Last month鈥檚 by the Peninsula-based Tam O鈥� Shanter Scottish Country Dancers and the Crescent Beach Pipe Band was one for the memory books, according to Tam O鈥� Shanter member Cheryl Jorgensen.

鈥淚t was amazing,鈥� she told Peace Arch News of the week-long stay, which started on June 9. 鈥淚t exceeded our expectations.鈥�

Not the least of the experience, she said, was discovering what she describes as 鈥渁 country frozen in time 鈥� a fairy-tale land steeped in history and a rich culture that was unchanged through the centuries.鈥�

Historically known as Bohemia, the region was formerly an important part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.

鈥淲e found out that Good King Wenceslaus was a real person.

鈥淜ing Charles IV built the gothic Charles Bridge in 1357, and Prague was already the richest trading city in Europe by 965 A.D., although its original roots date back to Roman times,鈥� Jorgensen added.

Undamaged during two world wars, the terrain and architecture was also largely preserved during the period of Russian occupation from 1947 until 1989, she said.

鈥淎ll the cathedrals, chateaux and castles, which date back to the 11th and 12th centuries, and all of the Baroque architecture of the 17th century, still stand in their glory,鈥� she added.

Also impressive was the cleanliness of both cities, she said.

鈥淭he food, beer (pivo) and wine (pino) were all very good and quite inexpensive 鈥� we made their delicious ice cream a daily staple!鈥�

Every weekend from May to September, there are numerous choices of folk festivals to attend in the Czech Republic, Jorgensen noted, adding that the Tam O鈥� Shanters and the Crescent Beach Pipeband were there to participate in two four-day festivals.

The first was in Melnik, a city of 20,000, also known as the 鈥楺ueen鈥檚 City鈥�, an hour鈥檚 drive northwest of Prague, she said. The second city, Lazne Belohrad, is a resort spa city of 4,000 in the mountains along the Polish border, two hours northwest of Prague.

鈥淎lso participating in these folk festivals were groups from Korea, India, Puerto Rico, Hungary, Georgia Russia, Bosnia, Croatia and Slovakia, as well as many local folk groups from within the Czech Republic.鈥�

Participation of children in their folk dancing is an integral part of the performance, Jorgensen noted.

鈥淓very school has an extensive music program with a qualified music teacher who must be proficient at conducting choirs, orchestras and ensembles, and choreographing dances, composing music and songs,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t greatly enhances and promotes the culture which is so rich in their music and dance,鈥� she added.

鈥淢usic is everywhere, violinists playing on street corners, jazz groups on the Charles Bridge, concerts in cathedrals featuring music of Dvorak and many of the world鈥檚 great composers, plus the Marionette Theatre, operas and much more.鈥�

Jorgensen said the two Peninsula groups were pleased to become part of the cultural mosaic during their stay.

鈥淲hen we performed 惭补颈谤颈鈥檚 Wedding accompanied by the pipe band, the audiences were so very appreciative,鈥� she said.

鈥淲ord went through the city 鈥� 鈥榙id you see and hear those Canadians yesterday? You have to see them today.鈥� It was a very proud moment for us as Canadians,鈥� she said.

鈥淥ur goal for performing at international folk festivals is to bring our Scottish-Canadian culture to people who have never seen this before, and we felt that we had accomplished our mission in the Czech Republic, just as we鈥檝e previously done in our performances in Hawaii, and Mexico.鈥�

The last day in Lazne Belohrad was a fitting climax to the trip, Jorgensen added.

鈥淲e were asked to sing a short song at the mass in one of the cathedrals. The dancers sung the first verse and chorus of Amazing Grace, accompanied by a lone piper 鈥� and then the rest of the pipe band joined in.

鈥淚t was another very proud Canadian moment,鈥� she said.