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Clanek v CESTINE dole (Kliknete na “Read the rest …”)

If you look at this picture, you would say: “Oh, just another picture of Czech Christmas Cookies,” but you would overlook a significant detail. These cookies are crocheted out of wool and are only used for decoration! This great idea was accepted by many Czechs since they have a great opportunity to decorate their tables or trees without worrying about gaining extra pounds/kilograms during this calorie-enriched holiday season.

Renata Kuczerova, a businesswoman from Ostrava, started with a few pieces at first but her four children really loved them and inspired her to create this amazing collection. On the other hand, her husband was not very pleased. The cookies are also soaked in different fabric softeners (vanilla, coconut and others) to give them their original and mouth-watering scents.

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Clanek v CESTINE dole (Kliknete na “Read the rest …”)

How many of you have heard that Czech glass is one of the best products in the world? If you answered yes to this question, then we hope you keep some of it in your homes. A recent ruling by a municipal court in Prague declared bankruptcy proceedings on Sklo Bohemia, one of the largest Czech glass companies. There will be no more Bohemian glass produced in the future by this company. The Czech glass industry is now in crisis and Sklo Bohemia is likely just the beginning of a glass production cease. Sklo Bohemia creditors decided that the company will be sold in parts but there is a chance that the company can be bought by somebody, who could then not only save many jobs in the town, but also the long-known Czech tradition and pride of the country.

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Clanek v CESTINE dole (Kliknete na “Read the rest …”)

*** Czech and Slovak Food & Much More *** LINKS BELOW

*** Ceske a Slovenske Jidlo a Mnohem Vice *** ODKAZY DOLE

It has already been a tradition for many years that every Czech and Slovak family buys a “Christmas Chocolate Collection” (CCC) or “Christmas Set,” with which they decorate their Christmas trees. It is a colorful pallet of figurines and other decorative ornaments made of chocolate. Some of them are hollow and others have a creamy filling (vanilla, nuts, caramel, milk, punch, and more). The sets can be either in milk, dark or white chocolate or a mix of all of them. Each candy is wrapped in a shiny paper with colorful details.

Many people don’t keep their CCC on their trees for a long time. They are so delicious that they become a target of adult or child “thieves.” Some of these thieves are so brilliant that they manage to remove the candy and keep the wrapping expanded looking like there is still something in there. They can also fill it with something else to give it the weight and form back. As you can imagine, Czech and Slovak Christmas can be about more than just giving and receiving. This is just a fun part of this wonderful holiday.

If you miss this delicious treat or other Czech and Slovak sweets, please visit our partner websites below. They offer more than just traditional Czech and Slovak food. They became our partners about two months ago and we did not have a chance to introduce them to you yet. We hope, however, that their links in our sidebar caught your eyes and you have visited their sites already.

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Clanek v CESTINE dole (Kliknete na “Read the rest …”)

St. Nicholas, the Angel and the Devil

Have you ever seen three mysterious characters walking the streets of Czech and Slovak cities on December 5th? It most likely was St. Nicholas (Mikulas), the devil (cert) and the angel (andel). These characters are part of the holiday called “Mikulas” and it is known in many places in Europe. These three characters visit Czech and Slovak children on the eve of Saint Nicholas Day and give them either sweets or a sack of gifts from the devil

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Clanek v CESTINE dole (Kliknete na ”Read the rest …”) 

On Saturday, November 22^nd, Vaclav Havel was written into the history of Slovakia. That day the Slovak National Theater presented his new play Odchazeni (Leaving). Havel’s last plays were introduced in Slovakia more than 40 years ago. The theater also could have been the first place in the world to introduce this play, but ultimately it was premiered in Prague first. Havel’s play was also unique in a way since the author started writing it before the Velvet Revolution in 1989, but completing it just last year (2007). Odchazeni was not only interesting for its creative development throughout Havel’s life, its own story with a political focus, but also the circumstances under which it was presented to the public.

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Many of you living in the United States probably know that Macy’s is celebrating 150 years in business. However, how many of you know that the Czech Parliamentary Library (CPL) I celebrating the same anniversary just today? Its oldest document is dated to November 24, 1858. The CPL is located at the premises of the Czech Parliament Chamber and is the oldest administrative center of the House of Czech Parliament. Its electronic version also lets you to see documents from any part of the world in the form of text, images and also sounds. If you are interested in the history and political data of Czechoslovakia, it is worth your visit.

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Here we have the first feedback from the celebration of the 19th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution in California. Czechs and Slovaks met in San Diego on the beach to a pleasant evening full of music (including guitars and a banjo), food, drinks and interesting conversations. Comfortable weather in California did not call for warm clothing and a large bonfire only added to a pleasant environment. People roasted almost everything: bread, bagels, bacon, American and Polish sausages and more. There was more than enough wood, thus, even children had their own fire for their entertainment.

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Today we celebrate 19 years since the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia. Many times we have mentioned the name “Sametova revoluce - Velvet Revolution.” In Slovakia it is known as the Nezna revoluce - Soft revolution” and the name is probably a better explanation of this revolution, which was peaceful, thus, it was not necessary to use armed forces. Maybe you wonder how the citizens of the Czech Republic and Slovakia celebrated this day, the 17^th of November. Many citizens celebrated this day with pleasure and enjoyment, but unfortunately, celebrations in both countries did not go without protests as well.

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D1 in the 1960s (D1 v 60tych letech)

70 years ago, Karel Chmel, then-employee of Velitelstvi stavby dalkovych silnic (VSDS) “headquarters of building long-distance roads”, invented the word “dalnice” (motorway). He did so after the invitation of the master of VSDS Vaclava Nosek. Motorway plans had already started in 1935. One of the problems was to find a suitable route. Bata’s route from Cheb to the Velky Bockov won in 1938, but the plans were changed during World War II, when Czechoslovakia was occupied by Germany. The Czech motorways of today don’t resemble the initial plans, but they are growing in all directions thanks to funding from the EU.
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Every year, on the 2^nd of November, the Czechs and Slovaks celebrate Dusicky a.k.a. Pamatka zesnulych (All Souls’ Day) by putting candles by graves of their loved ones.  All Souls’ Day is celebrated after All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1), and it was introduced by a French abbot Odilio. This holiday, however, is much older. It dates back from the Celtic tradition of Samhain, the Celtic New Year, when our world blends with the world of souls. That night people placed candles by their houses so the souls of the dead could find their ways to them.

All Souls’ Day is celebrated around the world, but in different forms. In the United States, Australia, Ireland, etc., is celebrated under the name Halloween. The name was taken from the original name All Hallow’s Even, and was founded in the 19th century. People in the countries named above believe that on this night, the human world and the world of souls connect and the dead walk freely on Earth in forms of skeletons, mummies, etc., and therefore people wear costumes to blend with them. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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Today, on 28^th of October, Czech citizens will have a chance to see a two-hour parade to celebrate foundation of the independent Czechoslovakia. The parade will take place on Evropska Street in Prague 6 at 1 PM with 2,102 participants with 196 pieces of equipment.

The parade will include participation of the President of the Czech Republic, Czech defense minister, the Castle Guard units, Army of the Czech Republic, the Czech Republic Police, Fire and Rescue Services, Medical Rescue Services, and the City Police.

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Clanek v CESTINE dole.

Almost two weeks ago, the Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg presented sixteen individuals and three organizations with the Gratias Agit award in appreciation of promoting the Czech Republic abroad. The award was given in a form of a crystal globe.  One of the recipients was Paul Rausnitz, a Czech citizen living abroad but always proud of his country.

Paul Rausnitz was only 11 years old when he was put in prison in Ostrava, North-East of the Czech Republic. It was right after the occupation of the Sudetenland in 1938 by Germans. Then he was thrown to Poland, where he was waiting, along with his parents and two brothers, for visas to America. During that time the war broke out and instead of traveling to the United States, he continued to move the opposite direction - to the Eastern part of Poland.

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