Linz, Austria to Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Český Krumlov, South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic
This morning we arrived in Linz, the capital of upper Austria.  This was the border region between the Soviets and the Allies at the end of WWII, so the main bridge was a “no-man’s land” where gunfire was regularly exchanged.
We opted for the excursion to Cesky Krumlov, just over the nearby border in the Czech Republic.  It’s a charming small town designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site but still relatively unknown to tourists.  Cesky Krumlov has retained its entire Medieval layout and most of its historic buildings are still intact because it has a peaceful history.  Located on a bend in the Vitava River, it was important economically because they could collect taxes from those who passed through along the river.  We entered through a gate cut in the cliff walls and crossed a high arched bridge over a gap in the rocks and into the town.  The town’s charm showed through, even through it was a bit crowded as we wandered through winding streets. The town is full of the usual type of shops but we did find some very unique ones with local products. Two specialities of the area are graphite and stone from a meteor. The graphite is used to make high quality pencils, including colored ones in all shades for artists. The meteor hit Earth many thousands of years ago, making a crater and shattering into smaller bits that bounced and landed miles away.  As the locals joke, Germany got the hole in the ground but here they got the precious stones. The stone is black (called vltava) but when polished has a soft green appearance. After seeing the town square, we headed up to the castle that overlooks the city for some of the local history and some spectacular views. We ended our stay with lunch at a charming restaurant overlooking the river, where we enjoyed watching the people and children enjoy the cool river on a warm day. Many locals were canoeing on the river or relaxing on its banks.  There were some small children also playing on the river banks with their parents - water and kids are a universal attraction and a charming scene!
This evening was the Captain’s Gala Dinner; we sat in a small dining room with several friends we have met on this trip and had a delicious dinner and interesting conversation.  After dinner, Sound of Austria performed for our entertainment.  A duo in traditional costume performed many songs made famous by The Sound of Music. Their act was done in a clever light-hearted fashion to make for an enjoyable show.  
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Comments

Brad Willis
2019-06-17

Thank you for these! What an adventure!

Tina White
2019-06-17

We love reading the blog and seeing the beautiful photos. We are even more inspired to do a river cruise now!

Val
2019-06-19

❤️❤️❤️

2025-02-06

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