows it." That was said April 26th 2007 (not 1987). To her credit, Soviet foreign and defense policy is her specialty, so it was just a honest slip, right?

As a result, Russia is escalating in leaps and bounds:
On April 26th, Putin threatened to drop Russia out of the CFE Treaty or Convential Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (limits on artillery, tanks, etc. on European soil). This was at the same Oslo meeting where Condi forgot that the Soviet Union is history.

Putin has also announced the upcoming commissioning of 2 new nuclear submaries -the first ones since before the Soviet Union fell 16 years ago.

The head of the US Missile Defense Agency visited Prague in April, convincing the local goverments of the need.

Last Thursday, Russia fired a new ICBM (from just a truck) that went 3,400 miles in under an hour. Read on FOXNews, CNN, Boston.com, BBC

Bush plans on visiting Putin next month, but after he leaves Prague today, the deal is sealed. While locals are strongly opposed to the radar, the CZ govt is for it. So much for democracy.

Last Sunday, in an interview with Canada's Globe & Mail, Putin says the US bases will force Russia to target Europe (again). Just a few days ago, Putin was asked whether the U.S. missile defence shield in Eastern Europe will compel Moscow to target its own missiles on U.S. military sites and other locations in Europe. Putin's answer was "Naturally, yes."

Quick history bullet
The Cold War ended like 15-20 years ago.
In 1989-1990, the Berlin Wall fell, two Germanys became one again and Czechoslovakia and the old Poland changed from communist to free, democratic countries. On July 1st 1991, the Warsaw Pact was officially dissolved (here in Prague). Finally, on July 31st 1991, the Soviets and USA agreed to reduce nuclear stockpiles.
That was then.

In 2002 the US made clear that nuclear weapons are good to have again.
US pulled itself out of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and started the Missile Defense Agency.

If you come across the debate of, "Are the missiles protecting Europe against Iran or Russia?" -that's taken as a joke everywhere: Czech, Russia, NATO, entire EU, everywhere except in the US. For the local bases, it is positioned against Russia (if in doubt, get a map).

Bush Announces "Cold War is Over"
As a sidenote: Just a few hours ago, Bush assured the people of Prague that he will take care of the whole misunderstanding: "My message will be Vladimir — I call him Vladimir — you shouldn't fear a missile defense system," Bush said. "As a matter of fact, why don't you cooperate with us on a missile defense system."
Update to Bush's offer: Russia may cooperate by allowing US to practice with their missiles.

...Sure hope this doesn't impact our new flat's property value years from now. We already experienced rebuilding a wall at our last address ...don't need that business again. (very few people will get that)