Here Comes the Flood

Yes, it is flood season. The Czech Republic every year goes through a sort of Spring Anxiety, as the snow melting from the mountains is met with heavy and frequent rainfall, resulting in high water levels in the rivers, and sometimes the flooding of towns. Even with the precautions and river wall reinforcements that they have built over the years, the rivers can still reach such high levels as to spill over top. For instance in 2002, Prague itself received such severe flooding that roads were closed, subways completely submerged, and many properties damaged and destroyed. Remember Peterborough a few summers ago? Picture yourself knowing that this exact situation is a very real risk every year. I think someone told me that three people so far have died from the floods this year, in Moravia.

Hradec Kralove has two rivers that converge near the old town, the Labe (Elbe) and the Orlice. They are both at very high levels--Tomas was worried they would overflow in town, but I think that that risk is gone now. Some hot weather has helped with evaporation. Where the two rivers meet, they flow away, and they've so completely overflowed and flooded the field beyond. I can't imagine anyone ever being crazy enough to build anything on this area of land. So while they probably won't flood the city, it's nice to know I live on the 4th floor just incase.

Speaking of Tomas, him and Eva are moving into a new flat of their own (they share with a friend right now). They will be moving their furniture over Easter, so I can't help because I'm away in Vienna and Budapest. However, this weekend they were painting. So after my two hours of lessons on Saturday morning I decided to stroll over and lend a hand. I was supposed to go on Sunday too, but a late night at the pub (I'm talking leaving at 5:30am here!) I accidntally set my alarm for the wrong time and slept all day until 2pm. But anyways, we got a lot done on Saturday, and it was just a few second coats to go on Sunday.

Pat, the other Canadian teacher at my school, (she replaced Alex the Scot in January), has her son Allan visiting for the month. He came out with Ondra and Ilca and myself on Saturday night. It was with him that I stayed at the pub so late (early?) on Saturday. He was chatting up some girl by that time, and I was getting tired, so I took off. Pat contacted me at about 3:30pm on Sunday, wondering where her son was? She was getting worried, but he finally turned up at 6pm. Wouldn't that have made a great headline?: "Man from Sault Ste. Marie murdered by mysterious Czech woman" But all's well that ends well.

Here are some photos from the painting session.

Till next post...

Pavel, doing the high part of the wall
Tomas
Eva and Pavel
Meeting in the kitchen