Prague 2019

Today we hopped a Regiobus to Cesky Krumlov, an 8:00 a.m. departure and roughly a 3-hour drive from Prague. We had booked tickets online for an English-speaking tour of the castle and otherwise planned to see the Marionette and Moldovite museums, wander the streets and enjoy the atmosphere.

Once we arrived, we decided to have lunch/supper at the Ruze Hotel. We had their Panaramic Terrace largely to ourselves. We both chose duck with red cabbage and two types of sliced dumplings, and at the waiter's suggestion, a Czech garlic soup. Everything was melt-in-your-mouth goodness, and the garlic soup, an especially pleasant surprise.

The view was stunning! The terrace was just above the river and we looked directly onto a green, lush hilly park. Imagine sunshine, blue skies, birds singing and the gentle sounds of water flowing. It felt like time had stood still.

After lunch, we wandered the streets until we found the Moldovite Museum. Moldavite is a meteor-formed precious stone, created only under certain conditions. We watched a short video and speed-viewed the museum displays; then walked up stairs and uphill to the castle for our tour.

The guide was excellent! We learned the castle's history and some interesting facts about its Rococo style. I was particularly impressed by three things - the chapel, the Masquerade Hall (http://images.app.goo.gl/dr7rwpkhC2XSazhx8) and a porcelain chandelier with ornate flowers in an oriental design.

Diane opted to people-watch and enjoy the views while I trekked up to check out the revolving theatre (http://www.ckrumlov.info/docs/en/atr753.xml) and the Royal Gardens.

We passed on the Marionette Museum in favor of a sit-down break in the shade (27 degrees in direct sun on hot pavement was wearing). Went back to the Ruze and the Ukrainian mother/son working there remembered us from lunch. Ice cream for Diane and a yummy apple strudel for me.

Back to the bus stop and a comfy trip back to Prague.

From my perspective, the day flew by and it was hard to believe we'd been in Cesky Krumlov for seven hours and on buses for another six hours. It was simply not enough time to explore the town at a relaxing pace. I'd recommend an overnight stay there.

My bottom-line impressions of Cesky Krumlov? From a distance, stunningly beautiful. Close-up, not so much.The cobbled streets are lined with souvenier shops & restaurants. Uber crowds. Very touristy. Not at all the charming fairy-tale Bohemian town I had imagined when reading about it.

That said, I would definitely recommend it as a destination to others. I remember what a tour guide constantly mentioned when I was in Greece, 'If you don't see what you expect, change your expectations'. Great advice.Lue lisää