Maar ek wil eintlik vandag van Cesky Krumlov vertel.
I am sitting in our studio-apartment in Prague. In Prague! Yes, I am boasting, because I still can't believe my luck. My mother taught me to be humble, but there is really nothing humble about Prague. Prague is breathtaking. She is ancient. She is dignified.
But today I want to tell you about Cesky Krumlov.
Dis 'n plattelandse dorpie, wat uit die middeleeue dateer. As vriendin Gerdi my nie daarvan vertel het nie, sou ek waarskynlik nooit eens daarvan geweet het nie. Dis naby die Oostenrykse grens, met die Vltava rivier wat daardeur vloei. Die dorpie tros om 'n kasteel, en kerke.
The country town was established in the middle- ages. I probably wouldn't even know about if my friend, Gerdi hasn't told me about it. It near the Austrian border, and the Vltava river runs through it. It nestles around a castle and churches.
Die Kasteel The Castle
Die oorspronlike deel van die kasteel is al voor 1250 gebou. Ek gaan julle nie met die geskiedenis verveel nie, maar gaan lees gerus hier as dit jou interiseer.Wat my amuseer is die feit dat die kasteel al sedert die 1700 deur bere bewaak word. Hulle bly in die moot onder die brug wat na die kasteel toe loop, en oukersaand kry hulle 'n boom vol gemmerbrood, vrugte en ander lekkernye. Julle kan hier en hier meer oor die bere lees, en foto's sien. Ons het nie geneem nie, daar was te veel mense op die brug. Maar ons kon hulle darem te sien kry.
The original part of the castle was build before 1250. I wont bore you with the history, but you can read about it here. What amuses me, is the fact that bears have guarded the castle since the 1700's, and four of them still do. They live in a moat with a bridge over it. On Christmas eve they are treated to gingerbread, fruits, and other titbits they enjoy. We didn't take pictures, there were to many people on the bridge, but you can go here and here to read more.
Die kasteel begin hier, voor, en eindig doer agter waar die gotiese toring uitsteek.
The castle starts here, and it goes beyond the Gothic tower at the back.
Kyk hoe pragtig is die toring!
Look at the lovely tower!
Look at the lovely tower!
St Vitus Kerk/ St Vitus Church
Die St Vitus kerk is in 1340 begin bou. Dit word steeds gebruik, en 'n mens mag nie binne foto's neem nie.
They started to build the Church of St Vitus in 1340. It is still operational, and picture taking is not allowed.
Hotel Ruze
Die hotel waarin ons gebly het, Hotel Ruze, is in die sestiende eeu oorspronklik as 'n klooster en universiteit gebou, en grens aan die kerk.
We stayed in Hotel Ruze, which used to be a monastery and university, attached to the church.
We stayed in Hotel Ruze, which used to be a monastery and university, attached to the church.
Its charming Renaissance decor matches the history of the 16th century building. This was our room:
Kyk die lieflike ou plankvloere, en oral hang ou sklilderye. Ons het ongelukkig vergeet om van die res van die hotel ook foto's te neem, maar daar is mooies op hierdie webblad.
Look at the lovely wooden floor. Unfortunately we didn't take pictures of the rest of the hotel, but you can go here to have a look.
En die lieflike uitsig deur ons kamervenster.
The lovely view from our bedroom.
The lovely view from our bedroom.
Ongelukkig is dit waar my lofsang van die hotel eindig. Die verblyf was terleurstellend, en gladnie wat ek van 'n vyfster hotel verwag het nie. Te klein handdoeke, en een met 'n gat in! Geen badskuimpies, en roompies nie- net sulke suinige baie klein koevertjies met tort-gel/sjampoe, 'n wattetjie, en twee oorstokkies! Geen pantoffels of japonne nie. En geen sjokolade op die kussing teen slaaptyd nie. Om die waarheid te se, is ons kamer nie eers reggemaak vir die aand nie. Geen bo-lakens nie, en geen koffie en tee- maak geriewe nie. As jy dors word is ietsie uit die peperduur minikroeg jou voorland, of iets (ewe duur) van die hotel se kroeg af.
Eers het ek gedink ons is dalk maar net in Suid- Afrika bederf met uitstekende akkomodasie, want ons drie ster plekke is baie beter as wat dié een was. Maar ek was verkeerd. Die veel goedkoper, en spartaanse losiesiehuis in Wene, was uitstekend. So, hotel Ruze is net vir kyk. Vir lekker bly is daar sekerlik iets beters!
Hoekom so grênd wou wees, in elk geval, mag jy dalk wonder. Dis so mooi! Dit het so spesiaal gelyk! En dit was my verjaardag!
Maar ek is nie hier om te kerm nie. Die hotelpersoneel was baie profesioneel, en bekwaam, en die ontbyt was heel bevredigend. So dit was nie 'n slegte ervaring nie, net onbevredigend.
Unfortunately opulence is all there is to it. It was quite disappointing for a five star hotel. Small towels, and one with a hole in it. No small lotions and soaps. No slippers or robes. Our beds were not turned down, and there were no chocolates on the pillow. No tea and coffee making facilities. If you happen to be thirsty you have to go out, or have something ridiculously expensive from the mini-bar, or the hotel's bar.
I thought that we may have been spoiled by our excellent standard of accommodation in South Africa, but the lovely (much, much cheaper) boarding house in Vienna proved me wrong. Hotel Ruze is lovely to look at, the personnel is capable and friendly, and their breakfast is fine, but, if you want a more comfortable stay, go somewhere else!
Now you may wonder why we went for something so grand in the first place. Well, it seemed amazing. It seemed special. And it was my birthday.
Ete en Drinke/ Eating and Drinking
Aan na die volgende. Ek het heuningkoek en tee (dit was my verjaardag!) gehad op die dek van een van die vele restaurante.
I had honey cake and tea as a birthday treat on the deck of a restaurant.
I had honey cake and tea as a birthday treat on the deck of a restaurant.
en dis die uitsig wat ek gehad het.
and this was the view we had.
and this was the view we had.
Sien, die meeste restaurante het so 'n dek met 'n lieflike uitsig.
Most restaurants have decks to admire the views from.
Most restaurants have decks to admire the views from.
Maar dié een nie, want Restaurant Catacombs
is in die maag van die dorp, in 'n katakombe! Vir ingeval iemand nie weet nie, 'n katakombe is 'n ondergrondse begrafplaas. Gelukkig was daar geen teken van die vroeëre ontslapenes nie! Wat van hulle geword het, weet ek nie.
But not this one, because Restaurant Catacombs is in the belly of the town, in a catacomb. Where the remains of the ancient dead that was buried there, are now, I do not know.
But not this one, because Restaurant Catacombs is in the belly of the town, in a catacomb. Where the remains of the ancient dead that was buried there, are now, I do not know.
Daar is plekke op die trappies waar ek nie eens regop kon staan nie, en Brombeer moes heeltyd gebukkend trappe klim.
There were places on the stairs where even I couldn't stand upright. Mr Grumpy Bear had to duck the all the time.
There were places on the stairs where even I couldn't stand upright. Mr Grumpy Bear had to duck the all the time.
The food was mediocre, but we were happy. Because the beer and wine was cold, loveliness surrounded us, and best of all, we were together!
Nog 'n paar Foto's
A few more Pictures
A few more Pictures
Selfs diefwering kan mooi wees
Even burglar bars can be amazing!
Even burglar bars can be amazing!
Die riooldeksels lyk amper almal só
Most of the man-hole covers look like this.
Most of the man-hole covers look like this.
Die dorpsplein
The town square
The town square
Een van die vele stegies
One of the many small alleys.
One of the many small alleys.
En 'n laaste Woordjie/
And a last Word.
And a last Word.
Oral is winkeltjies (veral juweliers winkels) en eet en drinkplekkies. Drank is vrylik beskikbaar, en ons het self 'n hele drankwaentjie op straat gesien, wat deur vrolike javels wat defnitief hulle ware getoets het, beman is. Dis ingestel op toeriste, so dis nie besonder goedkoop nie (behalwe bier, dis goedkoop). maar die mense is heel vriendelik, en kan meestal ten minste 'n bietjie engels praat. Ons was net 'n dag lank daar, maar dit was te kort, ek sou graag 'n paar dae wou bly. Net nie in hotel Ruze nie.
Fluit fluit, my storie oor Cesky Krimlov is uit. As daar enige-iets is waaroor jy wonder, vra gerus. Ek sal antwoord as ek kan. More vertel ek van Wene.
Small shops (especially jewelery) and eating and drinking places are everywhere. Liquor is readily available, and we saw a liquor cart on the street. The cart's boisterous proprietors have surely tested their merchandise! The town is tourism-orientated, so it isn't cheap (exept for the beer). But the people are friendly enough, and most of them speak at least a little English. We were ther only for a day, but I would have liked to stay longer. But not in Hotel Ruze.
This is my story for today. If you have any questions, ask away. I will try to answer them. Tomorrow I will tell you about Vienna.
1 opmerking:
thank you for the loverly post and for the English, I started reading the Afrikaans but it was taking a while so was pleasantly surprised when I found English further down.
Plaas 'n opmerking