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Czech Republic Travel Blogs

Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. To be updated

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By bsktcase
June 16th 2005

Oops Europe » Czech Republic » Prague

Well, I was just about to extol the virtues of the much nicer internet café we found, but the proprietor announced he's closing momentarily so I've got to run. It's not like I believe any of you people are reading anyway. Where are my comments?! ;) Full Praha update later.... [View Full Entry]

By Ben DiBiagio Wood
June 16th 2005

Moravsky Kras then to Athens Europe » Czech Republic » South Moravian Region » Moravian Karst

Cable Car to top of Abyss

Today we got a change of scenery from all of the city life by going to the mountains to look at some caves. We went to see the Punkva Caves and the Macocha Abyss at the Moravsky Kras. There is information given out by an information office in Brno but it is worthless as the time schedule it gives is incomplete. I was able to find a more complete time schedule for busses to the caves by looking on the internet. What we did was a little more expensive than taking the bus but it worked out well, and we did [View Full Entry]

By Bill and Nancy
June 15th 2005

A Hike Up the Mountain -- only 15 Kilometers in a day. Europe » Czech Republic » Ústí nad Labem Region » Hrensko

Nancy

The area known as Czech Switzerland, or Bohemian Switzerland is located on the German border between Prague and Dresden. The Elbe River has cut a deep canyon through the mountains leaving behind high sandstone cliffs. To avoid river taxes in centuries past, smugglers used this area to carry goods into both countries. Small villages developed in the mountains to provide services to the smugglers. I am not sure if smuggling still exists, but surely tourism is the major business of the area. There has been a national park on the German side of the border for a number of years. Now, [View Full Entry]

Looking down to the trail we had just passed.

By Bill and Nancy
June 15th 2005

Up the mountain, the first four kilometers Europe » Czech Republic » Ústí nad Labem Region » Hrensko

The Cave Dwellers Home

We set off up the trail. Our destination was four kilometers away, the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe. A huge group of school kids were ahead of us ... thank goodness they were ahead of us. In fact, we slowed so they would get far enough ahead that we could not hear them. When in the woods we prefer the sounds of nature to the sounds of 40 excited school children. I must say the kids were having a great time, and that is good. We had been told the trail is quite steep and difficult. Pleasantly surprised we did [View Full Entry]

By Bill and Nancy
June 15th 2005

Largest natural bridge in Europe Europe » Czech Republic » Ústí nad Labem Region » Hrensko

The Czech Natural Bridge

Climbing on up the mountain we finally reached the top of the mountain where the largest natural bridge in Europe stands. Below and at one end of the bridge an old hotel still operates as a restaurant, but accepts no overnight guests. The employees have to hike in each day to their job. All supplies for the restaurant are brought up the mountain in a small cable car. The cable car is not large enough to carry any passengers. In fact, when I saw it in operation I think I would call it the cable bucket. The motor is tiny and [View Full Entry]

By Bill and Nancy
June 15th 2005

Mountain Wild Flowers Europe » Czech Republic » Ústí nad Labem Region » Hrensko

A Mountain Wildflower

During our hike through the mountains we were pleased at the number of wild flowers we saw blooming. I wish I knew the names of all of them. But I needed and did not have a Central European Field Guide to Flowers. Some, like the Foxglove, I recognized, but there are so many that were unfamiliar to me. [View Full Entry]

By bsktcase
June 15th 2005

Dobrý den z Prahy! Europe » Czech Republic » Prague

Prague, from our apartment in Florenc

Well, we're getting by OK not speaking the local language, but there sure is a difference (for an English-speaker) between not speaking German in Germany and not speaking Czech in Czechia. No, I couldn't understand a word of spoken German, but at least I could make some sense of signage and the names of stores. In Czech, nothing looks or sounds familiar (I don't remember enough Russian to get into any kind of Slavic groove), so there's no faking it. Even if the workers in all the shops speak excellent English (as is widely claimed in guidebooks), we'd like to figure [View Full Entry]

By Ben DiBiagio Wood
June 15th 2005

Full Day in Brno Europe » Czech Republic » South Moravian Region » Brno

Modernist Architecture...Where we Stayed

Jason and I spent this day looking around Brno. It is a city where a lot of people are constantly milling about on the street. There are many great examples of functionalist architecture which is something that especially excited Jason. We went to visit the Villa Tugendhat which was a milestone for architecture and was the most advanced building of its time. We also climbed the spire of Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, which gave us a great view of the city. Pictures... [View Full Entry]

By creativecoco
June 14th 2005

The Golden City... Europe » Czech Republic » Prague

flowers in Vienna

Hello Everyone! This is a rather long entry, so if you want the short version here it is: now in Prague, Vienna was great, but exhausting, my butt hurts from the hike we took, wine+tram= fun!, prague is cheap and we are having language issues (but this has been an ongoing problem). Amy and I are now in Prague, just coming from Vienna. Vienna was great! We got there two nights ago and went to an opera. We managed to get really cheap tickets, only 2.5 euro! Although it was standing room only but it sounded great. Since we stayed longer [View Full Entry]

Vienna - the city of music, and one of my favorites!

By stregerlady
June 14th 2005

Old men and English Europe » Czech Republic » Prague

Pani Gottfried

Oh! My feet! I went on a walking tour of the castle today. Pretty much a waste of time. Mr. Gottfried our guide who must have been as old as dirt was bad. His accent was so thick even I couldn't understand him much of the time, let alone the two women for Jersey. The information he was giving was bland and un-interesting and he couldn't understand any of our questions. I was bored. I stayed with it only because it included admission to the inside of the castle which I hadn't seen before and Golden Lane which I wanted to [View Full Entry]

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