Czech Reflect

Yesterday,I went to a little town just outside Prague, in the Czech Republic. Things have sure changed there.....much more modern and much more expensive than it used to be when it was under the old USSR....even since reunification, and yet even more expensive now that they are a member of the European Union, thus using the EURO instead of their former currency, the Kuron. I bought a beautiful, crystal, large cake pedestal, a smaller beautiful cake pedestal (so that when stacked they look like you could serve little petite fores, or little sandwhiches etc.) and some little crystal ornaments. Now for my big purchase: I bought my chandelier for way more than it would have cost 10 years ago. I kick myself for not jumping on the "chandelier-buying-bandwagon" that a lot of military wives, stationed with their husbands over here, used to do. I've been reflecting on why I do want it now.....when I thought it was too flashy then. I did the same thing with my grandfather clock. I never wanted one really. I didn't care to have one. I wonder if it was just that we were young and poor so I didn't dare want it since I couldn't really afford it anyway. Maybe it's because I realize it is really probably the last time I will be here.( This is the 5th time I've lived here and A is near to retirement.)

Maybe I've developed taste finally? I laugh about that because my tastes have changed so much in the last 3 years. I used to do the country home look.... but I've gone to a more simplistic cottage look. I have had to learn a lot.....I love it when I see it, I just didn't know how to do it on my own. Czech is not as bleak as Poland seems still to be...and I'm not sure why. Both have enormous tourist draw for their specialities...Poland for their pottery and Czech for their crystal. Maybe it is just lifestyle and willingness to just live the same they've always lived on the part of Poland. Set in their ways,maybe? Tradition? Maybe Prague looks to the "modern" world, and wants to "update" everywhere? I don't know. Just gives me pause. I couldn't really feel the same passion I felt when visiting Poland. I'm not complaining. I still bought the chandelier for cheaper than any place I could have found in the states. I can hardly wait to put it in my new home.