Out for a curry

Just been out for a curry at Chutneys, my favourite Indian Restaurant here in Wimbledon (known as an “Asian” restaurant here). We were out with a couple of my workmates and one of their partners. Wimbledon is a great location to head out into from work.

It has been quite the week, so it's nice to have it over. That blogging has been a bit thin on the ground is an indication of general lifestyle lately ― last Saturday I spend a little over six hours at work; Bronwyn unavoidably spent even longer at school on the Sunday. Hoping for less work this bank holiday weekend, though Bronwyn tells me she'll be in to school tomorrow. As maggi dawn points out, bank holiday weekends are infamous for poor weather. This weekend is no exception.

Still, it'll be nice to have Monday off. Initial Amsterdam aspirations have been calmed by fiscal responsibility when we couldn't find a cheap deal. We've decided instead to explore a little more of this fair city, full of many tourist hotspots we're yet to visit. If it fines up, I'm plugging for Hampton Court Palace, 'cause they have a maze... (Duncan like mazes... mmm.) Wet weather plan is the much praised Natural History Museum, with the excellent combination of having free entry and being really interesting. Or just lie in bed, dividing my time between wireless broadband and some good books. Ahh, a three day weekend, let's do it all!

View from the 29th floor

I spoke today to 120 speech therapists from around the country, beside a movie-boardroom view looking out over the Thames from the 29th floor of Guy's Hospital at London Bridge. The topic of my 45-minute talk was “Cognitive Ageing and Executive Functioning” and it met with a warm reception. It was for me the first significant outing of Apple's Keynote software that I'd recently purchased ― Apple's alternative to the PowerPoint presentation software. I was using its nice rotating-cube transition effect, and when I changed from my title to the first slide there was a satisfyingly audible "Ohhh" from many in the crowd... Keynote is too well-written to distract from the content, but with drop shadows, anti-aliased text, layered graphics and nice transitions people know they're seeing something different. The conference had requested presenters submit their handouts a month in advance so I'd written my talk weeks ago ― ironically they'd had problems with mine and nobody had copies, but electronic distribution will take care of that in a few days... Overall one of the best-received talks I've done and I've even been asked to consider contributing to a training DVD being organised by one of the attendees!

In some ways last weekend felt like we were getting a view from the 29th floor too, when we went away with many of the people from our local church. It was a weekend where I felt there was a palpable sense that we were being given a glimpse of the future and that we were starting a process of being moved on, from past difficulties to a new thing God is doing. Personally I found the weekend a time of feeling God's presence and God's leading much more strongly than I have in the last few months and even perhaps years. I think the Spirit has things cooking!

Sunday night finally saw the re-launch of Worple Road Church's new website, which I've been working on for some months. The design has changed, but even more significantly the underlying code has been re-written from the ground up. While there are things to iron out, the site is now cross-platform compatible, more flexible, and future-proofed. It contains much that is re-deployed from the previous site. What you see now is a foundation for many developments. My vision for the church site is that it will be a vehicle for fostering community through building relationships.

From here on the 29th floor you can see a lot on the horizon ― it's going to take us some time to get there, but we're moving.

Home safe and sound, or... Burning up on re-entry

We are home safe and sound from Praha, arriving back on Tuesday evening. Wednesday was a day off for me too, a bit of a blur of laidback slight productivity. As usual, I burned up on re-entry to work yesterday, with a repeat experience today at my second workplace... I am not good at stopping being on holiday.

Tonight we're off to Ashburnham for the weekend, going away with a group of 40 or so from our church. It should be a good weekend of building community. In some ways it comes a little soon after our recent return home, but we're dealing with it. Their web site talks of email access so I suppose there is a chance I'll be blogging over the weekend, but don't count on it. Probably I'll do some paper-blogging to be uploaded on Sunday night...

On a sad note, we heard today that someone we'd prayed for this week who had cancer, has passed away. We'd never met Jane, so of couse can't feel this situation in anything like the way her family and friends will. We have however experienced something like this ourselves, when a youth leader of ours died a few years back. It was a hard time. But God is there in our times of sorrow at least as much in times of joy. (It's just as much ― but we feel him more.) Simon and family, in this dark time we pray God will keep you warm in his embrace, and sow seeds of future peace.

Easter Sunday

As I write this Bronwyn is popping out to buy something, for someone... can't say more just now other than it is of this place, and of this time. We've just ordered dinner in yet another Italian restaurant, drinking yet another Czech beer (in moderation, of course)... I have to admit, since Bronwyn got me onto these dark ales... : ) ... I'm starting to like them ― and me who doesn't really like beer.

We won't be here for dessert though. We've found a place that gives you 15 minutes of free internet access if you spend 60Kč on food (c. £1.35). I see a slice of cake or two in our future... [They also currently have a free WiFi trial... again, where is that laptop?] So whatever you read here was typed in 15 minutes! (with a bit of pre-planning.)

We've earned all this, let me hasten to add. We negotiated our way out to Karlštejn today, a village 29kms west of Praha. Return tickets for two broke the bank at 100Kč (£2.20). There we saw and dutifully photographed Karlštejn Hrad (castle), apparently the most photographed in the country after the one here in Praha. Impressive cliffs surrounding this fortress would have made it impossible to successfully attack in the past I would have thought. We hiked in the woods for a couple of hours, moving from road to path to practically bushwhacking to reach our desired ridgeline ― and a still-obscured view of the Hrad! Saw a single jet-black squirrel, the only non-domesticated mammal we've seen here, though there are plenty of dogs on the trains... as well as a few birds. Few leaves on the still-wintry trees. From our ridge down to civilisation again, the difficult route!

We'd not been able to locate an English-speaking Christian community to join with in Praha today. Where we stopped on our hike however we read more of John's long account of Jesus' teaching at the Last Supper ― we've been reading this over the last few days. Remarkable words of reassurance and support to his followers, when Jesus knew what was ahead (that very night) but they did not.

The countryside and townships we travelled through on the train today told the story of years of communist-era neglect ― while the tourist centre of Praha may be looking polished 15 years on, there is clearly a long way to go. So come on over, spend some Kč, and help them out.

Lazy Saturday in Praha

Lazy, that is, if you count it as relaxing to climb the highest hill overlooking the city and then, finding a tower at the top, climbing that too. Saw some more of the city as a result and realised it is (of course) much larger than the compact old town centre suggests. We'd found ourselves up this hill having followed a self-guided tour suggested by the Lonely Planet. Good to stretch.

One of the joys of travelling is experiencing the local cuisine, of course. We felt we'd had our share of Goulash over the last two nights however, first with potato and then with bread dumplings, so tonight we reverted without shame to our default Italian. We both had the pesto, which was just to eat for. We rushed on to...

The Marionette Theatre is apparently a Czech tradition. I'd thought to make ten predictions before the show, then give you a report card on each. I never got around to it. Instead, therefore, let me tell you some myths about marionette that were dispelled for me this night:

• They will operate in a regular-sized theatre.
• (Having then seen the actual size of the stage, about 5-6 metres across...) The small stage will give it the feel of a small-scale production.
• The production will take the plot of Don Giovanni seriously, but just happen to be using puppets. (Rather, it was like a kind of physical “Reduced Shakespeare Company", if you know what I mean.)
• The puppeteers would do everything they could to hide their hands.
• They would have surtitles to explain the storyline, like the only real opera I (Duncan) have been to. (Die Meistersinger.)
• The puppeteers would make even slight effort to hide their hands.
• You wouldn't be able to see the strings, or at least, not all the time.
• The death of the puppet would not result in the (apparent?) death of the puppeteer also, who would not fall slumped over the screen at the back of the stage.

This show will certainly win our lifetime award for “Most extended use of puppetry", clocking in at nearly two hours. At about the half-way point both Bronwyn and I were looking at my watch, but I actually enjoyed the second half a lot more. We're still a little shaky on the plot, having never seen Don Giovanni before, but basically he's an incorrigible skirt chaser who gets himself in such a fix that nearly everyone ends up dead except him apparently, and he does some sort of deal with a creepy underworld character (the devil?) who apparently brings everyone else back to life in exchange for Don's own. Finally, it appeared to us that Don had to pay this invoice a little sooner than he was expecting... Well, we've dealt with the power company before ― we know what those sorts can be like.

A Good Friday in Praha

Out the door at half nine as we've a deadline today ― we spend the morning on an English-language walking tour. Our guide is a Praha native, a student during the 1989 demonstrations that sparked the Velvet Revolution and saw the communist regime fall in just 10 days. How far this city has come in just 15 years. Praha has developed at least as quickly as Berlin, though perhaps Praha started somewhat ahead. Greatest irony on the tour: a former aristocratic palace that now houses the (private) communist-era museum, a McDonalds, and a casino.

Walking the famous Charles Bridge, Jesus hangs from his cross over the middle of the span. Though it is Good Friday, the throng of tourists don't seem to notice him there ― inconvenient, perhaps. We will be having a remembrance of our own later tonight ― with The Passion of the Christ still reverberating for me from a week ago...

Praha has a long tradition of giving painted eggs at Easter time. (The other Easter tradition involves men swatting their favourite women with willow switches, but that doesn't happen till Monday...) Bronwyn had been looking forward to seeing these, and in the various markets we have seen these eggs not just for sale, but have been able to watch them being painted and decorated. Bronwyn bought a set of three precious eggs, which we hope to use as Christmas decorations in years to come. Can we transport three empty egg shells right around the globe? We shall see.

Tonight we're off to our concert of Dvořák and Smetana as well as Zelenka, Bach, Schubert, Mozart, and Beethoven, at an apparently historical baroque palace. In fact, it's time for us to return to the hostel and get ready. Eventually, this paragraph may be replaced with a bona fide review of the evening! Until then, dobry vecer!

Update from bronwyn: The trusty LP had warned that some of the so-called “amateur” concerts in the Prague Spring classical music festival were less than the best but I am pleased to say that we were far from disappointed. I had thought that it would be a Chamber ensemble ― which it was I guess, but actually it was an oboe quartet. We could have figured this out if we had analysed the fine print. Shrinking Dvořák's Symphony for a New World down to an arrangement for quartet was interesting but pretty successful. We particularly enjoyed the Mozart piece which exhibited terrific virtuoso performing by the oboe player. A lovely experience overall and sad to say that I think this is the only classical music concert that I have attended as a paying adult. mmmmm!

Pražsky Hrad

Rose early, about 11am, having had 12 hours sleep. Felt good. Breakfast eaten with supplies from an exotic local store called Tesco ― the home of the 1.5Kč (3p) bread roll. Headed out to the Pražský Hrad (Prague Castle), a half day required according to Lonely Planet, and that's exactly what we've got left.

The Hrad is not a medieval castle but rather an enormous complex of Vienna-style buildings surrounding an attractive Gothic cathedral. (Though you know, one Gothic cathedral starts to look very like another, especially on the outside...) Here lies St Wenceslas (actually sv Václavá), favourite son of Czech history, hero of the 10th century, and the “Good King W...” of Christmas fame. (Though he was never in fact a King per se, better classified in our terms as a Duke or Prince.) The castle offers impressive views over the city (reminding us of the hill overlooking Florence) and dominates 570m of ridgeline. Saw the window from which a series of defenestrations (death by being thrown out a window) saw various regime changes ― an unforeseen disadvantage of the commanding location, perhaps.

Late in the day, wandered the old town. (We're staying just out of the old town, in the 14th century “new town”.) Bought tickets to a classical music concert tomorrow night that features Dvořák and Smetana, another Czech composer. Marionette (puppet) theatre is also a Czech tradition so Saturday we shall see Don Giovanni at the National Marionette Theatre ― Mozart wrote this piece specifically for Praha, though admittedly not for puppets.

Dinner at a restaurant that features live Jazz, goulash with potato dumplings for both. Bronwyn orders a Czech ale that is larger than Duncan's Pilsner ― the world stands still.

London—Praha

Travel often starts with grumpiness. We're tired, I get grumpy, Bronwyn responds to the injustice of that (fair enough). We got over it. Finishing work off so I can go on leave always takes its toll though. On Sunday we made bookings for Rome (June), Scotland (August, with the Halses) and looked at Amsterdam (in a couple of weeks, for the Spring bank holiday weekend). So we'd better get better at setting out!

Snippets from our trip today:

• Workday-type wakeup time to start this holiday.
• On the tube read that the terrorist attack foiled here last week may have been targeted at Gatwick.
• Waiting for the Gatwick inter-terminal light rail (on tracks but inflatable tyres) I set off the intercom by leaning on the wall.
• Police at Terminal N carrying machine guns.
• First time out of Gatwick... it was nice.
• Wireless internet in the departure lounge, but the laptop was at home
• Electronic self-checkin, and we thought we picked an exit row, but we didn't.
• Leg room quite manageable on these planes anyway, just like trip to Berlin.

Landing in Praha (Prague) saw enormous apartment blocks stretching well over half a kilometre along a side, yet surrounded not by other blocks but mostly by green and parks. I guess no one can see the (thousands of) neighbours when you're indoors. Rivers dominate the countryside. Red roofs, steep roofs. Traffic jam on the motorway, with half of the vehicles being trucks...

Praha airport feels enormous ― like LA or Heathrow not Berlin. Major construction there too. Bus ticket machine requires exactly 36Kc (75p) for our two journeys plus luggage, so we buy postcards and chewing gum, and then discovering we were short-changed by 2Kč (4p) we got to another store to buy a Mars bar to get enough coins. Bus trip through industry ― “I know why Prague seems so beautiful,” Bronwyn says, “... because you drive through so much ugliness to get there!” Bus and metro a synch ― voice on the buses sounds like the same woman they used in Berlin.

Emerge from metro into the Wenceslas Square markets. 10 minutes sees us cover the 5 minute walk to our hostel. Pay over 7,000Kč cash for a strange hostel room which turns out to be in the basement of another building ― has firm bed, ensuite, fridge, and flash recessed lighting, but building is dingy, door has a gap at the top that haemorrages noise from outside, and the room has not been cleaned properly. Issued six keys to operate this home away from home.

Duncan sleeps. Bronwyn plans. Local pizzeria for dinner where we can read the menu because it is in our native Italian as well as Czech. Bronwyn drinks Czech beer and likes it. Praha, golden city of miracles.

The Passion

I wept.

The Passion of the Christ is a most remarkable film. As a Christian I bring a lot with me when I view this movie. As someone said to me the other day, it would be interesting to watch and then discuss this movie with a group of people from a range of backgrounds. I was deeply moved by this film. Seeing Jesus suffer so terribly, with the understanding/belief I hold about why he went through this (you can pick your interpretation), echoed down into deep within me. I did not learn anything new today, but I was shaken to my core.

What does it mean to live as a follower of Jesus? It means to live every minute of every day recognising that to gain true freedom you must voluntarily take on slavery to him. It initially seems a strange concept. "You are not your own; you were bought at a price...” (The Bible, 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a) If this makes no sense to you, ask me about it sometime. Today I felt petty; my desires are so small. How then can I be more like Jesus? Seriously.

Shall I give all? Will I give all?

Spring, Sprang, Sprung

Another (pre-)farewell today, this time for workmate Nicole (of the bbq fame), a locum who is being replaced by a permanent staff member. As previously discussed being a locum doesn't necessarily mean you're more temporary than the “permanent” staff though: after me, Nicole is actually the next longest serving therapist in that team. Today we were pleased to celebrate the new locum position she secured, at the Bobath Centre here in London. It is hard to describe exactly how momentous this is... the Bobath Centre is to neuro-physiotherapists the world over what Mecca is to the planet's Muslims. She's rather happy. Well done Nicole. I shall miss working with you. Do keep in touch.

It was nice to be able to sit outside this evening while contemplating Nicole's success, and find it not just still daylight well after 5pm but also a temperature that failed to be inclement. It may only have been 15 to 16 degrees over the last couple of days, but there is a feeling of resolve in the air, as if the city itself has had enough of winter. Though long-term forecasts proclaim doom and gloom of a disappointing summer, I am not convinced and shall not be swayed, planning on bringing about warmth by sheer force of personality if required. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am done with winter.

That's not all I'm done with. I'm well done with working three jobs. I think I'm reasonably good at keeping my processes as streamlined as possible. But I know I'm just not as efficient as I could be, if I were focussed on just one thing. Admittedly there are some things I quite enjoy about my work. (For one, my colleagues are good.) I've often said in the past that I'd never want to be a (school) teacher, and I used to say I was not a “teacher” in terms of giftings either. I'm starting to revise that. One school teacher is quite enough in the family, but my quiet secret is that I quite enjoy giving lectures at the various training events that are a regular part of my work here. The problem is there is never time to prepare for them during work hours. Last week I ended up working till 1am on Monday morning, then 1:45am on Tuesday, to finish a presentation with a Wednesday deadline. Unusually, that particular presentation isn't until later in the month, but the conference organisers wanted the handouts in order to distribute them beforehand. Since then I worked on yet another presentation over the weekend, finishing it Monday night for a Tuesday morning delivery. In that case I was talking to a group of senior nurses that I mostly did not know, and I deliberately picked a(n important but) controversial subject. I seemed to pull it off and have since got good reviews... I think a future job for me may need to include such teaching as a more core job function ― so I can keep doing this kind of thing but avoid the late nights. There's really only one type of organisation that supports this, but when the time comes it won't be in this country; academics here get paid in cornflakes.