Prague

Dear readers, 

We have been very negligent of our blog recently. Yes, we are fine, alive and doing well!

Last Wednesday we went to stay with my aunt Lizzie, then on Thursday we flew to Prague from Bristol airport in southeast England which was only 5 minutes from her house. 

Watching Lizzie's horse get new shoes

Lenny answers phones at Lizzie's vet practice!

Enjoying the hot tub at Liz and bill's house. 

In Prague we are staying with Robert's parents. On Friday Robert and I left the kids with his parents while we went to the city for a few hours including lunch by the river. 

Saturday we met a few of robert's high school friends and their kids on a hike to a natural rock maze. 

Sunday we all went to a hill over the city and then into the city for lunch. I stayed for some sightseeing and shopping while they went back home for nap. 

Monday we went to see another high school friend, Lucie, at her beautiful new house by a lake. The kids played and jumped in the lake. We had a BBQ. It was a perfect Memorial Day!

Today on our way home from Lucie's house, we spent a few hours at Kutna Hora, a town famous for its ossuary (human bones). I didn't feel right taking pictures but there are tons online if you want to google it. The bones are arranged into decorations and pillars.  Then we saw a stunning cathedral and had lunch in the courtyard of a perfect restaurant complete with sand pit for the kids to play in!  In the afternoon robert's dad took lenny to the technical museum to show him many trains and cars.

 

More Dartmoor, mostly Lustleigh

Another post by Robert...

Before we start: yes, the two pairs of words in the title rhyme...welcome to England. 

Today, we all headed off to the bucolic miniature pony farm:

Both kids got to groom the ponies:

and ride them :

and play in the playground 

In the afternoon, Colette and Veronica did some real riding:

while the rest of the crew did a walk around the Lustleigh village where Veronica and Roger's house is. Here are some pictures from the walk:

There was even time for a few pints at the local pub for Roger and me. The pub is spectacularly authentic:

Dartmoor

Today, we hiked from Hay Tor to Hound Tor in Dartmoor, climbing both formations and most rocks in between. The one-way hike was made possible by Veronica's and Roger's two cars, and it included their excellent guiding service. Here are some pictures:

Summertime in Dartmoor can be windy. Hay Tor in the background. 

Lenny climbing up:

On top:

Off to the next destination:

Crossing a stream on a clapper bridge:

Random dog:

The famous blue bells:

More rocks ahead...

On top again, very windy!

Almost done, Hanna trying to fly like a witch. 

A nap after a tiring day:

More kids in England

(a post by Robert)

This is the second chapter in my inevitable series on the kids' adventures in England. After my return from Canada (see P.S. to this post), we stayed first with Colette's aunt Jo near the South Downs, and then moved via two days in the New Forest to her aunt Veronica near Dartmoor. Here are a few random pictures:

Brighton beach:

Hiking to Chanctonbury Circle in the South Downs:

Hiking in the New Forest:

Lunch in Lyme Regis:

A great park near Veronica's house:

PS: My conference in Lake Louise was epic: