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Published: August 10th 2007
The Czech Republic. Try and pronounce it with a faux Russian accent, like Natasha out of Rocky and Bulwinkle. It works for me.
Again we're on a roll with only 5 days and 2 stops. Across the border from Austria and into stop numero uno, Czesky Krumlov.
Through another minor miracle, we found our hostel straight off the bat, but the fun was just beginning. We had reserved all 4 beds in a 4 bed dorm with private ensuite - cheaper than all the doubles we had seen advertised on the net. Perfect. Inspection of the room revealed a joker the pack. Our PRIVATE room with PRIVATE ensuite actually involved other occupants having to pass through our room to get theirs. Plus, the PRIVATE ensuite was actually shared, ie. "come into our room please everybody, the bathroom is over there." Protests to the owner fell on deaf ears. He didn't WANT to understand plus he said he had nothing else.
Time for Penny's coup de grace - "Look Mr, what if my husband and I are having sex and somebody walks in?"
The ensuing silence was only broken by the sound of the old fella's jaw hitting the deck. If Penny
Czesky Krumlov
One of the massive drops the kayaks have to take going downstream.had looked a little to her right, she would have noticed her similarly stunned husband who was wondering who was this woman impersonating his demure wife.
The old fella, regaining his composure, "maybe I do have another room."
ONYA PENNY! Never underestimate the impact of the element of surprise.
Accommodation issues now on the backburner, it was time to explore Czesky Krumlov, touted as, join the queue, a mini Prague. How many mini Pragues can you squeeze into 1 continent?
Mini Prague or not, it is spectacular. Nestled in the hook of a babbling river, the historical town is crammed with the type of architecture that makes postcard photographers drool.
In summer, this river is like Pitt Street for various paddle craft hired from the numerous agencies around town. The partakers really knew how to drag out a 2 klm downstream paddle:
-float/paddle a couple hundred meters.
-negotiate a tame drop off.
-stop for beer.
-walk up hill to supermarket to grab more beer.
-drink more beer.
-another short stretch downstream and another lame drop off.
-lunch/beer etc........
I think the actual moving down the river was a necessary middle man between the eating and drinking. Sensational surroundings though.
One
more aspect about CK I liked was the man advertising "non stop parking." NON STOP? Hand over your money, drive into the parking lot but don't stop, just keep right on going.......
GOING TO PRAGUE!
After all the minis, time for the real deal.
One story had recurred to me regularly prior to arriving in Prague. Some years ago, a group of players from the Oz Rugby League team visited Prague and one was quoted as saying something along the lines of: "Prague is crap. Full of old buildings, no clubs, no TAB. I'd rather be in Penrith."
He's mostly right. I have'nt seen a TAB yet, and, not for want of trying, no RSL within cooee. The part about "rather be in Penrith", I suppose that old adage, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. He was right about the old buildings. Some, in fact almost anybody, would surely find the old buildings of Prague rather enchanting. Certainly the million or so tourists who seemed to be here the same time as us would take my stance.
One thing the guy in question didn't mention was the Czech beer. The name Pilsner was born here along with Budweiser
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Town from the castle. (the real one that actually tastes nice). You can still buy a half litre of the good stuff for around a euro in a fab little beer garden amongst one of the world's truly beautiful cities.
Does Prague justify the hype? Sure does mate but try to come outside the prime months (maybe an April or October) if you value at all your personal space. It's as crowded with fellow tourists as anywhere we've been.
Better rush, Poland awaits.
Yeatesy.
The Czech Republic has been one of the destinations I have really been looking forward to. Everyone you meet who had been there raves about the place.
So Czesky Krumlov was our first stop for a few days to take in more ot that outdoor air and enjoy a fabulously charming town complete with expansive castle and grounds wrapped around the river which was jam packed with kayaks.
The town didn't disappoint, but it certainly is well engrained on the tourist trail, with people pouring in constantly.
Gary has already covered the blunder with our accommodation, but he left out one major point he is obviously too scared to tell. After some toing and froing and getting another room
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A big day out for a few of the lads. The raft they are dragging behind is their beer supply. from the not too amicable owner/manager, we still had to face him one last time to actually pay for the room. Since we didn't have any Czech Crown and he wouldn't accept euro, it took a few hours to organise. After my remarks to this rather bombastic, crusty old troll-like man, I was happy to have nothing more to do with him and leave the payment to Gary. So off he trots. It was some time later before he returned, ashen faced, eyes downcast. Why? Well, when he went down to the office to pay, the door was half open so he knocked and stuck his head in only to find Mr Grumpy nude exiting the toilet and yelling "RING THE BELL! This is private." Touche Mr Grumpy.
Prague - this time an apartment. AAAAh, our own bathroom again.
Prague is as magnificent as everyone always described it. She even improves at night if that's at all possible. But by night the huge volume of tourist groups diminish somewhat and every part of the city is lit up to its full potential. With jazz bars, cafes and restaurants sprinkled amongst its magnificent buildings. It really is something.
Having taken more
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Kayak traffic jam. Could be a worse place to get stuck. than our fair share of photos , it's off the internet cafe to see if any of our 20 lost blogs can be salvaged and add yet another.
Penny
More images at:
www.colvinyeates.zenfolio.com
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