Brno and Dolni Vestonice
I made it to Brno by Sunday afternoon. Let me tell you, first-class train travel is THE way to go. I can't afford to do it again, but man, it was niiiice. I had a private cabin all to myself with my very own private bathroom (including a shower!) I had plenty of room to stretch out and in the morning they even gave me breakfast. I took lots of goofy pictures of myself checking out the bathroom and being all happy about it, but I'd feel way too embarrassed to post them here for the world to see. Those of you who have to love me no matter how silly I act can see them when I get home :)
On Monday I wandered around Brno. Unfortunately, Monday is the day that most places in Europe (museums, exhibits, Cathedral towers, etc.) are closed to the public. Here are some pictures of Brno:
This is the main square in the old town:
This is the cabbage market:
Here is the Old Town Hall:
A close-up of the Cathedral:
Today I went to a little town called Dolni Vestonice to visit the Center for Paleolithic and Paleoethnological Research. Dolni Vestonice is approximately 35 km southwest of Brno. Dr. Svoboda happened to be driving back and forth to Dolni Vestonice from Brno today, so he graciously gave me and my ShapeCam a lift both ways. This is what the Centre looks like:
The inside of the building is really beautiful. They painted cave art-like images of ice-age mammals on some of the walls and ceilings inside. Very cool.
The town of Dolni Vestonice is very small and I didn't see many people out and about when I went in search of lunch. I found a small restaurant, and, since I can't read Czech to save my life (although I learned the Czech word for beer immediately after arriving; it's pivo), I just asked the waitress to surprise me. I think I ate chicken.
Here are some pictures of the town of Dolni Vestonice:
Tomorrow I may take the train up to Kutna Hora to see the Kostnice bone church. I also want to check out a few places in Brno, such as Gregor Mendel's original pea garden (so cool!) and the Capuchin crypt (both were closed yesterday). On Thursday I visit the Anthropos Institute here in Brno.
posted by Jodi @ 11:57 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
Can't wait to see those cool bathroom shots! I am glad to hear that you travelled in style for once.
I like that bone church and capuchin crypt. Reminds me of the one in Rome.
Where's the sunshine??? I don't see any in your pictures. But at least I don't see snow!
I do hope it was chicken you had for lunch.
xoxo (<:
Hey again,
I love your photos - but they are creepy. I just watched 'Hostel' last week and that Czech town that you visited reminds me of the town in the movie where the guys went to find hot girls and then were abducted and used as human torture subjects for sick rich guys who wanted to pay big bucks to torture someone to death. Creepy! Glad that you are not there any more so that it also doesn't scare you.
On another note - in the photo of the old town hall is that wierd decorative thingy in the middle supposed to have a crooked top or is it broken? Just curious . . . it looks kind of artsy, so i could see it going either way.
In regards to your mystery lunch, it is possible that you ate rabbit or some other medium sized rodentia. Or possibly cat. I ate rabbit last night at Le Paradis in TO (have you been there?) - it looked and tasted like chicken cooked in a sauce. Ohh, it could also have been a large toad that you ate. I often eat frogs legs at Andre's parents place at the holidays - also a lot like chicken and yummy!
Me again - i just started reading from the bottom so i'm caught up now. I really like this blog thing! Way to go Jodes!
You fly in on the 27 of December, right? Andre and I are going to stay in town so that we can visit that night and then leave for Sudburia the next morning. So, we can pick you up at the airport if you haven't received any other offers of transport yet. Let me know - can't wait to see you on the 27th!
Re. the mystery meat: did you see any butcher shop lorries from the town of Kutna Hora idling about?
Joy, do NOT tell bunny this, but last August-ish I ate rabbit. (Robin will never speak to me again if she reads this. I can only hope that her new mommy status has bestowed upon her a mother-like level of forgiveness for all of god's children ;) Aaron & Anita took me out for dinner to a fancy schmancy place in TO to celebrate my bday and we all had the "tasting menu". One of the courses was rabbit. I took the smallest of bites (bc you need to at least try everything once, right?) and I realized then that I am NOT a person who can eat game meat (another course was venison.)
So I'm pretty sure it was chicken that I ate. And I'm sticking to that!!
James, good eye! According to Frommer's (worst guide EVER, btw), the portal is crooked bc town official reneged on their original payment offer in the year 1510, and a furious Pilgrim took his revenge by bending it.
And SO happy that you guys are sticking around TO for an extra night. We have bachelorette party plans to discuss! (Which will not include frog legs.) Aaron said he could pick me up at Pearson if he's not performing freelance vasectomies out of his van down on Cherry St., but can I count on you if he can't make it? I get in at 4:30pm, right in time for rush hour!
Daniel, are you suggesting that I ate human? Apparently it tastes just like chicken. Have you heard of Hufu?: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hufu) It's "the healthy human flesh alternative for cannibals who want to quit"!
Mom, no more sunshine since I left Rome :(
well Jodi,I'm so glad you are having such a great time. The pictures are amazing!! I can't really contribute much,since Paul and I have just gone to London(best time ever) and then took train to Scotland to visit old friend. We went first class on that train but wasn't impressed at all. Will see you when you get back,promised your mom I would bring layered salad.
Till then or sooner if I have something to say. Did you know about baby?
love,Rochelle
The Upper Palaeolithic inhabitants of Dolni Vestonice put wet clay figurines in their fires so they'd blow up. Cool.
Jodi--
I keep trying to check your blog and get kicked off the internet every time. Finally got to check it and am loving it!! Your pictures are the best. Makes me want to go to Europe and ride the train first class. Was the water in the shower warm? I'm getting really tired of the cold showers in Nicaragua. Okay, I'd better hurry up and post this before I get kicked off again. Miss you Bugaboo!!!!
where are now you bugaboo?
i have finally caught up with you and managed to find enough computer time to read all of your adventures. i even got sucked into my own blogland trying to sign up to post comments to yours - http://easterngardengrrl.blogspot.com/ don't hold your breath for updates however, i may never be able to figure out how to get back into it! my days are pretty full right now between playing in the garden (its 20 degrees here)packing and rug hooking however when the snow flies i'll definitely post more!
Anonymous eastern garden grrl (i still can't figure out how to log in as a blogger - i'm useless when i'm not on my tractor
Rochelle, of course I know about little Tie Domi! I even saw the adorable photos. I sent out congratulatory emails to all. Hope I get to meet him when I come home!
Krista, Vienna isn't too far from Bratislava, so I'm planning on spending a day in your homeland sometime next week. I'll post photos for you! Any recommendations on things not to miss there?
M: Are you in TO yet? If I can remember how, I'll link to your garden blog on this one!
PS: rug-hooking? ;)
Hi, I've got a few words to say. I'm Czech and I come from Brno and am glad you like my hometown. My first visit to the Capuchin crypt was when I was about 4-5y.o. and it was a real horror to me. SInce that time I've been there several times and I liked it :-D
To Jamie: I've seen Hostel and, man, believe me, 'tis the greatest crap I've seen. They mixed Czech Republic and Slovakia and made up so many nonsenses, that I had to get drunk to be able to go on watching. And we really don't slay tourists for fun ;-)
Ah, once more to Jaime: The old town hall decoration is not broken, it is meant to be crooked. And we do NOT eat cats here, man...
Hi,
I'm a biological anthropology graduate student from the US that is researching in Dolni Vestonice from November 29-December 13, 2008. I would be grateful for any tips about traveling, eating, lodging and site-seeing in Brno and Dolni Vestonice!
Lindsay
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