Mlada Boleslav to Brno – I took the back roads again except for the last 80 km which was on a freeway. It rained for most of the journey then stopped and let me dry out at the end, not a good ride.

Brno – another nice place built on hills so I was always walking up or downhill. I visited the Roma Museum, some of them live here in Brno and the surrounding area. These people originated in India and travelled to Europe between 300 – 1000 AD, this has been established by their DNA and their language Romani which is based on Sanskrit. They have no written language so their history is only known from accounts written by the nations they passed through. When they arrived in Europe they told people they were Christians fleeing from persecution in Egypt hence the name Gypsy. As a result they were initially helped and protected by the local populations. This relationship soured over the years to the point where they were considered vermin and could be shot on sight. Hitler did his best to kill them as well along with the Jews. They have nothing to do with the country Romania which derives its name from the Latin word Romanus meaning “citizen of the Roman Empire”.

Roma Museum

Brno

More Brno

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