for another fairytale

Machinery, transport, steel, armaments, vehicles, cement, ceramics, cotton, beer

First off, I got the wrong currency out completely. I needed Crowns, as my Czech friend called them.

I got out of the plane. I can't believe all this cold is for free, thought I.

Dragon One.
Juan. His name was really Jan but he hated Czech so much, he was back under duress. He was the first person I met. We drew pictures because he only spoke Spanish (and Czech) and I like his company was waiting for my friends, caught behind an overturned lorry an hour or two away.

Dragon Two.
The boyfriend, Josef. He looked like an old woodcutter, and that a new axe would be the best present you could ever get him. I wondered so much what my friend, who studies horoscopes and knows much about people, was doing with him. But he got us back to Plzen. I didn't get to see inside his soul.

The Princess.
My friend Misalka who lived in a tower overlooking Skretova two blocks from the Skoda factory. With a wonderful black and white cat, Miouk.

Walking through the firelight of the wintry market by St Bartholomew's and pressing your hand on the angel and making a wish, drinking a glass of mead (medovina) at any age to warm up. I bought the wool of sheep, tailored hat. Sausages and dumpling and gambrinus and Pilsener Urquell to remember forever. The Czechs brought their waffles to the US. The food was so good.

The magic of being alive, down in Mazany Kralicek you could meet the rabbit. Misha and I were there with Dennis the Briton, Josef (Pepe) and then a throng of young fun folk. I downed my fifth jug and got up to meet Jakob. For some reason I punched him, and he punched back. We slapped each other around for about twenty minutes. By the end he had my shirt off and we were forcing each other apart on the dance floor and then hugging equally closely. It was odd. Ivona mimed giving me a BJ with real theatre, hair flying around all over the place, me slapping her back and shouting 'bitch' and the crowd laughing. Ivona tried to touch Jakob but he shrank away. I asked him for a kiss, and he gave me the briefest kiss on the lips. I started crying in Misha's arms.

Maybe I will find a way in to get to know my Czech flatmate. I'm back now after a great weekend. O Wonderful Winter!