Hartau May 11th 1988
First time in the ČSSR
Today I went for the first time to the ČSSR. There we went up the Ještěd in Liberec (1012m high). Afterwards we went on a little shopping stroll and bought a toy monkey. I call him TAPPI. In the evenening we went to the Konsum Restaurant “The Stag” (Bertsdorf).
The ČSSR (Československá socialistická republika) was of course the former soviet republic that is today the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
I think this was not only my first visit to the ČSSR but also my first visit to a foreign country ever.
Ještěd with it's iconic tower is still a tourist attraction of course.
I remember that the shopping trip was very exciting because the things available to buy were very distinctively different from what was available in the GDR. If I am not mistaken there were even some products from the west available.
It was very hard for me to decide what toy to pick. In the end I decided for a stuffed toy monkey. I've always been a sucker for cuddly things 
.