I know, I know – I’m getting slack in posting. But judging by the lack of comments, I am beginning to assume that I’m either no longer interesting or that you’ve given up on me, and consequently there is less pressure on me to post as often as I can. It certainly isn’t because I’ve been busy…we’ve been lazy shits lately, but I blame the past couple of days on a lethargic cold; despite feeling like crap I’ve quite enjoyed the enforced rest. Mind you I am NOT enjoying not being able to hear out of my left ear….stupid ear canals and their narrowness.
Anyway…you don’t want to hear about me whinging…you want to hear about the Czech Republic. Well, tough titties coz I’m the one writing this! I’ll do (write) what I want. I’m outta control…okay well I’m done whinging, so moving onto the Czech Republic.
Český Krumlov was simply amazing. Not only did we stay in the coziest guesthouse, but the town is a gorgeous little medieval bohemia with venezian touches. Needles to say, I loved it.
Our guesthouse, Dilettante’s Hangout (yes Spunk, I laughed) was the home of a woman who started renting rooms out after her kids went off to boarding school. She was nothing like the image that sentence invokes – she was tiny, in amazing shape, shaved head and a confidence that I’m sure is often mistaken for ‘questionable’ sexuality (though the jury is out on that one I think). Her guesthouse was the most amazing one I’ve been in – the rooms were exquisite – we stayed downstairs in the Buddha suite, which although dark had cozy and welcoming furniture and you forgot instantly that you were actually in a basement. Upstairs there was a small kitchen with a common room full of REAL bookshelves. Not the crappy trashy books that people leave behind on book exchanges that some hostels have, but a bookcase that is obviously loved and read. Although not devoid of trashy novels, these are interspersed between travel books, language books, schooling books and other various genres that reflected that we were in a person’s house. The common room also had a couple of guitars you could pick up and play, a warm fireplace and the constant (but not overpowering) smell of incense drifting around. It was just heaven to curl up there with a book and feel comfortable. You don’t realise how much you travel around and don’t feel comfortable when in an area inhabited by other people or even in the privacy of your hotel room. Here, I could pretend that I was at home (Tessa, you would have LOVED it here…).
Anyway, this made it hard to go out and enjoy Český Krumlov, but thankfully the town was gorgeous so we made it out of the house occasionally! The buildings were crowded around winding cobbled streets which splayed across the hill, cut occasionally by the meandering river. I walked around just smiling. I couldn’t believe we only had two days here! Crap! Stupid high season and the need to book accommodation in advance.
One of the sightseeing ‘highlights’ of Český Krumlov is the medieval castle which you can go and wander around in and venture up to the tower for a view of the town. We mosied on up to the castle (but not the tower), and found that they even had bears in the old moat. Although the conditions weren’t exactly ideal, they were certainly a lot better than the ones that the bears in Bern were kept in (not that I ever actually saw one there).
We tried one of the local sweets that we saw everyone carting around – a open cylindrical pastry coated in cinnamon….mmmm….can’t remember what they were called for the life of me!
Much of what I loved about the town was just what I felt as I walked around the winding streets. It was so cosy and comfortable – the tourists seem so far away as you wander around in your own little world.
I sadly moved onto Plzen, though I have a feeling I’ll be back in Český Krumlov. Unfortunately I haven’t seen much of Plzen because I’ve been sick. We wandered around the first afternoon we arrived. The town square has in its centre the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew, yet another pretty gothic cathedral. The architecture here is stunning…I took so many photos of just buildings….I couldn’t help it! There is also a music festival going on here at the moment, so even though I’ve spent so much time inside in bed, I’ve been listening to local bands playing local and cover music, which has been nice. Andrew went off to the mandatory brewery tour whilst I was lounging around in bed listening to said musicians, which he thoroughly enjoyed and came back and told me excitedly how Pilsner brew their beer….thanks darling.
We’re off to Prague tomorrow, which means we might actually spend some money…we are living on about $50 a day here, even when we include transport. It’s incredible. Just edging a bit further east and the savings are amazing. Guess I’ll need to save all I bloody well can because I’ll be spending a LOT of money in Italy when I meet up with Choppy and the olds….unless I can quickly develop a penchant for house wine. I don’t like my chances.
I’ll certainly write to you and brag about that in a couple of days.
Peace out,
XX
Český Krumlov photos
Plzeň photos
