Let's all congratulate us with another cup of tea

My choice for Christine's Birthday Song

Christine's Choice

(In the alternate universe where Christine and I aren't thousands of miles away from the closest Baskin Robbins, this cake would be being consumed right now. But for the record, Christine is Team Cookie and Ice Cream.)

This is all to say, it's Christine's Birthday today! And also Easter and a traveling day, so really her birthday is going to be celebrated later. But we did get out fancy shmancy hotel in Wien (--Thanks for all the help, Dad!), and we keep finding things we love about it-- for instance, we can leave our stuff in the shower- and I'm dead serious when I say that is a luxury. (Christine- "Everything smells good here. Do you think they put something in the pillows?") They offered us water when we came in the door. There were complimentary little coconut creme filled wafer thingamobobers waiting for us in our room. Awesome.

Christine would also like it to be made very clear that if there is any chocolate intended for her at the family Easter celebration today, it best be stored until she returns. Don't cross her. She was on a train for most of her birthday.

Anyway, we just left Prague. Czech is basically impossible to pronounce and letters don't seem to have much at all to do with the sound of the word. I think I managed a "Cau" or two when I realized it was Czech and I was not overhearing Italian tourists. I tried really hard with "dekuji" (thank you) but I'm never sure enough about my pronunciation and end up with an incomprehensible whisper. Also, new currency! Thank goodness for iPhone currency converters.

Prague is gorgeous, and we had lovely clouds the whole time. I'm afraid all my panoramic and architecture pictures will be in shadow because I was always putting my focus on the clouds. I wish we had more time there-- I definitely felt like we were rushing through things. We rubbed the right plaque on the Charles bridge, so we'll go back to Prague someday.

Whitney (a friend of ours from home that is currently au pairing in a town- sorry, village- in Germany) came to join us! Many thanks to Erica for that! She couldn't get a ride out today, so we're hoping she found some lovely people in her hostel to hang out with. Or a groovy international church for Easter services that gave her chocolate. Or perhaps she slept, which would have been a capital option as well.

Prague highlights:

*There was an Easter festival going on, so Old Town square smelled like fire, sweet roasting things, and sugar all the time. And we bought these delicious cylindrical sugar bread concoctions for a few meals.

*Two fantastic new europe guides.

*Story about the Velvet Revolution: Students and other Czechs would jingle keys during their rallies to symbolize the unlocking of their country and their freedoms. Keys kick locks' behinds.

*The John Lennon Wall, which was already awesome, and then when Christine and I posed for a picture, this teeny tiny dog decided he wanted to diva it up a little too.

Christine speaking....

Happy Bunny day to all! And I hope you are all enjoying chocolate no matter the reason.

I am hungry and I am off to enjoy a birthday dinner in Austria. I will blog again once I am officially 23. Which is not for another 6 or so hours (adding in time difference and everything).

Happy birthday to Caroline my Godmother and birthday buddy. And a very merry unbirthday to everybody else!

This is either peace in Swedish or someone really likes only one of the twins from Harry Potter.

Peace/Fred