Actual 2018: Volunteers in Harrachov | Start: 22 Jul 2018 | End Date: 05 Aug 2018
Older 2017: Volunteers in Harrachov | Start: 25 Jul 2017 | End Date: 08 Aug 2017
Older 2016: Culture and sports in Harrachov | Start:19 Jul 2016 | End: 03 Aug 2016
Diary
Our workcamp Culture and Sports in Harrachov 2016
After all technical and organization preparations, and after sending invitations all around the world in March, we welcomed eight smiling youths with large rucksacks and suitcases at the bus stop “u Motejlků” in Harrachov, on Tuesday the 19th of July. They all came eager to work, as well as to get to know our city and local residents....
Airport Express AE BUS to Prague Main Station
(Praha hl.n.; metro line C, “Hlavní nádraží” station):
The AE bus line operates daily at regular 30-minute intervals. During the summer period, interval is shortened. In the direction of Václav Havel Airport Prague, this connection can be used from 6:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., and in the opposite direction from 5:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. The line is served mostly by low-floor buses providing easy boarding and sufficient space for stowing luggage.
Bus Station Černý Most, Prague
The way from underground railroad to bus station: Hlavní nádraží - The main railway station (red line C) → Florenc (yellow line B) → Černý most (terminal station).
You are supposed to go to the right and then down the stairs and there is the bus station.
Basic tickets are possible to buy in automat - one costs 32 CZK and it is valid for 90 min. Details about the way by underground / English
Departures direct buses:
Praha,Černý Most → Harrachov, u Motejlků (WC location 100m) 10:10 - 12:54
Praha,Černý Most → Harrachov, u Motejlků (WC location 100m) 14:20 - 17:00
Praha,Černý Most → Harrachov, u Motejlků (WC location) 100m 15:00 - 17:42 Details Download / Czech
Train transport Ze stanice Prague Main Railway Station(“Hlavní nádraží” station)
Airport Express → Praha hl.n. 60 CZK
Metro Praha hl.n. → Metro Černý most 32 CZK
Train transport: Praha hl.n. → Harrachov 203 CZK
Bus transport: Praha,Černý Most → Harrachov 140 CZK
Our workcamp Culture and Sports in Harrachov
...they all came eager to work, as well as to get to know our city and local residents.
The mayor officially greeted us at the municipal office just the next day. She shortly talked about the city history, thanked for the involvement and wished our volunteers well during their stay in the city. Each volunteer got some souvenirs from the city, and also Krkonoše wafers; those pleased the recipients the most.
That very day after the greeting the volunteers started their work. They were helping to prepare the site for this year’s wood-carving event on Saint Anna Day in a valley called Anenské údolí, near Bílá voda. Also they helped the wood-carvers to unpack their stuff and were put in charge of promoting the whole event. On Sunday, when the whole event culminated with a cultural program, they participated artistically, too, by face-painting present children; everyone enjoyed it a lot. They also helped with painting at “Kaml” ski jump during the following days of their holiday job in Harrachov. In the course of their work young jumpers preparation was going on. Everyone was excited about it and we believe it was a great experience for them.
Our volunteers were even not afraid of unfavourable weather, and were cleaning sewage gullies on mountain forest paths, smiling despite the rain. The biggest deal of work, however, they did in a forthcoming Ski Museum at a bus station. During several days they painted a floor space of the total area of 200 m2, furthermore, in oppressively hot weather they dig out holes around the station building, and thus the adjacent surroundings were prepared to be planted with trees. In the course of volunteers’ work various reporters were coming there, interested in their job in Harrachov and in the nascent museum.
We should not forget that the volunteers are mostly students, so it is their summer holiday in July and August. The work-camp is not just about working; it is about having fun, too. We assumed from their responses to their free time that, with contribution of Harrachov businessmen, we filled their free time nicely and attractively. A bobsled run was an absolute favourite for the volunteers, everyone really loved it. Then we took a cable car to Čerťák and from there walked down past Mamuťák inrun and down to the city. Surely, nobody could miss Harrachov beer festival. There they tasted Czech beer and before midnight blended with a group of dancers below the stage, where a punk band was performing. The next day they went on excursion in Harrachov glass factory. It was the first time they had seen glass work and it made them very excited, especially the pieces of work they blowed themselves. We also made a two days trip together, with overnighting at Vosecká bouda. Two volunteers from Spain are surely not going to forget swimming under waterfall Mumlavský vodopád. We visited a Ropes Course in the city centre. We made a trip by train to Poland. We went mushroom picking, found a full basket of them and everyone tasted scrambled mushrooms for the first time in their lives. We were picking bilberries and under our tutelage they made cream cheese dumplings of them. They spent Friday evening in a brewery, where a “Czech evening” was prepared for them, with music and traditional Czech food tasting. In return for that, and as a thankyou, our volunteers prepared an “International evening” in Šedý Vlk hotel, for city inhabitants and public. They introduced their countries and answered all questions.
The work-camp is over, our work is done. We believe that the volunteers enjoyed a lot of fun here, and took a lot of experiences, memories and contacts on new friends with them. We can only hope that they will remember us and the Harrachov work-camp in a good light and that they would like to come back to out mountain city one day.
Šárka & Daniel Hlouškovi www.workcamp.cz
