http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Bill--and-Nancy/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Bill and Nancy en-us Sun, 03 Jan 2010 10:10:32 +0000 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 10:10:32 +0000 Royal Oak MarylandWe have been very busy this summer and have not taken much time to have fun or to just sit and relax. Our friends Ann and Lu invited us to be with them over Labor Day Weekend at their beautiful home on the Eastern Shore of Maryland near Royal Oak Maryland. Tradition says the name comes from a huge Oak tree that was hit by two cannon balls fired by the British Navy in the war o http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Maryland/blog-434537.html Roger and Janice gave us directions for a short cut to reach the Interstate from Beaufort which would take us past the old historic Shelton Church that was burned during the Civil War. The historic sign states that the church was burned by Union Soldiers. However R and J told us there is some controversy over exactly who did burn the church. One story says it was Union Soldiers the other says it http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/South-Carolina/blog-391870.html Hunting Island LighthouseRoger and Janice drove us to Hunting Island today to visit the lighthouse one of only two build of cast iron plates. The lighthouse had to be moved in 1888 as it was threatened by beach erosion and would have been moved again if the state had not pumped tons and tons of sand to rebuild the beach. The lighthouse is in a beautiful setting surrounded by trees. The foundatio http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/South-Carolina/Beaufort/blog-391879.html Cold Harbor where the streams ran red with blood and where Grant ordered his men to the most disastrous Union charge in the American Civil War. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Virginia/Richmond/blog-389753.html Mistakes can really help a person have a good time. While Bill was still in Prague during December I had a sudden impulse to give a more generous than normal donation to our local PBS television program. The donation had a real bonus attached. Along with an annual membership I got two tickets to a live performance at the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore Maryland of the group ldquoCeltic Wome http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Maryland/Baltimore/blog-383173.html The very large Jan Huss memorial sits on the East side of Old Town Square. You can't miss it I had often looked at the monument but had never looked at it closely. One evening we were in Old Town Square looking at the Christmas booths and listening to Christmas music being sung by groups on the temporary stage when we saw that people were standing on the lower step of the monument. Normally you http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-358002.html I believe every tourist who visits Prague goes to see the astronomical clock in the tower at the edge of Old Town Square. The clock which is known as the Orloj is rather in the lower half of the tower. Near the top there is a more modern clock on all four sides of the tower. But it is the Orloj that brings everyone here to see a new hour rung in. As the hour is struck two doors open just above th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-357967.html Tis the season in Prague.Christmas is coming and Prague is getting ready. The Christmas stalls are up and running in Old Town Square and at the end of Wenceslas Square. Actually there are stalls in other parts of Prague also. People are shopping. Street light posts are decorated and the temperature is falling ... but so far no snow. The food looks great and what we have sampled tasted great. Each http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-350982.html There is a observation level at the top of the Old Town Clock Tower that gives stunning views of Prague since the Clock Tower is in a very central location. Many people climb the stairs or take the elevator to the top of the tower to orient themselves to interesting parts of town. There is a good visitor's center on the first floor of the tower that makes it a great first stop for folks who have http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-358290.html Actually teaching is not that much fun. You have to study a lot yourself to be sure you know the content REALLY well and then you have to prepare lesson plans and figure out how to explain the content in such a way as to engage students with the material so it is as interesting as possible. You have to hope you are creative enough to give homework that will give the students practice in what yo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-359036.html A Nice SurpriseI do not know why I was surprised as I surely should have thought ahead of time that there would be a manger scene a Bethlehem at the St. Vitus Cathedral here in Prague. But I was surprised when I saw it. It was located just to the left of the Golden entrance way and was made completely of straw. I must say the artist was quite skilled in forming straw into the manger scene. Figu http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-357517.html Just in front of the big National Museum at the upper end of Wenceslas Square there is a small memorial placed in the sidewalk. I am sure it is not noticed by many tourists as it is not on the side where most tourists walk. However the Czechs know it is there and each time I have viewed the memorial there have been two fresh flowers resting on the memorial in memory of two young men who died in http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-357947.html The Czechs call them Betlems the French Creches and the Americans Manger Scenes In 2005 when we were going to Prague in January people we met who had lived in Prague for a year on a Fulbright teacher exchange told us they were so sorry we were going to miss Christmas in Prague since we would not in all likelihood be seeing any of the famous Betlehems The Czech spelling of Bethlehem which ar http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-356219.html Winter in Prague Season of enchantment I love spring and summer in Prague when the days are long and the sun is abundant. I never thought I would enjoy being in Prague in the fall when days became shorter and nights longer. I was always pleased that we arrived in January when days were lengthening and that we stayed until May and June when the sun was up way past setting time in Maryland w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-356181.html Faces on the WallIn another entry we talked a bit about the faces on the outside wall of the train station. Because we had never previously walked around the outside of the station we had not seen them. We hope you enjoy the photos. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-345966.html Main Train Station Guide Book DescriptionIn a guide book we have there is a beautiful photo of an Art Nouveau decoration. When I saw the photo in the book I thought We have traveled from and to this station quite a number of times and I have never seen any art nouveau. Where can it beI thought it strange that we had never seen this piece of art. The artwork in the photo was obviously large. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-345971.html Sunny SaturdaySaturday started off gray but gradually the sun burned away the fog. By noon the sun was shining brightly. Nancy had worked all morning editing a 176 page book on the early history of Baptists while I Bill worked in the library. I walked up the 'infamous' 47 steps to our room and said Let's go. It is beautiful outside.Nancy agreed.What do you want for lunch Pizza Italian Ch http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-341321.html Czech National Gallery of ArtThe first Wednesday of each month the National Gallery of Art here in Prague opens its doors free of charge from 300 p.m. to 800 p.m. . We decided to visit today. The gallery is huge. There are at least five floors displaying art and each floor is large. We spent about 3 12 to 4 hours and only covered two floors and we did not spent a lot of time in front of ea http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-342307.html Wednesday October 29th 2008Zelezny Brod Centuries of glass making centuries old housesGlass MakingLast spring we learned of a glass making factory in the small town of Zelezny Brod that lies in the small mountains in the northern part of the Czech Republic. Nancy had picked up a brochure when we were in Mala Skala advertising the beautiful glass beads that are made there. Our friend Debbie http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/blog-340031.html Nymburk Not in the GuidebooksNymburk is a village that does not appear in any guidebook that I have read. There is information on the town on the Internet. That is how I found Nymburk completely by accident. I was checking the train schedule from Prague to Jicin where there are several very nice hiking tails. Last spring we enjoyed our hiking at Mala Skala and had planned on returning to the C http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Central-Bohemian-Region/Nymburk/blog-339397.html