TOPICS :

1. Nature & Other Wonders
2. Castles & Chateaus
3. War Memorials
4. Arts & Crafts
5. People
6. Events
7. Grave Markers & Cemeteries
8. Books & Films
9. Churches & Religious Shrines

 

Nature & Other Wonders

Prague, like other capital cities of Europe, is well know for it's hundreds of man made spires and a veritable trove of architectural wonders. Not as well known, but perhaps equally impressive, is the inspiration for much of this, which can be found in various natural and man made landscapes, both the products of a magnificent God and an industrious people. Thus, this section of the "Photo Album" contains pictures on the theme "Nature & Other Wonders".

Castles & Chateaus

These are only a few samples of the extraordinary symbols of wealth and power that castles and chateaus represented. In times of war and peace, their functions differed, and most, if not all, have been reconstructed many times. Many have withstood the ebb and flow of prosperity and neglect, to stand the test of time. Some are more defiant than others, but each as a symbol of towering aspirations, and upon close examination, a window through which we can witness the passing of time and history.

War Memorials

There is much to learn from the monuments that can be found in just about every town and village in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. To begin, the names of an entire generation that fell on fields of battle, mostly far from home. As a tool for family history research, these can be useful to find death dates, and the names of male heirs that died. These monuments have helped on a number of occasions, when the family name no longer remained in a place, but their names could still be found on these monuments and in the cemeteries.

Arts & Crafts

If there is any truth to the expression, "a picture is worth a thousand words", then here is the evidence. Let these pictures speak for themselves about the masters who crafted such lasting expressions in stone, wood, mortar, clay, textile (lace), oil and ink. Indeed, if you visit just about any town, and wander through the cobbled alley ways, there is no telling what your camera will find, or what stories those images will later conjure... To the patient observer, and sincere searcher, a further reward awaits inside the many galleries, old book stores, and museums.

People

People are everywhere. In case you haven't already noticed, it's not easy to find places where you won't see them. Although we are rather averse to crowds, there is never enough time in life to spend in the company of those people we call family and friends. One of my daughter's story books, "Lu and Swamp Ghost", makes the case that "you're not poor if you have family and at least one good friend". Thus, this page is dedicated to a few of the many people we are blessed to call our friends.

Events

For the moment this will be the final page in our Photo Album. In many ways it encompasses all the previous pages, since quite often Events Happen, wherever there are mysterious Castles, wonderous Nature, playful Art & Architecture, and lots of loving People. So here you will find, as the culmination of all the above, some of the Events we were fortunate to capture.

Grave Markers & Cemeteries

Here we are posting just a few of the many markers that we have photographed. Whenever we travel to villages, we visit these cemetery. In some cases we have photographed the markers, for those who are not be able to visit themselves. It is an objective of most family history explorations, besides finding living family, visiting ancestral houses and parish churches, to also wander through the cemeteries where relatives were laid to rest. 

Books & Films

There are some items from our library which we frequently recommend to visitors. If you are interested in Czech History, Heritage, Literature, or Film, we hope you will find something of interest here. Most of these can be bought elsewhere on line, while some were only published in limited numbers (mostly those concerning village histories). These help us to better understand this place we call home. It is an eclectic assortment of topics (i.e., religion, technology, architecture, politics, culture, poetry and art. For a more detailed description of a few of these titles, please visit the "Library" .

Churches & Religious Shrines

As it was impossible to combine so many pictures of Castles, along with Churches, we have created two separate categories. Here, in Churches and Religious Shrines, there will be those places that we have found extraordinary during our travels. We will respect the wish of most of these locations, and not post pictures of the interiors, as this may put these sites at some risk. We will give the names and locations of the churches, chapels, and shrines.