Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov is a delightful little town in the southern Czech area called “Bohemia”. But before I say anything else, I have to admit that it is a very touristy town. Since I complained about Prague’s character in my previous entries, I can’t very well let little Cesky Krumlov off the hook completely. The old town center here is 100% tourist zone, too. With lodgings, restaurants and shops filling every building. But here the effect is a little different. First of all, you don’t have to look far to find where the locals live – it’s just a few blocks away, up the hill in the c.1970’s apartment buildings. Secondly, you have to consider what the alternative would be if there were no tourism here. Likely the town would have faded to almost nothing years ago. Also, there is no “crush” of tourists here. The number of tourists is a manageable amount. There are no traffic jams of bodies on the narrow streets like Prague. Here, you still feel like you are in a place that is a little bit off the beaten track. So, all things considered, the buzz of tourists here is not bothersome.

And it doesn’t hurt that the town is as charming as can be – but charming in a way that is natural and real, not prettied-up by a “what will make the tourists happy” city council design committee. The look of the buildings and streets is delightfully quirky.

We spent the morning at the castle. Even though the interior was closed because it was a “blue” Monday (common all over Europe – if a place is closed one day a week, it is often Monday), the courtyards and grounds were open. Although not lavish, they were pleasant and interesting. In the back of the castle gardens was an outdoor theatre set with a strangely modern and circular stadium-seating set-up. Looking more closely, we figured out why – the seating is designed to rotate (like those rotating restaurants on top of tall buildings) so that instead of changing scenes on a stage, the scenery literally changes as the audience rotates. In one place, there is a building that can function as a set interior. In another, a clearing in the woods. In another, an outdoor set.

After a light lunch at our hostel, we set out to do the main activity of our visit here – canoeing down the Vltava River. Rafting, would be a more accurate description, since we all fit together in an inflatable raft, but you get the idea. The day started out quite cloudy and chilly, but by the time we set off for our 3-hour tour (think Gilligan’s Island theme song here) the weather was perfect. The river was calm enough that we didn’t have to worry about safety too much, but swift enough – even with some mild “rapids” and lots of curves – to be interesting. The children had a blast and we returned pretty tired from rowing and exposure to the sun and fresh air. It was good to get out and see the countryside. There were times when we didn’t see another soul or sign of humans anywhere. We even saw a deer in the woods.

I should say a few words about our accommodations. The Krumlov House Hostel is one of those small, independent hostels like the one we stayed in in Krakow; that is, simply a small-business venture. You buy a big apartment (like in Krakow) or a house (like here) and turn the bedrooms into hostel rooms and the kitchen, dining & living rooms into common rooms. Put a receptionist near the front door and you have yourself a private hostel. The prices are very reasonable and the atmosphere is charmingly homey. In Krakow, however, at least your room was completely private, with a lock and key. Here, the Krumlov house is run a little like a hippie commune. There are no interior locks and everything is so casual that it verges on shabby. It is alright for a couple of nights, But if I had it to do over again, I would choose a different place.

After a hearty traditional Czech dinner, we walked up to a hill behind our hostel to take in the sunset over the town with the rolling hills in the background. It was a short stay, but a worthwhile one. Tomorrow we move on to our final location...