Fishing, someone once said that it is the contemplative man’s pastime. This is most certainly the case, as without a reflective mind it would surely be a mind numbing exercise. These days of course there is another kind of fisherman, one who can entertain himself with everything from his mobile phone to Netflix. There is nothing wrong with this if you are camped out next to a lake for a week. But if only fishing for a few hours I prefer peace, quiet and a cup of tea.
There is always so much to look at, how could one become bored? But the ideal that is in my mind, when I imagine a fishing trip, barely exists in reality. There are just too many people in this world who want a piece of the peace that I crave. So I must, somehow, adjust my mind to this reality so that I am not constantly disappointed with my lack of an ideal day. Or, perhaps, just go where there is less chance of catching. Is it better to look at a beautiful, peaceful scene with less chance of fish? Or a hectic pond bursting at the seams, with both fish and fishermen?
I know which I would choose, give me tranquility with just the least chance of a bite and I am more than content. I feel I am one with the world and able to feel the echoes of simpler times past.
Every venture into nature, at this time of year, seems to plunge you into a different world. Even a short walk next to the river, literally five minutes from my home, can provide peace and tranquility. So easy to escape the city and find space.
Many days are cloudy, but that only increases the interest. Golden leaves lie everywhere, and when the mist descends the atmosphere is incredible.
It is amazing how, when I am walking and looking around me, I feel safe and contented. But, while looking through my camera lens, everything looks like a potential scene from a horror movie. People look as if they are walking to their doom and buildings appear to be deserted. That is why I love this time of year, there are just so many possibilities.
And soon the snow will come, bringing with it different feelings and different possibilities. Sometimes chilled to the bone, scraping ice off the windscreen. Sometimes hot and sweaty, chasing the children and throwing snowballs. Both scenes will be captured through my lens.
I love long weekends, who doesn’t? And on this particular one, we decided to visit a local town called Pardubice. We live in Hradec Králové, and being only twenty minutes apart these two large towns have a bit of a local rivalry. Like most Czech towns, Pardubice has interesting and beautiful places to visit. It can be easy to miss these, as some parts of this town are quite industrial but it is certainly not all the same.
We started our day at the chateau and it is a wonderful example of renaissance architecture. It is surrounded by gorgeous grounds, has a museum and many exhibitions always running. It also has quite a collection of peacocks, which can be see throughout the grounds.
Renaissance chateau
Local wildlife
Pardubice also has some lovely parks and one in particular has a very modern feel, with a nice design and natural-feeling children’s playground. My kids love places like this and we always have to drag them away, not literally.
Ride, ride
Swing
But we had to leave because we had been waiting until 2pm to go to our next destination. This has been on our to-do-list for a long time. It is the new eco centre in Pardubice. A little unusually, it opens from 2pm-9pm daily. We paid our, very reasonable, entry fee and spent over one hour walking around the inside and outside of the centre. Inside there were animals and some exhibitions. And outside were more educational, interactive displays and exhibits. We will certainly be going back, because there is much more to do. There are organised activities where you get to pretend you are, for example, a scientist or explorer and conduct experiments. These take around 2 hours to complete and it was already getting late, so next time.
Modern eco centre
Nature
The next day we went to a different area, in search of fairytales. These are very popular in the Czech Republic and there are many traditional ones, both old and modern. The first place we visited was another chateau, in Staré Hrady. This has been transformed into a wonderful day out for both children and adults alike. There are three different tours that you can do, and this time we chose the tour of the cellars. There are very interesting exhibitions throughout the cellar. The tour took around 45 minutes and when it was finished we had time to walk around outside, look at the animals and enjoy some shooting. We also drank some medovina, which is a warm honey-based drink. Perfect to warm you up, on a cold day.
Medieval
Warm
The final job for the weekend, was to begin preparations for halloween. This is not such a special holiday, in the Czech Republic, but children like to prepare jack-o-lanterns and maybe dress up for school. But no trick or treating, they will often do that type of thing during other holidays, such as Easter. But Easter in the Czech Republic is something which requires it’s own article!
Everything seems so urgent these days. People spend their lives rushing hither and thither, never slowing down. Sometimes we all need to take a breath.
I need that breath now, there are simply too many things on my mind. Unless I clear that list, I will not relax. I can feel the tension in me, just breathe.
So relax, plan and do. There is no urgency, just my mind telling me there is. These are simply tasks, not what is most important.
What is most important has already been achieved, a wonderful weekend with my family. A weekend of playing, celebrating, spending time in nature and watching my kids have fun on the skating rink.
So the highest priority task has been completed, now onto the little things. I feel better already.
The symbol for so much in life. Its anatomy used to describe everything from parts of the body, to families and businesses. So many varieties and so beautiful. Different trees even give you a variety of feelings. From the swaying tropical palm to the sturdy English oak. From afar you see their shape, as a group, or as an individual. Always different, always interesting.
But get up close and you see another world. Look at the ancient trunk, and think about the stories it could tell. See the life that it supports, crawling upon its bark. Sit at its base and, while enjoying the dappled shade, look at at the world. Then look up and see the light play tricks, like magic. There is nothing like seeing the golden rays of the sun, shining through the canopy.
Many times, I forget to look. But when I do, there goes my breath.
neilhayeswrites 