Still in Brno: Ken has a cold

September 11, 2014

We woke this morning packed up, got into our cycling clothes and went down to breakfast. Kens cold was feeling pretty ghastly and rain was forecast so we decided to pull the plug on the cycling and stay another night here.

Our plan was to get a day pass for the trams which we did. They go everywhere and with the confusing names it is pretty difficult to master them. With the help of the non English speaking man in the tram information we decided to go to the Zetor Tractor Factory which was well out of the main part of the city. This involved catching a 12 Tram then changing to a 8 and heading out to some place that he marked on the map with an unpronounceable name. We made the change to the 8 sucessfully and then luck came into it. We sat beside Jivky, a lovely young Czech girl going to the same stop as us. She was charming and when we got off walked with us to the Zetor Factory. There are many kind people in this world. Now for the factory. Ken has a 1963 Zetor of which he is very proud. We knew there was a 'gallerie' displaying their tractors old and new, we also knew it was only open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays - this is Thursday. The door was open, a young woman came and said "The gallerie is closed". Ken pleaded "But I have come all the way from New Zealand to see your tractors". She thought a while and said rather reluctantly 'OK" and accompanied us around the immaculate display. As we went on our guided tour Ken got more and more excited and she stared to warm to us. I can just imagine the stories she will tell of this crazy Kiwi fan - she even told him he could sit on a tractor. His cold seemed to improve greatly as he viewed the tractors.

Back to our room and off we went again. Both of us have studied genetics so were keen to pay homage to their founder Gregor Mendel. He was an Augustine monk who did his meticulous experiments in the garden of his monastery. You are able to visit the Abbey Church, the garden and a small museum about his work. This was another two tram journey but we are getting good at it. We found the very ornate Abbey church easily and after a bit of stuffing around found the museum. The foundations of the glasshouse he used are still in place and it is suprising how small it was. In the actual museum we learnt so much about his background, how he came from peasant stock but he was so clearly brilliant and had much help in eventually obtaining the education he yearned for. He was an expert in many things including meteorology, agriculture (including soil tilth). plant hybridisation and bee keeping and became the Abbot of the monastery. It showed some of his meticulous records which were the key to his research. Although he died in 1884 his research was not understood until about 1900. One of the disappointing thing about the museum is that it attempts to explain simple mendelian genetics and does so extremely badly. I hope the job I did when I was teaching 16 year olds was less confusing.

Back on the trams, lunch and we had a rest for a little while. Ken lay down and slept all afternoon so now it is time to go out for dinner.

The first tractor a single cylinder 15hp with crank start only, made in 1947

Two cylinder 25hp tractor almost identical to mine made from the fifties to the early 60s

This 2011 is identical to mine apart from the fact mine doesn't have a cab

The factory is very extensive and just goes on an on

The factory is very extensive and just goes on and on

The foundations of Mendel's glasshouse where he did his experiments with pea plants

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