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In the remaining few days left I had decided that I would make a flying visit to Olomouc (pron. Olla-moats) back in the Czech republic cos the LP guidebook said it was very underrated and a compact version of Prague etc. Well for once I would have to toally agree and it was totally worth the visit. They said worth 2 days but in the interests of onward progress had to trim this to 1 night and effectively almost 24 hrs from time of arrival to leaving. Trouble is rain can dampen things down a bit. It was sunny in Bratislava in the morning as I dashed off to get a tram to get to the station. I was told I had left a “bottle” in the room as I left the key - at the time I thought it was the fine rare Finnish berry liqueur, but it was in fact my steel waterbottle. If I had waited 2 minutes, but I absolutely had to get the next (only every 15 mins) tram to get to station or it would be no train for 3 hours so it was a simple choice. The friendly girl at the hotel front desk
had pointed me to a train connection via Breclav, rather than changing later at Brno and getting a bus or other choice. So that was the chosen course and almost 3 hours later I was in Olomouc. Unfortunately it had started raining and also cooler so donned the fine wool top and the rain jacket and decided that it was definitely too far to walk in those conditions. The map in the station indicated that 3 trams went down the long street I wanted – Cosmonautu! I watched and waited to make sure that the no.1 tram did in fact go in that direction as they arrive with the (ultimate) destination on them. It was a bit of a guessing competition where to get off – when the tram made a left turn it was too far obviously! So got another one coming back almost immediately – the trams are quite a way apart and I did not fancy walking 500m. in the dribbly rain.
The Pension Kriva where I stayed was supposedly remodeled from a 1300’s house or something, but the interiors are quite modern with simple modern wooden furniture. Not quite sure why it was rated 4
star either, although 52E. was still reasonably cheap as these things go. Staying in almost a different hotel every night you really become the hotel nazi in terms of things that aren’t quite right or not as advertised. Anyway the rain dribbled on for a bit and I almost had a sleep but did email etc on the wifi for a while. Finally out for a walk when the rain seemed to have cleared but took rain wear in case it returned as per forecast. The town is mostly famous for its (UNESCO World Heritage) Holy Trinity baroque column and also the smaller Marian Plague column in the adjacent square. I actually wandered in the wrong direction (the centre is small but orientation was confusing even with map and compass). I did find the wonderful baroque church of St Michael but due to the fact I did not want to disturb people praying there I thought I would picture it later (case of never did get back there). It had been remodeled after damage a few times and last in high baroque which was pretty OTT. The LP says it has a rare painting of a pregnant Virgin Mary (that
would be rare!). Anyway the other pictures can speak for themselves. Found a café bar in the University part and had a coffee (I have em in the afternoon now only, not later after dinner for obvious reasons). The restaurant I ate at later was in the same street. The centre of the town is just street after street of mostly I think church official’s residences/houses in earlier times and make for very impressive streetscapes, uninterrupted by modernity, and also with useful little plaques about their history on most of them.
Down to the Gothic style St Wenceslas Cathedral and down towards the station could even see the onion domes of an Orthodox church. Then decided it was time to eat earlier rather than going back to the hotel and change then walk back. So to the Villa Primavesi which was at one time home to Gustav Klimt it seems, so his works decorate the walls. I would say this was Olomouc’s fine diner as the prices were 2 times or what they would be elsewhere in a beer type café (and being Czech there are more than enough of those). I was almost tempted to try this place
I saw called Torture just for the hell of it! Anyway dinner was pretty competent – goats cheese (warm) rolled in grilled prosciutto as a starter. Then pork medallions with a creamy mushroom sauce. Then “hot raspberries” served in an almond toast sort of thing with icecream. Couple of glasses of wine – and this is interesting usage here, and also in Slovakia/Bratislava where I thought the wine glasses were more like 200ml rather than the 100ml listed on the list. When I ordered a glass of chardonnay and a long one arrived I had to ask “why is it so?” – it seems that 100ml is a “small glass” but if you simply ask for a “glass” you get the long double! How are you supposed to know this local ‘custom’? Never happened in Austria etc – when they say 125ml (most common) that is what you get. As the double onslaught of the 400ml in Bratislava had been enjoyed and it was not too damaging, but I did not want to do it again (2 singles please – a chardonnay and a red one). Apart from that, what if you do not particularly like the chosen house wine?
Wonder what they do in Poland?? – soon to find out.
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