My friend has a castle!
Okay, not a castle, per se, but my friend Šárka has a chateau. I met Šárka last year during our weekend teaching stints in Ždár. I hadn't seen it before this weekend though. So a whole crew of us -- Tomas, Eva, Alex, Pat, Mark, Ilca, Niky, and myself -- decided to go check it out for ourselves.
The chateau itself was built in 1777. It was designed in the Rococo style (whatever that means), based on French chateaus. I think it was even originally inhabited by a Frenchman. It has served many purposes over the years: school, hospital -- it was even used as a barn for animals at one point! During the Nazi occupation, soldiers stayed here. When the communists were in power here, they seized the land for the state, and the property went to complete ruin. In 1991, the chateau was restored to the rightful family, who sold it to the Kučers in 1997. Since, the Kučers (Šárka is their daugher-in-law) have been working hard to restore it; even all the furniture had been removed or destroyed.
Here are some photos:
Ilca and Niky, before our tour started
Alex, Tomas, and Eva, enjoying a coffee/beer break
The wedding room
And that was our weekend.
A couple weeks ago I began my new job at GMC. It's great, and I'm quite enjoying it. I work in a great team: me, three other guys, and our boss Martina. They were away during this past week, so I had to figure a lot out myself, but they returned on Friday and I had my first full day of work with them. My first goal there was to get trained and certified in the PrintNet T software that they make for custom publishing. I finished the certification exercises on Friday and submitted them, so keep your fingers crossed for me to pass!
Niky also got herself a part-time job, selling OptiClean glasses cleaner. And finally, I got internet at my flat!! So hopefully blog entries/emails/general communication will be better.
Till next post...
The chateau itself was built in 1777. It was designed in the Rococo style (whatever that means), based on French chateaus. I think it was even originally inhabited by a Frenchman. It has served many purposes over the years: school, hospital -- it was even used as a barn for animals at one point! During the Nazi occupation, soldiers stayed here. When the communists were in power here, they seized the land for the state, and the property went to complete ruin. In 1991, the chateau was restored to the rightful family, who sold it to the Kučers in 1997. Since, the Kučers (Šárka is their daugher-in-law) have been working hard to restore it; even all the furniture had been removed or destroyed.
Here are some photos:
Horsies!
Ilca and Niky, before our tour started
Alex, Tomas, and Eva, enjoying a coffee/beer break
The wedding room
Niky and Pat, enjoying some biscuits after the tour
After our visit to Nový Hrad (New Castle), we went to nearby Litomyšl for lunch. They have a nice Old Square and tourist area, and I ate the best peppersteak I've ever had.
After our visit to Nový Hrad (New Castle), we went to nearby Litomyšl for lunch. They have a nice Old Square and tourist area, and I ate the best peppersteak I've ever had.
Litomyšl's Old Square
And that was our weekend.
A couple weeks ago I began my new job at GMC. It's great, and I'm quite enjoying it. I work in a great team: me, three other guys, and our boss Martina. They were away during this past week, so I had to figure a lot out myself, but they returned on Friday and I had my first full day of work with them. My first goal there was to get trained and certified in the PrintNet T software that they make for custom publishing. I finished the certification exercises on Friday and submitted them, so keep your fingers crossed for me to pass!
Niky also got herself a part-time job, selling OptiClean glasses cleaner. And finally, I got internet at my flat!! So hopefully blog entries/emails/general communication will be better.
Till next post...
posted by gulldogg at 7:12 a.m.
1 Comments:
Yay for internet in your flat!
P.S. I want a chateau too! I've done the residence room thing and I'm ready to upgrade....
Much love.
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