YESTERDAY, NANCY AND I TOOK
A SUNNY, SUNDAY AFTERNOON
DRIVE TO CEDAR RAPIDS TO
VISIT CZECH VILLAGE, HOME OF THE NATIONAL CZECH & SLOVAK MUSEUM AND LIBRARY. THE WEEKEND WAS THE 34TH ANNUAL "HOUBY DAYS". "HOUBY" IS THE CZECH
NAME FOR MUSHROOM. THIS MUSHROOM WEEKEND EVENT
FEATURED CZECH MUSIC, DANCING, A CARNIVAL, CRAFT
TENTS, ALL KINDS OF FOOD STANDS, GAMES AND MORE.
MAIN STREET INCLUDES A
LARGE CZECH BAKERY AND FEATURES THE CZECH KOLACHE. I HAD A CHERRY KOLACHE-----VERY GOOD! THIS WHOLE AREA WAS REALLY HIT HARD BY THE 2008 FLOOD AND IS REBUILDING. THE MUSEUM IS CLOSED AND WILL BE MOVED ACROSS THE STREET TO HIGHER GROUND AND OPEN AGAIN NEXT SPRING. WE VISITED A NEW, SMALLER CZECH MAINSTREET MUSEUM THAT HAS FACTS AND PHOTOS OF THE FLOOD AND WILL BE KEPT OPEN PERMANENTLY FOR TOURISTS. VOLUNTEER SHIRLEY ALEXANDER GAVE US ONE-HOUR TOUR OF THE INTERESTING DISPLAYS. CEDAR RAPIDS HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST CZECH AND SLOVAK COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY. PROGRAM YOUR GPS TO 87 SIXTEENTH AVENUE SW AND PAY A VISIT. CLOSED SUNDAYS. CLICK-ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT. GOOGLE CEDAR RAPIDS CZECH VILLAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
DENNIS VOY