Germany takes Easter very seriously…to the point where this past weekend actually was part of a four day holiday spanning Good Friday and Easter Monday. With the holiday keeping Cottbus even quieter than usual, we were itching to head out of town. So on Saturday, we packed up for an adventure to nearby Prague — land of (yet more) charming architecture.

Prague is actually “nearby-ish,” since it is still 3-5 hours away depending on the method of travel. Luckily, one friend had a car available, so we were able to do the trip on our own schedule without having to rely on the sporadic holiday trains. We ended up spending a fun day walking through the old town and Easter market…featuring baked goods, NFL themed tchotchkes, and egg-cellent decorations.

Prague also afforded incredibly picturesque views of rivers.

And this Franz Kafka statue…no comment.

Following my Poland debacle a couple weeks ago, you better believe I brought my passport this time! Not that anybody asked to see it…of course.

Sunday was quiet around Cottbus, with plenty of time to enjoy the spring weather. Or as it could more accurately be called, the can’t-make-up-it’s-mind weather. We went from gorgeous blue skies to sprinkling rain to hail/snow all in the span of a half hour.

With all the rain, nature is especially beautiful right now in Cottbus. Around here, the English saying “April showers bring May flowers” may as well be “April showers eh whatever we’ve already got oodles of flowers.”

Yes, is the gorgeous scenery I get to experience daily.

Plus the pride of local construction.

There are little garden plots clustered around town, which city-dwellers can rent and care for. Many people grow veggies, keep bees, etc. They tend these gardens during the weekends, so you see families spending time together on these plots on Saturdays and Sundays. And of course, at this time of year they decorate for Easter — apparently with eggs hanging from trees (as also spotted in Prague).

On Easter Monday, we went to an egg hunt. The kids had a distinct advantage, since they’re so short and therefore close to the ground already…much easier able to spot the colorful eggs. In fact, we only found one egg the whole time we were hunting.

Talia, finder of the One Egg.

We did spot some native wallaby, though.

Kidding. There’s a zoo nearby, where apparently the (non-native) wallaby are kept near the front and are therefore visible from outside the zoo. My theory is that they’re the cute lure to get people into the zoo. It almost worked for us — the little guys in pouches were pretty adorable.

So ended Easter Weekend…an unexpected, yet quite welcome, long holiday.