Dealing with "Cultural differences"

This last weekend was Easter and after some discussions it was decided that we would not stay and partake of the Czech Easter Customs. The Czech's, particularly in the rural areas have this tradition that on Easter Monday the males, from little boys to old men, go door to door and carry switches that are made from willow branches woven together and with ribbons on them. They use these to hit the women who then are suppose to traditionally give them eggs......a little too pagan for me!!! In reality, the little boys get chocolate eggs or decorated eggs, the men get shots of liquor and end up really drunk. The smart ones ask for money and in general the entire thing can be quite unpleasant for a feminist with an attitude. Ken thought it would be best to get me out of the country!
Actually we were looking for an excuse to visit our friends in Hamburg Germany. We travel there by car,..took about 10 hours,..but to someone from Iowa, that is only a "hoot and holler" down the road. We had a great time,...ate too much and drank too much great wine,.. but other than that we really enjoyed ourselves. Ken had to also deliver his first commission work. Our friend in Hamburg just bought a house and the bathroom had no outside walls or windows. So she had the carpenter put a fake one in that did not go anywhere and then commissioned Ken to do 4 seasonal paintings to go on the wall behind the fake window. Ken did the spring one and we delivered it. It really looks great and certainly helps the bathroom!! I've heard of "sofa painting" before, but not "bathtub paintings"!!
We had more visitors this last week. The daughter of an old friend and her boyfriend from Denmark stopped by for a couple of days. It was great having "young people" around. Did the usual eating, drinking and castle hoping.
Ken is working on more paintings. We saw a great show of a woman artist from Finland while we were in Hamburg, Helene Schjerfbeck. She painted from the age of 8 until she died at 83. Ken has a little catching up to do. I am trying to put together some lectures for translators on the basic concepts of American Law while he paints. The weather has been so beautiful that we haven't worn coats for a week....sorry you guys in the middle of a blizzard.
But for now the Lewis hotel is empty,..so get your tickets bought and put in your reservations!!