Our Czech Adventures: The Grand Finale (aneb Part 6)

Hello and welcome to a celebratory Saturday here at the Wannaskan Almanac via Czechia. Today is August 12th. 

We are wrapping up 6 weeks of adventures in the Czech Republic this weekend. 

I asked the kids to make a list of their 5 favorite things. 

Lucie's List 

1. I loved the ice cream here.
2. I like the gummy bears and the oplatky.
3. The tea here is really good.
4. I really like Radio Kiss.
5. Everybody is mostly kind.

Antonin's List

1. My first time eating at McDonald's.
2. My birthday.
3. The culture. (It's cool.)
4. I found a walking stick and fixed it up and made it a real walking stick.
5. My first and second time visiting the zoo ever in my life.

It's been a mad dash to the finish line as we've made room to squeeze in some more day trips. Sunday to Monday was an overnighter with friends in Hodonin where we visited an escape room Double Trouble (a first for all of us), the Sonnentor tea factory, and the Hodonin Zoo. Our friends assured us it was a small zoo - no big deal, a zoo "koutek" (small play area). The zebras greeted us with good cheer. The chimpanzees, tamarins, and tigers snoozed indoors on that dreary day. But the lions were in good form and when the sun came out so, too, did the jaguar and the leopard. The most engaging animals were the goats and their kids always at the ready for a handout of pellets and a donkey who would run back and forth along the fence with our friend's son.

Escape Room

Tady roste radost - Happiness grows here.

Zoo Hodonin

On Tuesday, we visited Památník Tomáše Bati in Zlín (a memorial to Tomas Bata the famous shoe company founder and philanthropist) and Bata's Budova 21 (Building 21). Inspired by the American skyscrapers of New York City, Jan Antonin Bata (who took over for his half-brother Tomas after his untimely death), oversaw the construction of Building 21. It was finished in 1938, stands 77.5 meters tall, has 16 floors, and is considered a marvel of architecture for its time.

Bata office in an elevator.

The next stop was Zoo Zlín, which boasts, "the most visited tourist place in Moravia." If Hodonin's zoo was a cozy little corner, this was an expansive complex making me glad I had good walking shoes and wondering if I needed to show our passports. The primates refused to make a showing here (like in Hodonin. I attribute it to the cold, rainy weather), but the penguins and otters were out in full force. We saw giraffes, elephants, rhinos, and all kinds of enormous birds that reminded me of turkey vultures. The zoo was divided into continents. We spent a good portion of our time in Africa, then hoofed it through the rest of the lands to be done in time to be picked up. The kids' favorite part were all of the playground areas.

Czech landscape in our region.

Wednesday was rainy which meant a day at the movie theater. The pick was Belle and Sebastian, a French film with Czech dubbing about a boy who finds friendship with an outcast dog while visiting his grandparents in the Alps. Dědeček then took kids to McDonald's for french fries, like grandfathers are wont to do.

Thursday wrapped up our Great Morava history lessons with a visit to Památník Velké Moravy – Cyrilometodějské centrum where we saw a 9th-century excavated church with surrounding graves and artifacts. This excursion included a very lovely biking trip along the Morava River and french fries at the end.

9th century Great Moravia church and graves.

Friday is Antonin's birthday! The plan is to go swimming in Luhacovice.

The weeks feel both long and short. We both love this place and miss home. But for now, we'll be enjoying our final adventures, family visits, and birthday cake.

P.S. Removing the shells on walnuts is hard!