Happy Easter!
We're back from Spring Break in Prague, where we visited Aunt B, Uncle P and little O. Oh the many photos we have collected and the many good beers we drank. I'll put up pictures in a few days, perhaps along with an album. I took over 600 photos...
The eggs above depict a Czech Easter tradition. Read about Easter Monday here. This is the short version from the same source:
The origin of the pomlázka tradition (pomlázka meaning both the whip and the tradition itself) dates back to pagan times. Its original purpose and symbolic meaning is to chase away illness and bad spirits and to bring health and youth for the rest of the year to everyone who is whipped with the young pussywillow twigs. Boys would whip girls lightly on the legs and possibly douse them with water, which had a similar symbolic meaning. An Easter carol, usually asking for an egg or two, would be recited by the boy while whipping. The girl would then reward the boy with a painted egg or candy and tie a ribbon around his pomlázka. As the boys progressed through the village, their bags filled up with eggs and their pomlázkas were adorned with more and more colorful ribbons.
I made sure to buy a pomlázka of my own while we were there
(E hasn't whipped me with it though).
