(Remember to click on the pics for a better view!)

Greetings everyone from a very hot and a very sticky Prague-it's over thirty degrees and I'm wilting badly in the heat! Got in safely last night-though Jet2's baggage policy leaves a great deal to be desired-apologies to Ivor Parkhill who I didn't have time to talk to at the airport, but I nearly missed the flight!!!

My wonderful host Marie Sedmikova went out of her way to meet me at the airport, where we took a bus for a short while, then got the metro train nearer to the city centre, then had a tram ride to my hotel.....planes, trains and automobiles all in a short space of time!!!!

I immediately threw myself into Prague culture.....and had a KFC!

What was I to do, it was late, I walked out of my hotel and there it was, big red letters, how could I refuse!!

Next morning it was up early and  on my way to school-a tram ride and then a metro ride-about an hour in total, and Marie again picked me up at Zlicin train station, for a short car ride to Rudna school.

Rudna is a well accomodated school, with a large site and a blend of old and new building. It is a school within the growth of a new satellite town, so they are fighting the general Czech trend of falling enrolment-even here I can't escape those words!!!!!

The first thing that is striking as you enter the school is the huge reptile tanks at the entrance, housing snakes, lizards etc-it's that big Timothy could live in it for a week!

Just as in Lithuania, I was immediately impressed by the warmth of welcome I received, and the openness of the children. Their efforts in speaking english really put our language skills to shame!

Now the first major difference that I came across, and probably the most relevant, is that children here do not start school until they are 6 years old-Rudna school children from 6-15 years old. Now if you think this is crazy, compared to us starting at 4, take a look at what was on the board for these children at the end of their first year in school (They work terms the same as ourselves!) The reasoning is that if children are allowed to develop at their own pace before starting formal education too early, then they will be ready to take off at a greater pace-this is the concept underpinning our new curriculum, and the reason I'm here-from what I have seen, I am a solid convert!

The children are just like our children-no different-still love their sport, still just fun loving creatures! They do have a skateboard park just outside the school, but they still like their football too!

I visited a number of different classes-and got quite a grilling from the children-then came the big question-how do you explain the history of N.Ireland????? Yikes-where do we start! Time for lunch I think!

Lunch was a treat-some dumplings and pork-which were lovely, but they came with sourkraut.....if anyone even hears Heather mention the word let me know-she will be flogged for even thinking it, come to think of it, maybe that should be reserved as a punishment for naughty kids-a double helping of sourkraut!!!!!!

After saying goodbye to the school, I thought it would be a wise move to get into the centre of Prague-but in this heat, boy was I wrong! Humping my bag round there whilst being remotely dressed up-i.e. without shorts was not a good idea-nothing else for it, but ice cream was prescribed!!!! Thankfully, Prague is not short of wonderful places to pick up snacks and desserts. Suitably replenished, I struggled back to the hotel and got the shorts on-a great relief for me-whether the rest of the Prague population was ready for it, it's not for me to say!!

In the evening I took a long walk-feet were now beginning to throb mildly! Through Wenceslas Square, down through the old town, and then onto Charles Bridge-no camera with me, as at this stage-it was too much hassle to carry anything! However, it is too beautiful to leave here without pictures of, the bridge is almost 650 years old I have been told, and it is a wonderful sight-I was there just as the sun was setting behind the castle-even though I think the rest of Europe was also on the bridge, it wasn't spoilt!

 Back in my room now, having of course sought out an appropriate sports bar to watch the Champions League Final in on Wednesday night-haven't seen a Chelsea shirt anywhere! Smart people the Czechs!!! Though Peter Cech has been on a few noticeboards.......don't they remember the semi final and how Pepe showed who was the best keeper..............the last paragraph is especially for Andrew, hope he's coping OK without me!

More tomorrow-I've got 24 and NYPD Blue to watch in Czech now.......!