Observations

First thing that I noticed when I first crossed to Tallinn in Estonia (seems ages ago) and something that I have been meaning to write down for ages is regarding people crossing the road.
Like most places, in the towns and cities they have pedestrian controlled crossing points at traffic controlled junctions, and it appears that no one, and I mean no one crosses the road until the pedestrian lights show green, even when there is no traffic about.
Take yesterday as an example, I arrived at Olomouc in pouring rain, and the first thing I had to do after getting my room was sort out some Czech money. I got changed, and wandered across to the railway station to use the ATM. After getting my cash, I had to cross the road, and then an open square of about 100mts to get back to the hotel steps. At this time it was still raining quite hard, anyhow, I got to the road and the pedestrian lights were showing red and there was a middle aged couple standing waiting to cross. I looked around, and there was no traffic or trolley buses in sight, so I just wandered across. I heard a tut and some comment made behind me but continued across the road, and the open square to the hotel. When I reached the hotel I looked behind and the couple were still standing in the rain waiting for the lights to change, and there was still no traffic. As I looked, the lights did change, and they duly crossed.
I have seen this on numerous occasions and it is certainly not a one off. In Warsaw last week, the roads were closed off for a fashion show, but still people waited for the lights to change...most odd.
A second thing I have noticed on my travels,is that nearly all the petrol stations sell LPG, and a lot of people see to use cars that run on it. How many LPG points are there in the UK, not many!

Anyhow, this morning I caught Jed looking at his badge collection with a rather perplexed look on his face. He knows that he has had flag badges from each country, but he cannot remember which one is from Slovakia. I have not got the heart to tell him that I could not get him a flag badge in Slovakia and he had to make do with a badge from Bojnice instead. I will tell one day, promise. Still a little wet today but it did dry up later, saw this nice view just before I arrived at my digs for the next 2 nights. Thought the church looked nice across the wild meadow. As you can see the mountains in the background are still covered in low cloud.

This is the town hall in Hostinne, it is in the central square and I am staying in a Penzion just off the square. The Penzion I am staying in is a renovated 17 c property and the owner has spent the past 7 yrs converting it into a Penzion. He has done each room in a differant colour and furnished it in a 1960's theme. Now before anyone says anything, I was only 6yrs old at the start of the 60's and only 16 at the end, so I do not remember the swinging 60's OK, I was too young!
The town hall has 2 giants standing either side of the frontage.

Below is a close up of the giants, they are each about 4mts tall and there is apparently a lot of tales about them and they play an important part in the history of the town. Note the little of blue sky!!!

Jed finds himself a 17c hideaway in which to spend the night.

The owner has uncovered a lot of the original features and has made features of them. The Penzion has only been open for business since January this year. I have managed to get B and B for 2 nights for £40.00.

Tomorrow I intend visiting the Adrspach Rocks, about 20 mile from here, they form an impressive rock labyrinth by all accounts, and the only way of seeing them is to take a walk. I just hope that the weather is good tomorrow......will the little tinkers who tied those grey clouds to my bike at the start of the trip PLEASE now undo them, I need to see a bit of dry weather.I am paler now than when I left home.