Petersontravels

We made our way south, past Prague, to Cesky Krumlov…for the second time.  Our first visit was only for two hours, and I felt this city needed more of a comprehensive stay.  We also wanted some downtime without a lot of early mornings and day-long tours, so we stayed here for 3 nights.  We saw enough new stuff to make a new post, so here we go!

The view of the castle tower never gets old!

I took a more detailed photo of the castle portion below the tower.  These wall paintings were restored fairly recently, which is why they look so fresh.

We walked back through the castle entrance, and watched the bears in the moat for awhile.  They are quite good at posing!

The Mama Bear looked pretty casual here…like she was just sitting at the pub!

We took a tour of the Castle Museum and Castle Tower, and since it was mid-week it wasn’t nearly as crowded as I thought it might be.  This is the entrance to the museum/tower.

In the museum they had this interesting antique typewriter from the early 20th century.  It looks like it would take forever to actually type something since you have to constantly move the needle to point at a letter.

They also had this replica of the “Holy Lance”, the tip of the spear that was used to stab Jesus as he was on the cross.  They really do like these morbid relics!  The original is supposedly in Vienna at Hofburg Palace.

For the ultimate in lazy, check out this chair/toilet!  I can’t imagine just flipping the seat down and sitting atop this after taking care of business.

They even had a little theater in the castle showing an old black and white silent film of the last royals who lived here.  I noted this poster on the wall for the movie “The Golem”…the Jewish-based monster that is supposed to live in the attic of a Synagogue in Prague.

We then climbed up the stairs of the beautiful Castle Tower, and the views from the top are well worth the effort!

This little city is so photogenic!

After departing the castle we ventured to the outskirts of the town we hadn’t yet explored.  There really are stunning views around every corner here!

The Castle Tower is beautiful from every part of the city.

We found a pub along the river with excellent views!

As well as excellent beer!  This Budejovicky (Budweiser in German) Budvar beer is made in the nearby city of Ceske Budejovice, which has been brewing beer since 1245.  They have been in a trademark dispute with Anheuser-Busch over the use of the Budweiser name since the start of the 20th century.  The main difference between the two companies is the Budejovicky Budvar is actually drinkable, as opposed to the swill made in the US.

We took a short hike after our beers, and this little storm came out of nowhere.  At least we had our raincoats with us!

We were in Cesky Krumlov on May 8th, known as Liberty Day in most European countries, when the end of WWII is celebrated.  This business had the American flag flying since this city was liberated by the Americans.

We also visited a pretty cool little museum, Fotoatelier (Photo Workshop) Seidel.  This was a studio for an acclaimed early photographer, Josef Seidel, whose photos date back to 1888.  His son, Frantisek Seidel, took over after Josef’s death in 1935.  The studio was forced to close by the Communists in 1949, but Frantisek continued to live there with his family.

After Frantisek’s death in 1997, the house was being cleared out, and in the attic area they discovered all the old photography equipment, as well as tens of thousands of old photographic glass plate negatives in perfect condition, which provided an incredible snapshot back in time.  There were also thousands of post cards the studio created, which have been very helpful with Czech historians.  This photo shows all of the old boxes of  developed film in their original spot in the attic, although all of the glass plates are now in safe storage.

Here is some of the film development equipment in the lab that was run in the studio.

This is the actual studio where thousands of photos of families were taken.  The room faces north, and the glass wall/ceiling allowed indirect daylight into the room for taking the photos.  The white curtains in the photo could be moved as necessary to shield the subjects on particularly bright days

All in all this was a very cool little museum, and well worth the visit.  We took one final shot from the castle gardens on our way back to our hotel.  Definitely make this little town a visit if you plan to go to Prague!

Up next, we visit the town of Brno, Czech Republic, our last stop of the trip.

 

Day two of our Bohemian Switzerland adventure included more incredible sights, and for the first one we had to venture into Germany.  Our first stop was the Bastei Bridge, which is actually in “Saxon Switzerland National Park”.   Bastei Bridge has been a tourist attraction for over 200 years, as it affords excellent views of the Elbe River and the surrounding area for miles and miles.  First were some shots from a viewpoint above the bridge.

The views make you really feel like you are on top of the world!

The term “Bastei” refers to the inclusion of steep rocks to make a defensive ring around the old castle.  Bastei in English is “bastion”.  The stone bridge spans some sandstone rocks where “Neurathen Castle” once stood hundreds of years ago.  The sight of this bridge, which today leads to nowhere, is quite stunning!

Which means it’s selfie time!

This tablet on the bridge commemorates the first mention of Bastei Bridge in travel literature, way back in 1797.

We were here on a Sunday, so it was pretty damn crowded.  I’d suggest visiting during the week if you can.  If you look closely at the below photo you will see a viewpoint in the upper middle, which is where I took the first two photos.

There are excellent views around the bridge.  You can even visit the castle remains in the summertime, but I can’t imagine how crowded it would be then!

This is the view looking up the Elbe River (the opposite direction from the first photo in the post).  This is such a gorgeous spot!

I saw this figure on a nearby rock and wondered what it could be.?  It turns out this is a popular climbing spot called Monch (Monk) Rock, and the figure is a tin weather vane made to look like a monk.  Strange, bit it looks like the monk is sleep walking to me.

On our way back up the steps we saw this gap in the rocks, which made for a cool photo!  Fortunately it had a secure railing to keep the little kids from falling down the cliff.

We headed back towards the Czech Republic and decided to stop at a spot we saw earlier in the little town of Bad Schandau, Germany, simply called “Historic Elevator”.

The elevator to the viewing platform has been here since 1904.  We love the Art Nouveau style!

The viewing platform provides excellent views along the Elbe River, both to the east…

…and to the west!

After the elevator we briefly stopped back in Bohemian Switzerland National Park to see “Belvedere Viewpoint”, but based on other viewpoints we’ve seen, the hassle to get there wasn’t really worth it.  It did provide a nice view of this small community along the Elbe.

Our last stop was one of our best.  Our car did it’s best “Christine” impersonation by using the GPS to try to kill us, but my phone showed us the correct way, and after a very narrow roadway we appeared at Decinsky Sneznik (say that 3 times fast) Lookout Tower.

This tower dates back to 1864, and is one of the oldest in the Czech Republic.  To get access you have to pay your fee (plus deposit) to a lady with zero English skills, and she hands you a key.  You have to unlock the tower and then lock it behind you to keep others out.  You then return the key after exiting/locking the door to get your deposit back.  The tower is gorgeous!

You have an incredible 360 degree view from the top!  The city of Decin is off in the distance in the below photo.

While to the west you could see this storm on the horizon.  This was a favorite spot of the day, and we had the tower to ourselves!

Selfie time!

That storm never made it to Decin that night, but the sunset with the buildings out of our hotel window at least gave us a little show.

Up next, we head back to Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic, where we made a brief visit with Casey and Terri about 8 days ago.  I’ve already posted about that visit, but there were some new things we saw that deserve another post!

 

The next morning we rented a car and drove about 2 hours to the city of Decin, which sits close to Bohemian Switzerland National Park.  While this spot in Czech Republic is nowhere near Switzerland, the name was inspired by two Swiss artists who said the area reminded them of their homeland.  We stayed at the Armex Live Centrum, and this was an excellent hotel to use as a homebase.  The rooms are large and affordable, and the restaurant has excellent food and wine!  This area has also been the most affordable on this trip, by far!

After checking in we took a walk around the city.  There is a castle up on the hill so we walked around the perimeter just to stretch our legs after the drive.  The castle grounds had several peacocks!

As well as the requisite peahens.

This statue of “The Black Knight” looked like something out of Star Wars.  When I first saw it from a distance I thought “what is a statue of Boba Fett doing here?”.

Here is Kim at the entrance to the castle.  Yes, it was unfortunately raining.  My weather luck isn’t 100% perfect.

Kim pointed out this cheat sheet for Roman Numerals.  I’ve gotta keep  this handy!

This statue was above the main road that leads to the castle.  I’m guessing Poseidon on the right, but not sure about the dude fighting him?  Maybe he represents “Charlie the Tuna” from Starkist?  Meanwhile, two ladies are exposing themselves below them.  Maybe it’s just me, but I would have asked Poseidon if we could take a break from the fight and watch the show!

This dock was along the waterfront of the Elbe River, which made a nice photo op.  The rock formation in the background is a good example of the surrounding topography.

The next morning we drove into Bohemian Switzerland National Park and started a hike to the most famous rock formation here, the Pravcicka Arch.  The area had an arson fire in 2022, and was closed for quite awhile, but it’s open now, and you can see the signs of life coming back.

Some sections of the environment, however, appear more impacted.

Sme trees just do whatever is needed to survive, such as growing out of solid rock.

This sign tells you that you are getting close to your destination.

The archway starts coming into view, just to the right of the hotel that dates from 1881.  There is no longer a hotel here, but there is still a restaurant.

Here is the archway, the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe.  You used to be able to walk over the arch, but due to erosion from heavy use, it has been off limits since 1982.

Selfie time!  I’m getting a little better at these.

This is the view looking back down the trail.  You can pay a fee and see some more overlooks past the restaurant, but the line was very long and we had yet another hike to do, so we moved on.

Our second hike of the day was down into the deep Divoka Gorge.  While it’s pretty steep up and down, it’s really not that long of a hike, so don’t let the steep grade scare you away!

The views at the bottom are gorgeous!  There is a small bridge here passing over the Kamenica RIver, which cut this gorge over thousands of years.

Once you reach the bottom there is a further 10 minute hike to a spot where you can take a boat ride on the river.  This hike is the most beautiful spot of the gorge.

The trail wraps under rocks…

…and around rock walls…

…and more rock walls, just covered in moss!  It’s an incredible spot!

As you approach the boat dock you are greeted by this small waterfall.

It was only a few minutes wait for the boat ride up the river.  There have been boats operating on this gorge since the late 19th century.

Our guide explained all of the sights along the way in both Czech and English.  It was a little like the Czech version of Disney’s “Jungle Cruise”, with jokes along the way.

The boat ride lasts 20 minutes, and it’s the only way to see this part of the gorge.  Highly recommended.

There is another dock at the far end of the ride, but nobody can get off here right now due to the 2022 fire damage just past this dock.

The hike back is just as beautiful as the hike in.

Selfie time from the bridge over the river.

After hiking back up that trail it was time for beer!  Fortunately there is a bar right at the top!

Next up, we spend another day in Bohemian Switzerland, seeing some more incredible sights.  Definitely put this place on your bucket list!

 

 

 

While we were in Prague I took a few photos that just didn’t fit into the blog posts, so I figured to add them in one very short post here.  I figure I can break blog post rules since this is our blog!  I’ve gotta admit, it’s nice to be able to write without worrying some asshat is going to take offense and try to edit me!  I’m the only asshat on this blog!

I digress…up first, was this small bunker like building behind our hotel in Prague, that is apparently part of the American Embassy.  Whenever we are in Europe, if I see an American flag flying, I’m taking a photo….that’s just how I roll!

We spent one evening drinking wine on the roof of our hotel, and I snapped a few photos that didn’t make the blog.  First is Petrin Tower, the miniature Eiffel Tower (I don’t see it).

Then a night shot of Saint Nicholas Church.

As well as a night shot of Prague Castle and Saint Vitus Cathedral.  They really do light things up well here at night!

Lastly was several shots from our last night in Prague at “Bricks Restaurant”, an excellent Italian place with incredible views right on the Vltava River!

These photos were all taken from our table at dinner.  You can’t get any more touristy than this!

Look at how crowded that bridge is…and from here you can sip your wine and relax and not smell the armpits of 1,000 camels!

You can see from this photo that we are enjoying the scenery while waiting for Tom and Nancy to show up from their museum expedition….hence the empty seat across from me.

The scenes get better as the darkness descends.  At this point Tom and Nancy have arrived, and we are well into our first bottle of wine.

On our way out of the restaurant, they had these markers from prior floods that seemed to question why they’d not put their restaurant on stilts at this point!

Last but not least, as we were leaving this restaurant, we saw this funny sculpture from local artist David Cerney, that deserved it’s own video.

One last shot of Tom, Nancy and Kim as we enjoyed post dinner gelato.

Up next, we grab our rental car and head northeast to the city of Decin, and visit the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, as well as other spots in the vicinity.