Brno, Czech Republic: March 15th, 2009. The Brno ExPats Forum (http://www.brnoexpats.com) is an internet community providing information, help and resources for foreigners living in and around the city of Brno, Czech Republic. Created by two Expats living in Brno who who have themselves experienced the highs and lows of starting a new life in a new country, the site has grown rapidly since its launch in late 2008. The site includes an active discussion forum, useful articles, polls, Czech news in English, a services directory and classified advertising.

“When I arrived in Brno I had so many questions about how to set up a business, learn the language, where to live and so on. I also naturally wanted to find other English speakers for some social activities and it was difficult,” said Gary M. Vasey, site co-founder. “The Brno ExPats Forum offers all of those things and more and should prove to be a tremendous resource for foreigners in Brno.”

Spring is in the air and thoughts naturally turn to vacations but can you wallet stand it under the current economic climate? Well, I discovered a place to get cheap holidays using a travel agent for the best service. The Global Holidays website features 20 million discount holidays and flights to almost any destination you can dream up including here in the Czech Republic but also including popular destinations such as Spain, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and long haul holidays.

Their website is well designed and easy to use and you can go straight to look for flights, cars or vacation packages with ease. But an additional helpful feature is their travel blog that incorporates articles on destinations as well as good travel tips like "how to pack a suitcase.

Looking at the prices they are offering they certainly seem able to off bargain holidays and especially all inclusive vacation packages which are easier on a family budget. In particular, check out their offers page for some great deals.

If you have ever had a UK company pension - whether or not you personally contributed - and, you nowlive overseas as an ExPat, there may be some good news for you. As a result of legislation changes in the UK, you can now take control of that lost UK pension.

The problem has always been that UK pensions were always managed for you. Consequently, all you ever get is what they will pay when you retire and a transfer value. New legislation - QROPS - means that people living overseas can wrestle their UK pensions back under their own control - just like an american 401(k). But more importantly, you might be very surprised how much that forgotten pension is actually worth. It is well worth reading about how one man got 98k for nothing.

It is also worth getting information on QROPS and finding out if you can benefit and one site I can recommend is http://www.yourlostukpension.com.

I am now trying to get an ExPat's Forum off the ground in Brno and focusing much of my spare time on it these days. Come and visit the site. We have almost 200 members and growing already and perhaps I will incorporate this site as a part of that one in the near future.

Meanwhile, do visit the Brno Expats Forum and especially the discussion area - you will find lots of information there about Brno and the surrounding area.

The Brno Expats Forum also includes a Brno Services and Business Directory as well as a new Brno Expat's classifieds site too.

See you there??

Then think again. The founder of Porsche, one Ferdinand Porsche, was actually born in what would be the Czech Republic but at the time was simply the Austro-Hungarian empire. Ferdinand Porsche was born to German-speaking parents in Maffersdorf near Reichenberg in northern Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (today Liberec, Czech Republic). Even Wikipedia labels him as Austrian which is incorrect - he was Czech. And, if you can speak Czech and do a web search, you will find many articles lamenting the fact that his Czech origins have been largely ignored by the world.

Well, now you know. Porsche is the brain child of the Czech engineering and entreprenuerial spirit.

The Czech Republic thrives on Fairy Tales and it has a rich culture of such tales often made into Czech movies which get shown on TV over and over again. These movies are shown around Christmas mainly and Christmas without seeing these Czech Fairy Tales is akin to Christmas in the US without seeing 'White Christmas' on TV or perhaps without seeing 'Scrooge' in the UK. Unsurprisingly then, all Czechs have a strong affiliation for these tales, movies and songs from the movies.

Recently, UK artist Shaun Baker put out a song called "Could You, Would You, Should You" in his dance type format. Czechs appear both thrilled and appalled that a well known Czech song from a well known Czech movie of a well known Fairy Tale has been picked up, translated and put out by Mr. Baker. They are thrilled because this obscure Czech song from years ago has made it into the big time but horrified that it has been changed to this dance style.

Boskovice is a town not too far away from Brno on the way to Svitavy and it is well worth a visit. Not only does it feature a western town, castle, mansion and Jewish quarter but it has quite a few events during the year too. We visited Boskovice a few weeks ago for the Goose Festival.

The Goose festival features of course food products made from Geese but also a bit of a carnival complete with live music shows. They even had a passable Elvis impersonator on while we were there. Here are a few photos of the event...

Check out Boskovice soon, you won't be disappointed!

I am a total fan of Czech soups... I love the stuff. I even try to make soup quite often and it is quite good but my partner calls it 'German Soup' as apparently I use ingredients never found in Czech soups... Part of the reason I enjoy lunch in restaurants so much is that you get a bowl of delicious Czech home made soup first. Where I came from soup came out of cans marked 'Heinz', here the stuff is prepared fresh with great ingredients and boy - it is awesome stuff.

Shopping in Brno is actually a lot of fun and there is plenty of diversity with both the downtown area and four malls around town. Pretty much whatever you seek can be found in the stores here from cheap stuff to pricey designer clothing. I like Olympia which is on the outskirts of the city just off he highway to Bratislava. Olympia is the total shopping experience with a movie theater, ten pin bowling, cafes, bars, restaurants, supermarket and complete collection of stores.Downtown is also pretty good for shopping with the Vancovka Mall just nearby too.

If you live or know of an ExPat living in the Brno area let them know about an important new resource at the Brno ExPat Forum. This new forum is designed to help ExPats meet on another and as a resource of knowledge about living in Brno.

They can also visit the Brno ExPats Directory for further help and information and local businesses can get themselves listed there for FREE or a small fee.

If so do check out my new website coming soon and I mean soon.... Brno Expats. This site will focus on living, working and being in Brno and will offer a full discussion board for all those expats looking for answers, people or places to go...

www.brnoexpats.com

About two weeks ago it went from Summer to Winter here in Brno - terrible. Even had to put on the heating. It has sort of stopped me visiting places to talk about on the site but last weekend we went to Olomouc Zoo. Olomouc is another sizable city about 70 km from Brno and the zoo was really very good.

I do have a backlog of photos and posts to make however and in the next few days I'll stop being lazy and post them.

Just south of Brno, on the road to Vienna, lies the town of Rajhrad. The town is the site of an old Benedictine monastery. This is the original provost of the Břevnov Benedictines established in the middle of the 11th century, rebuilt into a baroque monastery with the Church of St. Peter and Paul.

The visit was prompted by the fact that on display there was the Kodex Gigas - a huge book (actually a copy) made by monks in the Middle ages. The story goes that a monk who was in serious trouble volunteered to write it over night and succeeded in doing so with the aid of the Devil. The Devil's image appears in the book as a result.

The Devil

The book was worth seeing but that monastery turned out to be a total delight too.. well worth a visit.

The Monastery

I have never been a fan of zoos and perhaps that explains why after two-years, I made my first visit to the Brno Zoo this weekend.

Actually, it was a great day. The zoo has quite a lot of interesting animals and displays and is very well thought through. The downside is that - like almost everywhere here - it is being worked on and improved so that there are large areas which remain off limits.

The zoo is on a hillside on the edge of town. That means you get to do some walking! However, if you want you can take a train upto the top and then walk down. The train costs a small fee but was well worth it. Be sure to check out the Kid's zoo too if you have kids. There is a petting zoo and quite a lot of other activities there for smaller kids.

I enjoyed the Polar Bears and also the Zebra and Giraffes... the Tigers were no were to be seen though.

The zoo is quite cheap to enter at 80kc per adult and I must admit, quite a good way to pass an afternoon.

Being a Brit that spent over a decade in the USA, I have no problem consuming bread and butter with my fish and chips or curry and rice nor do I worry about what goes in my sandwich - crisp butties I find delicious. But here those things are frowned on and even looked at as rather strange.

Czech's it seems don't mix their starches. They wouldn't dream of eating bread with a meal that includes rice or potato already and the idea of a chip or crisp sandwich likely turns their stomach! They have a much better and more balanced diet than us Brits/Americans for sure.

Here a meal would start with soup - usually home made - followed by meat or fish with pasta/potato or rice and plenty of salad and vegetable items. They may or may not eat dessert. It's great food for sure and even my dentist could tell I had changed diet the last time I was in Houston having my teeth checked.