Isca Morrismen Foreign Adventures in Pisek
Visit to Ceska Republika
The side has now visited on three occasions and our last foreign excursion was from the 11th to the 18th June in 2003 when a small group from the Isca Morrismen represented the best of Welsh culture and performed in the Ceska Republika (Czech Republic). On each of the trips the side travelled overnight through France, Belgium and Germany before reaching South Bohemia and the ancient historical centre of Pisek.
In 1999 advantage was taken on a short rest stop to dance for the first time in Austria to several groups of curious spectators. After a long trip of around 24 hours, each time the side has been enthusiastically looked after by the local inhabitants, staying with them and experiencing Czech hospitality at it's very best.
On the first visit the group gave several concert performances of around an hour each at the annual festival and one highlight was to hold back the Czech army to enable us to complete a performance in one of the parks. With Morris Dancing virtually unknown, each time the group appeared, large crowds gathered at the various dance spots around Pisek. The town is set on the banks of the Ottava river which is spanned by the Kamenny bridge dating from the second half of the 13th century, the oldest bridge in Bohemia, and the bridge formed an interesting backdrop for our performances.
The surrounding region, called Pisecko, is a traditional gold panning area and the town takes it's name from the sand (pisek) from which the gold was separated. The town with it's castle, church and monastery were founded in 1243 by Premysl Otakar II and more recently enjoyed a rebirth in the 18th century when it was the centre of the logging trade. Nowadays it is a lively industrial town with around 30,000 inhabitants, home of the poet Frana Sramek.
A number of excursions were undertaken out of Pisek. In 1999 the group enjoyed dancing in the wonderfully preserved small town of Trebone with it's ancient castle and large pedestrian square. On the latest visit, dancing took place in Cesky Krumlov, a wonderful old town about an hours drive from Pisek and also in Tabor where underground cellars were visited.
On each visit the side has travelled to the small town of Zvikov ( in 1999 being welcomed by the mayor) and has been given a guided tour of the town's brewery before performing for the children from the local orphanage. In 1999 further records were broken on the return journey when in front of a large crowd, the side managed to dance on all three lanes of the western carriageway of the M4 motorway around Swindon (whilst stuck in a very large jam resulting from a major accident further up the motorway).
Pictured above are two of the badges presented to the side during the first visit. Our thanks are due to the efficient organisation of the Friends of Pisek Twinning Association which made our trips possible and which is likely to request future performances in the forthcoming years.
For a selection of dancing pictures taken during our visits, please pick the choices on the left of this page.
