Day 8 August 4, 2012

Today was my birthday.  Na, na, na, na, na.  And I had a good time!  Na, na, na, na, na.   I had the best night of sleep since I arrived and woke up refreshed and rested and ready to seize the day.  In the morning, we went to a glass blowing festival in Delsne.  In the center of the festival was a huge wood burning “pizza oven”  where they had contests to see who could make the coolest glass pieces, which would later be auctioned off.  Other vendors were etching glass, making beads, anything to do with glass.  I was watching a woman make glass beads and noticed her necklace and asked if she could make one for me.  I picked out the beads she had previously made and she strung the necklace.  Happy Birthday to me!

In the afternoon, we went to another town festival that was held all over the square.  It was fun to talk to the vendors in Czech, practicing it by buying things.  It seems like I have an ice cream cone most days.  In the evening, we went back to the same festival where there was a concert by a Queen revival band.  They were popular when I was in my 20’s so it brought back memories as we belted out “we will, we will rock you”  along with the band.

Day 9 August 5, 2012

The whole day trip – you kind of have to say it the Czech way to appreciate the phrasing of that.  We left at 9 on the bus and our first stop was at a town that specialized in making lace.  After that, we continued south and stopped at a watchtower, which we were able to climb.  Our final destination was Litomisl, which is the birthplace of Bedrich Smetana and the town also has a castle in the Italian Renaissance style.  We were able to see where Smetana was born and lived for the first seven years of his life,  and also his first violin, which he received at the age of 4 and taught himself and was proficient by the age of 6.

On the way back, we stopped at a motorest restaurant known for its meats.  I had an excellent grilled chicken salad and the best ice cream to date in the Czech republic.