You Know You’re Not in the US…

…when you see this at the local gas station.

2015-07-28_you know youre not in the US

 

On a hot July day, in Cesky Raj (“Bohemian Paradise”) we stop to refuel. What comes into view is this Czech man, multi-tasking by the pumps.

Eh, why not?

It’s practical. Painting a picnic bench, keeping cool, and catching some summertime rays.

Even more amusing is when I point out the scene to the Bohemian. Looking at the painter, then looking at me, he asks a genuine, “What?

This response, indicating that he had clearly grooved right back in to the mores and norms of his native land.

Out of respect, I’d typically hesitate to post this photo without asking. But in this case, the subject just doesn’t seem shy.

I love Czech.

Master Work

2015-07-21_czech shed

They laughed at me when I asked if I could take a photo. The Bohemian’s family may have expected I’d be snapping shots of castles and ornate statuary on our visit to the Czech Republic, but not pictures inside the shed on the side of their house.

For me, those hundreds of carefully cut pieces of wood, and the piles of freshly harvested garlic, were just as picture-worthy. What a labor! An art serving great function.

To them, it’s ordinary. To me, a master work.

More from Moravia

Though we have now returned from our excursion through the Czech Republic, there are still many photos and stories to share. In my first attempt at this posting, the pictures below took over an hour to upload and then refused to be published, due to a spotty internet connection. Back on Kauai now, technology allows me to share.

The location of these shots are from Moravia, specifically the Hana region, where the Bohemian and his family have lived for generations. Their courtyard garden and orchard were an oasis for us, as we spent many hours eating crisp cucumbers from the garden, sipping pivo (beer) on the lawn, and watching swallows swooping the eaves in summer light.

The second photo is a greenhouse wall, made by the Bohemian and his father nearly 20 years ago, using old glass jars and mortar. Today it houses paprika plants, or what is known in English as peppers.

image

image