The Cape

Things I LOVE about Cape Cod:

*Nothing is more than an hour drive away.

*People expect that you are a tourist, and still like you.

*Off-season you might not swim, but you get the whole beach to yourself.

*Lobsters.

*Rain never lasts the whole day.

*Shopkeepers chat with you like old friends.

*People leave their shoes by their car when they go to the beach.

*Provincetown's ice cream.

*The smell of ocean filled air.

*National Parks.

*LIGHTHOUSES!!!

*I've been here 3 times, and I always find something new to treasure.

*Cape Cod style wood shingle houses.

Home Coming

When you travel, you reflect. What is "home"? Home can be your birthplace. It could be that adopted town or state or country you've spent the last months or years dwelling in. Home might be a place you've never set foot in but you feel in the depths of your being is where you should be.

I'm sitting in a hotel on Cape Cod, MA. I'm here with my boyfriend, his mom and his sister. Mom and sister have never been to the USA, my home, before. I'm American but not a New Englander, but that makes no difference. They see this as my home. I'm the link to this vast and dynamic nation. And here is here my reflecting began.

My home will always be Ohio. I was born in Ohio. I spent my formative years in Ohio. My speech patterns get a little Appalachian when I'm tired or angry. I love the green rolling hills, the red barns, the meat and potatoes, the farmer's tractor that creates a traffic jam. All of this is stored deep in me.

I'm told there is a bit of Viking blood roaming and roaring in my veins. When I stand next to a body of water, I'm sure this is true. I am pulled by the vastness and silence and power and infinity of water. If I had several lifetimes, I'd dedicate one to the Atlantic. A place with water will always have a touch of home.

There's Prague. The city that I showed up in and demanded of her that she take me in a create a home for me. Over the past 6 years, Prague has done just that. Prague is my home. There I have family and friends and work and hobbies and happiness. She will never be mine, but she is home.

The Lost Continent

I'm on a Bill Bryson kick. This is my second book in so many weeks. I like his play with words, the abundance of fun adjectives and the sarcasm that makes you wince and then laugh out loud.

I picked up The Lost Continent because soon I will be on my own road trip through the North East US with my sweet boyfriend, his mother and his sister. This is a trip H and I have done together several times, and he wanted to give to his mom as her "trip of a lifetime". It'll be an adventure. Stay tuned for updates, photos and more.

What I love about Bryson's book is that although it is over 20 years old, it is still so relevant. He points out the good of America- kind people, gorgeous nature, abundance of nearly everything.

But yet he also, with dry humor, brings out the less than desirable aspects of life in the continental US. He address such questions as: Where are the small mom and pop stores? (They've been eaten by chains.) Why do we tear down old historic things to build new ugly things?

Bill Bryson has inspired me. I'm ready to go, to meet, to embrace and to laugh...Here we go!

Botanical Garden Paradise

On the edge of Prague, along the river, is a quiet and green stretch called Troja. Here you can find the Prague Zoo, Troja Chateau (Trojsky zamek) and Prague Botanical Gardens. Last Saturday we spent a leisurely afternoon enjoying the Botanical Gardens.

Every month the Botanical Gardens change the exhibition. April and May bring a flutter of butterfly wings. The large greenhouse is full of tropical butterflies, blue and brown, red and yellow wings.

The exhibition is well developed. The green house is long and narrow, which keeps the crowds moving forward. There are beautiful tropic plants and mini waterfalls, interspersed with a creative use of plastic bottles modeled and shaped into flowers, crocodiles, insects and cactus.

Once the greenhouse's flora and fauna have been exhausted, there are many little trails to tramp around leading through leafy forests, Japanese gardens and beautifully groomed flower beds. An excellent day of feasting the eyes on color and beauty, and exercising the legs.

www.botanicka.cz/hlavni-stranka.html?page_id=95

Meeting the Tourists

Everyday I think to myself at least once, "Ahh, THIS is why I love living in Prague." The THIS changes, but the sentiment remains the same.

This week what inspired my sigh were tourists. Now, most living in a beautiful European capital that gets more tourists in a year then inhabitants of the entire country wouldn't use the words "love" and "tourist" in the same sentence. And I do have days where I'd like to take all the slow-walking, take-your-time-in-the-middle-of-the-sidewalk, loud foreigners and dump them in the Vltava River.

But this weekend, I had two separate tourist interactions that reminded me that people are people, and some are even lovely. The first was on Saturday night. I went to a friend's flat that is in Prague 8. If you know Prague, you know this isn't in the center and tourists aren't usually hanging out at tram stops in this area of town.

There was a young couple and a middle aged woman pouring over a map as I approached the tram station. I was traveling back into town with a Canadian girl who has been living here a few months, a teacher as well. We must have looked safe. The man approached us and asked if we spoke English. Yes, we do. And his next question was if we could get them back to the exact opposite side of town. As luck would have it, my new Canadian friend was heading to that exact location and could guide them all the way.

We passed the 20 or 30 minute tram ride in pleasant conversation. The lost tourists were from Turkey. It was their first time in Prague. They had done a central Europe tour involving Poland and Hungary. The Czech Republic was their last leg of the trip. They'd left the organized tour to explore the city and ended up in the middle of nowhere. Lucky we found them. I loved that in the scheme of eternity, I passed a flash of a moment exchanging laughs and stories with complete strangers I don't even know the names of. But we are forever connected by a tram ride on a Saturday night in Prague.

My second happy tourist moment was the next day. I was again on the tram, this time on the way home from church. I was reading Bill Bryson's Notes From A Small Island. Side note: I love Bryson and his scathing humor. Ha! I was sitting and suddenly I realized that there was a woman standing above me, enjoying a page of my book with me.

"So, this book is about the UK? I love Bill Bryson. I read the book he wrote about Europe. I met him once. He's funny in person too." The eccentrically dressed middle age woman above me dove into a one-sided conversation with the top of my head.

I looked up and smiled, "I really like his writing too." I offered.

"So, I guess you are trying to keep in touch with home...." She ventured.

"Oh no, I'm American. But I've traveled around England a bit and can relate. And where are you from?"

"I'm Dutch. Just here for a long weekend. This is my stop, I'm off to a concert...Enjoy the book!" And she was in and out of my life in the span of three tram stops.

But yet again, a little connection of humanity through this moment of sharing made this city even more mine.

My New Favorite Haunt

France. I've only been there once in flesh, but a million times in spirit. One of my all time favorite films is Sabrina. I love both the original with Audrey Hepburn and the remake starring Julia Ormond. The image of a young American girl sitting in a French cafe with a café au lait on her table next to an open journal in which were scribbled her deepest thoughts. Aww, this was my dream. It would be me one day...


And that is why I love Milleme so much. In this little French cafe set on Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad (George from Podebrad Square) I can be that American girl with a journal and a milky coffee in far off country dreaming dreams.


The facade is a fresh deep red that puts me in the mind of lavender fields and sunshine. The interior is bright and open. The pastries, quiche, fresh fruit and sinful cakes are displayed in super modern stainless steel and glass enclosures. The tables are large and beg for a journal or newspaper to be spread on top. French music spills softly into the room.


And the food...!! I've had the quiche. Several times. Every time it was a lovely perfection of egg, cheese, flaky crust. There are several filling choices, but I always go back to the leek. I also had the omelet. Simple, with just egg, onion and olives. No cheese, but the flavor was so fresh that cheese wasn't needed. The inside was still a bit soft, to give it the perfect texture. And the coffee is happiness in a cup....


Save the money you'd spend buying a plane ticket and go stock up on croissants and quiche in Prague 3.

MILLEME, s.r.o.

nám. Jiřího z Poděbrad 1407/4

120 00 Praha-Vinohrady

T: +420 223 002 274

E-mail: EMAILmilleme@email.cz

Pondělí - Neděle/Monday-Sunday	8:00 – 21:00