One of the by me highly appreciated advantages of moving to Zurich, is that I have been able to re-establish closer contact to Prague, my mother's hometown. In Barcelona (where we use to live before), the Czech Republic was a small country far away, while in Switzerland is a lot closer, not only geoghraphically.
This year I have already managed to travel to the Czech Republic twice. The most recent occasion was last Easter when I, together with my family, had some unforgettable days there. The drive up there admittedly felt very long - nearly seven hours (breaks excluded) - but since we arrived by car, we had the opportunity to drive around and discover so much more.
The days in Prague, we spent long city walks, meals of Czech food and visits to beer halls. My wife and I were delighted to find out that the student restaurant Velryba was still there, but we were a bit disappointed with the limited number of visitors at U Fleků and, therefore, more satisfied with the modern alternatives, particularly, Kozlovna Apropos (Kozel), but also concept restaurant chaines like Kolkovna (Pilsner Urquell) and Potrefená husa (Staropramen). Our children usually ate breaded chicken or schnitzel with french fries and drank multivitamin juice. For them the highlights in Prague were our visit to a for us previously unknown "crystal museum" opposite Masarykovo Nádraží, the water slides at Aquapalace and, perhaps above all, the evening when we and our Czech relatives went bowling and dining at Anděl Plzeňský Restaurant, "at home" in “our” district of Smíchov.
Personally, I especially like my morning runs up on the hill of Petřín, from where you have a wonderful view of the hundred-spired Prague (stověžatá Praha) and in whose parks I - like most Prague inhabitants - have been fooling around in my youth. Okay, just once, but still...
Český Krumlov
Our longest excursion went to Southern Bohemia (Jižní Čechy), where we slept overnight in the almost crazily picturesque little town of Český Krumlov. Here, my children for the first - but certainly not the last – time tasted trdelník - a traditional sweet pastry baked over hot coals. On our way back up to Prague we also stopped at the castle of Hluboká and at the historical towns of Písek and Tábor. In addition, we benefited from the fact that we now all understand German and took a guided tour in the language at the brewery where Budweiser beer has its real origin, that is Budvar in České Budějovice.
If we took the opportunity to bulk up on groceries in non-expensive Prague before returning home to Zurich? Of course! If we intend to go back soon? Of course!
Me at the castle of Hluboká
České Budějovice
At the Budvar brewery in České Budějovice
Me at Písek
Easter at Tábor
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