Brno City Break in 2023

Last year, Time Out magazine published their list of the 16 best city breaks in Europe for 2022.  Brno came in second place.  

This year Brno made the list again but fell to seventh place.  A few spots lower but still in the top ten.

The write up for Brno was pretty much exactly the same as last year.  

Here are the top 18 places.  Several of these are still on my list of places to visit.

1. Marseille, France
2. Sheffield, UK
3. Buhać, Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. Milan, Italy
5. Bilbao, Spain
6. Arles, France
7. Brno, Czech Republic
8. Liverpool, UK
9. Kaunas, Lithuania
10. Oslo, Norway
11. Hamburg, Germany
12. Dublin, Ireland
13. Inverness, UK
14. Trikala, Greece
15. Rotterdam, Netherlands
16. Freiburg, Germany
17. Turku, Finland
18. Valencia, Spain

• 
  
  
  

Dublin NYE

Happy New Year!  Last night was the Dublin New Year's Festival down at the River Liffey by the Custom House.

It's cool because there were three different shows.  At 6 pm there was a family friendly music and light show.  At 7 pm there was a "midnight matinee" countdown so that all of the kids could celebrate New Years.  It's brilliant because it also works for us old people that don't want to have to stay awake until midnight.

At 8 pm there was a countdown concert with live performances by Walking on Cars, Ash, Aimee, and Lisa McHugh.

Then at 11:30 pm there was another light show leading up to the midnight countdown.  We got out of there early and went to dinner.  New Year's has never been my favourite holiday.  Places are so crowded and there are way too many drunk people out.  I'd much rather have an early dinner and stay in so this was perfect.  I got to see the fireworks and was home in my pyjamas by midnight.

Jimmy's Hall

Today we went to Dublin's Abbey Theatre to see Jimmy's Hall.  It is the musical adaptation of the 2014 film.  It is the true story of Jimmy Gralton who is the only Irishman to have been deported from his own country because he was deemed a threat to national security.  The rural dancehall, where he encouraged the local community to dream of a better life, was in conflict with the local parish priest and so the conflict begins.

The show was awesome!  Great music and dancing but it's incredible is that it was based on actual events.  It's hard to believe the influence held by the Catholic Church in Ireland in the 1930s (and beyond).

The Abbey Theatre, also known as the National Theatre of Ireland, first opened in 1904.  It's a small venue with seating for just under 500 people.  After a fire, the theatre was rebuilt at its current location in 1966.  In 1925 it received an annual subsidy from the Irish Free State making it the world's first English-speaking, state-subsidised theatre.  There are plans to built a new, larger theatre at the Liffey quays but there's no sign of when construction will begin.

Here's the promotion video for Jimmy's Hall that I found out on YouTube.

©Abbey Theatre

Aran Islands, Ireland

I had a fantastic birthday this weekend in Ireland!  No thanks to Ryanair.  I was supposed to fly on Friday evening with Ryanair from Brno Airport to London Stansted, followed by a late night flight to Dublin.

On Monday I received an e-mail from Ryanair that my London to Dublin flight was cancelled due to an employee strike.  They offered to refund my flight but they wouldn't do anything about the Brno to Stansted flight since it was still flying.  My only option was to catch an Aer Lingus flight from Prague to Dublin.  It cost me a half-day of vacation and an extra €100 but I managed to get to Dublin on time.

On Saturday morning we had an early morning, almost three-hour, train ride from Heuston Station to Galway and then on to Connemara Airport for our flight to the Aran Islands.

The Aran Islands, Oileáin Árann, are three islands off the west cost of Ireland.  The three islands are about 46 km² (18 square miles) and date back over 350 million years.  The Aran Islands are in the Gaeltacht which means that the 1200 inhabitants speak Irish as their first language.    

The largest, and most western island, is Inishmore, Inis Mór.  From Galway it's a 40-minute ferry ride.

The middle, and second-largest island is Inishmaan, Inis Meáin.  It's a 45-minute ferry ride.  

The smallest island is Inisheer, Inis Oírr.  It's about a 55-minute ferry ride from Galway.

The fastest way to get to Inishmore is an 8-minute flight.  At check-in, each passenger is weighed on a scale which determines where they seat you on the airplane.

Our first stop was a Dún Aonghusa which is a Bronze Age fort that sits on a 100 metre (330 feet) cliff over the Atlantic Ocean.






Teampall Mic Duach is a church dating back to the 7th century.




The Seven Churches, Dísert Bhreacáin, are on the west end of Inishmore.  In spite of the name, there are only two churches still standing.  

The churches date back to the 8th - 13th centuries.

We ended our sightseeing on the island with lunch in Kilronan before getting weighed again and another 8-minute flight back to Galway.

Galway Cathedral

We only had a short amount of time in Galway before we caught the last train back to Dublin.










Galway is definitely on the list of places to explore further.

Again, an awesome birthday weekend!

Annie

Last night we went to see the Irish production of Annie at the National Concert Hall in Dublin.

The concert hall was built in 1865 as a exhibition hall before becoming an examination hall for University College Dublin (UCD).  The building was reconverted in 1981 with the main auditorium seating 1,200.

The National Concert Hall is home to the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Choir Ireland, and the Irish Baroque Orchestra.






The venue is absolutely beautiful.  And the show was very well done.





I had only ever seen the movie so the stage production of Annie was a bit different in terms of the story.  However, it was excellent!

Gate Theatre

On Saturday night we went to see Noël Coward's Private Lives at the Gate Theatre.  Thank goodness I finally received my clothes back after the BA IT outage.

The play was awesome!  The play only runs another couple of weeks so I'm so glad that we got to see it.

The Gate Theatre is at Parnell Square in Dublin and was founded in 1928.  It's a small theatre with seating for 371 people.  While small, a number of big time actors, including Orson Welles, got their start here.

Kilmainham Gaol

Kilmainham Gaol is often described as the Irish Bastile.  The former prison is now a Dublin museum.  It's well worth a visit but you really need to book tickets in advance or you won't get in.

The prison was built in 1796.  Up until the 1820s, public hangings took place in front of the prison.

The prison was rough.  There wasn't any segregation so men, women and children were all imprisoned together with up to five inmates per cell.  The youngest prisoner is believed to have been a seven year-old who had been arrested for petty theft.  The cells were about 28 square meters (~301 sq feet) with a single candle provided every two weeks for light.

As bad as the prison was, during the Great Famine, some people committed crimes in hopes of getting fed as a prisoner.

The prison was shut down in 1924 by the Irish Free State.  The museum opened in 1971 and it is one of the biggest unoccupied prisons in Europe.

The spot were the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed

For many the prison is a memorial for Irish freedom.  Many of the leaders of the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867, and 1916 were imprisoned here.  Many rebels of the 1916 Easter Rising were imprisoned and executed by the British here.

British Airways IT Crash

All BA flights cancelled

So yesterday started off fine.  I took the big yellow bus to Vienna Airport.  I was supposed to fly on BA from Vienna to London Heathrow at 14:10 and then on to Dublin.  I should have arrived in Dublin at 19:00.

That's not how it turned out.  By 14:30, we still hadn't boarded the plane.  Eventually, we were told that the flight would be delayed until around 15:30.  Everyone was given a €10 food voucher.  We were then told that the flight was cancelled.  Something about an IT glitch.  We had to go to the airport service desk to sort things out.

I had already gone through security and passed immigration since the UK and Ireland are outside of Schengen.  So I had to get stamped back in to Austria in order to go to the service desk.  The queue was kind of long when I arrived but it didn't take long for it to get even longer.

After a few hours, I finally made it up to the desk.  The solution was I would be put on an Austrian Airlines flight to Venice, Italy.  Then an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin with a 00:30 arrival time.  I was told that my previously checked in bag would be transferred to Austrian and get checked through to Dublin.  The flight to Venice would leave in 35 minutes so I had to rush to get through security again.

Rebooked on Austrian Airlines

In Venice, the gate agent asked me about my baggage.  I explained what had happened and that was the end of it.  Or so I naively thought.


I finally made it to Dublin early Sunday morning.  My bag didn't and there was no one at the Aer Lingus baggage desk.

Staff didn't show up for over 1,5 hours

It took over 1,5 hours before anyone bothered to show up at the baggage desk.  Let's just say that I wasn't a happy camper at 2 AM.

I gave a lost luggage description.  The guy told me that he doubts the bag ever even left Vienna.  He gave me a claim number and a customer service number but the office would be closed until Monday morning.

I finally made it to bed around 3 AM Sunday morning.  I only had my laptop and a baseball cap in my carry on bag so I don't have a change of clothes or toiletries.  Fortunately I'm not in a hotel this trip so I can borrow clothes and my host gave me a spare toothbrush.

Let's hope that I receive my bag soon.  As it is, I had to work from home today because I don't have any work clothes for the office.  Looks like I'll be working from home tomorrow too.

Here's a video about the IT crash that I found on YouTube.

 

©ABC

New Public Transportation Fees

Currently the cost of a one-year public transportation pass in Brno is 4.750 Kč (~$215).  That's for unlimited use of the trams, busses, and trolley busses.  Plus with the annual pass, a person gets to ride with you for free on weekends and public holidays.

I think it's a great deal here.  By comparison, a similar pass in Stuttgart, Germany, costs around €70 ($82) per month.  In Dublin, the cost of an annual bus ticket is €1250 ($1,470), and that's just for the bus.  Including the trams will cost you more.  Brno is a bargain.  

This year the price of an annual Brno pass will drop to 3.325 Kč ($150).

In order to qualify for the reduced price you have to be a permanent resident in Brno, have paid the annual waste collection fee, and you must purchase it online.

You first have to register on the dpmb.cz e-shop.  Pay the full price of 4.750 Kč.  You need to complete a request form for the Brno city office to verify that you are a permanent resident and that the waste collection fee has been paid.  Once verified, you will receive a refund of 1.425 Kč within 3 months.

The thing that I don't like is that you no longer receive a paper ticket.  The debit or credit card you used to purchase the pass becomes your ticket.  Fortunately, for those that don't want to use their bank card can buy an anonymous card available from the public transportation office.

My pass won't expire until September so I've got plenty of time to decide if I'll just use my card or one of the anonymous cards.

Bring Your Child to Work Day

This was the third or fourth time I've worked out of the Dublin office but this week was definitely more interesting.

The other day I'm told that my English is OK for an American.  And today was Bring Your Child to Work Day.

Hmmm...not sure why my Irish colleagues didn't warn me about this one in advance.

It seemed to be a pretty nice event with movies, colouring, face painting and more.  All of the kids seemed to have a fun time and you could see the pride on people's faces when they introduced their children around the office.

I should suggest something like this in Brno but probably on a day that I work from home.

A Compliment...of sorts

Today I received a compliment...of sorts.  More of an insult but here's the story.

I had a meeting with an Irish chap in our Dublin office.  As we wrapped up he said:  "Your English is remarkable for a Czech."

I responded with:  "Thanks.  I'm American."

Leprechaun:  "Oh.  Well then it's just OK."

I'll take it as friendly banter and I'm sure my Brno colleagues will get a laugh out of the story.

Palmerstown, Ireland

Palmerstown, Baile Phámar, is a County Leinster and is a suburb in South Dublin, Ireland.  The area is on the River Liffey and is about 8 km (5 miles) west of Dublin city centre.




Palmerstown is home to about 4,000 people.

The Palmerstown Cemetery opened in 1978.

Common Travel Area

The United Kingdom and Ireland are not part of the Schengen agreement that makes it possible to travel through most of Europe without passport checks at every border.  Instead they have the Common Travel Area. 

The CTA is basically a mini-Shengen agreement that allows for open travel between Ireland and the UK, as well as, the British Crown dependencies of the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey.  Sort of.

Since 1997 Ireland checks everyone arriving by airplane.  So when I land in Dublin it doesn't matter if I flew from London or Prague, I still have to go through immigration and get my passport stamped. 

However, when I've flown from Dublin to London Standsted, London Gatwick and Inverness there was nothing.  No immigration or passport check.  There are random checks though.  When I flew from Dublin to Cardiff there was a random check.  I had to show my passport but it wasn't stamped.  I guess because I was already in the CTA. 

One of the confusing things for me is that Ireland and the UK each have different visa requirements.  So it's possible for someone to need a visa for one of the countries but not the other.  Yet, the CTA would allow the person to travel freely (except for a random check).

If either country ever joined Schengen then the CTA would end because of the requirement to secure borders with non-members.  I've heard that Ireland would like to join Schengen but I don't see that happening.  The border between Ireland and Northern Ireland is open.   If Ireland joined Schengen then the border between the two countries would have to be closed and it hasn't been that long since "the Troubles" ended.  Any hopes for a united Ireland would immediately end.  

Sandymount Strand, Ireland

Although Ireland is an island, most people don't associate it with the beach.  But there's actually a beach in Dublin.  Who would have thought it?

Sandymount Strand, Dumhach Thrá, is a stretch of beach that makes up part of the south side of Dublin Bay.  The beach runs about a kilometer and the promenade is a popular place to walk.

When the tide recedes there's about 1,5 kilometers (about 1 mile) of shore to enjoy.  However the beach almost disappears once the tide comes back in.

Same-Sex Marriage

On 22 May, Irish voters decide on a constitutional amendment that will allow for same-sex marriage.  If it passes then Ireland will be the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage via the ballot box.

There are posters up all through out Dublin right now.  Both for and against; mostly for.

The amendment is supported by the government as well as by every major political party.  Hopefully the measure will pass.

The referendum is only for Ireland.  It does not include Northern Ireland which is the only part of the United Kingdom where same-sex marriage is not recognized.  Here's a great TV commercial I found on YouTube about the upcoming vote.

In 2001 the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.  Belgium followed in 2003 and in 2005 so did Spain and Canada.  South Africa passed legislation in 2006.  In 2009 it became legal in Norway and Sweden.  Gay marriage became legal in 2010 in Portugal, Iceland, and Argentina.  In 2012 it became legal in Denmark.  Brazil, France, Uruguay, and New Zealand all passed legislation in 2013.  Same-sex marriage became legal in 2014 in England, Wales, and Scotland.  So far in 2015 only Luxembourg has legalized same-sex marriage.  It becomes legal in Finland in 2017.

These are just the countries that permit same-sex marriage.  Other countries such as Germany allow for civil unions/domestic partnerships that allow for many of the same benefits as marriage but not equal protection.  Let's see what happens this year in Ireland and the USA.

While Czechland does not recognise same-sex marriage it has allowed for registrované partnerství (registered partnerships) since 2006.  While not perfect, Czech registered partnerships grant equal status when it comes to inheritance, alimony, and hospital privileges but it does not allow for joint adoption, widow's pensions or joint property rights.  That's still way more benefits than many parts of the USA allow for. 

Since 1999 gays are allowed to serve openly in the Czech military.  In 2009, a law was passed that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, education, housing, and access to goods and services.  Again, way more than what most American states have.

While more and more countries are recognizing gay marriage there are still many more that want to limit equal rights.  In February there was a motion in Slovakia to restrict marriage to only between a man and a woman.  Fortunately it failed but most likely only because not enough Slovaks went to the polls.

Update:  Another reason for me to like my favorite island even more! Ireland became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote on Saturday.  In politics it was a landslide with 62,07% of Irish voters choosing "Yes/Tá" for equality.

Update:  Gay marriage actually became legal in the USA.
Update:  In July 2017, gay marriage became legal in Malta.

Update:  Here's the current 2019 status.  Gay marriage is now legal in Columbia, Greenland, Australia, Germany, Austria, Ecuador, and Taiwan.  

Update:  Northern Ireland passed it in October 2019 and it becomes effective in January 2020.  In 2020, it became law in Costa Rica.

Update:  Switzerland had a referendum in 2021 that passed with 64% of the vote.  So equal marriage in Switzerland becomes legal on 1 July 2022.