I have a friend who lives in Olomouc, an ex-pat who settled here 20 years ago, learned Czech, got a PhD from the University where he now teaches, and started a family, so we stopped off on our way to Krakow.
Not quite Kansas, but those are dried corn stalks in the distance.
Beyond the open farm land and pastures the route lead through a hilly area, lined with narrow valleys. Fall is not far advanced in this part of the world. A quick impression: the dominant color is yellow with just a bit of dull red. No maples trees here, I suspect.
I learned from Matthew, my Olomouc friend, that the town was destroyed during the Thirty Years War, and then rebuilt. And rebuilt later as it grew to a city of 150,000. The old town retains its 17th century facade.
joe martin 