Tesco run for life 2009

It was Prague Marathon time again yesterday, and this time we were certain to be in the correct location to see our favorite runners!

Owen was so excited to be "running in the night". This family fun run event started at 6:30 PM, and the weather was just right for both the runners and those who came to cheer them on.

The race began and ended in Old Town square, and the excitement was high as all the runners lined up for their start.

There was a nifty rhythm band to start things off - see/hear video below!


They're off! As the runners headed out of the square, hundreds of blue and white balloons drifted up through the evening sky.

The first loop is completed, and the runners cross the square again on their way to the bridge.

At the finish line!!!

We couldn't get this to post first - but this was the band that led the runners to the starting line.

9,995 left

On Saturday, Laura was busy with a baby shower, and didn't want Chris and Owen at home, so they asked if we wanted to go for a ride in the countryside.

We drove just a short distance from Prague, about 15km, to the Okor Hrad.


Owen has been to this castle before, so he was our tour guide.

The Okor village is first mentioned in 1228 as a property of St George Monastery in Prague Castle (klášter sv. Jiří na Pražském hradě). A Gothic castle was built here in 1359 by a wealthy burgher of Prague's Old Town, Frantisek Rokycansky. This was quite unusual in those times, when most castles were built by noblemen.

In the 17th century the castle was owned by Jesuits. During the Thirty Year’s War it was heavily damaged and then restored in the Baroque style. After the Jesuit order was discontinued in Bohemia, the Okor castle was deserted in the late 18th century and quickly changed to ruins.

(from the Czech Castles website)

Looking up at the "garderobe" - a bathroom that allowed waste to flow down the outside of the castle walls. This one is being restored.

Finally!

Gotta love this country!

The work permit posted in our foyer had the date of September 11 for the end of the elevator project, and even though the work was completed and the workmen took all their tools and went home on September 6, the lift was not operational until the 11th.

You would think that I might have lost some weight climbing up those stairs everyday for 6 weeks- but alas, I did not :-(.

See our shiny bright new lift below!

Sweet treat.

Many, many years ago, when I was in Switzerland studying French, I ate a traditional Swiss plum tart. When I got back home, I tried to recreate the tart a few times, but I could never find the right type of plum. I was looking for a smaller plum known as a prunelle.

Well- it just so happens that Chris and Laura have a prunelle tree right outside their door that was loaded with fruit. :-) Tom and I threw several of them in a bag, and Laura loaned me a tart pan and a recipe book.

This is the way I remember the prunelles being arranged, but I still was not able to find the "correct" recipe. How to finish this off?




I opted for a simple recipe that turned out to be quite yummy in its own right.

Voila the finished product!!!!