2024 Oct 3 Thursday

Travel Vienna to Ceske Krumlov

it was a fairly early morning since we switched our reserved seat reservations to allow us to avoid the Danube and hopefully avoid track repairs. Now we travel all the way to Prague, and then change to go south on two trains to Cesky Krumlov. It went very smoothly, but had we stayed on for just a couple more stops south, we would again have had to detrain and travel by bus because of track repair. The late September rains in Europe have really taken a toll.

7:59 am to 7:45 pm (including dinner out). 3.07 miles, 6,158 steps. Elevation +5360 feet (mostly train travel). Overcast skies.

Richard’s Relive video for the day had some problems keeping train travel straight, but here is the video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vevWmZJp9G6

Goodbye to our humble abode in Vienna. The fifth floor apartment was quiet and the roomy apartment was most comfortable.
Vienna Hauptbahnhof was a busy place but the pastry shop was wonderful for apple pastries and cappuccinos.
Our high-speed train for the first leg of today’s travel: Vienna to Prague in 4 hours.
I was disappointed that we had not had time to walk out to the Danube. Now we crossed the river and viewed it from the train.
Prague’s main train station. We weren’t here long, but I spotted these decorated windows immediately.
The train from Prague to Ceske Budejovice was running late, and we were worrying about making the local train connection to Cesky Krumlov. We detrained quickly, but had to cross to another track for the connection which should already have left. Instead of waiting for the elevator, we hustled to the stairs and hauled luggage down and then up the stairs, all the time hoping it was not for nothing. Someone was watching out for us, because they held the train and only left just after we got on. It was not a long ride, but it would have set us back a couple of hours if we had missed it.
After dropping our luggage at the hotel (we took a taxi from the station), it was time to use the last daylight to see a bit. Luckily, our hotel overlooks the river just below the castle complex. This tower was once one of three towers of the castle, but now it is the only one left, and houses a museum in the lower structure.
The sheer drop off to the river has helped protect the fortress for centuries.
We asked the hotel proprietor for a dinner recommendation. She had to write it down and gave us some quick directions, but we were not finding it. Richard had searched on Google and had seen a picture with a crucifix left of the door. It still took a while but we finally discovered this little restaurant with 6 tables in the front and 2 in the “overflow” room. It was not touristy; one table of old men drinking beer, a family with children, several couples, and us. One waiter handled all of us and food was good and service was expedient.
Here’s the “big” restaurant name sign: Cikanska Jizba. If we’d relied on that, we would still be out looking.
Dinner’s over and the castle is lit for the night. Time for photographs!
Goodnight until tomorrow.

6 Responses

  1. I really marvel at the way you make all these transportation connections!!! You both are amazing travelers. Interestingly, the only long train trip we have ever taken in Europe was Prague to Vienna. And we almost blew that one by waiting at the wrong level at the station in Prague. Hope your next few days are enjoyable as you set off on your new discoveries. We leave this evening for our Upper Mississippi River cruise and hopefully will have good enough internet connection to keep up with last part of your trip.
    Dan
    Dan

    1. Safe travels on your trip and have fun. We may be on our last train trip now (unless we decide on one more jaunt) and continue with our lucky streak. Weekends are always a bit tougher and the schedules are still suffering from the Danube repairs so even the buses are full (we took a 30-minute bus ride this morning. I have to say that Richard has done a superior job of keeping the digital ride schedules against our Eurail passes, and I keep the seat reservations. So far so good. He has the bigger task of managing the bigger bag, which is no small feat. I can’t imagine doing this alone!
      Not much more time for our trip so maybe you’ll have to entertain us with Mississippi photos!

  2. Wow! Really enjoyed seeing the pictures of Vienna! Remember all the stories about SiSi and all the beauty of the city. What a remarkable history that city has! Also loved your opera attire! You looked gorgeous tennis shoes and all!
    What a fabulous excursion you are having! Thank you so much for sharing it with us! The best part for me is visiting all those incredible churches!!! So glad you are keeping track of it all and look forward to hearing more when you get home! WendY

    1. I loved Vienna again and definitely want to come back. Our apartment was great and maybe a little further out of old town but it was quiet (a change from Budapest) and convenient enough—even over a Gasthous with great goulash!
      The opera was wonderful and they make it easier with subtitles. My folks both loved opera, so it’s another nod to them. People were dressed in tuxes and long gowns, or in sweatshirts and jeans. We did our best with our hiking boots (looking a bit Gothic?)
      I love the churches and trying to figure out the focus of each one, and the saints with their attributes. I worry that people maybe tired of religious pictures, but hopefully they’ll scroll through quickly. Often the churches give hints to WWII history, as some of the priests were outspoken opponents of naziism and paid the price for it.

  3. Oh such amazing photos and stories. Loved loved LOVED your night at the opera outfits. You both are starting to look much younger! I’ve been worried for you. Since hearing about the Europe floods, so good to know you are navigating. The photos and Relives are spectacular. I look forward to your posts dailly.

    1. Thanks, Ann. We both loved the opera for many different reasons. We’ve changed plans two different times to avoid Danube track repairs, and so far everything has worked out. It was disappointing when a Switzerland track repairs cost us some time, so we were determined to stay on top of things. I’m always a bit behind Richard’s Relive videos so be patient—it’s coming.