Cesky Krumlow

Well - my tour of Europe continues apace. I only have a few minutes so am copying the majority of this text from an email to my parents!! I cannot remember the last post but after Gothenburg, and going up the Swedish coast, I went to Stockholm, which I just ADORED. Met up with my cousin Clyde and his family, and my friend Nina showed me the sights. Awesome time. Then went to Copenhagen which was also beautiful, but rainy (a constant feature of this trip). Then on to Berlin, which I just loved so so so much - great city. Then to Friedrichsdorf to Brett and Belinda's (great to catch up with them) and then to Vienna to start an Intrepid Tour of Eastern Europe.


I am now in Cesky Krumlow (with a lot of accents over letters in that name!!) in the south of the Czech Republic and we leave tomorrow for Prague (yipee!) You should try to look this place up on google - it is out of a fairy tale - all cobblestone streets, buildings going back 600 years, a castle on a hill, river running through - it is too beautiful for words! I really love it here.


So far we have done Vienna, which was beautiful - did the walking tour - the Opera was closed for the summer but I took a photo outside. Went to Schoenbrunn Palace in the afternoon which is just stunning - I really liked that. Then that night we went to a concert of Viennese music which was great (Strauss, Mozart and Beethoven, which I think might be stretching the truth a bit, but who lets the truth get in the way of a good concert!!) There were also Opera Singers which I liked, and ballet dancers, who didn't have enough room to move and I found a bit twee!


Next day we went to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, which was a very small area of old buildings and cobblestones etc., but reasonably underwhelming and I feel no need for a return visit. Four hours were plenty to see the sights!! Then we came here for two days and it has been beautiful. We had a walking historical tour of the town yesterday which was really, really interesting, and then went up to the castle, which is about 800 years old or something!

Then this morning we went mountain biking through the forest (so beautiful except for the downhill on loose gravel/sand which was wet - a bit slippery!!) and the others went rafting this afternoon, but my elbos is still really sore so I skipped that.


So will try to write again later Will eventually hopefully post photos and more details, but at least you know where I am. Hope all are well...


P.S. Hugs to my fave barista!!