Aperture: Scotts Germany-Czech Blog

This morning we left Pilzn and traveled to northern Bohemia. The Czech countryside is beautiful! The landscape changes so quickly from rolling plains to forests, to mountains. You will have green "winter weed" fields one minute and the next you are surrounded by snowy pines. You can see a lot of the industrial remnants of Soviet occupation but these remnants are quickly receding.

We arrived in the small village of Loket today. Loket is a little village that is surrounded by the Ohře river and mountain peaks. The village is situated like an old medieval town with a castle, bridge, and walls. We walked around Loket and strolled the castle. I climbed the tower for a beautiful view of the surrounding rivers and mountains. It was hard to leave the unbearably picturesque village and it should be a stop for anybody traveling through northern Bohemia.

After leaving Loket we traveled to the Labe river and followed it south through Trepice and to the town of Litoměřice. Litoměřice is located 1km north of Terezín. Terezín is a fortress built in 1780 and could hold 11,000 soldiers. In 1918 Gavrilo Princip died in Terezín while being imprisoned for assassinating Franz Ferdinand and starting WWI. In 1940 the fortress was converted into a transit camp for European jews. Despite the dark history that surrounds Terezín, Litoměřice is cute, lively and almost fairytale. The baroque designs of Ottavio Broggie make up this little town that dates back to 1057. We will crash in Litoměřice tonight in a building that is located in the town square that was built in 1560. I am sure I will find more cheap beer and good times!

Tomorrow we will leave Bohemia and travel into Moravia with the city of Olomouc as our final destination of the day.

Pictures:

Village of Loket
Hrad Loket (Loket castle)
Inside Hrad Loket
Litoměřice Town Square
Litoměřice Cathedral of St. Stephen
Jess and Scott in Litoměřice

-Scott

2008.12.27