Another ride, and that time was to follow the flow of Labe river! It means to the south of HK, Vysoka Nad Labem about 8-9km away. It took nearly 50 minutes by bicycle if you stop a lot to enjoy the scenery. If not, 20-30 minutes will be your best achievement! Or maybe less ;)
This place, I guess more to peaceful neighbourhood and I can see a golf field on my way there.
In Czech Republic, generally there are lots of bicycle routes that you can use all over the country. And even most of them are marked with specific colours. Like the above picture :) Not only cycling, but any hiking routes will be marked almost similar.
I cycled between the faculty hospital and Labe river in the direction of Pardubice. The route was quite okay. Sometimes I needed to ride on the main roads but the drivers here are nice, it was not a problem. Just remember to use all the hand gestures to turn left / right or stop anywhere. And if there is any traffic light, stop and wait just like vehicles. Use GPS to make sure we are in the right direction if time is limited for us.
The map is stating 'You Are Here'.
After random time spent playing with the maps, I came out with this place. It was an observation tower, Milíř (rozhledna). It was reconstructed last year, if I'm not mistaken. With the height of 31 meter, it is said, from the top, people can see different mountains on different sides. Kunětická hora, Orlické hory, Železná hora, Krkonoše etc and also few highest points in center of HK - White Tower in Old Town and also Hotel Cernigov. Unfortunately, the moment I stepped at the top, I could not see any. It was cloudy; dark, thick one.
Before I forget, there are two ways to reach the tower - either riding the bicycle through a longer, hilly route (about 500-1000m) or just use this stairs (you can leave your bicycle locked down there or just bring it up the stairs). The second is surely shorter, but a bit steep.
I guess, that was my first time enjoying the autumn trees from top. :) Clearly seen different, beautiful colours of leaves around the tower. And even realising again how small I am from top. T_T Well, there is always a greater power than us, God :)
I would like to share 6 questions asked by Imam Ghazali to his students, when they were together.
And lets us ponder the values we can get from them.
1. “What is the closest for us in this world?”.
Some answered; parents, teachers, friends, or relatives.
According to Imam Ghazali, all those answers are correct. But the MOST correct one is “death”. Why? Because that’s is a promise of Allah SWT that all living things will die. (QS. Ali Imran 185) I think what make it closer is we don't even know when it will happen. It can be next ten years, next week or even a second after you read this sentence. T_T
2. “What is the furthest from us in this world?”.
Some of his students answered: China, the moon, the sun, and the stars. Then Imam Ghazali explained that all those answers are correct. But the MOST correct one is “past time”. No matter what we do, where we are we can never return to past time. So, that's the reason why we cannot really stick ourselves to the past when we have the present to take care of; by filling the current time with good deeds and prayers.
3. “What is the biggest thing in this world?”.
Some answered: mountain,the earth, the sun. All those answers are correct, said Imam Ghazali. But the biggest thing from this world is “passion” (or nafs) (Qs. Al-araf:179). Most of the time, people will do whatever the fulfill their passion - and sometimes even in bad ways. So, let's be careful with what we want (the passion itself), don't let it brings us into the hell. Naudzubillah.
4. “What is heaviest in this world?”.
Some answered: elephant, steel, metal. All the answers are corrects, said Imam Ghazali. But the heaviest thing is “to keep on amanah” (responsibilities) (Qs. Al-ahzab:72). Plants, animals, mountains, and the angels were not able when Allah SWT asked them to be a khalifah (leader) in this world. But human being proudly said his ability to the request from Allah SWT, so most of them enter the hell because they can not keep their amanah.
5. “What is the lightest in this world?”.
Some answered: cotton, wind, dust and leaves. All those answers are corrects, said Imam Ghazali. But the lightest thing in this world is “leaving shalat”. Just because of our love and priorities to the world, we take shalat for granted; when shalat is the moment we speak to Allah and date with Him T_T
6. Then the last question is, “What is the sharpest in this world?”.
His students answered together, sword. That is correct, said Imam Ghazali. But the sharpest thing is “tongue of men”. Because of our tongues, we can easily hurt the feeling of others.
Wallahua'lam.
That made up my last Saturday morning :)
More trips to go, more routes to be discovered, more places to step in.
Till then,
Assalamualaikum. :)
references; http://www.islamicity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10573
Wallahua'lam.
That made up my last Saturday morning :)
More trips to go, more routes to be discovered, more places to step in.
Till then,
Assalamualaikum. :)
references; http://www.islamicity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10573
V Khaulah
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