Greetings!
Sharka, our guide, hosted us for most of the day. She not only took us on a city tour of Cesky Krumlov, but she and her parents invited us into their homes for dinner. Except for our rafting down the Vitava River, which she watched from the shore, she was the ultimate local guide.
Established in 1250 by the Lords of Krumlov, this trading center with a hilltop castle contains architecture that dazzles your eyes. Except for the walk up into the castle, it's easy on the feet. It's also easy on the stomach, with many small shops sporting pastries, lunch and dinner destinations, and ice cream shops.
Crossing the river from the castle on one of the oldest bridges in Europe, the cobblestone streets wind back and forth sporting alleyways the beckon the inquisitive. Fortunately, the facades of the houses have been preserved by its residents, and their original frescoes are being revealed by slow restoration by the recent residents.
In the afternoon, we donned life preservers and paddles, and joined late summer partygoers floating down this city section of a much longer adventure. Sliding down concrete shoots along the sides of short waterfalls, we descended into the cool refreshing water. Until recently, the river was polluted by chemicals from the local paper company, reportedly turning red, yellow, and blue at times.
Though no photos were taken of our wonderful home-hosted dinner, we split into two groups and Sharka's entire family cooked and served a meal which filled our tummies and answered our questions about their lives during the past 75 years. We couldn't have had a more personalized environment in which to understand the changes which the Czech Republic underwent from 1918 to the present day.
To see all of the photos taken today, click on Wednesday, August 23rd, Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic.
Comments
Post a Comment