West Bohemia Day 2: A look back at history

Saturday was a day full of history. We went from primeval sludge to WW2 monuments.

Soos National Park:

Soos National Park is a wonderful national park that takes the park-goer back to primordial beginnings of our earth. The park sits on top of an ancient volcano that is dormant, aside from creating a bubbling and brewing cauldron of mud. The warm earth creates a micro-climate with lizards and rare species of birds and unique plants.






www.czecot.com/tourist-attraction/3895_soos-national-nature-reserve-national-nature-conservation-area-educational-trail-with-posted-information-museum-treben








Finding 1945:

A few years ago H and I met a man from a small town near my hometown. His name is Virgil and he's in his 90s. He's a friend of my grandmother. He fought in WW2 and we were lucky enough to hear his story during an afternoon of tea and sharing.

Virgil was in the 656th Tank Destroyer Battalion, which arrived in England in December 1944. On February 6, 1945 they set foot on French soil at Le Havre carrying M18s. The troops advanced toward the Rhine River and crossed beginning on March 7. The 656th were attached to the 9th Armored Division and pushed eastward along side them. At the beginning of May they turned south and entered Czechoslovakia on May 6 near Stare Sedlo (Alt Sattl), advancing with the 9th Armor Division on the Sokolov-Karlovy Vary (Falkenau-Carlsbad) roadway. On 7 May they were in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad). Their headquarters was located in the small town of Loket (Elbogen). This boarder region was known as Sudetenland.

H and I went to each of these towns where Virgil had been and took photos for a project we made for him. It was a little glimpse into a personal piece of history. The research into the project led us to tiny villages, beautiful spa towns and castles. It was such a privilege to spend time exploring and delving into the past of a brave soldier and the history of a continent.


www.flickr.com/photos/honza-tasci/sets/72157624774496209/