By Ricky, on January 21st, 2013
Karel Schwarzenberg election poster on the bar at Restaurace U Topolu © Ricky Yates
On Friday and Saturday of this coming week, the Czech electorate will vote in the second and final round of voting to choose their new President. The first round, in which there were nine candidates, took place on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th January. Because no candidate got over 50% of the vote in that first round, the top two candidates are involved in a run-off in the second round.
The winner will replace the current President Václav Klaus, whose second five-year term of office expires in March. This is the first time that the Czech President has been directly elected by the people. Previously, the appointment was made by a joint vote of the two houses of the Czech parliament – the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
Whilst the . . . → Read More: The Czech Presidential Election
By Ricky, on January 7th, 2013
Three teenagers we met walking home from Church on Epiphany Sunday, dressed as Melchior, Balthazar and Kasper © Ricky Yates
Yesterday – 6th January, was the Feast of the Epiphany, celebrating the visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2, verses 1-12. The word ‘epiphany’ means ‘manifestation’ or ‘showing forth’ and is used because Jesus is ‘made manifest’ to the wise men, representing the gentiles. Whilst the Church of England allows for Epiphany to be celebrated on the nearest Sunday to 6th January, it was good yesterday, to able to celebrate the festival on the correct day because in 2013, the first Sunday of the new year was Sunday 6th January.
I note with interest, that celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany on the correct date each year, is not a problem in any neighbouring . . . → Read More: Epiphany
By Ricky, on December 30th, 2012
Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus in Námestí miru, Prague © Ricky Yates
Much as I dislike Christmas being brought forward into the Advent season, working with two expatriate congregations here in the Czech Republic means this inevitably has to happen. So many of our regular worshippers are absent at Christmas because they travel back to their respective home countries in order to spend the holiday season with their family and friends. But before setting off on their travels, many want to be able to participate in the Anglican tradition of a ‘Service of Lessons & Carols’, either in Prague or Brno.
Since commencing regular monthly services in Brno at the beginning of 2012, we have consistently held them on the second Sunday evening of each month. So it seemed right to make the service due on Sunday 9th December, a ‘Service of Lessons & . . . → Read More: Christmas in Prague & Brno 2012
By Ricky, on December 17th, 2012
Further to my previous post, yesterday was judgement day for the ExpatsBlog.com Awards 2012 for the Czech Republic. And I came third – I got the Bronze Award.
I am very grateful to everybody who took the trouble to follow the link in my previous post and ‘left some love’ for my blog in the comment box. I shall say something about those kind comments a little further into this post. There were also, a number of people who promised to go there and leave a comment, but who never did – sigh 🙁 Whilst the number of positive comments was not meant to be the only criteria by which blogs were judged, it is noticeable that the two blogs which finished ahead of me were the two that also got more comments than me.
The winner of the Gold Award was . . . → Read More: The Expats Blog Awards 2012 – Bronze Award for the Czech Republic
By Ricky, on November 28th, 2012
A spire with wires & lights in Prague © Ricky Yates
I’m not very good at ‘blowing my own trumpet’. I am still amazed that this blog currently gets an average of 70 hits a day and that in less than four years, I’ve written and published 205 posts. But clearly many people enjoy reading what I write and I’m grateful to everyone who kindly leaves comments on what I’ve posted here.
However, a few weeks ago, I received a most surprising email. In fact I was so surprised by what the email said, that it’s taken me some time to initiate appropriate follow-up action. For the email kindly informed me that, “’Ricky Yates – an Anglican in Prague’, has been nominated for the Expat Blog Awards 2012”. As you can see from the badge displayed at the top right-hand corner of my home page, . . . → Read More: Fame at last! – The Expats Blog Awards 2012
|
rickyyates.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.
|
Recent Comments