Guest post by my wife, Karin:

A big decision has been in the making over the past few months in our house by the sea. Deliberations going back and forth, with discussions of personal dreams and desires. Which has been fun in a way, because these "meetings" required only my husband and I and usually a couple glasses of ouzo!

It all started last year, in fact, with our 10 day trip to Prague for the Christmas Holidays...and it was Love At First Sight for both of us! When we left, I dragged my feet, cried a few "real" tears, and vowed to come back. Michael, as always, was a bit more quiet about it all, but actually his mind started thinking...slowly at first, but gathering momentum as the year passed. A busy summer came, and fall and winter were before us.

Now as wonderful, lovely, etc as life can be here on this beautiful island of Paros, it has one BIG drawback. When the tourists go home, and the island belongs to the locals again everyone sighs a big sigh of relief. For a couple of months we really enjoy the peace and quiet….the empty roads….the empty beaches. Then reality hits us....when the shops close, restaurants close, friends go back to their "other" homes in various places...and we are suddenly left with what feels like: nothing. OK, the scenery is still to die for, but culturally, it is about a 0 on a scale from 1 - 10! We have no TV (long, technical story – others on the island do) and we can only read just so many books. And how many times can you walk around the island….talking to the sheep?

That is the time a person starts dreaming their dreams...of getting off the island and finding some culture that inspires! But where? As everyone knows, the economy this year sucks so it has to be someplace close to home and not so expensive to get there.

Turkey was an option, as we travelled there last year and thought how much we would enjoy going south, to Bodrum perhaps, and stay a month or two. But somehow that did not appeal as it really is not that much different weather wise to here. (Is it possible to admit that we get tired of sun every day? People who live where it is cold and grey would never say yes to that!) Then, in a flash, we both looked at each other and said, "PRAGUE"! It just sounded and felt SO right.

From Michael again:

So this Thursday, Thanksgiving in the US but nothing here, we are on are way off island until March. I will be keeping up this blog as I find Paros and Greece items to write about—probably about the same frequency as I have the last few months. But even better, Karin will be joining me in writing about our Prague adventures. Those readers who have seen her past photo journalism efforts know they are in for a treat.

Please add this link to your readers, RSS, bookmarks, favorites, whatever you use: http://www.parosparadise.com/CzechMates