It does make you think of The Sound of Music!
We could go to Salzburg, Cesky Krumlov or stay in Linz. Strangely enough we chose to go to the Czech Republic again. I had read about Cesky Krumluv and really wanted to visit it. My wish was granted. Celtics tribes settled here a century before Christ. Then the Germanic tribes, then the Slavs in the 9th century. The Rosemberks controlled the city from 1302 up until 1602 and their symbol the rose is easy to find in the town.
The bus trip there was interesting and scenic. We passed a gingerbread factory (they make it for the Christmas markets), the gingerbread tastes like Christmas and is very good. We thought about bringing some home but didn't think it would travel well. Next was a sausage factory, then a 5 star hotel where Hungarian workers can go for a three week treatment if they are ill or injured. They have treatments each day and must be in bed by 10:00. If they break curfew and are caught they are sent home and must repay the cost to that date. They can go for treatments this 3 times in a 5 year period. Wonder if WCB would do that at home?.
Our route was the scenic road, not the main highway (we came home that way) so we drove through forests and along the river that flows through the town. It has rapids and calm parts. There are people canoeing /kayaking along the river in droves. It is a very popular pastime. There are camp grounds all along the river that seemed to be full to capacity, also little cabins. It looked like a nice way to holiday. The Czechs, Germans, Austrians seem to know how to enjoy their leisure time. It isn't long ago that they had nothing to enjoy. Though it looked idyllic not that long ago, before the fall of the iron curtain (1989) there were check points at the border (iron curtain) that sound terrifying to pass through if you were even allowed to cross.
Your passport and papers were turned in at the first check point, then you traveled several miles through no man's land to another check point where your papers were returned. This could take a long, nerve wracking time. A town and pulp mill, built during the Communist regime was a stark reminder that life has been very hard here. The communist built apartment blocks look more like prisons than homes. Everywhere we have been the guides tell of the grey , communist builtbuildings, they even painted over existing buildings. The food lines and shortages. How school ciriculum was strictly communist. They had to learn Russian for 8 years and their history classes were all about how the Russians saved them. There was nothing about the western world. Our guide in Cesky Krumlov told us that he thought he would never visit Austria. Cesky Krumlov is in the Czech Republic.
We arrived in the beautiful little town, dominated by a big castle high on the hill above it. To enter the old town you cross Horni Bridge. All around are old ornate and colourful buildings. Boater's are floating under the bridge, the water sparkles in the sunlight, music is playing in the background. It feels like a good place to spend some time. We wish we could.
After the scenic bridge we are in the old town. They did a neat thing with the plaster. They painted it in layers and achieved the look of brick by scratching an outer layer to reveal the one underneath. You have to touch it to believe. The 3d look is that good. The main square is next. Our guide is old enough to remember Soviet occupation well and tells us stories of what it was like for him. Every guide speaks of the gray buildings. All colour removed from your life must be very traumatic. We saw a plague door. A small door within the door that could be opened to check to see if the person on the other side had the plague. The plague killed all but two residents of a nearby town but didn't devastate Cesky Krumlov and so they built a monument in thanks to God which still stands in the square today. The square has seen much history. Hitler celebrated the annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938 here and Russian tanks intimidated the local people who sought freedom in 1968. It is so peaceful today, may it remain so.
We had lunch at a restaurant recommended by the guides called 2 Mary's. It had traditional Czech food. Two couples invited us to join them. It was lovely sitting by the river but very hot in the sun. I had garlic soup, yum and a salad. Roy had the Czech sampler which had about 8 different small portions of different things. He said it was very good. Maryann and Michael and Elaine and Bob, all from California were our lunch companions and we walked up to the castle with them afterward. As we crossed what had been the drawbridge Bob spotted one of the three bears that live in the moat on either side of the bridge.
It was very hot so we wouldn't have been too surprised not to see them at all. I believe there have been bears there since the 16th century when the Rozemberks added them to their coat of arms. The views are very dramatic. We didn't climb the many steps to the tower due to time restraints and the heat nor did we go in the castle. ( You just don't have enough time to do much except get a overall impression on these tours. We expected to be able to get off the boat and wander on our own but that was not the case at all. Perhaps it was because of the high waters or because of tours but it wasn't what we expected.) Mike, Maryann, Elaine and Bob are very nice people and we really enoyed their company. We walked up to the top and through the gardens and back to the meeting point in the square. We stopped on the way back to get something for the girls. Then back through the town to the bus. The bus took a different route back so it was quicker. Our guide played a piece of classical music that I will buy when we get home. It is by a Czech and was perfect as we drove through the Czech woods.
When we got back to the boat Michelle, our new friend from Australia wanted to walk into the town square in Linz when we got back to the boat. It was 34 degrees. We walked up to a bridge and took a picture of a statue then up into the mainstreet. There was some sort of street fair going on and there was a large group of cyclists with bikes they had modified and totally changed. We talked to a fellow who had a bike welded on top of another bike. He rode the top bike and claimed it was easier than a regular bicycle. The was also an ambulance with it's doors open for display. Roy is always looking for ambulances to take pictures of for Rose. He and Michelle were taking pictures of another statue (ABS) so I began taking pictures of it. One of the paramedics asked if I'd like to sit in it. I thought he meant the back but no, he put me in the driver's seat and turned the lights on and then got my camera for picture. I felt pretty important.
I forgot to mention that the first night on the boat (after I let them fill my wine glass at dinner too many times) Roy and I went up on deck. It was a beautiful evening and we enjoyed floating along until quite late. Roy went down to get the camera so he could take pictures of a lock we were about to go through and missed seeing them lower the wheel house as we went under a bridge. Two younger couples who had too much wine too came along and weren't listening when they were told to sit down. They were in grave danger of being decked by the bridge. They got yelled at! It was idllyic sitting up there watching the the shore as we floated along. It will be a beautiful me or of our cruise. I will remember to say, "that's enough for me thanks" to the waiters at future meals.
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