Czech Countryside

Stats:

Destination: Olomouc, Telc & Cesky Krumlov (Czech Republic)

Number of Days Spent: 2 days

Where we stayed: Penzion Best in Olomouc (1100 kroners - $55 and not worth it, the accommodation in Olomouc is hard to find and not worth the price) & Pension Anna (1700 kroners for 3 people - $85 for an apartment for 3). In hindsight we probably should have driven to Telc and stayed there instead of Olomouc and we should have looked around for something cheaper than Pension Anna, but the breakfast at Pension Anna was outstanding.

Best restaurant: The breakfast at Pension Anna was quite elaborate, complete with warm pudding and a plate full of fresh cherries! There is nothing like dessert after breakfast!

Best of: The Baroque Theater in Cesky Krumlov was really interesting to see (but very expensive - $18 each - OUCH)!

Worst of: The tour at the Archbishop's Palace in Kromeriz was only in Czech and very long (not to mention boring). We couldn't understand a word of it but even those that did were yawning away.

Most Memorable: The views from the bridge at Telc and the castle garden at Cesky Krumlov were fantastic!

Since we had a car, we decided to make a couple of stops outside of Prague in the Czech Republic. First on the list was Olomouc with it's UNESCO protected plague column. When the plague came calling back in the Dark Ages, it would claim the lives of over a 1/3 of the population at any given time. The disease was so devastating that people became superstitious. One of the beliefs was that by erecting a plague column in the town square, the plague would pass the town by. As a result, these columns appear in nearly every town. The people of Olomouc took it a step farther and their column is the largest of them all.

Aside from the column, the city boasts the typical cobblestone streets, churches and TWO main squares - upper and lower. While it was quaint in some regards...aside from the McDonalds across from the plague column...there was little in the way of charm. We have to say we were a little disappointed in not only the town, but the lack of budget sleeping options and not so friendly locals. We stayed outside of the main square and still paid more than it was worth for a hotel across from the stadium (it was the cheapest we could find with the exception of a dorm).

The Archbishop's Palace in Kromeriz was next on our UNESCO tour. This area of the Czech Republic is known as Moravia. The leader of Moravia not only was the head of state, but also the head of the church. Housing one of the largest and most impressive collections of Medieval literature, the rooms in the massive complex are impressive as well. The only way to see the rooms are on a "guided" tour in Czech. We were handed a handout in English and led from room to room for an hour and a half...which could have easily been a 30 minute self guided tour. The gardens behind the house are equally as impressive. We had a little picnic lunch in the gardens and strolled by the odd, and out of place, display of exotic animals. Not sure where baboons and peacocks fit into the whole picture, but at least it was free.

Far more impressive and fairy tale pretty was the tiny town of Telc, also making the UNESCO list. Usually a day trip from Prague, the town is set on a peninsula and climbing to the top of the bell tower provides an excellent view of the town. Movie makers must think the same thing as we did, they were filming a movie here the day we were here. The view from the bridge looking back at the castle is equally as charming.

We ended our road trip in town of Cesky Krumlov. Krumlov is the second most visited town in the Czech behind Prague and rightfully so. Set on a bend in the river, the main part of town rests nearly surrounded by water providing for lots of water activities. A popular activity is to kayak or raft down the river with various bars and restaurants to stop and rest at, including the local brewery. We wih we had more time to spend here, it would be easy to while away a few days in this charming city.

Resting on the opposite side of the river lies the Castle. With caverns, multiple rooms to explore, huge gardens, a theatre and a very odd rotating stage resembling something at Disney World more than a quaint old world town the castle itself warrants a full day of exploring. We opted to just wander around the free parts and take in the unique Baroque theatre.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, these theaters were dotted all over Europe. Sadly, there are only two left in the world - the one here and one in Sweden. Their demise was not one of wars or external forces but a major design flaw. The shows incorporated lots of candles and even fireworks. Mixing dry, indoor wood with fire results in obvious disastrous results. The theater is operated by a series of ropes and pulleys beneath the stage that change the painted scenes in a matter of seconds by a team of about 20 men. While they only operate the theater a couple of times a year, the tour includes a short video showing the theater in operation. It was fascinating and we would have loved to see it in action, perhaps next time. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed of the interior so all we could do was snap one of the understage area from the window after the tour.

To see more photos click on the town name below!

Olomouc

Kromeriz (Archbishop's Palace)

Telc

Cesky Krumlov

The city of spires - Prague, Czech Republic

Stats:

Destination: Prague, Czech Republic

Where we stayed: Athena Palace Hotel - 39 Euros/night (including a hearty breakfast...the variety of cheeses & meat was staggering & they also had eggs, crepes, cake, yogurt, cereal, etc)

Best restaurant: U Samavy - Stepanska 3 (Praha 2) in the New Town had a local atmosphere, pleasant staff (a rarity for Pragus) & great food! Try the grilled sausage with spicy mustard and horseradish (45 CZK - just over $2 or the chicken breast with bacon & camembert cheese (145 CZK - about $7). Beers are 32 CZK each or about $1.50 for half a liter! We enjoyed their dark beer the most.

Best of: St. Charles bridge at night, stunning spires soaring above the city, unique Astronomical Clock design

Worst of: We forgot our camera battery charger. Luckily the battery held out until the last night but we had to cut our photo taking night trip short when it gave out.

Most Memorable: Viewing the St. Charles Bridge with the castle in the moonlight.

Useful tip: If coming here from Munich or anywhere in Bavaria, purchase the Bayern/Bohemia pass (33 euros, up to 5 people, valid after 9am) which will get you to Pilsen and then purchase a ticket from Pilsen to Prague (7.50 euros pp) from the conductor. The ticket can be purchased online as well if heading the other way, but you will have to muddle through the German part of the Bahn website.

Prague is arguably the most liberal city in all of Eastern Europe. One of the first cities behind the Iron Curtain to welcome tourists and the west, it has become somewhat cosmopolitan. The smoke covered buildings from the industry first, environment last communist era still remain but somehow add to the charm rather than detract. The days of dirt cheap beers and rooms are gone, but it's still a good value for Europe and an excellent start to a tromp through the rest of the Eastern Block countries.

The scenic St. Charles Bridge is Prague's top attraction. Set over the river separating the castle district from the Main Square area, St. Charles has stood here since the 14th century. Over the years statues have been added recognizing various saints and heroes. A Gothic style gateway was added completing the scene. The bridge's namesake comes from St. Charles, a 14th century bishop and protector of the city. Legend has it that the queen confessed to Charles all her sins. The King wanted to know what the queen was up to so he questioned Charles. When Charles refused to tell him, the King threw him off this bridge. As Charles hit the water, 5 stars arose from where he hit and Charles survived the fall. The reprieve was short lived as the King had Charles executed any ways. He was canonized as St. Charles, the bishop who stood up to the King. Today, millions rub his statue for good luck as they pass over the bridge.

Heading into the Old City, you eventually wind your way to the Main Square and the Astronomical Clock. The clock is a spiraling mess of gears and arms. The clock tells time, sunrise, sunset, day of the year, moon cycles, astrological signs and the saint of the day. If you can make out all of that, you are doing much better than us. On the hour, the clock chimes and death (the skeleton) rings his bell for a rather unimpressive one minute show. To witness the real show, stand underneath the clock and watch the tons of tourists that turn out for this "show" staring up with mouths all agape.

Elsewhere on the square lies a couple of churches including the Tynin church standing impressively with it's Gothic spirals and a dry fountain that is badly in need of a good cleaning.

As a tribute to the changing times in Prague, the Dancing building was built by the same architect that built the Met in New York. Modeled loosely after Fred and Ginger Astaire, It stands in stark contrast to the gothic medieval spires throughout town and symbolizes the cities modern times.

Beer also plays an integral part of life in Prague and the Czech Republic. The famed Budwiser (the original one, not the one from St. Louis) is widely available for a mere $1.50 a pint (up from .50 when Tracy visited here 10 years ago). The other variety of beer available allover is brewed in Pilsen and aptly named - Pilsen beer. We lean to Budwiser as the beer of choice, but both represent good value.

The best views in town are from the monastery just up the hill from the castle. We took the tram to the top and walked down passing through the gardens and down to the main gate of the castle.

We arrived at the castle just in time for the changing of the guard. With much pomp and circumstance, the changing of the guard happens at noon. The theme reminded me more of the A-team theme than a classical masterpiece, and it's not nearly as much of a show as Buckingham palace, but it is worth about 10 minutes...although the show lasts much longer than that. We left before it was over.

Just inside the main gate, the cathedral stands just in front of you. After the slightly long line, we snuck in and wandered around the entire church without the extra ticket (admission is free to the main part and no one was selling or checking for tickets at the top). The church boasts some beautiful stained glass windows and the altar piece is ringed with a couple of intricate wood carvings from the 15th century and, of course, the patron St. Charles stands to the right of the altar, 5 stars and all.

The Castle grounds, the largest in Europe, encompass the president's office and parliament offices. The Egyptian style column was brought here in honor of the creation of the now defunct Czechoslovakia, lasting from the end of WWI until the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Down from the castle, we passed through the neighborhood with symbols used for addresses instead of numbers. Using various animals, the homes would use these as identification for tax collection purposes.

At the bottom of the hill underneath the castle, we took in a classical music concert. All over town, they advertise concerts in various churches, concert halls, and just about anywhere you can fit a 5 piece orchestra. While the musical selection was excellent and the musicians played well, the venue was a practice room in the basement and the price was a little much for what you actually got but you can negotiate (advertised price was $20 and we paid about $13-$14, we probably could have gotten it for half price).

Across from the concert hall, sits another cathedral. While the church was ok, the paintings upstairs (which they charge admission for) won't make it high on our list and we don't really recommend wasting your money on them.

After the concert, we finished our downhill stroll by walking past the John Lennon wall. As the tide of anti-communism was rising, this wall became an outlet for disgruntled citizens. They would paint on the wall their discontent, and the wall would be painted over by the oppressive government. The wall is somewhat of a vigil to Lennon and the Beatles today as quotes and various lyrics are written all over the wall.

The most moving museums in Prague are the collection of Jewish museums. The five main synagogues along with the cemetery have been turned into museums and memorials to the atrocities of the Holocaust. The museums trace the history of Judaism in Prague from the creation of the ghettos all the way to the Holocaust. The museum starts with all the different ways they would mark Jews and other persecution methods. The Jews were only allowed to bury their dead in one small place leading to the cemetery "growing" over the years. Buried on top of one another, the cemetery itself rises into a small hill. The most stirring and emotional part of the museum is in the Pinkas Synagogue. All along the wall, organized by town and family, are the names of the victims of the Holocaust. As you walk around and notice the names, you can see where an entire family were all killed together on the same day. It's a sad reminder of what happened and hard to fathom how one group of humans could do this to another.

Moving on to a slightly lighter note, the Communist Museum, set between a McDonald's and a casino - how is that for irony, gives a glimpse of life behind the iron curtain as well as some interesting propaganda. Complete with a large statue of Stalin welcoming you, the museum leads you from the beginning of the Red Army's rule all the way to the bloodless Purple Revolution (the fall of communism in former Czechoslovakia). The museum also includes a small display on the RFA (Radio Free America). Broadcasting from Munich, the RFA would send a signal all across the eastern block playing Western music, giving news updates and serving as the only link to the outside world for most citizens. After the fall of communism, the RFA lost it's funding. The citizens of the Czech were so grateful for having the RFA, that they rent the tower that was made to block the signal to the RFA for $1 per year. Today, the signal continues, now broadcasting deep into the Middle East.

We spent our last night out at the St. Charles Bridge where the city is romantically set alight. The castle views, with the bridge in the mid-ground and the river in the foreground provide postcard quality views.

To see more photos from Prague please click here!