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Published: August 8th 2013
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Roasted pig knuckle anyone?
Eggenberg Brewery restaurant The online Czech rail site (English version), and various other sites, did not indicate that there was a train service from Ceske Budojovice to Cesky Krumlov - only bus. We were able to catch a train from Plzen to Ceske Budojovice without a problem. When we arrived at Ceske B station we headed out to where the buses were and asked where the buses to Ceske Krumlov took off. No English of course, so much gesticulating and 5 minutes later we realised that only trains go to CK and there was one about to leave. We ran to the ticket counter, looked up at the timetable and the train was supposed to have left but everyone was pointing and telling us to run to the platform which we did, lugging our suitcases up the stairs. We jumped on to the train as it was about to be whistled off - we didn't even have time to buy tickets. Czech regional trains, unlike their German counterpart, do not have the train entrance at the same level as the platform with wide doors. Instead they have 3 narrow steps up to the train through a narrow doorway and the train seating is not
open-plan but stuffy compartments leading off a narrow corridor. However, we hoped we were bound for Cesky Krumlov. The train was full of folk fanning themselves cos it was pretty damn hot! The train conductor came along and all was well - we paid the fare (much cheaper than German train travel) and confirmed that we were on the right train! On the way we passed many little stations and invariably the passengers who got out of the train stepped down onto railway tracks rather than a platform. At each little station a stationmaster (or mistress) looking very official in a beautiful shiny red cap appeared and waved us through and our conductor blew his whistle. It put me in mind of a Czech film I watched once called "Closely Watched Trains". There was a very narrow platform at Cesky Krumlov and we headed for our hotel. We looked for the spire of the cathedral and headed that way. It was a long way and a cobbled way and a steep way! - and it was hot! We were listening to the clunk clunk of our suitcase wheels and worrying that they might get damaged. Our hotel has lots of
charm, in the old town, aircon, no lift and up three flights of stairs!
Now about Egon! The Leopold Museum in Vienna (3 years ago) was when I discovered my love for the works of Egon Schiele. The Leopold has a huge collection of Schiele's works, including many sketches and paintings of the rooftops and houses of Cesky Krumlov which Schiele created when he came to visit this village where his mother was born. Schiele was one of the artists of the Vienna Succession Movement at the turn of the 20th century. He died at only 28 from the Spanish flu, along with his pregnant wife in 1918. I wanted to visit the Egon Schiele Art Centrum (gallery) - a remarkable exhibition space which was once the town brewery. Along with some wonderful pieces by Schiele and photos and video on his life and works, the gallery holds exhibitions and has earned a great reputation through successful exhibits of Dali, Chagal, Oskar Kokoschka and other famous artists. Wonderful posters advertising these past exhibitions are also displayed in the gallery. When we visited, the works of innovative artists were on display, including one German artist who started out as a
graffiti artist in Berlin and from then has one several awards and become successful. In this gallery his works on display were a series of portraits created with the ashes of dead people stuck on black paper. They were remarkable. Another artists had a theme of "pubic hair" - beautiful simple line sketches of the human (usually) female form. Spent hours here. There were not many people in the gallery - all up at the castle! Schiele spent some time in prison (about 60 days I think), falsely accused of indecent behaviour because his bohemian lifestyle and the erotic topics of his work agitated the local burghers. Whilst in prison he suffered greatly and he created a cycle of paintings called "in prison" and the caption to one of them was "It is a crime to restrain an artist, it means murdering germinating life".
The Vltava river runs through the town and people can rent rafts and canoes to paddle their way through the rapids - it is very popular. I was happy dangling my feet over the old city wall, looking down at them, eating an ice cream! There are lots of tour groups passing through for a
day and some staying here. The town is beautiful and so there are many restaurants, hotels, pensions and souvenir shops. We climbed up the sloping pathway to the castle; first to the beautifully set out castle gardens and then to the underground wine cellar where there was a wonderful display of sculptures by the Czech artist, Miroslav Paral. He is now in his late fifties and next to each of his sculptures is his explanation of what he is portraying - most relate to the soviet occupation, the velvet revolution and its effect on Czech society. Fascinating stuff. We also visited the House of Photography which displays works of modern, mostly Czech photographers but with a permanent exhibition of the photos and paintings of Jan Saudek, now in his 70's - we watched a video on him with english subtitles and the questions being asked of him were more about his many sexual partners rather than his artwork!
We did not go for a tour of the castle but did visit its art exhibits and walked around its gardens and courtyards. We did, however, walk to the Eggenberg Brewery where we shared a roasted pig knuckle with fresh horseradish
and mustard accompanied by a glass of Eggenberg!
Next we are taking a bus back to Ceske Budojovice - this will be a revisit as we stayed in this pretty town 3 years ago. Our suitcased clothes are smelling decidedly musty and well travelled!
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