Charles University

Interesting bit of information: Charles University in Prague was the first university in eastern Europe . . . and instruction was bilingual: Czech and German. Even as today in Europe, many people spoke more than one language. Country borders changed frequently and what was one day Germany, the next day was Czech--or Poland--or Hungary--or Austria. Talk about identity crisis!

A cloak is just a cloak. Right? Wrong.

And silly me . . . I thought using the word "cloak" was a simple way to wrap up my characters against nasty weather. Seems I was wrong! European rich folks in the middle ages wore fur cloaks: Ermine if you were royalty or clergy. Furs from sable and mink to fox and bear or fine wool trimmed with ermine or rabbit. Coarse wool sufficed for the peasants, serfs, and servants. Guess I'd be wearing wool--but that bit of gypsy blood in me would have trimmed it with rabbit, for sure!