Just thought of visitors to Prague who have more time on their hands. I went to Karlstejn Castle today. It takes 1/2 hour by train (very inexpensive by "OS" and "return"). Train leaves from Smichovske nadrazi 9:25, 10:25, 11:25 etc. Then you have nice walk over the bridge and up the hill through the "vilage" with lots of restaurants and souvenier shops, walk through the woods to the castle. They are closed on Mondays, but it could be nice short day trip. Trains to Prague are leaving Karlstejn also every hour i.e. 12:57, 13:57, 14:57 etc. I have photos from this outing if you want to look.
Hi magan, I'd definitely like to see your pictures. I've been trying to plan some trips to fill up my weekends and holidays, and this castle was next on my list (after Trebon tomorrow). I just got back from Konopiště and I loved it. I even got a personal tour of the castle since I was the only English speaker who signed up.
Send your e-mail to my private box. I will mail album from K. Pitty, that we couldn't connect, I would have loved to have some company. I am going back home next week.
Have you seen the Wedding of the Century :roll: as our tabloid press is reporting today. Both bridegroom and bride were men :shock: (probably the first gay wedding in the Czechlands). It is significant that both spouses are from the showbusiness.
No, I was not invited - only 250 of other guests were. I didn't even know about it. It was on the news that evening. I am from Canada - you know - and it is yesterday news there. Regular folks live together as lifetime partners or as married couple and nobody is rolling their eyes. I am proud to be Canadian and I am glad to see that IQ prevailed in CR too. By-the way they were TWO grooms and I can bet you that they are not into that kind of "role playing". It would be very unusual.
It was the so-called registered union. There is a new law concerning the homosexual unions in the CR since July 1st, 2006. :roll:
A good tip Magan. I went to Karlštejn a couple of years ago and enjoyed it as well. I'm thinking of going again this summer.
If you go, make it a day trip. My new Czech wife and I went there looking for a romantic getaway, but had no idea that everything closes around 5 pm. It appears all the tourists are day-trippers from Praha… so the pubs, restaurants... everything closes early, even on the weekend. We stayed at the “romantic inn” across the river. It was during last month’s heat wave and it was unbearable. Hot, humid, no food, no drink, no a/c... we walked and walked, but everything was closed. Finally we ventured into the village to find a pub still open for locals… but they only served bagged potatoes chips since the kitchen had long since closed. Luckily we had our car, so we drove in the direction of Praha and found an awesome little restaurant in a neighboring village. This little discovery made the adventure worth it, but we canceled our next night at the inn and returned to the city. Karlstejn is beautiful and we have some amazing pictures (its impossible not to come away with awesome pictures). So it’s absolutely worth the visit, but not more than one overnight if you are looking form a weekend escape. I am sure it would have been great in the Autume when it is cooler... and if we had packed some food, but we did not know better at the time.
Sorry to hear that. Karlstejn is so close to Prague (1 hr by train) that family can go and still be home for supper. I cannot imagine many paople actually stay there overnight. And I am affraid that you didn't have airconditioning either (horrible for us isn't it). They are not prepared for heat waves like this and airconditioning is not really typical for homes/hotels/B&Bs. I think you needed some Czech friend who would give you some pointers. It is also old Czech custom that they never leave home without packed lunch. Many are still going on vacation having their car trunks packed with food items to last them till they get back home. This way they are not dependent on whatever they find and not be forced by circumstances to pay just any price. We learned that many years ago from kind Czech friend, when we rented car and travelled to Scandinavia. At that time we were working in Prague as long term volunteers and were quickly learning local ways. You would really laugh if you would see what is possible to take for month or two trip!! If you look carefully in local grocery stores, you will find that they have much better selection of long lasting food items you can take with you than I ever seen in Can/US. Notice all kinds of pate or meat spreads in small foil containers (on shelves!) variety of canned ready to eat meals, preserved dark bread which would last fresh long time..... Different lifestyle which can be fun and economical too. Sorry to ramble on off topic, but you just made me realize how differently we are used to travel and how much we depend on others making us a meal.
I understand, but my wife is CZ and has just finished her masters in Prague, She is a native of Pardubice. So I had a real local with me... but since it was technically our honeymoon having been married the day before, we were looking forward to nice quiet meals at small local restaurants. Neither of us have been to Karlstejn, but we have traveled the CZ a good bit, her much more than me obviously, and we are love discovering the local pubs. We enjoy them a great deal. Otherwise, we often bring food with us as well. The heatwave was unexpected and I am aware of the lack of a/c, but that knowledeg didnt make it any more comfortable... many of my cz friends have been miserable this summer from the heat, not sleeping well... makes me think of a good business idea!
Magan... you reminded me of a cute difference about the different foods. As I indicated in my previous post, my wife is CZ, so I have someone who knows the all the "pointers" - - but what happens when a CZ visits America and doesn’t heed some local pointers over here… specifically that our grocery stores stock items that have much shorter shelf lives than some of the items in CZ stores as you mentioned in your post. Well, while we were engaged, I discovered several gallons of (must refrigerate) milk in a closest (at our US home). Not just milk, but other perishables that she would buy and put into storage because this is possible with the CZ equivalent. It was funny, but she soon learned not to drink the spoiled milk. BTW… I want the variety and quality of instant coffee from the CZ stores... we have nothing like it in a America...
Yes, and she was right! You just reminded me that when I was leaving my Prague apartment for Canada, I left (knowingly) box of milk in kitchen cupboard. I am coming back in 4/5 months! Fortunately, expiry date will be just fine well after my arrival. I had never done that before as I am very much Canadian, however now I can see that I became really Czechified. And....because this is so far from Karlstejn, I hope that folks here will forgive us and perhaps move our talk to appropriate spot. I think this is first time when Czech "trvanlive/lasting" milk was discussed.
[/img]http://www.dossier-andreas.net/PhotoManager/fotoclub.php?page=photo&username=robert&map_id=30&pos=3 Just a picture from my last visit.
