Slavicin, Czech Republic

I got the rare opportunity to visit a Czech family in the countryside when Roman invited me home to see his parents. They live in Slavicin, a town in the eastern region of Moravia, by the border with Slovakia. This part of the Czech Republic was rustic. Slavicin was surrounded with lush hills and valleys. Animals such as cows, deer, chickens and cows were plentiful.

My stay in Slavicin was very relaxing. In the morning, Roman showed me the forest near his home where he frequently went to gather mushrooms growing up. I learned which wild mushrooms were edible and which were not.

The highlight had to be the hospitality that I received from Roman’s parents. Roman’s mother made sure I was not hungry. She cooked up a storm! This included vegetable soup, risotto, meat loaf with gravy, knedlik (dumplings) and kolac (sweet buns with jam and cheese). What’s amazing is that most of the veggies and fruit are grown in her garden, including cabbages, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes and ligonberries!

Brno, Czech Republic

Brno, the Czech Republic’s second city, is not quite like Prague. Both cities have their architectural gems but Brno is definitely calmer and less touristy. In fact, from what I experienced, the city is not like a tourist center but rather a “normal” place to live. The highlight of my visit was hiking up to Spillbeck Castle and enjoying the views of the city.

Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

Karlovy Vary, or Karlsbad in German, is the premier spa town in the Czech Republic. For centuries, people have been arriving here to take advantage of the remedying features of its thermal waters.

Roman and I came to town just as the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival was drawing to a close. This high-profile event showcases mainly European independent films.

We also walked around town, taking in the beautiful river and mountain views. As for the thermal waters, we were disappointed to learn that one needed a doctor’s note to use the spas. We did, however, see a jet stream of thermal water and taste some thermal water that everyone seemed to be bottling. The thermal water, by the way, tasted like rust (due to its high iron content).

Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is sometimes known as the “Paris of the east” and it’s not hard to see why. Gothic churches, Baroque theatres, Neo-classical monuments and Art Nouveau mansions rub shoulders with each other by the Vltava River. The landscape is dominated by the 13th century Charles Bridge, lined with statues of luminaries; and Prague Castle, a complex of buildings perched on a hill with St. Vitus Cathedral the most prominent structure.

I came to Prague to visit my friend Roman and to use this as a halfway “rest stop” of my trip across Europe. I had enough time to socialize with Roman and his roommate Mat and even to visit some neighborhoods and sights more than once.

One of my highlights had to be the varied architecture. Prague itself is like a school of architecture throughout the ages, from Romanesque all the way to contemporary. I enjoyed wandering down streets and admiring the ornate facades (e.g., statues, stucco). My favorite buildings include the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral, the Neo-classical National Theatre and the contemporary Dancing Building.

I also spent some time discovering David Cerny’s sculptures throughout Prague. Cerny is know for controversial sculptures that are simply wacky. Examples include crawling babies on Zizkov Tower, the tallest TV tower in Prague; and a man riding an upside-down horse.

One interesting observation was that Prague is very Westernized. Prague is just like any other European capital. Vestiges of the communist era remain only in the subtlest forms, such as the refurbished communist apartment blocks, or panelaks.