I am BACK!

So it's been a while since I wrote my last post - something over 2 months. As you know, I was traveling, better said, I went to visit my family in the Czech Republic. In fact, I was not traveling that much. Most of the time I stayed in my home town - Brno. Though we took a few trips throughout Czech. We went to see few castles, took one trip abroad - to Slovakia; and made a few trips to see friends.

First castle we visited was castle Pernstejn, where I went with my cousin and her daughter. We took a historical train there. It was kind of neat, but it was very stinky! When we went home, we took a regular train back. One way was enough. It just shows how spoiled we are these days. I'm sure in the old time, people were happy they did not have to walk.















Then we went to the museum of Old Toys located in the Brno's castle Spilberk. Some toys on display were dated all the way to 1890's! On the flip side, it was interesting to see toys I used to play to be displayed in the museum! I played with them in the late 1970's and they made their way to the museum already!













Then we went to see castle near Prague - castle Karlstejn. Kids love seeing this one especially because they know it from a very well known Czech movie "Night at Karlstejn."















Then we took a trip to Slovakia. My grandmother was born in Laksar Nova Ves (near Malacky) and we took her there to see her native place and visit her mom's and dad's graveyards. I am glad we could have gone with her because she's getting older and we wanted to make sure she's able to visit the places before she becomes immobile. Then we continued to the capital of Slovakia - Bratislava and walked the streets for a little and then headed back home. So it was a nice one-day trip.





















Then we went to visit one of my dearest friends Simona at her new house . It was nice to spend a weekend with her and her son. Her house is in Horni Cerekev (near town Pelhrimov) - half way between Brno and Prague. We took a train there and that was an adventure by itself for the kids especially, and me too - it reminded me of when I used to live there.





















Lastly and not least, I went to visit my girlfriend Tana in her cottage in Petrovice (near Moravian Caves). It was a bitter-sweet visit because it was the last time we spend there; she sold the property to buy a new house closer to Brno. We spend a few good times there!












And if we were not traveling, I had my mom over for frequent visits. I enjoyed spending time with my sister and her boys.




















And I had enjoyed spending time with my high-school girlfriend Zlatka and her daughter who just turned 1.

And not lastly, I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know some of my new neighbors.


And this is the view I enjoyed every night and miss now - a sunset over my hometown.


So before I went to Czech Republic, I thought how much of free time I will have on my hands. WRONG! I had not gotten a chance to start any new project or a design while I was there. I could not believe it; I had always something to do, somewhere to go, somebody to come over, or somebody to go to visit or to go out with. I am very fortunate to have that. It was hard to go back home, here to America. I consider both places homes. So when I leave from here for the trip to Czech Republic, I always say I am going home to visit my family. When I am coming back here (the USA), I always say it's time for me to go home. How strange and how great!


Copyright 2007, Simona Merchant-Dest