I know every foreigner I’ve ever told about it was completely shocked by this custom.
I usually try to explain to them that the whipping is only symbolic. However, I guess, they still find it pretty weird, something that would probably never be accepted by the Western culture.
The pomlazka is made of braided young willow twigs decorated with ribbons. The actual purpose of whipping is ‘to make younger’.
My boys probably still find me young enough since they don’t observe this tradition. And, by the way, it’s not a Dutch custom!
We just decorated some eggs with stickers. Already this was a challenging task for Maarten.
What is not a Czech tradition but what I like is hiding (and afterwards collecting)the eggs in the backyard.
The 'American way', the egg hunt where the whole community gathers in a park and the children have baskets and try to collect as many eggs as possible. This made for a fun Saturday.
Maarten liked the fluffy bunny so much that he had difficulties sharing him with other children.
He loves all the traditions of course but the chocolate eggs and bunnies are surely the best part. He actually doesn’t get sweets at all during the year (yet!) so I understand his excitement.
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We hoped to leave the Easter crowds back in the town and head for a quiet trip into the woods. I really did my best to choose a ‘Maarten friendly’ path which means close to the water. It sounded so promising – a trail from Alpine Lake to Kent Lake along Lagunitas Creek through fine riparian woodlands. It really was beautiful and surprisingly pristine but...the creek was actually some 20 meters below the path!
So Maarten was bored, bored and bored! I understand he doesn’t appreciate the views of the hidden lake yet. Luckily some of the side streams were still flowing and crossing beneath the path so he could play with the water now and then. And there were a few banana slugs right on the trail which he loved.
You would expect him to sleep deeply for the whole night after such a demanding trip of more than 5 hours through the woods, right?!
It has actually been a few months since I've slept well. He comes to us several times during the night complaining about a nightmare, having an appetite of cookies or simply wanting to get up and play...
We've already been like a couple of dizzy zombies for weeks.
This week is spring break at Maarten’s school.
Monday we were supposed to meet our friends in San Jose's Happy Hollow Park but after such a sleepless night and getting up at 5:30 you would not think of having fun. The only thing I had on my mind this morning was how I could possibly get through the day.
It went surprisingly well. Maarten was obviously enjoying himself on all kind of attractions, fun rides and of course he loved the funny animals that were extremely active today.
Maarten had a little accident. Even though I’m not sure if this is really just ‘a little’ one. While climbing the fence at the Bug Ride he slipped and injured his mouth. It was bleeding and as usual he was not crying though he certainly hurt. I believe his front tooth was moving but he didn’t allow me to check it closely. Let’s hope it will heal soon.
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