Magazine
President Klaus climbs the country's highest mountain, a Czech firm finally braves the Austrian market and, the governor of Easter Island visits the home town of the Czech who made the Maoi statues "walk". Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
Czechs heading for Easter Island may be sure of a fine reception. On Easter Island everyone knows where the Czech Republic lies and they know well the name of one man - no, not President Klaus - nor the former president Vaclav Havel - but Pavel Pavel from the south Bohemian town of Strakonice. Pavel Pavel, whose first and second names happen to be identical, solved the mystery of how the Maoi statues were moved around the island. Each of the stone statues weighs several tons and Pavel Pavel figured out a way in which it can easily be moved by three or four people. He experimented with wooden planks and ropes near his home town of Strakonice with a few friends -until he hit on the solution. He joined the Thor Heyerdahl expedition to the island soon after to prove his point - and it worked. Today there are plaques in English, Czech, Rapa Nui and Spanish next to the Maoi statues telling tourists about the Czech man who made the Maoi staues "walk".
Three months after the Czech Republic's entry to the EU, a Czech firm has opened shop in neighbouring Austria - a shop selling flowers, ceramics and gardening tools. Although Austrian and German businesses are no exception on the Czech market, the arrival of the first Czech firm in the town of Gmund drew plenty of media attention. The first Czech courageous enough to give it a try told the local media "expenditures are much higher than they are back home - on the other hand Austrian customers appreciate good service and are willing to pay a higher price for quality goods". The firm now employs two Austrian employees and is hoping to expand if business proves to be good. Economists predict that it will take a while for others to follow. At present many Czechs are put off by the high expenditures and more expensive labour as compared to the Czech Republic - but in time they will surely come to appreciate the potential - and the profits.
Many people living in the country or on the outskirts of town occasionally save a wild animal in distress - a bird, hedgehog or even a deer. And sometimes it means making a friend for life. Five years ago 72 year old Jaroslav Zdrha got a little fawn from a local hunter who had found it abandoned on the outskirts of the forest. Its mother had been killed by a passing car. Jaroslav and his wife took it in and cared for it like a baby for the first year of its life. Betty soon became a member of the family and made friends with both her hosts and all the farm animals - in particular the two farm dogs. When Betty was fully reared - a year later - she was returned to the wild. But much to the family's surprise and joy she makes daily visits to the farm and accompanies the old man on every trip to the forest. "I have no idea how she knows I'm there, but whenever I go to the forest she's at my side in minutes," Jaroslav says. Naturally Betty gets a pat and a small treat every time she turns up and the family dogs never miss a chance to frolic with her. She's been living in the wild for four years now - but she's never forgotten to pay us a daily visit and she even brings her own young to show off- Jaroslav says with pride. His only concern is for her safety when the hunting season starts. The locals all know about Betty - and with her sides liberally sprayed with paint during the hunting season to help identify her - she has so far been spared by all the local hunters. Hopefully her luck will hold...
