{"id":11840,"date":"2015-05-13T10:41:28","date_gmt":"2015-05-13T10:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=11840"},"modified":"2015-06-19T09:11:26","modified_gmt":"2015-06-19T09:11:26","slug":"castles-bears-and-candlelight-cesky-krumlov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/castles-bears-and-candlelight-cesky-krumlov\/","title":{"rendered":"Castles, Bears and Candlelight – Cesky Krumlov"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It makes perfect sense to me – even more so if the place we happen to be visiting is slightly touristy – to do a guided tour with a native. \u00a0Someone who has lived in a place all their lives, knows it inside out, and can show you beneath the (often superficial) surface of their popular home. \u00a0 We did this in Rome with Nicole, a true Roman where we explored deep under the city<\/a>, and it made our trip completely unforgettable. \u00a0 I also did this in Sarajevo<\/a>, and learned so much more than I would have done otherwise…<\/p>\n

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It was over another five egg breakfast<\/a> that I suggested that we might think about doing the same thing in\u00a0\u010cesk\u00fd Krumlov… \u00a0 \u00a0Whilst being presented with yet another (by now not so surprise) chocolate pancake, I asked our friendly hosts whether they could recommend anyone. \u00a0They quickly put their efficiency super powers to the test and less than half an hour later we were met by local Guide \u0160\u00e1rka \u0160ime\u010dkov\u00e1 \u00a0directly outside the front door of our Pension…<\/p>\n

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I cannot recommend this lady enough if guided tours are your cup of tea, as she introduced us to her home properly, and let us in on many a\u00a0\u010cesk\u00fd Krumlov secret. \u00a0 Descriptions of life in Bohemia both past and present were brought to life in the 2.5 hours we spent with her, both in and around the town (she also reassured me that the river rafting that everyone in the group apart from the fat lady (me) were to embark on later that afternoon, was perfectly safe and quite quite tame)…<\/p>\n

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Minutiae on buildings we would otherwise have missed were pointed out, and she gave us a real insight into the past residents of some of \u010cesk\u00fd Krumlov’s most interesting buildings. \u00a0 The ancient alchemists for example, with its depiction of the ten ages of man painted near its rooftop, something we had all walked past countless times beforehand without noticing…<\/p>\n

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The Small people lapped it all up, as did the rest of us. \u00a0 \u00a0What I couldn’t get quite get over for someone of a similar age to myself, was the insight into \u0160\u00e1rka’s own life growing up here, little things we completely took for granted at the time – she told us how her father registered for his very first car after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, waited months and months for it, and risked losing it to someone else had he turned up a minute late to pick it up…<\/p>\n

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\u0160\u00e1rka also took us around the castle grounds, pointing out the real bears in the moat (bet they would have enjoyed the boiled eggs in the bottom of my handbag!) and bringing to life the families that had owned the castle, and lived here over the years (it’s well worth a peak inside by the way, tours can be organised in the ticket office, are quite reasonable, and are actually the only way you can visit. \u00a0Just don’t go on a bank holiday as the groups are huge, and it can be quite stressful (especially if you have selective hearing, like some members of our party)).<\/p>\n

And later still, \u0160\u00e1rka\u00a0saved our bacon by giving us directions to the Kr\u010dma Mark\u00e9ta<\/a>, the restaurant that we had booked for dinner that evening. \u00a0 Tucked away behind the castle grounds, we never would have found it otherwise…<\/p>\n

Having bade our farewells, and fitting in an hours rafting (check out\u00a0Male\u010dek Rafting<\/a>, it’s a worthwhile experience, the kids LOVED it!) we followed her directions and made our way to the restaurant for an evening spent by candlelight. Here the food is mostly\u00a0cooked over an open fire, and we spent a great evening dining on grilled meat and the best baked potatoes (another craving), while the children were kept quiet for ages creating countless shadow puppets. \u00a0There’s not such a great choice for vegetarians, but the rest of the food is good, and the selection of local beers is extensive.<\/p>\n

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Do get in touch with \u0160\u00e1rka\u00a0if you are thinking about visiting Cesky Krumlov, you will learn so much (plus her food and drink recommendations are great too). \u00a0 \u00a0And do make a booking at\u00a0Kr\u010dma Mark\u00e9ta , for an evening of great food, a really unusual atmosphere (it was lighter outside than it was in when we left), and a host with a wicked sense of humour…<\/p>\n

\u0160\u00e1rka \u0160ime\u010dkov\u00e1 – email: \u00a0\u00a0s.simeckova@gmail.com \u00a0(a two and a half hour tour cost us 50 Euros, which was well worth it)…\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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