Slovakia – Land of Cars

By Sarah Thomas

We were transported from Brno to Bratislava by Rotarian Heinrich von Hollen and Juraj Vrbik from Hollen Company, a quality control company for the manufacturing of auto parts. They work with major automotive brands, many which are produced in Slovakia. We learned that Slovakia produces the most vehicles per capita of anywhere in the world!

Heinrich hosted a joint meeting of all three Rotary Clubs in Bratislava at his “Oldtimer Shop”, a small portion of the company dedicated to the restoration of classic cars. Our team did a presentation, and then we were treated to a “gulasch party” which was similar to a BBQ, and a tour of the restoration shop.

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We went home with our host families after the meeting and can’t wait to share more details of our time in Bratislava soon! Thank you, Juraj, for the photos!

One Bike Ride, Two Countries

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

By Patti Stirk

First night with my new host Juraj Sembera revealed that he started and then sold his advertising agency to the same parent company that owns Sarah’s firm: IPG.   Thrilled that he invited me to an early morning bike ride (after a late night for an old team leader), I eagerly accepted an opportunity for some exercise.

  
Always fun getting the lay of the land in a new town first thing in the morning.  But as we turned the corner out of Juroj’s neighborhood, my eyes could not believe the view.  A very long, but narrow pedestrian bridge.  The bridge over the Moravia River was constructed where the former Iron Curtain used to be and connects Slovakia to Austria.  Upon completion citizens were asked to vote on the name of the bridge and the overwhelming majority voted to name it the “Chuck Norris Bridge”.   Wiser minds prevailed and it was officially named the Freedom Bridge or Most Slovoda.    Staggering and overwhelmingly sad to thinking how many had lost their lives along this small river trying to escape the iron curtain and make their way west.

   
  

  

The west side of the river is a UNESCO protected flood / agriculture area leading up to a castle named Schloss Hof.   Cycling around a castle in an entirely different country first thing in the morning was just awe inspiring.   Loved seeing horses, donkeys, giant rabbits, and then wait, what was that?  A trio of camels on the castle property?  Yes, camels, go figure.

         The east side of the river is a nature preserve unrivaled in Europe because it was behind the iron curtain and so untouched my humans for 30+ years.  The birds & fauna in the area are worth a bike trek to witness.  Pristine nature.

   
 Heading back east to the Slovak side of the river, we stopped in a small park area with playground equipment and made our way to a large slab of marble that contained a list of those who lost their lives on that very site.  Some of the causes of death were shockingly horrendous (electrocution in the water).  Some of the victims were 5 and 6 years old. We are so lucky to be living in a better time, but there is always more we can do to ensure everyone has the chance to lead a peaceful and healthy life.

   
   

Industrial site reuse in Ostrava, CZ

By Sarah Thomas

Ostrava, CZ was known for it’s mining and industrial manufacturing industries. As it transitions into a city focused on technology, they are finding ways to preserve their industrial heritage, while making use of the many large facilities left behind. 

We were able to visit one such site,  the Dolní oblast Vítkovice complex, located on the site of the former Hlubina coal mine, coking plant, and ironworks. It is a unique industrial monument which has become a symbol of Ostrava.
   
Our team toured the facilities, part of which has been turned into a kind of museum, where we learned about the iron plant, and were able to visit the top of the facility for some fantastic views.

     
     
However, the primary new use for this amazing facility is as an entertainment venue. Festivals, concerts and other events are held either outdoors or in the GONG multifuntional auditorium, which is the large round building seen in the photo above. The auditorium is capable of holding crowds ranging from 400 to 1500 people, and hosts conferences and concerts in what used to be a gas container. 

Additionally, the complex offers interactive displays on the history of technology in the U6 building. 

Based on Pennsylvania’s strong history in the steel industry as well, I found this tour to be enlightening and brought to mind Bethlehem, Pa.’s own SteelStacks, former site of Bethlehem Steel, the second-largest producer of steel in the U.S. They have transformed a similar complex into a 10-acre site for concerts, art, culture, family events and more. It is amazing to see how similar facilities, seperated by more than 4,000 miles and different cultures came to find similar uses. 

 

For more information on Vitkovice’s transformation, please visit : http://www.dolnivitkovice.cz/default/file/download/id/15344/inline/1

For more informaton the SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pa., please visit: http://www.steelstacks.org

A special thanks to Petra, daugher of my host, Sonia, for translating during this extremely technical tour! 

Ostrava!!

Ahoj from Theresa!

On Tuesday May 12 our team left Olomouc by train to head to Ostrava, on the far east side of the Czech Republic. The city is very close to the Polish border, although we never managed a quick trip due to our busy schedule. Ostrava is the third largest city in the country. We were greeted at the train station by Rotarians from Ostrava International.  

 

This club is also home to District 2240 GSE team leader Hana Fiolova. Although she was still in PA this past week, we were happy to meet some her friends!

On Wednesday, we spent the day with Eva Niemczyková from Rotary International. She gave us the royal treatment. Our first stop was an IT company which asked not to be named for security purposes. Next we met with the managing director of Nová Karolina, a new shopping center. We talked about how it came to be built, and some of the PR and marketing strategies to attract shoppers.

After lunch, we wet to Landek Park, a mining museum. It was neat to see what it was like be a miner years ago. Our guide thought it would be funny to leave us down there and turn off the lights, but we were not amused! I guess that’s the price we pay for not knowing better Czech!

   

   

Next we headed to the Radagast Brewery for a special tour with Rotary members. Afterwards, we had a joint meeting with two of the three Rotary clubs in town: Rotary Club Ostrava and Ostrava International. We had a great time meeting members such as District Governor elect Vladimír Adámek and Zdenêk Michálek, who is the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards chair.

   

 

Thursday was another jam-packed day. We spent the morning at the Czech TV station. We got to see where both TV programs and the news are broadcasted as well as all the behind-the-scenes stuff. 

   

 

In the afternoon, we were hosted by Olomouc Rotarian Josef Podstata. Despite his busy schedule as general manager of two radio regions, he gave us nearly three hours of his day. We are so grateful for both his personal tour of the studio, as well as his interesting commentary on the media, and how his career has evolved as the country’s politics have changed.

   

   

Our last stop was Vítkovice, an old blast furnace turned entertainment venue, which Sarah will be writing more about soon. 

  

On Friday, we visited Bílá Holubice, a nonprofit organization that works with with the physically disabled. The Ostrava International club is a supporter and we were able to see their money at work. After watching the children practice earlier in the day, we were treated to a performance in their new space. 

  

In the evening we went to dinner by our Rotarian friends, and then went to Bernie’s Irish Bar on infamous Stodolní Street to celebrate Team Leader Patti’s birthday eve! 

   

       

We took it easy on Saturday with an afternoon at Silesia Golf Resort Kravare. Rotarian Josef “Peppa” Melecky invited us over for post-golf fun too!

   

   

In the evening, we were treated to Evita at Divaldo Jirího Myrona. We got the VIP treatment from the artistic director and were allowed backstage at intermission to meet the cast.

   

 

On Sunday, we were up early for Brno. We are so grateful to our hosts this past week and hope to keep in touch! Everyone was so welcoming and made us feel welcome in their homes. Dekuji Moc!!

Brno, CZ

Dobry den from Patti

After a heart felt goodbye to our hosts and dear friends from Ostrava, we boarded a train for a 2-hour ride to Czech city “Brno”.  If you haven’t seen the video of one of our Ostrava hosts, Zdenka Friedlova demonstrating Czech language, I highly recommend you view our team’s Facebook page, just to hear wonderful laughter at the end.   What we found waiting for us in southern Moravia is more beauty, and more new Rotarian friends.   PDG (and also Past GSE Team Leader to Maryland, USA) Alexander Turkovič met us at the station with a smile and a plan.  Part of his plan was to bring English-speaking, and luggage handling assistance in the form of Rotaract student Blahoslav, who spent the entire day with us.

Our first plan was a coffee shop stop, with an architectural tour of old and new along the way.  It seems shopping malls have hit Czech city centers with mixed opinions from the Czech people.  As a life-long shopping mall veteran, I have to give these shopping places two thumbs up based on both architecture congruence with the old town, and their mix of high-end stores.   Caffeine hit the spot and the team journeyed on, always on foot, further into the City Center.

Tough to say what the top site of the day was, as there are three contenders.  Ok, four. Brněnské podzemí is fairly complex labyrinth under the 13^th century square.  Exhibits range from wine, food, lighting, archeological findings, a jail, alchemist’s workshop to a medieval tap room.  Cold and cleverly constructed to ensure food stuffs could be stored for longer.

Špilberk Castle is another 13^th century Brno gem.  Originally a royal castle, it was eventually fortified and turned into a walled fortress.  Spectacular views and a rich history.

Something about climbing a lot of stairs for a view always feels like a good attempt to burn all the calories we are consuming.   The Cathedral of St. Peter (Petyr) and St. Paul (or Pavel) is located on a hill in the center of town and offers more spectacular views inside and out.  Our friends at Fitbit say we climbed 47 flights of stairs today. Seems about right.

Perhaps everyone’s favorite is our lodging for this evening at the Maximus Resort Hotel.  Owned by a Rotarian, the team was “exposed” to our first sauna experience.  Sorry, no photos.

Tomorrow we visit City Hall so that our PR experts can discuss Brno City PR issues and tactics.  Stay tuned for more photos.

And as always, see our Facebook page for tons of photos from the entire team.  Na shledanou / fare well for now.

Day 2 in Prague

This is Sarah. District 2240 GSE Coordinator George Podzimek met the team on Sunday morning to take the team for a wonderful day of sightseeing in Prague!  

 

At the castle, we watched the changing of the guard, which happens once a week.

We toured the cathedral of St. Vitus.

  

George was a wonderful guide around the castle, sharing details on the architecture and building process. 
The group enjoyed beautiful views during lunch and a nice bottle of wine from the oldest Czech vineyard – St. Wencelas’ Vineyard. 

  

  
 Then we took a walk down the Golden Alley, including a stop at a museum of weapons. Each team member shot a cross bow! Team Leader Patti was the best shot. 

Here is a photo of Theresa with her target.

  
We traveled across the famous Charles Bridge and bought a few souveniers. 

  
George made sure that we caught the show at the Astrnomical Clock in Prague as well. It draws quite a crowd!

  
For dinner, George took us to a traditional Czech restaurant, where we each tried traditional Czech dishes – bramboracky and svickova. 

  
We cannot thank George enough for all of his planning, and for taking the time to show us his beautiful city! See you in Kosice, George! 

More about Olomouc!

By Theresa Cullen
There’s a lot we could share about the city of Olomouc, but with little time these days, we want to share some of the highlights!

Olomouc is about two hours west of Prague by train. It is the second oldest city in CZ after Prague and is full of history.

Check out this link for a quick overview:

 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olomouc
 
As mentioned in the previous post, we visited the olomouc.cz internet news office on Monday. They mentioned our visit on their website and posted this photo of the team with some of the staff. The editors and photographers shared some of their challenges with communicating with the city, as well as their successes.  Thanks to Martina, Barbora, Jan (aka Johnny Walker) and Andres for your time!

  
We also got to tour city hall and had the very special opportunity to climb about 10 flights of stairs to the bell tower for an amazing view of the city. After the stairs and our Pilates class that morning with Honza, our legs were on fire!

   
 
While at City Hall, we met with Deputy Mayor Aleš Jakubec and discussed many things including the city’s recycling program. We discussed the costs to residents in comparison to the U.S. and how they are encouraging residents to dispose of trash correctly. The public relations manager for the city also told us about how he communicates with residents about events in town and showed us promotional materials.

This is the city’s website: http://www.olomouc.eu

(You can use google translate to convert to English)

Before catching the train to Ostrava, Honza took us to Saint Wenceslas Cathedral. The church is from the 12th century and its main tower makes it the fourth tallest building in the CZ at 330 ft. high. Pope John Paul II once visited the beautiful church, and it is one of the most visited churches in the country, although their were only a few other visitors on Tuesday afternoon.

  

There was so much more we did, but but hope you enjoy this brief summary of our visit! Thanks to Rotarian Roman Gronsky for showing us around, including pointing out the historical markers in the city in memory of some of his Jewish relatives killed during the Holocaust.

Visit our Facebook page for more photos! 

Our first Rotary presentation – Olomouc, CZ!

By Theresa Cullen

Our team arrived from Prague to Olomouc by train on Monday May 11.  Our Rotary guide “Honza” (Jan Krejčí) traveled with us, which was a big help. Honza works in Olomouc and is the President of the Olomouc City Rotary Club, but travels to Prague often for work. He is employed by Kooperativa, which we visited on Monday morning. We had tickets for the first class train car, and it was great! We had a yummy selection of food for lunch, Czech beer, and comfy reclining leather seats! We will never want to ride on Amtrak again! 

 

(Kim and Honza on the metro!)

  
(These fields produce biodiesel fuel. We saw many from the train.)

After a brief visit to our host family to drop off our bags, we set out on a brief tour of Olomouc before our first presentation at the joint meeting of Rotary Club of Olomouc (an all male club), and Olomouc City. One stop was to Galerie Bohéma, a great art gallery in town. There was an exhibition that night and three very talented musicians were playing a variety of music. 
  

The manager, Bronislava Paučková was very welcoming and showed us photos o when her daughter spent four months in Pennsylvania! Her daughter spent a summer working at Hershey Park in Dauphin County. Small world! 

Miloslav Kamas is the President of the Olomouc Club. Their club meets at Hotel Flora, which has an amazing view of the city.

  

 

  

We met a lot of great Rotarians at the meeting! Zdenek Štefka and Theresa chatted about skiing in the United States, as his son lives in Wyoming of all places! Roman Jurečka works for the local university on applied materials and Sarah is going to connect him with researchers at Penn State University as a result of a conversation they had during dinner. 

Jitka Brabcová was our translator for the evening and was amazing! She also works for the university and spoke perfect English! Since a few members from each club did not speak English, her help was invaluable! 

The club members were from many different industries and we all enjoyed learning about the lives in Olomouc and practicing our Czech! A staff member from www.olomouc.cz internet news site also came to our meeting to take photos and we will be featured on their site soon. We’ll post about our visit to their office next.  Below is a photo from the end of our meeting.

  

Check out our Facebook page for more photos in the last few days! 

Experiencing life in high speed

By Patti Stirk

GSE Team 7390 has been shown the most outstanding hospitality imaginable from District 2240 Rotarians.  The vocational days have been excellent learning experiences & so have the stays with host families. Stay tuned as we try to catch up & then keep up as our schedule & WiFi access permits.

The team will be posting updates about Prague & Olomouc.  In the mean time here sour a few photos.

   
  
        

   

Day 1: Stretching our Legs at Stromovka

View from Parkhotel Praha

Day one is complete in Prague! After stepping off the plane on Saturday, we received a warm welcome from local Rotarians (photos to come) at Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague! It was a welcome sight after a long day of traveling.

We spent our first night in Parkhotel Praha – but not before stretching our legs at Stromovka, a beautiful park just blocks away. Strom, by the way, means tree in Czech. We’re already picking up the language, though admittedly we’re not great at it!

Here’s a glimpse of our first day in Prague, including pictures from Stromovka park and the nearby Prague Exhibition Ground and Planetarium. Stay tuned for day two photos… including a tour of Prague Castle and an authentic Czech meal!

Dobrou noc (Good night)!

A view from Stromovka

A view from Stromovka

A glimpse down Veletrzni street near our hotel

Sarah, Kim and Theresa walking to the hotel

Exhibition Grounds architecture