My preliminary plan for Christmas and New Year vocation 2007/2008:

V Jaremche ostanovlus zdes:
http://karpaty.nezabarom.com.ua/yaremche/fortuna/984/photo/ -150 hrn
predlojyli 2x mestny polulux vmesto standartnogo 2x mestny nomer
http://www.karpaty.info/ua/uk/if/jr/jaremche/houses/fortuna/
-500 м від центру міста
-skoree budem odni v dome iz 3h nomerov (tak chto mesto prisoedinitsya est...)
-WC/dush v nomere
-ryadom chastnaja kuhnya 50hrn s chel za zavtrak i ujyn


14 Dec, Fri - last work day at work, WFH, packing.

15 Dec, Sat - by bus going Prague to Lvov, 85 USD
16 Dec, Sun - by marshrutka going Lvov to Lutsk, 5 USD, buy train ticket Kiev-Lvov on 19th (if no ticket stay in Lutsk, take tickets train to Lvov on morning 20th Dec)
17 Dec, Mon - Lutsk, 10 USD
18 Dec, Tue - Lutsk to Kiev by car with Lisa, 20 USD
19 Dec, Wed - Kiev, evening departure by train to Lvov, 30 USD
20 Dec, Thur - by train from Lutsk to Lviv, Iva by train N 085 arrives to Lviv 13:50, excursion around Lviv, by marshrutka going to Jaremche (2,5hours one way, 5USD), from 10+20, znat kak budem vozvrashcatsya v Kiev 27 Dec i esli poezdom to kupit obratnye bilety.
21 Dec, Fri - Karpaty (Jaremche), 15USD accomodation + 10 USD food + 15USD snow equipment rent per person
22 Dec, Sat - Karpaty (Jaremche), 15USD accomodation + 10 USD food + 15USD snow equipment rent per person
23 Dec, Sun - excursion to Ivano-Frankivsk, 15USD accomodation + 10 USD food per person +10 USD for transportation.
24 Dec, Mon - Karpaty (Jaremche), 15USD accommodation + 10 USD food per person - Lisa or mam or pap join us in Karpaty
25 Dec, Tue - Karpaty (Jaremche), 15USD accommodation + 10 USD food + 15USD snow equipment rent per person - Lisa or mam or pap join us in Karpaty
26 Dec, Wed - Karpaty (Jaremche), 15USD accommodation + 10 USD food + 15USD snow equipment rent per person - Lisa or mam or pap join us in Karpaty
27 Dec, Thur - going from Karpaty to Kiev, likely by car with Pap or Liza, (70 USD total) or train (20-30 USD per person)
28 Dec, Fri - Kiev, 15 USD babushka Dina greeting
29 Dec, Sat - Kiev, 15 USD buy return train tickets for Iva Kiev-Crimea or Odessa-Crimea.
30 Dec, Sun - Kiev, 15 USD / alternative going to Odessa by car with Liza
31 Dec, Mon - Kiev, NY celebration, 30 USD / alternative going to Odessa by car with Liza
1 Jan, Tue - Kiev, 15 USD / alternative going to Odessa by car with Liza
2 Jan, Wed - Kiev, Iva by train back Kiev-Crimea, 20-30 USD / alternative coming back to Kiev from Odessa by car with Liza and Ivanna back to Odessa-Crimea by train.
3 Jan, Thur - Kiev, 15 USD
4 Jan, Fri - by bus going from Kiev to Prague, 85 USD
5 Jan, Sat - Prague
6 Jan, Sun - Prague

7 Jan, Mon - back to work

Friend, Andrew sent me a photo and a text report (in Russsian) about his trip to CZ some time ago. Nice observations about Krusovice and Karlovy Vary.

Had a Turkish evening party at home yesterday. Rommate Fhari has invited his Turkish friends and cooked a fantastic meals. Yammy. I wish we have more Turkish evenings like this... ;-)

This is 2nd year in a row when I'm helping to organize the presence of the French Embassy at the International Charity Bazaar at Hilton Hotel. The whole event is organized by Diplomatic Ladies Association (DLA), which is union of ambassador's wifes to Czech Republic. The event is supported by the Mme Klausova, the wife of the President of Czech Republic. The President of the DLA is Mme Helene Fries, wife of French ambassador. She is in charge of both representing the French table and the event in general. I was helping mostly with French table mostly.

The way it works - each embassy contacts the companies and organizations they know to donate for the event i- either money or products for sale. Donated products are then sold at the bazaar at the discounted prices so it would sell faster and buyer would be more happy. All received money are then donated to the charities. For the general public there is a small fee (50Kc/2,5USD) for entrance with is also a source of income that goes to charity. But overall it worth visiting since it is a unique opportunity to shop for cool products from around the world at discount. ;-)

Also as the way networking works I had a change to invite my friend and colleague and a professional photographer (at the beginning of his photography career) from work Tomasz Slota (from Poland) to take the photo report of the event. Here you may see the result:

http://tomslot.info/Bazaar2007 /any my few shots

Overall the event was great fun and I'm packed with my Christmas and New Year gifts thanks to it.

we had a small friends warming party in our kitchen on Saturday... wine.candles.talks.
here is some music we listened:

• Michael Jackson - Do you remember the Time - http://youtube.com/watch?v=rENoOBFrOlw
• Eric Clapton Live - http://youtube.com/watch?v=hiK3LKhnK80
  
• Kangroove - http://youtube.com/watch?v=UV0S6ts3sW8

Last week brought French Film Festival to Prague...again.
I have seen an excellent movies that would strongly recommend it to see:

1. Moliere
   
2. Entre Adultes
3. La Fille coupee en deux

And photo reports from this weekend parties - DJ Tiesto and Stereo MC's.

Previous weeks small photo reports: Toastmasters Regional Conference In Pardubice, Swank Bar LungerieFasion Show, some last minute change show in celebration of 100 years to Divadlo Na Vinohradah.

Also I have heard a cool rhythm that I liked - listen on YouTube - Clock - Coldplay and Buena Vista Social Club.

Halloween celebration in Prague on Wed, Oct 31st. It has turning in one of the most fun events for the expats living in Prague. Very, very, very popular event!!! Wowwwwwwww!!!

Last weekend spend with my last year roommate Vishal from London. He Djed at Acropolis on Fri night and on Saturday we have a chill out conversation a the bar of newly opened Palladium shopping center. Photos here.

On Sunday I have seen the Devil's Bible at Klementinum, during it's vocation timebeing in Prague, coming from Stockholm, Sweden. Which is by coencidence is happened at the same time as Komiksfest! 2007.

"How often do you find the right person? ONCE." You got to see this ONCE movie!!!

Now this weekend in Praha, which becoming my 2nd home. Autoshow, Presentation of the movie Once at the MOFFOM film festival, The Art of Can Installation. Photos here.

Been one fantastic week in Kyiv. Home is home. Nothing on the planet is like HOME. Here photos.

Andrew Semenov has sent me his story and photo report from his recent visit of the Czech capital, Prague. Here.

Been to the concert of French band Nouvelle Vague. At Palac Akropolis. Fantastic!!! Recommended!!!

• www.nouvellesvagues.com
• www.myspace.com/nouvellevague

Look for a vibe at blogmusik.net

• Here are my photos from the concert. other photos.

Svershylos. Snova edu v Kiev. Ura!!!

Zamette chto edu. S samoletom kak planiroval ne slojylos. Bilety na samolet cherez milan uje uleteli, a na drugie options ne hvataet cash. Spasibo pape, mame za predlojennuju fin podderzhku, no luchshe sekonomim nemnogo. Otpusk na rabote podpisan.

Ja vzyal bilety na avtobus. Patnica, 5go 9:00 utra vyezd iz Pragi, 6go v rajone 9:0 utra priezd v Kiev na j/d vokzal.

Nazad v Pragu - Subbota, 13go 9:00 utra vyezd ot z/d vokzala Kiev, 14go v rajone 9:0 utra priezd v Prague na Florence vokzal.

Ja budu vmeste s devushkoj - Ivannoj, ona priedet iz Kryma (6-10go Oct).

Ostanovimsya na Bereznyakah (ili u Lizy na kuhne... ;-) ).

Highlights of the program:

- 6go, Oct, Sub 9 utra priezd, vstrecha Ivy poezd 027 (Simferopol) 11.23am, 6j vagon, na svadbe u druzey (Sasha, Natasha) 15:00 official part, then dancing till 00:00, Andreevsky spusk.
- 7go, Oct, Vos, D/R Babushki Diny vecher u babushki (utka s jablokami ili kovkijka + samovar)
- 8go, Oct, Pn - 11:00 SUN biz meeting at Sun Microsystems, Regus Business Center 42-44, Shovkovychna str. 01601 Kiev, Ukraine; S obeda s papoj
- 9go, Oct, Vt - s mamoy
- 10go, Oct, Sr - s Lizoj; otjezd Ivy, 17:50; vecherom k 7 u Lizy - meeting of all friends
- 11go, Oct, Cht - sutra rynok Petrovka, 17:00-19:00, отель <Русь>, ул. Госпитальная - MBA expo
- 12go, Oct, Pt - sutra ?, vstrecha s gruppoj (Max, Denis), vypusknikami NTUU KPI, vecher/noc
- 13go, Oct, Sb - 9:00 otjezd

Do skoroj vstrechi!
-Vas suslik

Adding photo albums sent to me recently by:

• Julia Shkvarun - international adventures
  
• Kostya - from his trip to Jaroslavl and Kyiv, Ukraine
  

Photo report from Architectureweek.Cz

• My cousin bro Max living in Canada has started a video news series. Check this out here.
• The song of a weekend - In the Sun (here is lyrics), Coldplay feat Michael Staipe (R.E.M.). You could find it on www.deezer.com if you type Coldplay in search.
  

Been to the Narodni Divadlo (National Theater) for the Czech Ballet Symphony modern ballet performance. Liked it a lot.

Journées du patrimoine

16.9. 10h00 - 17h00

Francouzské velvyslanectví Velkpřevorské náměstí 2 Praha 1

• Portes ouvertes au Palais buquoy [photo report]

Depuis une vingtaine d’années, en France tout d’abord et dans toute l’Europe maintenant, nombre de monuments habituellement interdits à la visite ouvrent leurs portes et livrent leurs trésors à la curiosité du public le temps de quelques journées. Siège de l’Ambassade de France depuis 1919, construit en plein cœur du quartier de Malá strana entre 1736 et 1738, le Palais Buquoy est un exemple très abouti du baroque pragois et le creuset des relations franco-tchèques depuis la première République. A la faveur de ces journées, le public pragois pourra découvrir ce joyau architectural. Ainsi, de l’escalier d’honneur où trône un buste du philosophe René Descartes au salon de musique où Mozart a donné plusieurs concerts privés, de la salle à manger où le 9 décembre 1988, François Mitterrand reçut Václav Havel et des dissidents tchèques pour un petit déjeuner célèbre, chacun pourra se pénétrer de la richesse patrimoniale de ce lieu singulier.

Déroulement : de 10h à 17h, déambulation libre et gratuite assistée d’un petit guide de visite individuel. L’accueil du public et l’entrée dans le palais se feront de Velkopřevorské náměstí 2, Prague 1.

Entrée libre

Been to the concert of Paul van Dyk. They sey he is N1 DJ in the world. Hard to believe. What about other 100 of the N1s in the world? Also I enjoyed music and dancing I did not feel like staying longer then 2am, so I went home as I had to get up early. Yet another intro into the CZ culture that I have saw many people wasted by alcohol and other stuff. But overall this was event of the week or probably month's to be at.

• Here is photo report from the live set
• I believe photo with friends may also be posted here - www.poslouchej.net