Czech and German explore the world

This was the first time we entered a restaurant in the Czech Republic together. I was still a bit nervous that everything goes so I started with the simplest question: "What would you like to drink?" I got an immediate answer: "Apfelschorle." "What?" "Apfelschorle," the same answer as before. "Yeah, I understand, but I have no idea what it is." The simple question seemed to produce a challenging answer. "Apple juice with water," Jan tries to clarify and looks at me as if I would be an alien who just came from another planet and doesn't know the basic common things. I feel again a bit less nervous and a bit more relaxed, quite confident, that this task I won't mess up. Apple juice with a water is my favorite. Recently finally restaurants started to mix it also with tap water in big glasses. So I can confidently answer: "Ok, no problem." ... I think I made everything well...until drinks come, Jan tri...

2. Day(92.71 km) The elevation on the Via Rhona cycling route should be almost minimal. But that could be true only if you don’t have someone like me with you... first we decided that we could choose a cycle route around Isère (cycle path no.63) which goes through Grenoble instead of Lyon, and then in Chanaz, I selected wrong way and we arrived at Lucey. That was the time when  "do not worry, it must be here, here was the mark, you do not have to ask anyone" changed quickly to  "aaa, sorry, we are wrong, but we can take it over the hill again to the lake". At that point, getting to route 63 way meant climbing more than 600 meters up the hills and then getting down to the lake. Our conversation continued. Me: "but we would not see that beautiful lake if we give up." Jan: "Ok, wait, I'm at least eating a bar." And so two sweating cyclists were slowly moving up to the hill, with fully loaded bikes. The heat was burning our skin and taking a...

This summer it happened, that we were meeting Jan's parents, who are enjoying their life in Greece. Sun, fresh vegetable, slow traveling, and  above all, one another. One of those people who decided to spend their retirement (or at least part of it) and sabbatical abroad. I have to admit, that I feel a huge respect for them. Not that they had such a dream - so many people do. Not even that they travel - so many people do. But that they made the dream truth, that they were able to completely change their way of living, leave everything which makes the life stable (e.g., flat, job, belongings,...) behind and started to really live on the boat with all what they need fitting inside that small place ( http://sc-meerkat.de/ ). That they showed that it is not about excuses why you cannot do what you dream about, but that it is about finding ways how to realize these dreams. Seeing them in their happiness, building up a great team is something which is something that clearly shows that th...

After more than a year and a half, the main language we talk is still English. And although it is no problem in most of the situations, there are many times when it would be so useful to be at least able to communicate in the other language...The problem is, that we are both far away from communicating on a comfortable level in either German or Czech, so we always end up speaking English. So many people say that learning Czech is not easy (and Jan would most probably agree as well). Starting with pronunciation, ending with grammar. Is it really true? How long is it necessary to learn Czech to be able to communicate in it and how long to master it? And how different is Czech from German?  First, a bit of reality. First words which Jan tried to say in Czech were "volské oko" (sunny side up egg, fried egg)   one and a half year ago. When he tried to tell it to Google, Google voice recognition thought that he said: "britská kočka" (British cat). So from that ...

It: It all sounds like a fairy tale what you are telling here... You: Yes, it is. Really. Most of the time. It: Most of the time? You: There are also hard times. Times, when you feel lonely, desperate or sick. When you would just need someone to  make for you a cup of tea,  take care of you, or just  hold your hand . And his hand is many kilometers away. Those are the hard times. It: And how does it feel? You: Bad. But the worst are those stupid thoughts which always come to cover your mind. It: Like? You: I don't know, just stupid thoughts. Like, that maybe he is happy that he is not with you because he could also get sick. That he doesn't have to take care of you and can enjoy  instead  nicely his time. I don't know, you know those thoughts, right? They are coming sometimes to everyone. It:  Yes, I know. But what you do then with these feelings? You: Just wait. They always disappear when you don't give them an attention. And I tr...

From the moment we got to know each other, Jan wanted to try how it is to go for a multi-day trek or cycling. Taking your whole small world with you, packed into a backpack or cycling bags. I grew up with traveling like that in my blood, but for Jan in his 29 years, it was still a big unknown and unexplored field. It is not surprising, that some worries were on both sides. I was worried if something, which is so precious and important for me will not have to be changed so much, that it will lose all the charm, if it still will be the right vacations, where freedom is connected with the fact that I carry everything that I need, that in the evening I search for a hidden place for a tent under the stars, trying to hide from people instead of looking for a paid place close to them, that I cook a dinner from what I can find in my backpack, instead of going to restaurants and experiencing a beautiful feeling of self-sufficiency interconnected sometimes with an unusual but amazing feeling of...

It is 4 o'clock in the morning, and the night slowly dissolves in the morning blush of dawn   and we are saying goodbye to each other. Me, Jan and our shared article, we all put ourselves for a few short hours to a restless sleep, to meet each other again in a short time. The feverish efforts of the last few weeks are steadily growing every day. Nights and days mingle in an endless series of indeterminate hours. Our irritability, tiredness, confusion, and stress from the approaching deadline increase with each day ... Time, when it might be so easy to kill your loved one. Times, when I can not even stand myself. But he handles that. How? I do not know, I have to say that I admire him for that. And to be honest, he is also definitely not the most caring and pleasant person these days. Yet, it seems as we would be much closer to each other, despite the distance of many hundreds of kilometers. The calls are becoming more and more constructive. Together we plan, build, create...

I remember the day soon after we met when we were sitting with a map in our hands, looking for the best meeting points all over the world. Our short search has shown that the best places to meet are Milan and Venice, to which Ryanair flies both from Stuttgart and Prague. And who we are to say no? Days flew by and a year after we are finally going to visit both of them. Starting at seven in the morning I leave my flat in Prague - so happy that kids are already carrying their backpacks and I have to only handle my stuff.  By this time, Jan is already two hours on the way from Stuttgart, trying to get some advantage over the plane in a four-wheeled friend. I try to remind myself that kids really need passports (you know, how that is difficult when I can always travel using only my ID?). Train, subway, bus and plane...and here we are. Bergamo - Italy. We crossed all the clouds and arrived under the clear blue sky - in just two hours (flying), the temperature has risen ...