Central Europe on Birdy Touring Bikes

---

The PLAN has taken a battering - in the last few days before our departure from Singapore, bound for Europe, Jen is hospitalized with lower back problems. Need to adjust plan; no bikes; Gra's Surly LHT and Jen's Trek 520 must stay home, later departure ; pain killers and back brace. With just our Ortleib panniers, we arrive in Prague Tuesday 13/07/10, three days later than expected. Thankfully, Jen's back probs are just muscular - rest necessary, so slow, increasingly lengthy walks around old Prague's cobbled streets. We're totally captivated with Old Prague, surrounded by history encapsulated in magnificent architecture, populated by friendly, helpful people. After a good rest and steady exercise, Jen was soon jumping out of her skin.


With Jen fit again, we resurrect a long-held dream of securing Birdy folding bikes, believing these German engineered folding bicycles to be the best touring folding bike available - anywhere. The Birdy is manufactured in Damstadt by 'Reece und Muller'. Without concrete travel plans we were prepared to travel to anywhere in Germany to collect the 'right' bikes. After searching the InterNet we realised there were no Birdy bikes anywhere in Germany, or indeed in the Czech Republic (CR).


Having extended our time in Prague beyond the planned four days, we boarded a train to Olomuc, central CR. After less than three hours of travel through the golden-hued wheat fields of this regional grain basket we found a comfortable room at Poet's Corner backpacker in Olomuc. As with Prague, in 'Olomutes' we were fascinated by the centuries-old architecture. There is nothing much older than 230 years in Australia, yet we had just stayed seven days in a hotel (near the Castle) in Prague which was over eight hundred years old. Like Prage, the ancient cobbled streets of Olomuc contributed to unique 'fairytale' experience for a couple of big Aussie 'kids'.

---