I'm in the Czech Republic with Romana, George and Mary. George is actually Jiri with lines and squiggles above his name that make it pronounced as Yiji. Mary is actually Marije. I don't know how to say her name.
I got a lift with my friend from Poland to here from Budapest (which is pronounced Budapesh, thanks Aunty Julie). Here being Uherské Hradiste. I still can't really say that name. I was so tired after 30 hours in airports and on planes, then 5 hours waiting for Polish Patryk, then 5 hours in a car that I managed to beat jet lag. I just slept right through for 15 hours and woke up at a normal time.
Last weekend, which was a long weekend in Czech, we attempted to go on a wine tour. Most people ride bicycles but we were going to walk the shorter trip with a second group. Unfortunately the people walking left earlier than the time we were told so we set off on our own and accidentally walked the reverse circuit, so the cellars weren't open yet. We went up the top of a hill overlooking the town, which was nice. There was a church, but no wine up there. I know which I'd have preferred.
After bumming around we went to get some lunch and found the group at the last cellar. You have to pay for the wine tasting which took some of the disappointment away about missing the other cellars. Wine tasting is supposed to be free.
The next day we went to this festival up in the hills. It was a new festival, really run as a test to see if it could work. On the way George did his best impression of a rally car driver along this windy road. We stopped to climb a watch tower.
The landscape here reminds me of what I imagined England would be like. Rolling green hills with quiet villages nestled in the valleys. You can't even see any nuclear power plants here.
We also stopped at "The Kings Table". It was a rock. It had some carvings on it but I couldn't read the sign so I don't know the significance. Romana sat on it, so I suspect it might not have any significance.
At the festival we met with Mary's friends (who I think are George and Romana's friends as well).
The festival was exactly how I think a festival should be. It was inside a summer camp (it most definitely wasn't summer though). There was a fire with people roasting sausages and a heap of tables and beer. There were only a few hundred people. The beer was cheap and very good. There were only 2 bands. The first was very good. The second is a very famous Czech band who everyone seems to agree only has one good song. Kids were running around playing and everyone was in high spirits. Compared to the high volume of scum that attend Aussie festivals, it was heaven.
While Mary was up dancing I investigated this bottle of syrup she had. It was made from a fruit I've not seen before. It's English translation is Seaberries. Someone else had a look and discovered it was actually Slivovitsa. That's the traditional Czech paint stripper I've mentioned previously. It is used as a medicine and a digestive aid. Also as a way to get drunk. Mary had smuggled it in a syrup bottle and kept it very quiet. So we drank it all. The more I have of it the more I like it.
On Monday, which was a bank holiday, we went to a brewery open day. Turns out breweries aren't that interesting.
They had beer and a (terrible) band outside. We went to get something to eat but they had run out of food. George did manage to get the bone and was pretty chuffed that it was free.
If you know my nickname in high school and university, I think it would be far more fitting for George these days.
This weekend we are going to go to the Tatras mountains on the Slovakian border. I've been told I won't be able to wear flip flops/thongs. Challenge accepted.
I got a lift with my friend from Poland to here from Budapest (which is pronounced Budapesh, thanks Aunty Julie). Here being Uherské Hradiste. I still can't really say that name. I was so tired after 30 hours in airports and on planes, then 5 hours waiting for Polish Patryk, then 5 hours in a car that I managed to beat jet lag. I just slept right through for 15 hours and woke up at a normal time.
Last weekend, which was a long weekend in Czech, we attempted to go on a wine tour. Most people ride bicycles but we were going to walk the shorter trip with a second group. Unfortunately the people walking left earlier than the time we were told so we set off on our own and accidentally walked the reverse circuit, so the cellars weren't open yet. We went up the top of a hill overlooking the town, which was nice. There was a church, but no wine up there. I know which I'd have preferred.
After bumming around we went to get some lunch and found the group at the last cellar. You have to pay for the wine tasting which took some of the disappointment away about missing the other cellars. Wine tasting is supposed to be free.
The next day we went to this festival up in the hills. It was a new festival, really run as a test to see if it could work. On the way George did his best impression of a rally car driver along this windy road. We stopped to climb a watch tower.
The landscape here reminds me of what I imagined England would be like. Rolling green hills with quiet villages nestled in the valleys. You can't even see any nuclear power plants here.
We also stopped at "The Kings Table". It was a rock. It had some carvings on it but I couldn't read the sign so I don't know the significance. Romana sat on it, so I suspect it might not have any significance.
At the festival we met with Mary's friends (who I think are George and Romana's friends as well).
The festival was exactly how I think a festival should be. It was inside a summer camp (it most definitely wasn't summer though). There was a fire with people roasting sausages and a heap of tables and beer. There were only a few hundred people. The beer was cheap and very good. There were only 2 bands. The first was very good. The second is a very famous Czech band who everyone seems to agree only has one good song. Kids were running around playing and everyone was in high spirits. Compared to the high volume of scum that attend Aussie festivals, it was heaven.
While Mary was up dancing I investigated this bottle of syrup she had. It was made from a fruit I've not seen before. It's English translation is Seaberries. Someone else had a look and discovered it was actually Slivovitsa. That's the traditional Czech paint stripper I've mentioned previously. It is used as a medicine and a digestive aid. Also as a way to get drunk. Mary had smuggled it in a syrup bottle and kept it very quiet. So we drank it all. The more I have of it the more I like it.
On Monday, which was a bank holiday, we went to a brewery open day. Turns out breweries aren't that interesting.
They had beer and a (terrible) band outside. We went to get something to eat but they had run out of food. George did manage to get the bone and was pretty chuffed that it was free.
If you know my nickname in high school and university, I think it would be far more fitting for George these days.
This weekend we are going to go to the Tatras mountains on the Slovakian border. I've been told I won't be able to wear flip flops/thongs. Challenge accepted.
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