Quick Visit Home

Before now I've never had a "quick visit" to my home country. It's always the other way around- a quick visit to Europe or Mexico. But 2 weeks ago I took a "quick trip" to Texas and Oklahoma to visit my family and friends. A quick 10 days to fight jet lag, catch up on X's and O's that just aren't the same over skype, meet a new human being who was born after I left in September, stuff my mouth with Mexican food, and say goodbye again. It was a huge change from my lifestyle here in the Czech Republic but it is surprising how easy it is to adjust to the numerous luxuries of being home where everything is comfortable and communication comes easily.

A quick visit is enough to fall in love with my new nephew. I had seen him before on skype but to hold him and kiss his soft cheeks was an experience that can't be digitalized. He's a spunky and vocal little chunk and I'm so excited to see how he has grown and changed when I see him again in 4 months.

During my quick visit I got to spend my birthday with my family and boyfriend- the only thing I requested for my birthday. As a bonus I got to watch American football! Yes, the Super Bowl was conveniently scheduled on my birthday. 

The only surprise of my quick visit was the weather in TX and OK. Usually you can count on sunny skies and 65 degrees (F) even in February. But upon my arrival there was a freak ice storm so all of North Texas promptly closed down for about a week. The outdoor jogs I dreamed of where quickly out the window but I definitely don't mind snuggling in front of a fire with my family and boyfriend. In actuality it couldn't have been more perfect. 

A great quick trip was followed up by a great first week back in Prague. School is in session again. The familiar faces of my students were a welcoming sight upon my return. I'm looking forward to another great semester of teaching my students and learning from my students. 

Photo of the Week- this time last year

This time last year we were on a family ski vacation near Granby, Colorado. 

Winter was beautiful and the aspen trees were calling me.

Looking back on a Canadian holiday

About this time last year I was returning from an adventure with our northern neighbors in CANADA! The  torch for the Vancouver Winter Olympics was passing through Toronto the night I arrived.

It was a reunion of sorts with my dear friend Clara M. who I met during my 6 month séjour in France. I met her wonderful family and boyfriend whom I felt as if I had met before from so many shared anecdotes. We sat on the chesterfield, sang songs, ate the most delicious Canadian cuisine (poutine, flapjacks with maple syrup and back bacon), and Clara taught me how to knit. We cooked and baked like we did together practically every night in France. I even witnessed a spaghetti noodle adorn the wooden beam in the kitchen.

We cross country skied over the river and through the snowy woods and sacrificed the tip top of a tree to wear beautiful ornaments in the living room. We cuddled next to the wood burning stove which gave off the smell that most reminds me of Christmas. Much of what I've written does not make sense, but it does to me and this is how I look back very fondly on my time in Canada.

Colorado Microbrews

 

The book Drinking and Driving in Colorado is not what it sounds like...
It is A Guide to Colorado's Brewpubs.

There's a lot of talk about Colorado microbreweries, but it wasn't until Jon and I sacrificed a weekend (yes, it was terrible) to hit the road drinking. MADD supporters relax, there was always two DDs: a designated driver and designated drinker. From Boulder to Golden and Longmont, we sampled tasty brew after brew.


Avery Brewing Co has a cozy tap room only miles from and Boulder Beer Company in Boulder. Closeby, Golden City Brewery had one of the best family-friendly beer gardens that I've ever been to in the U.S. It's an easy walk up to the bar to order BEER HERE:

Last but not least we visited Left Hand Brewery with my favorite lefty, my Dad! We sampling beer from bitter APAs to milky Stouts outside on their scenic patio. While in Longmont, a tour of the Oscar Blues Brewery helped us understand how special beer doctors abrakadabra water and hopps into BEER!

After a whirlwind Colorado microbrewery tour I have realized how little I know about all the different kinds of magic potions we call beer. Going to breweries or tap rooms allows you the option to taste the various brews and decide which you prefer while personalize the brand name at the same time :-).

What microbreweries in your area do you recommend? Sharing is caring!

Summertime conclusions

Alas, nighttime is creeping into day and this can only mean that Summer is ending. Summer could go out with a bang, but why be cliché about it. I can honestly say this whole summer has been a bang. I don't know that I could have fit more into these 3 short months. Between graduating college, moving home, working semi-full time in Denver, frolicking in the mountains, family time, cross-training with LaLa, Greyhounding to Missouri to visit my sweetheart, driving to the Wild West to visit E&N, facilitating at the International Youth Academy in Fort Worth, packing to move abroad, and BLOGGING, I just don't know what could top it! Therefore I am dedicating a new "Label" to my blog to categorize all these memories into "SUMMERTIME".

There are many posts that are written in my head and not on the world wide web. In the 2 weeks (!!) before I leave I will try to spill them into this tiny text box or at least we can reminisce with photographs.

A Serious Summit Sunday

After an almost too long hiatus, Summit Sunday resumed August 8th and you bet my calves and buttocks know it!! My special guest requested a long scenic hike, so I delivered with one of Colorado's famous fourteeners. Sunday afternoon Jon and I hiked the almost 7 miles up Barr Trail on Pikes Peak. 3,800 ft in elevation later, we arrived at Barr Camp soaked of rain and exhausted. Our "practice" hike the week before at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater paled in comparison.

Red Rocks Park overlooking Morrison,  CO

Barr Trail on Pikes Peak overlooking Colorado Springs, CO

Pikes Peak wore us out but the experience was unforgettable. We roughed it outside with a tent and sleeping bags. That night I fell asleep to was scared stiff by a Rocky Mountain Thunderstorm. It was then that I realized it had been more than 10 years since I've slept outside with nature. Too long! After surviving the storm and staying relatively dry during the downpour, I realized how fun it was being in a storm like that. This camping thing must happen again! Neil and Teresa were wonderful hosts at Barr Camp. Not only did they provided us a hot meal (for a small fee) the night we arrived, but also served up a hearty pancake breakfast before our descent the next morning. With a full stomach and a [Camelbak] bladder full of water, our knees and ankles headed out to take the shock of downhill trekking. The view was much better in the morning without the afternoon clouds blocking the blue sky. Here's a glimpse at our "fauxto" shoot at Lightning Point.

Hanging with a High Roller

For two days this weekend, my sister Lala and I stepped into the world of cycling by participating in the Colorado Chapter MS 150 bike ride. No, we didn't ride in it, but we did volunteer as Road Marshals. It was a great way to support our dad in the ride. Waking up at 4:30am in the morning was more fun than I thought the second I saw the sun rise painting bright colors over on mountains. In our cool POLICE reflective vests, we directed traffic around bikers. Our position was directly on the front range and the timing happened to coincide with hot air balloons sweeping across the the horizon, adding beauty to the peaceful morning. 

Dad and 3,000 other riders zoomed past leaving us in their dust until they finished the 150 mile loop the next day. Sunday brought more excitement when we brought Marlowe along to direct and cheer the riders into the finish line. It was the first time we witnessed Dad in a big ride and we were so proud to see him at the finish line. Lala has even declared that she will ride in the MS150 with him next year!

With the "high roller" at the finish line

 

Marlowe was the best volunteer ever!

Summit Sunday #3: Section 16/ Palmer Trail

This weekend my new knowledge of townships and sections from working a summer job as a geo-tech consultant was put to use. We hiked Section 16 right outside of Colorado Springs on Palmer Trail. It is known for its wild flowers, ariel view of Garden of the Gods, and panorama of the foothills of Pike's Peak. Along the way, Joei and I saw a gardener snake and a lizard. We'll take any kind of wildlife we can get, excluding bears of course! It was a great trek uphill; good training for our hike next week. Stay tuned for next Sunday's journey up our first 14er (14,000 feet above sea level) : Grey's Peak. dun dun dun....

peak with a view of the foothills

Garden of the Gods from above

Sidewalk Chalk is Art

It starts like this:

And turns into this:

Sidewalk chalk IS art. Thank you Denver Chalk Art Festival.

Summit Sunday #2: Windy Peak

This Sunday we took on Windy Peak in Golden Gate State Park. Who knew there was an amazing State Park in Golden, CO?! The trail lead to an amazing view of a peak that was not at all windy. Windy Peak was, however, breathtaking with a 180 degree view of the mountain range. There's nothing like a 12,000 ft summit view to reward an upward climb.

Group picture at Windy Peak

Summit Sunday #1: Bear Peak

Colorado is beautiful. I don't think anyone can argue with that. In efforts to get out and see it's beauty, my sister, brother-in-law, and I have decided to spend our "day of rest" becoming part of the picturesque scenery in Colorado. Our first hike was tough, as expected. The "strenuous" Bear Peak overlooks the town of Boulder from 8200 ft. Surrounded by beautiful rock formations and luscious green pines, the almost 7 mile hike was a photo shoot waiting to happen. Hiking and photographing are hard to do at the same time, but I did manage to capture a few moments.

Plentiful rocks and trees.

Living on the edge, literally.

My seester taking in the view from the top.

True/False Film Festival

I apologize for the delay in posting about the amazingness that was the True/False Film Festival this year. I've become film festival volunteer enthusiast to a)meet international filmmakers and film followers b)give back to my community and c)get into films for FREE! The growing popularity of this festival over the past few years astounds me. But it's really no surprise that the liberal and grassroots scene in Columbia, Missouri can pull off something this huge! There were over 600 volunteers alone and thousands of national and internationals flocked to Columbia via Airport and Interstate 70 to view a plethora of interesting documentaries. In addition to volunteering at the merchandise table, I was able to screen 5 films. My favorite among all of them was British in Bed. Another that got rave reviews, although I was unable to see it, was Gasland. For those who missed the fest, I suggest renting the documentary DVDs at 9th Street Video or vowing to be at a T/F 2011.

A Wonderful Time of Year

Every year The District puts on a Living Windows festival in downtown Columbia. It's one of my favorite events in this city and I've never heard of anything else like it! Participating locally owned stores clear out their window space for humans to do their holiday thing. Every year is different, for example, see last year's post. This year two French exchange students, my roommates, Jon and his brother Mike joined me to laugh and dance with the living scenes. We enjoyed roasted chestnuts, sparklers, and cider, courtesy of the stores and volunteers. The living window festival brings back memories...

This time 3 years ago I was transferring to Mizzou, and what a wonderful 3 years it has been. Happy anniversary, Columbia.

Some photos for your enjoyment:

2 Lady GaGas and a man in a red jump-suit

ballerinas dancing with Sparky the dog

frosty the snow-woman

barbies at "elly's"

that's one cold tea party!

XCX-a race with personality

Last weekend when LaLa and her hubby came to visit me in mid-MO I didn't have to look far for stuff to do. The XCX was a perfect commencement to a relaxing weekend with my sister. What's more fun than rising with the sun to take on a 4 mile obstacle course in the middle of a forest?! Now hear me out....

1. the Cross Country Xtreme is a private race where there's no stop-watch

2. the prizes aren't for speed, but for best costume and muddiest racer.

3. obstacles include clowns with chainsaws, crawling under (mock) barbed-wire, slopping through mud and waist-deep streams, fields of firecrackers, and smoke bombs, etc.

4. contestants include the coolest of the cool in mid-MO

LaLa and I were stick figures with our sidekicks- a dirty hippi and champion luchador. We did not take home the grenade trophy or the sacrificed leg nailed to a board trophy, but the race was a feat accomplished with great pride. The mud caked to our shoes and the stench of our costumes were memento enough.

Walk of the Living Dead

What would you think if you saw 50 zombies walking down the street mumbling and screaming bloody murder? This was the scene in downtown Columbia the night of All Hallows Eve. Columbia Access Television (CAT) from the Stephen's College campus sponsored the first annual Zombie Walk in Columbia. Participants met at Stephen's in costume to have their faces painted before prowling downtown and scaring the life out of some Columbia residents.

Zombie Walks have become a popular community event all around the United States, and in other parts of the world, too. It could have to do with two major trends:

1. Zombie Movies. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of Zombie movies made per year has increased threefold. Between zombie horrors and zombie comedies, the film industry is doing something right.

2. Michael Jackson Following: Chicago held as Michael Jackson Thriller Zombie Walk after his death this summer. The Thriller Video from 1983 is still a very popular, creating the image that zombies are good dancers and hang out with Michael Jackson.

Has your city had a Zombie Walk? What kind of zombie would you be?

See more photos.

This Time Last Year: Obama in CoMO

This time last year Obama spoke at Mizzou and won Columbia's heart. Obama visited Columbia a week before elections in attempt to win Missouri's swing vote. He swept us off our feet with his eloquent speech and promises of change (something we weren't used to with ol' Bush in office for so many years). It is exciting to look back and realize that heard the President of the United States speak, even if it was before his election.

YES WE CAN!

On Any Given Sunday in Columbia

I love living above the Peace Nook, a non-profit resource center managed by Mid-Missouri Peaceworks. Last Sunday I heard them marching outside my window in a War Protest. This is just one of the many things you might find going on in Columbia, MO on any given Sunday.

Oktoberfest Missouri Style

Oktoberfest in Munich is legendary. Who wouldn't want to drink obscene amounts of beer while socializing with family and friends in the crisp autumn October air?? Germans who settled the quant town of Hermann, Missouri adapted the festival to honor their culture and complement Missouri's agricultural forté- wine.

Last weekend I took advantage of my old age of 21 and headed east to Hermann with a load of international friends to experience Oktoberfest Missouri Style. There were wineries and beer gardens with open air patios to drink and dance to traditional German music. This little piece of Germany snuggled in the rolling hills of Missouri knows how to show Oktober a good time.

Columbia got the Blues

I might have a long term case of the blues. I'm not depressed and I'm feeling very happy, actually. It is due to the large amount of blues music I was subject to this weekend of the 3rd annual Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ Festival in Columbia, Missouri. About 25 bands and artists filled the downtown streets with blues from Friday to Saturday night, while over 55 BBQ smokers taunted the town with their meaty smells. Hot Air Balloons took off into the autumn evening sky as we rocked out on the streets down below.

This year my parents came in town for the blues festivities and to visit their last daughter in college. My dad was in blues heaven (if there is such a thing). We listened to just about every style of blues possible: delta blues, chicago blues, folk blues, bluegrass blues, raggae blues, rockin blues, european blues, and the list continues. The highlight of course was seeing the headliner, Booker T. play his old hits. The whole weekend was a success. Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ were had in large quantities. If I could add one more " 'N" to the title it would be for " 'N Fun". Happy Fall everyone, and may the blues be with you.

Booker T. on the keyboard

This Time Last Year: Spelunking

When I'm sitting around or in class, sometimes I reflect on things I did 'this time last year'. I thought why not share some of my past experiences with my readers since I am not currently traveling. Who knows, maybe I'll convince some people to come visit the great town that is Columbia, Missouri.

In this episode of 'this time last year', I'm reflecting on the 8 hours I spent spelunking under the Earth throughout a million year old cave. It was one of the messiest and tiring experiences of my life but also one of the most incredible. After all, how many people can say they slithered through a wormhole 50 feet under the earth, 2 miles deep into a cave? Mid-Missouri has some of the coolest cave networks in the country. It only takes a 10 minute drive to Rock Bridge State Park in Columbia to access them.

It was no walk in the park, though. First, 5 other participants and I followed our tour guide as we each carried canoes through the park and down 2 flights of wooden stairs into the Devils Ice Box. Then we clicked on our headlights and paddled our way through the muddy water deeper into the cave. After docking our canoes, we travelled on foot to see preserved cave formations that took thousands of years to create. The following is called "cave bacon"

We also saw glow-in-the-dark calcium deposits and stalactites and stalagmites as tall as Jon!
It was a neat experience and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys geology or learning about nature. However, I would not recommend it to anyone who is claustrophobic or chiroptophobic (afraid of bats). Next time you're in Missouri or any karst/limestone topography, consider exploring the other world that lives beneath your feet.