Journeys Near and Far

Pernstejn Castle, Czech Republic

Looming above the forest like a fortress out of the set of Van Helsing, Pernstejn is one of the best preserved castles in the Czech Republic.  Mentioned in historical records as early as the second half of the 13th century, this castle is frequently used for the filming of fairytales and movies taking place during the middle ages.

Only 35 kilometers north of the Moravian city of Brno, Pernstejn stands on a rocky hill above the villages of Pernstejn and Nedvedice, overlooking the beautiful highlands of Moravia and Bohemia.  Some 75,000 people visit the castle every year.

I, too, visited this ancient edifice -- on a gloomy April day.  Snowflakes peppered the air as my Czech friend, Libor (right), acted as castle guide and teacher.  He told me the castle is often called the "Pearl of Moravian Castle Architecture" as it represents a unique example of Late Gothic resident and fortified building.

During the 15th century there was a frenzy of building activity at the castle due to warfare, and  the nobility wished to enlarge their residence and make it more luxurious.  Two wooden gantries were built to connect the two palace towers, as you can see in the above photo.

What interested me most about the castle was the mysterious atmosphere that lingered in the air, most likely due to the secret symbols and verses on the walls and in the corridors.  And then there's the castle's legend of the White Lady, said to be the ghost of a vain chambermaid named Eliska, who often appears with a comb in her hand...   Another ghostly tale?  Perhaps if you visit the castle you will find out...

Would you like to learn more about Pernstejn Castle?  Read about it on the Radio Praha site.

Learning to Teach English in the Czech Republic

Brno, Czech Republic

A couple of years ago during a snowy December, my friend Carolyn and I flew to Prague to see the Christmas Markets.   Our flight was delayed due to bad weather, causing us to miss our connection in Frankfurt.  Serendipity intervened, however, and we found that we had an interesting Czech seatmate who worked as a snowboard instructor in the north of the Czech Republic, near Poland. 

Our seatmate, Libor, hailed from Veverská Bítýška, near Brno.  He soon became my penfriend, and several months later I spent two weeks visiting him and his family, only to return again six weeks later to study for a TEFL certificate (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) at the Boland School in Brno -- both fabulous experiences which you can read about in an article that was originally published in The Center News in September of 2004. 

Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic, lies in Moravia, in the south, near Austria.  The city quickly became my home, and I grew to like it very much.  Unlike Prague, I saw few tourists there, and it's a great home base for day trips to beautiful Czech towns, castles and palaces such as Telc, Lednice, Olomouc, and Pernstejn Castle.  Near Brno you can also enjoy the beauty of Brno Lake or the Moravian Karst. 

There is also plenty to do and see right in Brno, such as a visit to the 14th century gothic Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, or the Capuchin Monastery's Crypt, built in 1651, where a Latin inscription above the Friars' tombs reads, "What you are, we were, what we are, you will be."   A chilling reminder to live life to the fullest! 

Brno also has interesting museums to explore -- or get some exercise by climbing the hill to the 13th century Špilberk Castle for a sweeping view of the city.

Although I haven't taught classes yet outside of those taught during my training at the Boland School, I do hope to teach English one day, and would love to hear comments from anyone else who has done this.  If you've gotten your TEFL certificate and/or taught English to speakers of a foreign language anywhere in the world please post a comment and let me know how you enjoyed the experience!

I'll write more about the Boland School, Brno and the Czech Republic later.