Cesky Krumlov

While the girls were here we fancied a getaway, outside of the city.  An alpen retreat was not possible so we settled on Cesky Krumlov, just across the Czech border.  After a four hour bus ride, or so, we found ourselves walking into the old town, with the brisk evening air at our backs.  The apartment booked for lodging was located and true to form we walked right past it, about 300 meters.  We turned around and noticed the stunning view of the castle lit by the moonlight.  It was beautiful.  Thankfully, because the apartment,  was not.  There's always a risk with booking sight unseen, we're aware, and our choices are quite limited here in Europe with our large family.  The consensus was it would do for the night.  That is once bed linens were brought over and beds were sorted.  I conducted my standard inspection and while I didn't feel all the good feels towards this place, I was honestly too exhausted to suggest sorting something else out.  The six of us were hungry and bordering a break down so off we went in search of dinner.  Our first restaurant choice was a bust.  No reservation and no table available for our large party.  Interesting though because the place wasn't full in the least.  Feeling a bit defeated we continued on and thankfully stumbled upon, quite literally, thanks to the cobblestone streets and slippery conditions, our researched second choice.  The atmosphere was cozy, comfortable, local and again, large party, so we were seated at two different tables.  Feeling a bit disconnected, we remained on the lookout for a table that would accommodate all six of us and within minutes one became available.  I all but ran over and staked our claim.  The waitress obliged.  Beers were ordered, food decided upon and we all sat staring at each other as if the cat had caught our tongues.  Hunger is a strange beast.  Once the food arrived the conversation began to flow and we all enjoyed our littlest table neighbor.  A darling, young girl wandered over to Husband Jared and tried to make friends with him.  Then she continued dancing around our table and smiling at our Things.  It was the sweetest.  Our meals were delicious, filled our bellies and brought smiles to one and all.  A successful night indeed.  Home to sleep off our weariness and plan for the next day.

Old City at night.  

The Three of them, across from the three of us.  

On the agenda was Husband Jared's Christmas present, a legit beer bath.  You read that correctly.  Ever since having visited Prague and heard firsthand of the beer bath tradition it has been on his bucket list.  Well it would have been on his list if he had one.  We're not really into those things.  Anyhow, the night before we had spotted a cafe in the old town that we thought would make for a good breakfast place and so it was chosen.  But being the early risers that we are Husband Jared and I were awake and showered before the Things so we took off for a snowy stroll and our first cup of coffee.  An Italian cafe invited us in and we sat with our espressos relishing in the quiet and the fact that all of our Things were together, on the same continent, with us.

Italian cafe.  

Then home to wake the sleeping Things with our infamous club moves and music of course, it's become somewhat of a family joke!  The cafe we had breakfast at was just lovely.  That is until we were charged for an accidental broken coffee cup.  As we were preparing to leave, putting coats on, wrapping scarves, etc., Thing 3 knocked a cup off the table.  It shattered instantly and no sooner had it fallen then a rather annoyed waitress was at our sides with a few words for us, "that will be 10 euros".  I was taken aback with her abruptness and I might have nervous laughed out loud, to which she responded, "no really, it's an expensive glass".  Excuse me?  Point taken, no more glass coffee cups for our Things.  Once we had exited the cafe we all had a good laugh, but me, I was still a bit dumbfounded.  It was at this point that we sent Husband Jared off to enjoy his beer bath and the Things and I set out about the city.  We walked through the Christmas market, onto the old church.  I must mention here that I experienced a first in this church.  The candles, you know the ones you pay to light, were electronic.  You got it, drop a coin in the box and a flame appears, under a Plexiglas case of course.  For some odd reason that unremarkable fact has stayed with me since our trip.    We walked up hill, stopping to press our noses to the glass jewelry displays and then found a beautiful vantage point to take in the river and the back side of the old town.

On our way to explore.  

St. Vitus Church. 

A different view.  

From there we were castle bound.  Up the cobblestone roads, across the Vltava river and up, up, up.  There may have been dancing across the breezeway and par core on the stone walls.  I'm not judging, are you?  When we were researching the city we discovered that there are bears residing in the moat of the castle.  These were top on our list to see.  The castle moat has housed bears since 1707.   Only when we made our way to the moat, no bears.  Disappointed, we sat around with all the other tourists on the look out, we waited and then moved on.  Still no bears, maybe they were hibernating?   Bears are not the only interesting fact about the castle, it has five courtyards and has been constructed over centuries, a showcase of architecture for certain.

Me and my girlies.  

Let me stop and ponder.  

Vltava river, running right through the city.  

The city, a castle perspective. 

Once the castle had been explored through and through we wound back down into the old town where Thing 4 found a mirror maze.  The only willing participant?  Thing 1.  Off they went.  Hands were dressed in gloves, for safety sake, minimal instructions given and the rest of us waited patiently for them on the other side.  Or something like that.  Their exploits were successful.  They navigated the glass without harm and lived to tell the tale.  And they do have some fun photos to show for it!

Mirror maze selfie.  

We perused a few of the local shops and then we decided to locate lunch.  Food always determines our next.  Husband Jared was done with his bath and ready to meet up with us for the afternoon.  He also informed us that we would be staying at the resort tonight.  The one where he had his beer bath.  What the what?  A family size suite, enough room to cozy up and play cards at the end of our day, dinner and breakfast included.  Yes please!  What a welcome respite from the previous night's accommodations.  That Husband, he's a keeper!  At lunch, which was a restaurant connected to the hostel in town, we heard all the details of said beer bath experience.  He was actually naked in the barrel.  I wasn't expecting that one.  He was served a beer.  And after his time was up in the specially brewed bath he sat with hot towels and relaxed.  Definitely a once in a lifetime spa treatment.

We lunched and then found ourselves at the Egon Schiele museum.  Interesting that there is a museum dedicated to Schiele in the city that chased him away so long ago.  Nonetheless we enjoyed seeing his work, learning a bit more of his story and getting lost within the expansive exhibits that housed several other artists as well.  Thing 1 was really lost.  She texted us in order to find her way again.  The six of us went off in separate directions, drawn to different art, thus we were relying on our personal locating skills to reconvene at the end.  Mission failed.  Thankfully, she didn't have to wait too long before she was found and we were reunited.  Also seen at this museum, which was housed in an old warehouse, was Banksy.   After being cultured, we wandered a bit more in hopes of finding just the right place to sample trdelnik, a fried dough filled with ice cream or nutella or simply rolled in cinnamon sugar.  This is a traditional treat in Slovak countries and has various names throughout the regions.  Quite tasty and it proved to be the perfect sugar rush for us before we headed to the apartment to pack up and bid farewell to the quaint city of Cesky Krumlov.

My favorite people to explore with.  

Vacation Jared.  

Happy tourists.  

City entrance and exit.  

The six of us headed to the countryside for the night.  We dined, buffet style with only locals, or at least Czech speaking people, us the lone rangers in the dining hall.  No matter, we had space, clean beds and ample room to play cards and hang out together.  It was a good night and I have no photos to show from it.  The next morning we woke early, grabbed a quick bite to eat and coffee and then off to catch the bus back to Vienna.  Cesky Krumlov was good to us.