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Czech out the bride (and our story!)


It had been an eventful weekend to say the least.  Before I go into what happened, the highlight of last weekend was one of my dear friend's wedding in the Czech Republic.

It is a special friendship I share with Marketa.  I remember the first time we met.  It was at the movies and Sarah had asked me to join her and her friends for the tearjerker My Sister's Keeper.  There we met for the movie and perhaps I knew that she used to work for JPM that created somewhat a connection.  We decided to exchange numbers and when storing her name, I asked for her last name.  She said Dvorak.  "Oh wow" I commented, "just like the Czech composer!"  Thinking I could *ahem* impress her, she said "Yes he is my great, great grandfather."  I think my jaws dropped to the ground.  That is almost like being royalty, for Antonin Dvorak was such an influential music figure in the Romantic era especially in his native Bohemia.

From then, we hit it off as friends together with Sarah and she would invite me to join her and her friends for concerts whenever they play her "grandfather's music" as she would affectionately say.  At that time I was staying alone at Brunswick Quay enjoying my me-time for one year and when winter came and I realised there was no central heating in that mercilessly cold apartment, I knew I had to move.  Sarah suggesting to me to flatshare with Marketa and I was both apprehensive and excited.  At that time all I had stayed with all my life are Singaporeans and to move in with a Czech friend.. I wasn't sure if we would turn out enemies lol.  I still remember the worried chat I had with M, telling her my habits (I am a cleanliness freak, I don't like to talk much in the mornings, I don't like to wear shoes around the house...etc hahaa) and finally putting my fears to rest, I moved into her flat.  It was a comfortable apartment for we had 3 bedrooms and the smallest room became more like M's walk in wardrobe.  (I didn't mind cos I had the biggest room!)

Of course being enemies was far from the truth.  I enjoyed that one year of flat sharing with her.  We shared our shopping buys; we chatted and prayed for each other every now and then; we shared work stories; we giggled over boys and were your typical girls.  She introduced salads to me because I didn't like salads then - now I am a convert thanks to her.  And I introduced her to Singaporean fare such as chicken rice, laksa and kueh lapis (her fav from Bengawan Solo).  The thing she didn't dare to try was the "green cake" which is pandan cake.  She can't understand why the colour doesn't put me off. lol

One weekend after coming back from a wedding in Prague, she told me she met this guy called Rahul who, she excitedly told me is a Singaporean!  Wow what are the chances?!  I was very intrigued.  And their friendship seemed to blossom very fast.  Things were looking positive.  And around the same time I met K and I can't tell you how many chats we had over these two boys!  The first time I invited K over for some Chinese soup she gave me the suspicious look lol.

One year after that, circumstances changed and we had to move out of the house.  It was sad but we both knew the time has come to move on and work on lives with our other half.  K soon proposed and Rahul did the same.  We both started planning our weddings and exchanged tips whenever we meet.  And shared our fears of getting married (oh yes we did).

Can't believe we both got married within one month of each other.  This is truly a special friendship and I wish Marketa and Rahul the very best in their new life together.  I am convinced it would be nothing short of amazing.

Next up, I will share my experience of their Czech fairy tale wedding :)

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