Summer Breezes

Summer 2011 has just flown by. It has been full of planning, thinking, worrying, celebrating and being.

Some of the things I've neglected to post in the past 2 months are:

1. Čestr Ambiente Restaurant: In one word is YUM! This is no place for vegetarians. It is a steak house that specializes in locally produced foods and high quality service. It is mid-price, so the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion when you want to splurge out a little.

2. Třebič. A little town with a little river and a big history. The old Jewish town is protected by UNESCO and gives a peak into the lives of inhabitants at the turn of last century.

3. Hořovice. I've heard that there are more than 500 castles and chateaus in the Czech Republic, and Hořovice is proof that they will sneak up on you. What a lovely chateau with lovely gardens hidden in the midst of a tiny town just a short drive into the countryside.

4. Sazava monestary, Krakovec castle ruin, and Zbiroh chateau. Honza and I love our drives. And a few weekends ago we did just that. We drove off explore little places we'd never been before. Zbiroh chateau was such a surprise! It is a beautifully renovated property with lots of walking trails that would be the perfect place to spend a romantic day away. Krakovec is a castle ruin where we waited out a thunderstorm. The rain pounded all around and we stood in the crumbling tower and enjoyed the wonder. Sazava monastery is one of the oldest established religious institutes in Central Europe. It is peace on earth.

Jested: A Must-do!

Drive north of Prague and you'll soon come to a town called Liberec. I can't tell you much about this town, but what I can tell you is that just outside the border is a small mountain called Jested.

On the top is a unique piece of architecture. Constructed in the 60s, the hotel/restaurant has the whimsical feel of being frozen in both time and space. We had lunch, which was both affordable and delicious, in the round object. The experience was such a treat.

Half the fun of Jested it getting up, and then back down. We took the Swiss-style cable car to the top. It is run by Czech Railways, so you buy a train ticket to move you to the hotel. From the top, we decided to walk down. The first third of the trip was a lovely frolic through the forest. However, the last portion had us shuffling gently down the steep ski slope. We definitely worked off our lunch!

Lovely nature, interesting architecture and good food all in one place: Jested is a must-do!

(See more photos on flickr)

Cesky Raj

Cesky Raj literally translated is Czech Paradise, and that is the perfect name for this little piece of heavenly nature. The area is a nature reserve/ geopark with hiking trails, sandstone columns and castle ruins. An easy day trip from Prague, it is a must do for adventurous nature travelers. Not only will you get a good workout climbing up and down the rock formations and rolling hills covered in forest, you can get a taste of the local villages that still dot the area.