Cesky Krumlov

Early Sunday morning we boarded the bus for Cesky Krumlov. With groggy eyes and sleepy minds we crawled onto the bus headed out of the city and into the countryside. I had no idea what to expect of this excursion when I first began, however as we pulled into the little town of Cesky Krumlov I was immediately encountered with a town that looked like something right out of a fairy-tale town. This town has a spired castle that looks over its red tiled roofs and a meandering river that runs through it. Cesky Krumlov, as I learned from our guide, is a town that has somehow managed to slip through the damages associated with war practically untouched and well preserved. It is a town committed to maintaining small local business run by local families. As a result, there is not a McDonalds or Starbucks to be found in Cesky Krumlov, Instead you can find a meandering river surrounded by small shops, pubs, apartments, and bookshops. Each building in this town looks like something out of a child's book and I found myself continuously absorbed in simply meandering its streets. We spent the first part of our day ins Cesky exploring the town Castle. As we wandered from room to room I was amazed at the historical accuracy the historians have managed to preserve over the generations of war here in the Czech Republic. From an outsiders perspective the castle appears nearly untouched and while walking through its halls you can just imagine the royalty that once lived there. I was especially amazed at the large theater in the Cesky castle. Back when the castle was still in use the theater was illuminated completely by candle light. In addition to the precision to detail in the decoration of the theater the original theater creators payed close attention to the overall theater atmosphere. Our group was lucky enough to have a guide who showed us the wooden machines that the theater crew used to create thunder and lightening sounds. Later in the day we sat down for a very large Bohemian feast of a dinner. CET took us to a local pub which was located in a very old stone covered building. As I sat down a huge chicken breast with potatoes, potato pancakes, and vegetables piled high beside it. I was given a knife and and extra plate and told to go to work on my chicken while we listened to a four piece gypsy band! The gypsy band played all throughout dinner. Throughout the meal I often found myself closing my eyes, tasting my food, listening to the music, and feeling as I had somehow been transported back in time. As the meal ended we all began to dance, clap, and sing to the gypsy music. The night was a whirl of great food, laughs, and tons of dancing. Overall, our weekend outside of Prague filled me with an inner contentment about my time here in Prague. I now understand why it is so important to get out of the larger cities in a nation and explore the smaller townships. Exploring the small towns of a country allows a traveler tap into the cultural voice of a nation. My weekend in Cesky Krumlov ignited in me a desire to explore more small towns in the Czech Republic. I was sad to board the bus on Monday morning and say goodbye to this small quintessentially beautiful town, but I now know that have an inner desire to find out more about the small town history of this nation.