The Czech Republic is Getting Foxy

I always heard that there was a tradition of fox hunting in the Czech Republic, but during the three years that I lived here, I only sighted one fox while traveling on a train. In the past two and a half months, I've seen four foxes running across open fields. Perhaps they're fans of the frigid weather we've been having recently, but it's been a real surprise to me. I've always enjoyed staring out of train or car windows trying to spot wild life. Typically, there are lots of deer to be seen, and a wide variety of birds, but the wilder sorts are few and far between, so I've greatly enjoyed my little glimpses into the animal underworld so to speak. Now I just need to spot a wild boar, and I'll really feel like I'm behind the scenes. Thus ends the portion of my post about the foxy-ness of the Czech Republic.

I will now proceed to the part of the show where I come out and share some photos or where I've been traipsing lately. On Wednesday, I had the chance to go to Cheb and visit with an former colleague and a couple former students. I had great times during these meetings, and laughed harder than I have in a long time. It was really great to reconnect and to feel like the time I spent here mattered to people.

I arrived in Cheb early so I would have a chance to do a little shopping, as well as wandering around with my camera in hand. There are plenty of times when I wish that I had taken photography classes, or was well enough off to purchase some sort of fancy pants camera, but my little old Olympus fits so nicely in my pocket, and ultimately it gets the job done. I'm trying to focus more on details this time around. I have countless photos documenting my years living in this city, and now I'm coming back and examining things on a closer level. It's amazing what you can find.

I headed down to the magnificent cathedral, Sv. Mikolas, and did a study on steeples and doors. This is just a small sampling.

Next I made my way over to Chebsky Hrad (Cheb Castle) where I focused on the big picture, angles, and shadows.

Walking by the river has always been one of my favorite things to do in Cheb. The cold weather has provided a number of new views thanks to the interplay of water and freezing temperatures. The result: ice in a of styles and designs.

I love this house and have taken pictures of it from various angles, and in multiple seasons, so it only seemed appropriate to add it here.

I headed back into town and enjoyed the buildings and walkways along the way.

That concludes the Cheb tour for today. It's time to watch the new singing talent show on TV Nova :)