Culture – Page 4 – Czech the Flip

Destination: Čáslav

Published on July 25, 2013 by Grace6 Comments

One of the neighboring cities in my county is Čáslav. I’ve passed by this town several times but never really stopped to view the locale.

One weekend, we decided to visit Čáslav to explore the area.

Like most towns here in the Czech Republic, the town square is laid with cobblestones. During our time there, we didn’t see a lot of people roaming around the streets since it was a Sunday. It was nice to see the town so quiet.

Going further, we passed by the monument of Jan Žižka, one of the greatest Czech generals of all-time. In 1910, part of his cranium was discovered in the Čáslav parish church.

We then walked further to view the remains of the city’s walls.

It further led to a sporting area with a playground for children.

My little boy had a great time playing there with his daddy.

After almost an hour, we decided to walk through a small lake to complete the loop.

We then found ourselves on the square again and this time we went the other way where the Parish church is.

But perhaps one of the most notable landmarks in this town is the Dusikovo theater, which is the oldest theater in the Czech Republic.

With its artistic heritage, no wonder it produces world-class talents. The famous director Miloš Forman was born in Čáslav.

To know more about this historical town, you can visit their website.

Czech the Cyclist

Published on July 23, 2013 by Grace13 Comments

If there is one thing that strike me as the best Czech past time, it is cycling. Now that the weather is definitely getting better, cyclists abound the streets of my little town. The cycling paths are not that well developed but people still go out and ride their bikes.

A Czech friend once told me that it is almost mandatory for every Czech child to know how to ride a bike. And these bikes come in all stages depending on the child’s age.

They start out with little plastic ones.

Then as they get older, they have those that resemble a real bicycle but without pedals.

And of course, your bike grows with you.

As much as I would like to join the trend, I cannot ride a bicycle for now. Plus, I do not own a good bicycle…just yet. All I can do is reminisce my biking days.

But the good thing is, we may be able to save some money on my bicycle since I am a small person. Those bikes for teenagers may just fit me just fine. We’ll see.

Krtek: The Czech Mickey Mouse

Published on July 19, 2013 by Grace4 Comments

Because it is summer break, I am now constantly looking for exciting things to do for my active toddler. Between visiting the playground and going for a walk, there is also a need for quiet playtime, reading and learning. One day, as we were walking through a toy shop, I decided to buy him a puzzle to see if he will be interested. Sure enough, puzzles got him hooked! Maybe it is the feeling of completing something, the joy of seeing the picture unfold in the puzzle, or perhaps it is the mere challenge of solving something, but he loves puzzles.

And it’s not just any puzzle. It has to be a krtek (little mole) puzzle. Krtek is a very popular cartoon character here in Czech and in some parts of Europe. Its creator Zdenek Miler, was said to have gotten the idea of bringing this character to life after stumbling through a mole hill. Krtek was first shown in Prague in 1956, and now it is still running and has been shown in other countries as well. The character in itself has expanded to a whole brand of merchandise – from children’s books, to puzzles, to videos, etc. There is a shortage of Mickey Mouse merchandise over here but an abundance of Krtek.

I am still loyal to the mouse, but this mole is slowly winning my heart. Here is a short Krtek video of this endearing character.

Have a great weekend!

Impressive Innsbruck

Published on July 11, 2013 by Grace7 Comments

As mentioned in a previous post, our main goal for last weekend’s trip was to visit friends in Innsbruck, Austria.

Melba is one of my closest friends from the university. Since we had the same bachelor’s degree and lived in the same dormitory, it was only natural for us to be in the same group of friends. All through our college years, we have shared endless discussions about our families and life goals. Together with a few other girls, we were like a family- lending an ear and supporting each other.

After obtaining our degrees, we parted ways to follow our dreams. While I was pursuing an ambitious goal in a manufacturing industry in the States, she went to Japan to obtain her Phd and go after her scientific pursuits. It was during this time when we met our husbands – both Central Europeans (mine Czech, hers Polish). Little did we know that we would end up in the same continent to raise our families.

I’m glad that we made this trip out to see them. It was a great time for our families to bond and for both of us to catch up.

Their place is situated in a suburban location close to the mountains and not too far from the university where her husband Cez teaches.

That Saturday morning, we started our day with a full breakfast on their balcony. It was very refreshing to be just around nature and inhale its beauty.

We were lucky that the powers-that-be gave us good weather during our stay there. There was nothing but sunshine which allowed us to go for a short hike and tour the downtown.

I will do a separate post on the hike because it was a pretty interesting one.

Meanwhile, here are photos of this beautiful city.

The inner streets of the city is full of impressive buildings with a typical European feel.

The succeeding picture is a view of the Old City watchtower, which is a popular landmark.

Going further into town, there lies a more modern square normally used for social events.

Innsbruck’s public transport system is very well-developed and accessible. Trains, trams and buses can be seen moving in and around the city.

Being in the highlands doesn’t mean it’s short of fun. During our stroll, I was lucky to snap a quick photo of these youngsters parading the streets.

Although, if you live in a place like this, it would be crazy not to go on a hike. The alps are just breathtaking.

When Melba told me that they were thinking of giving up a great opportunity in a major city in exchange for a quiet life in Innsbruck, I didn’t fully understand why. But after experiencing this beautiful city, I now understand.

I was very impressed with this amazing city and wished it was closer so we can do more frequent visits. But most of all, we had a great time in the company of great friends.

If you would like to learn more about Innsbruck, you can check out this page.

A Day in Munich, Germany

Published on July 9, 2013July 17, 2013 by Grace10 Comments

This past weekend, my family and I went on a road trip to 2 neighboring countries in Europe. Our main goal was to visit dear friends in Innsbruck, Austria but since we were passing by the German state of Bavaria, we decided to make a stop at the Bavarian capital of Munich. And I’m glad we did.

Munich is the third largest city in Germany and one of the most popular expat hubs due to the big industries that are based there.

Since we only had a day to see the city, we decided to just walk around Munich’s Old Town where most of the popular sights can be found.

We got a hotel that was 3 km away from the old town so we decided to try out Munich’s public transport system. It saved us a lot of money and it was a very easy ride. The maps were easy to understand, the directions were well-marked and the trains were clean and efficient.

The metro had a station right at the heart of Marienplatz (Marien Square) , so it was a very convenient ride.

Perhaps the most notable landmark in the square is the New Town Hall of Munich. Its architecture is quite impressive.

I wanted to get a posterity shot in front of the building, but my son was starting to get bored. So this is the best shot we got.

Right in front of the town hall is the Marian column.

Other buildings surrounding the square were more modern and commercialized. As we walked a couple of blocks into one of its narrow streets, we found ourselves facing the Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady, the city’s largest church.

It was very grand and awesomely huge that I couldn’t take a full photo of it without having to stand at an elevated distance. Anyhow, I managed to capture a few shots of the interior as it was surprisingly allowed.

Normally, climbing on top of the church’s twin towers would have been allowed. It is said that from those towers one can see a breathtaking view of Munich’s cityscape and the Bavarian Alps. However, during our time there, it was undergoing some major renovation and was closed.

Anyway, we continued our walk to the Viktualienmarkt, another famous landmark. It is the site of Munich’s daily farmer’s market.

The colorful booths at the market offered a great variety of fresh and regional food. We couldn’t just be there and not partake in these delicious offerings. So we stopped for lunch at a seafood place. I had a shrimp ciabatta sandwich while my husband had a fish sandwich. Jakub on the otherhand had a fish fillet with potato wedges. We also had some fresh olives from a nearby stall and were quite happy with our meals. Everything was so delish.

After having enough fuel for the remainder of the day, we again set off for a walk passing through the Munich Opera house….

…. and several other historical and modern buildings.

Our final stop for the day was at the Munich Hofgarten.

It was a great day for chasing pigeons while I took a rest under the shaded trees.

Munich is a beautiful city with a good blend of modern and traditional architecture. If given the chance, I would like to spend a lot more time in this beautiful city some time.

But I was more excited for what lay ahead as we headed out to the Austrian alps.

Destination: Znojmo

Published on July 1, 2013 by Grace5 Comments

One of the most visited places in Moravia is the southern town of Znojmo. On our recent trip to Vienna, we decided to make a quick stop in this magical city to somehow get a glimpse of it. I hope it will also give you a glimpse of this beautiful city.

Before entering the town center, this was the piece of architecture that greeted us. I thought it was impressive.

Right across it was the town theater.

Upon entering the town, this is the view of the town square.

View of the buildings surrounding the square.

There is a passageway behind the squarish flat building with beautiful pictures of the city. What a great way for visitors to relax and see the city through pictures!

Aside from its beautiful architecture, Znojmo is also know for its wines.

That red tram was ready to take tourists to the wineries.

It’s too unfortunate that because of my current state we didn’t have the chance to taste Znojmo’s wines. Well, at least there is something to look forward to when we go back to this place.

To cap off our day, we went to this cafe and had a good serving of gelato instead.

If you would like to learn more about Znojmo and what it has to offer, please click here.

Have a great week!

Weekend in Vienna – part 2

Published on June 26, 2013 by Grace9 Comments

We reserved the second part of our trip for the Schonbrunn Palace and gardens, the summer residence of the Habsburg Monarchs. The place was located a little bit farther from the city center, so we decided to already check out of our hotel, spend a couple of hours over there, then head for home.

We entered the palace from the side entrance since it was where we found a good parking spot. I also figured it was a great way to cut the walking distance.

But I was wrong. In order to fully appreciate its beauty, one has to enter it from the main front entrance.

The place was so huge and grand.

We walked through the whole perimeter to view the gardens. This next picture was taken from the right wing.

It has amazing French-style gardens that are simply breathtaking.

The rear side of the castle did not fail to impress either.

The gardens at the back were just as beautiful as the ones on the side.

There was also a huge fountain with the statue of Neptune at the far end.

With its huge expanse, it was quite a walk.

But the view from the fountain facing the palace was also awe-inspiring.

Furthermore, the area seems to be a runner’s haven.

With all its mazes, varied terrain and beautiful scenery, it makes up for a very good run.

After walking and admiring the beautiful sites of the Schonbrunn Palace, we headed for home.

If there is one person I know who likes to have everything planned, it is my husband. But since we were on holiday, I somehow persuaded him to just follow where the GPS navigator will take us. And so we did. The funny thing was, it added a twist to our already colorful day. I chose a route that avoided toll roads and highways so we can see the countryside but it took us somewhere we didn’t expect – the ferry boat!

I thought it was a lot of fun, but he was not so happy about it. My friend Georgia used to say that her GPS is a Global Piece of Sh*t, because of all the wrong directions that it takes her. At this time, my husband was thinking the same.

Although later on, we all just laughed about it. It’s another adventure added to our list.

Anyhow, the route did take us to the countryside.

It was an interesting drive through small villages and farmlands.

Until finally, we arrived at the border. Home sweet home!

All in all, the trip to Vienna is now part of my most memorable trips . My son who is turning 3 next month will surely remember this — specially the ferry ride.

Weekend in Vienna – part 1

Published on June 24, 2013 by Grace7 Comments

One of our weekend travel plans this year included a trip to Vienna. This past weekend, we made it happen. Thanks to 2 days of great weather, everything went well as planned.

Our trip started Friday night as we drove 4 hours from Kolin to Vienna. It was a surprisingly smooth trip with minimal traffic.

The following day, we started out early. First on our list was a visit to St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

What was impressive in this cathedral is its prominent gothic structure. Today, it is the seat of the Archbishop and the site for most of Vienna’s religious and social gatherings.

In close proximity to the cathedral are historical buildings, fountains and statues. Just like the Old Town Square in Prague, it is highly commercialized and loaded with tourists.

After walking through this…

..and this…

…we found ourselves in front of the Imperial Palace.

It was here where the great empire of the Habsburg monarchy was ruled from. I am not a history fanatic, but after visiting a lot of castles here in Czech and knowing whom it belongs to, I became increasingly interested with the Habsburg Monarchy. It was interesting for me to see where the Imperial seat was.

At present, this palace is now used as the residence of the President of Vienna.

Next on our itinerary was a walk to the statue of the greatest empress in Viennese history, Maria Theresa, mother of the iconic princess Marie Antoinette of France.

It was here where several guys wearing Mozart costumes where inviting us to a Mozart concert. It would have been a nice concert. Unfortunately, we haven’t planned for anything of that sort.

The statue was also in very close proximity to the Natural History Museum.

We then walked through the Viennese Parliament building.

Right in front of it was a Botanical rose garden where we took a quick rest and admired the beauty of the flowers.

It was very relaxing that I almost fell asleep in one of the benches under the trees. My son had to drag me up so we can continue on our journey.

After another long walk passing through embassies and other historical buildings….

…we finally arrived at the last place on this day’s itinerary – the Prater amusement park.

One of its greatest attractions is the giant ferris wheel.

By this time I was already very tired from all the walking. Of course we had the option of taking public transport, but we didn’t want to miss anything, so travelling on foot to these sights proved to be the best option.

My boys had a lot of fun absorbing the sights and that was all I ever needed to make me happy. After going through Prater, we called it a day and went back to our hotel eager for the next day’s trip.

Happiness is…

Published on June 17, 2013 by Grace6 Comments

This past weekend had been a special one for us because it was Father’s Day. My husband had a business trip to Paris this past week, so we were very happy to have him back for the weekend.

I can’t seem to get enough of these macarons that he brought home. Macarons for breakfast? why not!

Anyhow, our town also celebrated a big festival here in Kolin – Kmochuv Kolin. It is mostly a music fest, but they also had a program for kids. Thus, we brought our little boy to watch it.

The first presentation we saw was a simple theater play for children.

Then there was a comical re-enactment of the battle of Kolin.

Finally it ended with a mini concert of children’s songs.

The weather was perfect that day, so everything went well.

On Sunday, I decided to make a cake for my husband. Since it was a warm day, a no-bake cake was the best thing to make.

It was my first time making this cake. The ironic thing was, I actually had to ask my husband for help because the recipe was written in Czech. I had to make sure I get it right. It turned out less than perfect, and I’ll probably need to do some modifications on the next trial. I will share it with you once I get it right. Anyhow, my little boy liked it and my husband thought it was ok.

So there goes another weekend for this Filipino mom in CZ. Needless to say that I am content….and happy.

For Train Enthusiasts

Published on June 10, 2013 by Grace2 Comments

This past weekend, we visited relatives in Moravia to celebrate our nephew’s birthday. Since all the kids are boys, going to the exhibition of steam engines at the Olympia Park in Brno was the best pre-birthday activity for us.

The Olympia Park in Brno is an awesome place for kids. Among its best attractions is this railway park.

As you can see, it is perfect for kids of all ages, shapes and sizes.

The ride is approximately 1.5 kilometers long, and would take 13 minutes. My son has been on a lot of train rides in amusement parks and in the malls, but this one is his favorite because it really simulates the real train – terrain, engine and all.

Since it was a steam engine fest on this particular day, the steam engines were a hit and the most sought after.

Looking closely, you would see that the model train really simulates a real steam engine.

I was thinking of taking a ride myself. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s enough space for my burgeoning belly. My little girl wouldn’t like it that much anyway.

I was content with watching the happy expression of the kids’ faces and was quite amused with models such as this.

The mood was very festive, with a local band playing on the side.

After the train ride, we stopped to look at the exhibits at the parking lot.

My son was totally in awe. He escaped my grasp and made his way into this model.

I was just glad I was able to get to him first before somebody else did.

There was an area for the hobbyists, and here you can see more model trains.

Here’s a view of what the engine looks like.

So, if you are a train enthusiast or know someone who is simply fascinated by trains, this is a good place visit. It is one-of-a-kind, and it may be the first in the Czech Republic.

For more information about the park, please visit their website by clicking here.

I hope you had a great weekend!

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