I had been there before with the Czech cousins, to beautiful Ledniče Castle. This time we also left Nicola and Michael at home. He was sitting in the car, and is enthused by mechanical things, cars, and motorcycles. He had a motorcycle magazine and would like one, but Eva said they cost 200,000 CK ($5,000) which is a ton in Czech Republic 🇨🇿!
Visiting Beautiful Ledniče Castle
We spent a few hours simply strolling the park, swatting the pesky mosquitoes (too bad I didn’t have my good luck ham around my neck) and trying to translate and interpret various trees, bushes, flowers and fields. What a nice, leisurely, memorable, enjoyable and emotionally sentimental time. Indescribable. Truly a once in a lifetime experience!
Once we reached the castle, about two kilometers walk through the dense, green woods- and passing the over 200 islands scattered tinily across the man made lake- Vladimir bought us all tickets to tour the Baroque, beautiful, quaint, Rococo, not overdone or showy gem of a castle. (And what do you know, Lednice Chateau has turned out to become a World Heritage Site!)
This time they even had a copy of the tour guide in English- novinky! And a shiny new color brochure in four languages. We didn’t have to wear slippers either this time. They are steadily advancing, although somewhat to my chagrin, as it is surely and repletly irreversible.
We waited a bit, with all the visiting Czechs, to take the tour; and read our guides as we went along. It was soooo beautiful! Mom said that it was like a geode, so plain and unobtrusive outside, yet gorgeous unexpectedly schöne inside. Mom and dad especially enjoyed it all!! Our fave room was the blue room, then the red one.
After the tour, we walked for a couple hours through the gardens, where 200 isles are in a lake and river which flows serenely past. We strolled and worked on making conversation about the trees, plants, flowers, times and the economy. It was green, green, green and so memorable.
Back at the House
Back at the house we talked some more, listened to music and took more photos! Of course, we even ate again! They felt offended before, when dad didn’t want any more beer, and asked for water. As Frantisek logically pointed out, “Beer is 40% water.”
A lot of things were being said in Czech between Frantisek and Milana, of which mom actually understood. At some points, he was talking to me and mom in Czech (he’d start in German and gradually switch into Czech full on, but we could catch a glimpse of the conversation- and mom actually heard the Czech words and understood a lot of it.
What was especially funny was that mom understood Milana saying to Frantisek, “Why are you telling her that? She can’t understand you anyway!” And mom did! She told us later. We laughed. Nicola and Michael were also trying to listen to their music, some Czech, some English.
Towards the end of the evening came our gift exchange. It was “wie Weihnachten” (like Christmas)! We had gifts for them, and they gifts to the brim for us and everyone else in Michigan! Mom was the best at picking out just the right gift for everyone. She was so cute and organized, she wrapped them all at Dagi’s house already in tissue that she brought.
The Czech cousin were satisfied and happy – a Jewel CD for Nicola, also hair clips and a clip on watch. Michael liked the cap and t-shirt. Eva we gave Lavender Lane products, and Vladimir also a t-shirt and calendar.
From them we got a huge bottle of Slivoviče- which was too gigantic we had to leave it with Michael in Munich. Also a bottle of Becharova with glasses for me and boyfriend. A crystal bowl like a candy dish for mom, a cup and saucer too; a nice poster of Czech costumes; Czech music tapes; chocolates; and some dishes and crystal to deliver to Michigan.
We were loaded down with even more than when we came! It was still very fun, and a great once in a lifetime day I will cherish today forever in memory!
Home Again in Vienna
Milana packed us Kolačes to go, and we exchanged email addresses with Nicola, who has a computer at school. Eva and Vladimir drove us back to the train station in Breclav after a sentimental and heart felt goodbye familial parting. Mom was so precious and graceful for everything and all of them- it was a neat feeling. She is just precious! And I am so glad we were able to have these valuable times to treasure in our lives!
On the train on the way “home” to Vienna, it was weird as they checked our passports already as we were boarding the train – as if people were still trapped and fleeing. We all felt sentimental, tired, and as if we had gone home for the day…
May 1999
