The big news is that Charyssa, Max, and Katrina arrived on the 6th of August. Their trip went just fine. Katrina slept well on the overnight flight while Max was busy enjoying the many channels of TV available on the little screens that each seat has! They got into the airport on time and amazingly all their luggage came with them. We had a shuttle van take us to our apartment. The kids have settled into their room and seem to like the bunk beds. They are adjusting to life without a car and more walking than they have ever done. They enjoy riding the trams (what we would call street cars) and the metro with the huge escalators that go down, down, down. We have been exploring the nearby parks and playgrounds. The playgrounds are all well fenced and many have slightly different play equipment which the kids have enjoyed. It has been really warm and muggy (so this is what summer is like!) and we found a nice swimming pool just a short walk from our apartment. We did notice some different norms as far as swimming suits go. For example, swim diapers and suits are optional for the under 6 set! Some kids wear them, but many do not. Max and Katrina had a great time playing with some Czech kids from the neighborhood at the park this evening. We notice that they're already starting to pick up a few words. The language barrier hardly seems to exist for kids when they are running around playing. Also, the different types of candy and ice cream bars have been fun for them to try. There is A LOT of chocolate and we hope to sample it all. We explored the Prague Zoo on Saturday. It was sunny and warm with lots of Czech families out for the day. It's a beautiful zoo and quite different in that the animals are really so close. For example, we could go INTO the lemur area and get right up next to them. This was a thrill for the kids since both of them have watched the PBS show Zaboomafoo. The zoo also has a chairlift which took us up to the high point from which we walked down past a lot of animal exhibits. We know we will be back there again soon. Each day has a new adventure for us at this point. Rod went to many music stores last week and finally found a keyboard, so we will all be able to keep up our playing. Whether it is exploring the local grocery store, riding the metro and listening for our stop, or figuring out how to open the apartment door, each day brings us new challenges and adventures. It's exhausting and exhilerating at the same time.
Oh, I suppose we should have a few pictures. Here we are in Old Town Square:
Here’s Max (with Katrina in the lower right corner) at an avant-garde playground with the 14th century Charles Bridge in the background.
And here’s a pic of the Old Town Hall with a dark and stormy backdrop.
I am so excited for you all and will be living vicariously in Prague with you this year. Can't wait for new posts.
ReplyDeleteLove, your travel-starved cuz in Denver