Shortly after arriving in Belgium, we met the Lang family. Solenne was in Nicholas’s preschool class and they hit it off right away. When school started again in September, we got word that the family would be taking another expat assignment in Prague and leaving Belgium in October. We promised to visit them.
Keeping true to our word, we visited them in Praha over Ascension weekend. It’s an easy 1 hr. and 15 minute flight from Brussels. The kids were all excited to see each other and temporarily forgot that we were also there to visit the city.
The first night Solenne and her older sister Kyra were in a school play and we were on our own to sight see for a few hours. If I had a euro for every time the kids asked, “Is the play over yet?” I would be a rich woman. Saturday morning was grey and overcast. Trying to be kind parents, Paul and I postponed sight seeing and let the kids play in a soccer game. Nicholas and Lindsey were told the new plan for the day -- soccer game, lunch, play time, sight seeing, dinner with the family and more play time. Unfortunately one warning was not enough and we had two colossal meltdowns going on when it was time to stop jumping on the trampoline and go see what else Prague had to offer. It was a mess. (For those of you wondering, all of the traveling that we have been able to do still hasn’t changed the fact that we’re traveling with a 4 and 6 year old! Gretchen is already planning the next expat assignment we get when the kids are in college!)
Public transportation is fairly easy to use in Prague and after a bus and a tram, we walked to a funicular (aka “ski gondola”) that took us to the top of Petrin Hill, where a 1/3 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower is located. It’s 299 steps to the top and the views of the city are breathtaking. We also visited a house of mirrors and had fun laughing at each other. Some ice cream and a local park rounded out our afternoon. Nicholas even said, “This was fun. I’m glad we did it.” Whew. At least he was kind enough to acknowledge that we were right (at least that’s what I heard). :)
Sunday was a bus and a tram ride to Bohemia Bagel where 90% of the customers are American college students. I really wanted to know where everyone went, but stopped myself from asking. We walked across the crowded Charles Bridge and tried to see a marionette show. The weather was cold and blustery. We all had on rain jackets, boots, and mittens. I had to remind myself it was May, and stop myself from thinking of what our friends in AZ might be doing this weekend. The kids, of course, were more than happy to go home and jump on the trampoline some more.
Monday we headed back to Belgium. For those who have enjoyed the pictures we’ve been posting, please send a thank you to Wizz Air, who kindly held Paul’s camera after he left it on the plane. Without them, this blog would be only words!
