Copper Alligator-shop window lit up with Christmas merchandise, in the Czech village of Cedar Rapids, IA more images of the Czech Village and Independence, Iowa http://www.pbase.com/gazeboy96/independence_mucha

A day full of adventure, whimsy and great beauty--we visited Independence, Iowa--home of a historic mill and a beautiful public library with many imaginative touches (plus being the land of inflatable Christmas characters). We also ventured south to the Czech Village in Cedar Rapids, to the newly restored National Czech and Slovak museum (damaged in the flood of 2008) to see a gallery of full size color lithographs by Alphonse Mucha--wonderful!