(no subject)
We've just spent the weekend introducing our Czech au pair's mum & dad to sight-seeing and picnicking 'English-style' i.e. muffled up to the eyeballs against the cold and sitting in car admiring the rain/hail/gale. We 'did' Buxton, Chatsworth and various places in between last Friday, then headed off to North Wales yesterday as they wanted to see the sea! It was a little fresh to say the least but they seemed to enjoy it, and Czech dad was very chuffed to find 2 whole mussels on the beach (when he saw the big nets of mussels waiting to be brought in at Conwy we thought he was going to jump in a swim across to get a few) - needless to say his wife and daughter rolled eyes & pretended not to be with him. Anyhow we saw the big castles at Conwy & Caernarfon (sorry if spelt that wrong) and then came back via the Llanberis pass and Pen y Pas so they could see Snowdon - the gale was blowing so hard up there that it was actually difficult to fight the car door open. Very sweet sight of toddler (probably about 18 months) all done up in mountain gear and being stood up against the gale by his parents.
Yesterday the girls and I were subjected to Czech Easter Monday custom of men beating any available females on the bum with willow sticks (which had been specially imported for the purpose I may add) whilst reciting some poem about giving them eggs or ribbons or some such. I assume that, like Morris dancing, this is some kind of ancient fertility rite. I will post the poem when I've had chance to write it down. Would be interesting to know of any similar customs anywhere.