In-Climate Bruges

I’m adjusting to my new home in Colorado – record highs one day followed by record lows the next.  As I’m steeping in an unseasonbly cold and wet morning (followed by days of record highs), I’m reminiscing about a trip a few Junes ago.  Bruges is the fairy-tale that you’ve heard a hundred times, caught between sheer idyllic bliss and complete boredom.   Throw in an extremely inclimate 12 degrees Celsius breezy, rainy mix in June, and what is left to do?  Take in all the sights you can in between the best pub crawl you’ll ever experience.  

Cafe Vlissighe

If not for the unseasonably cold and wet weather, we may have missed the hidden charm of Bruges. 

View from clock tower

We sought refuge from the freezing cold by ducking into the clock tower in the center of town, which provided excellent views of the town below.  The field trip of school children immediately behind us set the pace, as we are always looking for the perfect, tourist-free photo opportunity. 

On the Canal

Despite the freezing, damp cold, a trip to Bruges would not be complete without a canal tour.  What lucky ducks were we that we floated by these ducks that were shaking off the cold themselves. 

Do Galle (Bruges)

First by sea (or canal, anyway), then by land, our carriage driver directed us to a pub down a quiet alley.  It quickly lost its charm when one of the few beers on tap, (the one that I ordered) was not from Belgium, but Texas. 

Dinner in a hail storm

We built up quite an appetite after so much sight seeing, and settled in for the traditional mussels and beer on the square.  If you look carefully, you can see the hail pellets on our table. 

Threatening skies

We were only in Bruges for two nights, but we managed to find our own favorite local haunt.  We ended up at Cambrinus both nights, for a generous sampling of beer and Flemish stew.  When the skies threatened us, we knew we would find safe haven.  Not quite a robust as Cafe Delerium in Brussels, which holds the world record for the most beers available, Cambrinus boasts an impressive 400 varieties, which was certainly enough to keep a couple of beer snobs entertained. 

Vlissighe - the oldest pub in Bruges

Just a stumble from our hotel, Cafe Vlissinghe is the oldest pub in Bruges, dating back to 1515.  If you’re lucky enough to have been inside, and paid close attention while watching In Bruges, you will realize that you may have shared a seat with Colin Farrell.

Chocolate museum

You can only have so much beer before getting the munchies, so luckily the other epicurism that Belgium is famous for is chocolate.  The Chocolate Museum houses works of art that are good enough to eat.  Unfortunately, if you’re hungry, you will need to head to one of the many chocolate shops in town to satisfy your craving.

Bruges street

Despite the less than fairy tale condition, Bruges was definitely a dream.

Taking Time in Cesky Krumlov

When the sun shines on Cesky Krumlov, the small town sparkles like a multi-tonal amber jewel.  And just like a precious stone that has not yet been extracted from the earth, this Czech town seems to be relatively undiscovered by the tourist masses.  But that only makes this jewel shine even brighter.

Cesky Hostel

Castle Gardens

Eggenburg Brewery

Cesky Alley

A Room With a View

Cesky Overview

 

Surrounded by the crooked Vlata River, Cesky Krumlov could easily be considered a miniature version of Prague.  With a grand castle, a gothic cathedral, hospitable locals, and abundance of souvenir shops and restaurants, one could almost imagine the small town being formed from a fraction of Prague that had chipped off and traveled along the Vlata to settle in Southern Bohemia.

A three-hour journey by bus from Prague, Cesky Krumlov is gradually becoming a common side trip.  Tourism is a substantial industry, although it certainly has not reached its potential. This only adds to the town’s charm and affordability.  While it is handy to have some key Czech phrases under your belt, many locals are able to communicate in English, so the prospect of traveling off of the beaten path from Prague is not so daunting. 

Cesky Krumlov maintains more than 300 historical buildings that combine a mixture of Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance architecture.  The entire town is an open-air museum of a well-preserved medieval settlement that was recognized for its cultural significance by being added as a UNESCO site in 1992. 

The best way to understand the history of Cesky Krumlov is with a visit to the castle, which offers three separate guided tours in many languages, including English.  The castle predates 1250 and tour guides embellish on stories that illustrate the life of royalty throughout the ages.  Unique features of the castle include the Baroque Theater (one of only two remaining in the world), and the Masquerade Hall, which is decorated with a 360-degree mural that depicts aristocrats portraying characters of the Commedie dell’Arte.  Stepping into these areas transports visitors into the 18^th century, when these paintings originated. 

No visit to Cesky Krumlov is complete without a trip to the top of the castle tower (small admission fee required).  Situating yourself at the top provides the best opportunity for a picturesque view of the surrounding region and puts you in the best position to take your own souvenir photography of the town.

Our home for the evening, Hotel Konvice, was only a block to the main square of Cesky Krumlov.  The din from the boisterous lunch crowd at the hotel’s restaurant greeted us as we checked in.  Our host was eager to show his hospitality, and seamlessly shifted from his group of diners to lead us through a series of hallways and stairwells that took us to our spacious apartment.  For around US$80 per night, we couldn’t have asked for better value or more charm.

Eager to explore the small town, we could have easily walked up and down every street in the town center in thirty minutes or so.  But one of the greatest experiences of Cesky Krumlov is the ability to slow down and linger through the maze of narrow streets and secret alleyways while discovering the never-ending possibilities revealed by its charms.  Between ducking into unique shops and hopping from cafe to cafe enjoy the local fare, we felt that certainly time has slipped through our fingers.

But it hadn’t.  This is not suggesting that time was dragging on when you’re in the surrounds of this charming little town.  Just the opposite- it was as if time were standing still.  For the first time on our European tour, we didn’t need to adhere to a schedule.  We didn’t have to worry about gathering our belongings to run to catch a flight, or to spend precious time standing in a line to see an attraction.  We could stop to enjoy the fragrant profusion of flowers in the castle gardens.  We could stumble just outside of the main tourist area to enjoy a beer with the locals at the Eggenbrug brewery.  We could watch our dinner being cooked over an open fire pit at the cavernous tavern, Krcma v Smeatnae, while we sipped on mulled Morovian wine.