what is so great about my mom?

She's got the "force" with her. She knows what to say and when to say it. She sees the best in everyone and everything. She knows everything will be ok.. and I love her for it!
Thanks, Mom.

why am i taking a break from posting?

Received some sad news about the passing of a family friend. Ben and I are fine and our families are fine... just taking some time to mourn. Sending comfort to those we love and care about. See you soon.

what was amazing about the one room school?

That it was in use until 1959. My guide, Trevor, attended a one room school and so did his children in the 1980's! Inside Broxburn State School there were photos of many other one room schools along with school newspapers and yearbooks. If you look closely at the desks you can see the slot for the slates (Trevor used slate and slate pencils) and the hole for the ink.

what were the highlights of the centenary cottage?

The bedroom, the handmade mini organ, the wood burning stove, the oven, the kitchen scale, the old fashioned iron, and the dining room. A charming and beautiful cottage circa 1895.

what exhibits are housed in the old post office?

An exhibit on the history of lace and a collection lace pieces, clothing and tools and an exhibit about the great Australian runner from Pittsworth, Arthur Postle. He broke several world records and was known as "The Crimson Flash".

The Pittsworth Post Office building was in operation until 1987 when it was moved to Pioneer Village and replaced by a more modern building in town- quote a building that's not so cold in the winter.

where's the fifth stop on our world tour?

BNE-Brisbane, aka the gateway back home. Technically we are three hours west of Brisbane, in the small town of Pittsworth.

Today I visited the Historical Village at Pioneer Park. Trevor, a retired farmer, was my personal guide because there were no other visitors. The hours posted are 10:00am-1:00pm. I didn't leave the museum until 1:30pm. Below are pictures of the buildings I visited. I took so many pictures and learned a lot about Pittsworth, I decided to post the buildings today and will follow up later with pictures of artifacts from each building.

where's the fourth stop on our world tour?

SIN- Singapore Airport, aka the gateway to Australia.

Tuesday we left our little village of Hluboka for Cesky Krumlov (above) a UNESCO World Heritage Site (I'll post more later). After a short visit there, we drove to the Prague Airport.

From Prague we flew to London, where we informed we needed a visa to enter Australia and we wouldn't be sitting next to each other. Luckily we were able to purchase a visa at the airport and a super competent ticket agent was able to seat us next to each other (with an aisle). From there we flew to Singapore and finally arrived in Australia, only to discover our luggage only made it as far as London. For some reason, it didn't phase us. We'd been flying for 28 hours and hadn't slept in a bed for two days, so missing luggage wasn't a big deal. We've lost luggage before and know it's always delivered the next day.

Finally we made it to Pittsworth, our "home" for the next two weeks. Our luggage arrived, we are getting over our jetlag and learning to drive on the wrong side of the road. Stay tuned!

PS What do you think of our luggage? That's all we have for traveling around the world for 36 days.

why didn't i post yesterday?

We spent the day in Prague.

We covered a lot in a short time.

We visited museums on both sides of the river.

Ate delicious homemade pasta for lunch at a restaurant along the river.

Walked through the city and crossed the Charles Bridge.

Marveled at the amazing architecture.

Wished we could stay longer.

which museum did i visit yesterday?

The Ales South-Bohemian Gallery.

The museum is located in the former Riding Hall of the Hluboka Chateau. It houses one of the most famous and most extensive collections of Gothic painting and sculpture in the Czech Republic.
During my visit, I was the only person in the museum (I think it had something to do with being right next to the castle).

It was nice to have the museum to myself. I spent a lot of time in the first hall that contained a collection of beautiful Gothic Madonnas carved out of wood. Pictures are not allowed in the museum (these photos were taken from their website) so I took time trying to commit the beautiful pieces to memory.

It's not that I'm a huge fan of Madonnas, but more the style of art- the carved wood, the paint colors, and the human depiction. They were breathtaking. The other halls contained a Karel Zlin exhibit and Dutch paintings from the 16th-18th century. I loved the museum.

Here are a few photos of Hluboka from my walk down from the castle.

I'm kind of falling in love with this city.

what was the drumming i heard from my window?

The Great Medieval Knights Tournament of the Horses parading through town to advertise their afternoon show at the Hluboka Chateau.

Yesterday I heard drumming outside my window. I thought it was a street performer, the kind I used to hear in the city, but the drumming began to get louder and I realized the drummer was in motion. I looked out my window and saw the parade just as it was leaving. Today when I heard the drumming, I ran downstairs to see the parade up close. That's when the horses stopped, one of the knights announced the show, while other performers handed out flyers.

how much did lunch cost?

9 crowns or 48 cents.

When Abby studied abroad in France, Cassie and I went to visit. One of the great things about our visit is that we knew a "local". Abby had lived there for a year and knew the places to visit and ways to take advantage of the local offerings. One thing she taught me was to go to the grocery store and buy fresh ingredients for lunch. Hotels provide amazing breakfasts and it's a treat to go out to dinner, but making your own lunch from fresh bread, local cheese, and fresh fruit can't be beat... and it's inexpensive.

Thanks, Abby. I wish you were here.

what big adventure did i have today?

Touring the Hluboka Chateau. Originally the chateau was a 13th century guarding castle built in the Gothic style. During the 16th century it was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau. The Schwarzenberg's bought the chateau in 1661 and kept it in the family until they emigrated overseas to escape the Nazis. They rebuilt the chateau twice- once in the Baroque style and later in the neo-Gothic style. Click here for more on the history of the chateau.

Inside the courtyard. Unfortunately they would not allow pictures inside the chateau. You'll have to enjoy the photos taken of the exterior.