Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
June 7th and 8th 2010

Cesky Budejovice
June 9th 2010 day time

I was a 60 year old for two days. I hung out with Jack, Mel, Kevin, and Heather while in Cesky Krumlov. The youngest of the group besides myself was Jack, who turned 60 this year. The rest were in the upper 60s. It was weird but fun at the same time because old people just don’t give a f***. Jack (Michigan) was farting loudly the whole time we were up in the hills, while Mel (Denver) wore a squeaky breathing apparatus that woke people up at night while he slept in our dorm. Kevin and Heather (Tasmania) were a married couple and I only got to know them for an evening but I’m sure they have their own little “we don’t give a f***” quirks. I know I would once I hit 60 years.

When I first decided to visit Krumlov, I was hoping it would be a very small town with very few tourists. But it was the opposite. This little town had a lot of tourists for its size. It depended on tourists or it would cease to exist. Restaurants, riverside pubs/cafes, and souvenir shops made up 90% of the shops in this city. Tourists were mostly Asian tour groups (Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea from the languages I overheard). There were a couple of young people around but the majority were older folk. I guess the fact that Krumlov is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and in most guide books didn’t help it keep a low profile.

I came here determined to try other kinds of beers and foods I haven’t tried so far and I wasn’t disappointed. First meal I had there was roast pork, Czech dumplings, sauerkraut, red cabbage with a pint of local Eggenberg beer. Dinner was a whole roast pork knee cooked over an open fire in a former jail turned tavern and some Budvar (the ORIGINAL Budweiser). Lunch the next day was roast pork neck with a glass of Eggenberg beer. Dinner was ribs with Galinius beer. As you can tell, I ate a LOT of pork. Czech cuisine is meat and beer heavy. Basically, perfect. Also, it’s so bloody cheap! $6-7 got you a whole meal and pint of beer!

There wasn’t much to do in this lazy town. I covered almost the entire area in half a day. I couldn’t go rafting solo on the Vltava River so I spent the time snoozing on a bench beside the river. Went to the Eggenberg brewery tour, drank free beer. Walked around taking pictures of Krumlov castle. Watched the sunset on a hill with an abandoned church. Hung out at our hostel which looked like a small cottage house (but with an impressive dragon door).

As I write this, I am sitting here in the Budweiser brewery lounge in Cesky Budejovice (Budweis in English/German, so you know where the original came from). I am waiting for my tour at 2 pm. Once I am done, I am heading back to catch a train to Krakow, Poland. Lots of old people are around me. Again.

Cesky Krumlov pictures

Cesky Budejovice pictures