Tuesday Takes: Kutna Hora. It’s our new thing, Tuesday Takes, because well, why not? Since we can’t physically travel right now – and because I have a tendency to write in real time – I decided to broaden my horizons and take on a series of Tuesday Takes. Each post in the series will focus on one or two photos. Or possibly a video, as well as the background story behind the photo(s). Tuesday Takes will be shared in random order with no rhyme or reason as to why. It will be a surprise for all of us.
Stored in the Cloud
In our travels we’ve taken thousands of photos but most of them never made it in to the content of a blog post, nor were they shared across our social media network. This is mainly because we select only a handful of photos to enhance a blog post and the rest remain stored in the cloud. Some of them are humorous, some are serious, others catch us in awkward moments while others left us thinking, what’s that about? And, of course photos that capture the essence of a destination.
This is not to say I won’t be travel writing, I hope that day will never come. But, since life here in the US is far from ordinary these days, and travel is limited, I thought it would be a good idea to expand our horizons a bit and look for some out of the ordinary stories to tell, in between and around our Tuesday Takes. Just recently, we shared the story of a young woman who is defining her path as a filmmaker, and her aunt, who is a best-selling author. The post was titled, The Inspiration of Still We Rise. You read it, right?!
Prague to Kutna Hora
Here’s our first Tuesday Take. Although these three photos are not the most inspirational, the moments in which they were taken had a profound impact on me. It was while riding across the countryside from Prague to Kutna Hora, in the Czech Republic, that I came to realize how incredible the world is if we open our eyes, our minds and our hearts.
As the train passed through the open spaces and farmlands I sat dreamily watching it all pass by. It was when this green field came in to view that it really hit me… we were on a train traveling through the Czech Republic; a country formerly under soviet control. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I believe I’d find myself in such a place.
Lessons Learned
Despite all of the travel experiences leading up to our first visit to the Czech Republic, it was at that moment, on that train, that I came to fully appreciate how much travel can teach us. If we open our eyes to the world beyond our personal bubble, the lessons learned are immeasurable.
There. That’s a Tuesday Take. What do you think? And, let me ask you. Do you have a defining moment when you realized the world would be yours for the taking, if you opened your eyes, mind and heart?
To read more about our time spent in the Czech Republic, please follow these links:
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Loved this post’s theme. I’ve had a few aha moments since we began to travel full time. But If I go back to my very first one it would be the moment I decided to move to Montreal. I was born and raised in NY but I never felt like I fit in. When I got a job offer to move to Canada, I said to myself why not? I could always return to NY if it didn’t work out. It took a year to adjust but I eventually felt like Canada was my first real home. I had a different mindset than Canadians but I still felt accepted, made friends and realized just because you are born in one place, doesn’t mean that’s where I have to live out my life. I know not a big aha moment but when I met Frank and he wanted to leave MTL and travel the world, I was all for it without any hesitation. If I did it once, I was open to doing it again. I have loved my life for the past 6 years. It makes me sad that we may never be able to travel so freely again. I’m keeping my fingers crossed not just for us but for everyone who had to put their travel plans on hold. Travelling has opened up my mind,my world and my heart in so many ways. It has become addictive. I know it sounds corny, for me travel is not an escape or b a hold on the “everyday living” but to connect more deeply to my life.
spanky recently posted…The Incredible Stained Glass of León Cathedral (Spain)
I always wondered how you made your way to Canada, thanks for sharing! I’d say it was Frank’s luckiest day when he met you! 😉 I too often have days when I wonder if we will travel freely again. Or, will it become such a trying ordeal to get from one place to another that it will no longer be worth the effort? We love our “backyard” but I am missing Portugal.
Loved this post Patti and I enjoyed the chance to revisit the lovely, magical Czech Republic. Although future travel plans carry a huge question mark, I have to agree with you and Gilda that I feel so fortunate to have been able to travel in the past. Fingers crossed that the evolution of travel keeps allowing us the privilege to explore more foreign cultures and countries!
I love that sentiment, Anita… the evolution of travel keeps allowing us the privilege to explore more foreign cultures. I look forward to the day!
Patti, it is lovely to hear about your inspirational moment. I have had many myself, particularly since retiring when at times I feel like pinching myself and I often think “am I really living this moment? or is it just a dream?” We do live in such a beautiful world, being able to explore it is a great privilege, something that I hope to never take it for granted.
I wholeheartedly agree, Gilda. It is a privilege to travel, it’s a gift we give ourselves because through travel we learn so much.
Patti, profound moments for me were seeing a bronze statue (life size) of Ronald Reagan in Budapest and hearing of the heroics of Bill Clinton and Margaret Thatcher and their involvement with peace in northern Ireland. I am overwhelmed with gratitude that more often than not, we get things right.
What a lovely sentiment, Suzanne. Funny, we spent 5 days in Budapest and neither one of us has any memory of seeing a life size statue of Reagan. I Googled it this morning to see if an image might jog my memory. Nope. I know we went to Liberty Square too, but … oh well. If we did see him, it didn’t stick. 🙂
What a great idea. Maybe others can join in and share a photo. We rode a train from Budapest to Zagreb…quite the adventure. Made us think of the old James Bond movies of early years.
We took the same train from Budapest to Zagreb. One of our worst travel days, but I’d do it all again if I needed to. It definitely tested our will to travel.