Divoka Sarka

As I have mentioned before, there are small parks sprinkled throughout Praha. It's very nice to be able to walk just a few blocks to find grass and trees.

But around the outside of Praha there are a few larger parks. Nice places filled with trees, paths, benches, and sunshine. Yesterday afternoon I visited the largest one, called Divoka Sarka.

Divoka Sarka, in Czech, means "Crazy Sarka." The S in Sarka has a small mark above it called a hatchek. This small mark means that the S sounds like "Sh." According to the story, a woman named Sarka ran off a cliff there. Thus, crazy Sarka.

But when I visited yesterday, I saw no good reason for anyone to run off a cliff. The sun was shining brightly on the first broad expanse of grass. It reflected back as a brilliant green. I walked down, and then up again. On one rock I found five of the largest snails I have ever seen. Their shells were at least 1 and 1/4 in. across. At the top of this second cliff craggy rocks poked their way through the lush grasses and small trees.

I found a nice place to sit on one of the sides, and contemplated the valley before me. Most of the trees were of the evergreen or pine variety. That is something that it a bit different from America to here. Most of these trees are not deciduous, but pine.

The sun was shining in my face, telling me I was looking west. Below, large swaths of grass ran between the forest. To my right, off quite a ways, some people were clambering over the rocks. They looked like mere dots of color from where I was.

Behind me lay the city, with all its noise and bustle. Seeing it, my heart was filled with love and compassion for this great city which I am living in for now. Before me lay the forest and the clearings. And both were beautiful, though each in a different way.

There, on the grassy cliffside, I napped.

Returning from my mountaintop experience, I crossed a crick running through Divoka Sarka. Just as I reached it I caught the scent of fresh streams, the cooler breath of refreshing air. I paused to enjoy it, filling my lungs with sweet stream oxygen.

Yeah, I really like Divoka Sarka. I think I'm gonna go back today.

In His Time,