A park in Prague full of sledders, January 25, 2007

Bummer. We pretty much had a Northern California winter through Saturday, and it was great. The highs were always somewhere around 10°C (50°F), with the occasional jump up to 14°C (57°F). We loved not having to bundle up, we enjoyed the green grass everywhere and the blooming tree at Petřín park, we appreciated being able to have a cup of tea and a pint of beer on an outdoor terrace of a local café. We forgot what snow was and that Czech winter air smells of burning coal. It didn’t look like the real Czech winter would ever come this season. Jeff and I sure didn’t miss it.

Well, winter is here now. It’s Tuesday morning and it’s freezing. What’s worse, it is not supposed to get above freezing for the rest of the week. They say we should be getting some snow today. Looks like it’s time to switch to winter boots.

I feel like a child whose candy was taken away, but I know I really shouldn’t. After all, January’s almost over. Heck, anyone can take Czech winter for a couple of months, right?

It seems that the dm drogerie markt drugstore has an unusual perception of permanence. If you pass by one of their storefronts these days, you may notice large signs plastered over the doors and windows that boldly proclaim:

“500 products now permanently discounted! For at least 4 months. Guaranteed!”

According to dm’s website, the lowered prices themselves are referred to as trvalé ceny (permanent prices), which again are guaranteed for a minimum of 4 months. So if you want to get your favorite brand of shampoo at that wonderful new price, remember to run to the store by May 2007, the month that marks the end of guaranteed permanence.

Once again on the subject of this unseasonably warm weather. Due to the unusually warm fall and almost complete lack of freezing temperatures so far this winter, Moravian and Czech wine makers have not been able to produce hardly any ice wine this year. Ice wine (ledové víno) is a delicacy made from grapes that are left on the vines to freeze and are picked at temperatures of -6°C (21°F) or lower. This dessert wine is one of the most valued Czech wine products and a 2 dl (6.7 oz) bottle can go for 600 (22 EUR/28 USD) - 1000 CZK (36 EUR/48 USD). The 2006 vintage is certainly going to be very rare to find.

You can read more about ice wine on Wikipedia.

The skiing season officially started on December 30 at one of the most popular Czech skiing resorts, Špindlerův Mlýn in the Krkonoše Mountains. The season started very late this year due to the warm temperatures and almost no snowfall before the end of December. Some new snow fell after Christmas when temperatures finally dropped below zero, which also enabled the resort to cover the slopes with artificial snow.

Many other Czech skiing resorts are still closed or are open only partially. The skiing season in Czech mountains typically starts around the end of November.

More on the topic:
Prague Post: A white Christmas just a dream?