Aperture: Scotts Germany-Czech Blog

Today we left Litoměřice and stopped in at Terezín to view the old Nazi camp. After leaving Terezín we set out for Moravia. On the way we stopped in at Hrad Trosky (Trosky castle). Hrad Troksy is the setting for many medieval horror movies and art. I have included pictures but they do not show how tall the towers actually are. As we entered Moravia we noticed a thick haze that settles in the valleys, we think it may be from all the wood that people burn for heat. It gives you the feel of an old medieval time period.

We finally reached our destination tonight, the city of Olomouc. Olomouc is situated nicely in the heart of Moravia. It is the third largest city in Czech and has a very eastern feel. The people here stare a little longer and seem even more to themselves then in Bohemia which says a lot! The town square in Olomouc has an Astronomical clock and as usual a huge renaissance church. It was very cold and damp in Moravia tonight so we had some dinner (pizza and cheap beer), walked around for about 30 minutes and went back to our place. The place we found in Olomouc was a find! It is a penzion (bed and breakfast) and its like a one bedroom apartment with a spa for a bathroom. Everything in the apartment is antiques.

Some simple notes regarding Czech Republic. Everybody here smokes and smoking is allowed almost everywhere. That is crap, but I guess freedom isn't free now is it. On a positive note; I was expecting to have much difficulty communicating with the locals outside of Prague but to my surprise (*and embarrassment) most of the locals speak very good English. This makes is much easier for Jess and I. We have learned a few key Czech phrases and this is usually sufficient to change the method of our discussion over to English. I have also been doing some math cost wise while enjoying the cheap beer in Czech: 1 sprite / 7-up = 2 beers, 1 small cup of coffee = 1.5 beer (almost 1 liter), 1 pizza for 1 person = 3.5 beers.

Tomorrow we will explore Olomouc and try to get a video of the clock. Then we are heading out to Brno which is the second largest city in Czech. We will probably crash in Brno tomorrow night and then we are heading out to Prague for New Years celebration.

Pictures:

Updating the Blog at the Salva Guarda Cafe in Litoměřice
No Bonfires or Campfires in Salva Guarda Rooms?
Town of Litoměřice on the Labe River
Terezín Nazi Concentration Camp
Terezín Nazi Concentration Camp
Northern Bohemia
Castle Remains on Hilltop
Another Castle on Hilltop
Mountains in North Eastern Bohemia
Hrad Trosky
On Hrad Trosky
Bohemia
Streets of Olomouc
The Holy Trinity Column at Horní Náměstí in Olomouc
Astronomical Clock at Horní Náměstí in Olomouc

-Scott

2008.12.28