For Train Enthusiasts

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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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

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

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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.

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

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

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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!

SUN Day

It was bright and sunny yesterday and the temperature was in the mid 20’s. It was the perfect day for a picnic.

We found the perfect spot under a tree very close to a gazebo.  Our little boy is now very active and just doesn’t seem to stop moving.  Being in the park was perfect since there are a lot of things to explore for our little guy.  But even on the picnic mat, he still doesn’t stay put.

He is either horsing around or trying things he’s not supposed to play with….like mommy’s sunglasses for instance.

I rarely have photos with him since I am mostly taking  the photos.  But I finally convinced him to stay put for a picture with me. He wasn’t too happy with it and managed a fake smile.

All he ever wanted to do was play with his daddy and run around.

These days I really find it hard to keep up with him.  It’s difficult to be an old mom.

Nevertheless, I hope you had a great weekend!

Of Boys, Books and Toys

As Jakub is about to turn 2, his preference for toys are now more and more “boy-like.”

He just loves the bike.  Although here in the Czech Republic, it seems like having a bike is mandatory.  Every Czech kid has to have one.  The bike models change as they grow too.

Another machine that is clearly fascinating for him is the train.    On our last trip to Brno,  his dad and his grandpa took him and his cousins on a 1km miniature train ride.  They were beaming with joy.

Although he has been on a real train several times, nothing beats being on a toy train.

I guess seeing the machine in its entirety is better than being inside it

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But if there is one thing that I would like him to love, it is books.    I believe that it is a valuable legacy that can be cultivated at this tender age.  And since we are in a multi-cultural household, he has books in different languages.

Right now, majority of his books are in Czech rather than English.  There are only limited English titles that are available here and some of them are not appropriate for his age.  I’m glad that at his age, he doesn’t mind if I repeat the english stories over and over again.  But recently, my mom-in-law solved the problem.

This is a gift from his grandma – a dual language book!

This is the perfect book for this household.  We have a rule that whenever I talk to Jakub, I will only use English and whenever his dad talks to him, he will only use Czech.  If my parents talk to him, they will only speak Filipino.  That way, he can learn several languages at the same time.

It is funny though because at his age now he is mixing everything.  One day I was teaching him the ABC song and he sang it like this:  “A, B, C, D, už je tady….”  (already here).  Oh well.