Monday, June 09, 2008

chodsko 2 - JACKPOT!! (kind of...)

The first stop for us today was the Chodovia pottery factory in Klenči that makes the florally decoreated black or white pottery and (I’ll call them) “home accessories”. It was so neat to see the process. I remember seeing pottery like that that my Grandma Rose owned. Our next stop was Domažlice, in which my family traces relatives. One word: JACKPOT. I had been trying to save money thus far in the trip because I came here with a mission to find some more kroj (Czech costume) pieces for myself and some cousins, and Janet (our American group director) led us to paradise. The first shop had a few newer pieces, very nice, and definitely the style we were looking for. We bought some goods and kroj pieces there (it would take me forever to describe them here, but they are gorgeous!). Then we stopped at a “fast food” place to get lunch since we only had a few hours in Domažlice. My mom and Jenni got Smaženy Syr (fried cheese on bread is how they described it) and I tried a hot dog because I wanted to compare them to Wilber Weenies. The hot dog tasted very similar and was quite good. We also stopped in a bakery for a “Czech Pizza” – a big kolač, about the size of a medium-sized pizza. It was with cheese and then some poppy seed drizzled across in big Xs. We also got a “buchta”, which was just a softer dough than the kolač and kind of drizzled with cream cheese filling instead of it being inside. It was not the buchta that I know, but whatever it was, I may have liked it better than the kolač. After all the food we found an “Antik” shop and hit the kroj jackpot. There were two floors to this shop, each with gorgeous, authentic, antique kroj pieces. We were very surprised at how low the prices were! We felt it to be a steal, but I bet they were just happy to get them off their hands! Jenni got a colorful apron like I wear with my kroj back home, my mom got a “jumper” (skirt and vest combo, which most of their styles were) and matching jacket and an apron, as well as about 3 other aprons, and I got a jumper and jacket as well. I had been hoping for a beaded vest (which they had) and also the jacket, but I didn’t get any beaded vests. I’m not really sure why, because the handiwork was breathtaking and now I wish I would have gotten one. I must have just gotten talked out of it. Darn! They did have one head scarf, but I learned that those are just for when a woman is married. Our pieces are magnificent, just what we wanted, and made me feel so great that my kroj back home does look very similar to the kroj we found today! Before heading back to the bus we stopped in Domažlice’s Assumption Catholic Church. The churches we’ve seen so far this trip are surely the most beautiful I’ve ever seen! So after Domažlice we went to some other people’s ancestral villages, and then finally one of ours, a tiny village called Slavetice. The locals were amazed at Mílan’s bus driving skills and also that a huge bus would come into their little village. We snapped some pictures by the town name, town crest, and town chapel, and then went to talk to the family who watched us pull our huge bus in. Jana (our Czech tour guide) translated and asked if any of the family names we had told them sounded familiar. He said he recognized the name Vankat, a farmer and forester who used to live just to the left of the chapel. The family is since gone and another man lives in the house so we didn’t check it out or anything. But even knowing that there is a small glimmer of light of finding a family name in a town makes this whole thing worthwhile! After that we continued on to Tabor, where we are staying tonight. We ate dinner, walked around the town square, and just observed the people a bit. The weather has been almost perfect here! Tomorrow morning I am meeting with Michael Cwach (leant me his dudy) for the first time since January. I hope it goes well and I don’t mess up! Already this trip has been a success!!


Update: Late tonight we got some email help from home about the names and corresponding towns. Our records don’t show having Vankats from the town we visited today, but holy cow do we have lots of names, dates, and towns now!! So even though we may not have found our exact relatives, it was so cool to hear the man be excited to know a name that we said of our relatives and be able to help us a little bit (so we thought). We even took a picture with him and his family! It turns out we do trace a relative back to a Slavetice village, but its in Moravia, not Bohemia, and the name wasn’t Vankat. Oh well, it was still worth the trip and being able to meet some helpful locals! Maybe on my next trip here, right?

4 comments:

Jackie Buchta said...

It's certainly possible that the Moravia part of the Slavetice I gave you was in error, as the people who gave me the info I gave you were all born here and a couple generations down. You'll have to see if there is a Slavetice in Moravia! I do seem to have some conflicting info for some people on where they were born. Awesome about the kroj! How I wish I could have been there! Isn't Domazlice a wonderful town! I think it's beautiful! Did you try to find any Jelineks?

Unknown said...

WOW!!!!!! Iam so excited you found Kroj stuff! I wasn't sure you'd be able to find anything.
Everything sounds way cool. Can't wait for the pix. We're praying for all of you. Good luck with the garnets. Love yas! Bonnie

FairTaxWarrior said...

Glad everything is going well and you are all safe. I will not pretend to understand much of the details of what you are saying but it sounds great.

Love you.

Jackie Buchta said...

Gary, you crack me up!!! :)

Love, Jackie