Some photos from my latest Euro trip.

[Rick Lee]

This will be in no particular order, but I'm in Prague now, so I'll start with these photos. For you WWII history buffs, there's a lot to see here on Heydrich's assassination. If you know the story, you know about Lidice.



My rental car has German plates and I was a little concerned with showing them in some of the tiny villages we had to drive through to get to Lidice on the outskirts of Prague. In fact, just as I said that to my wife, we passed by an elderly man in his yard, giving us an evil stare. His was the last house on that road before the museum, so I think he knew why we were there.


This is a memorial to the children of Lidice, most of whom were gassed in concentration camps in Poland, but a small handful did survive the war.



What I just learned yesterday, however, was that two boys from Lidice had been in the hospital in Kladno when the massacre took place, so they (almost) escaped. Hitler's personal orders were to shoot all males aged 15 or older. Unfortunately, for these two boys, both had turned 15 while in the hospital. When the Gestapo learned of this, they took theh boys to Prague and shot them. Wow.

[Rick Lee]

And today's visit to the church where Heydrich's assassins made their last stand was a very satisfying event. All the men involved in the conspiracy are rightly lauded as great Czech patriots, however, none of them survived. In fact, all of them took their own lives after their hiding place was betrayed and having an all-day shootout with the Germans.



You can see some bullet holes in this one.




It's hard to see, but visitors put coins in the bullet holes.



This stuff gives me the creeps, being so close to it. But it is fascinating.

[Rick Lee]

This morning we made the drive out to Kutna Hora to see the Ossuary. Very weird place, totally in the middle of nowhere, but lots of tourists come to see it.



It's hard to see in this photo, but some of the trauma wounds had signs of healing, indicating some of these guys survived what must have been horrendous injuries. That's when men were men.

[Hugh R]

Very cool. I love Prague.

[Rick Lee]

The highlight for me, of course, was a tour of the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Plzen.







The factory restaurant was just divine. I have rarely so savored a meal and the beer. I love this country. They actually consume more beer here per capita than in any other country. And I'm doing my part to contribute to those stats.

Tomorrow I will tour the Budvar brewery in Ceske Budojovice.

[Zeke]

The stone work on the ground throughout Europe sure beats the US. I'm sure all the stonework beats the US.

Tourists come to the US Capitol and capital and the main drag is asphalt.

[Rick Lee]

Milt, you should see the masonry in Cesky Krumlov. My photos can't do this place justice.

[Rick Lee]

We started out today with a quick lunch in Ceske Budejovice, where the real Budweiser is brewed. I saw a group of Germans come into the restaurant in riding gear with helmets and tankbags and really started missing my bike. But it was kind of cold today.

Brewery tour was $5 very well spent.

[imcarthur]

Keep them coming, Rick. How are the hordes this year?

Ian

[Rick Lee]

I've had about three litres of Budvar today. Gawd, it's soooo good. The Czech Republic is a slice of heaven.

Cue the Laverne and Shirley theme song here.




Staying in a pension here tonight.


Minibar price for .5l bottles of Budvar is about $1.30 per.

[Rick Lee]

Ian, Prague is a total zoo when walking around the popular areas between the Astronomical Clock and Prague Castle. Otherwise, Prague is fine and I find the driving surprisingly civilized. I could live in the Czech Republic. What a great place, so much less hectic than Germany, but really just about as clean and organized. Vienna tomorrow and Venice a few days after that. We'll see how those crowds are.

[krichard]

If you're still in Cesky Krumlov check out the Eggenberg brewery! They have a pils that they don't filter the yeast out of that is delicious.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by krichard

If you're still in Cesky Krumlov check out the Eggenberg brewery! They have a pils that they don't filter the yeast out of that is delicious.

I thought Eggenberg was from Graz, Austria. I've been to the Eggenberg Palace in Graz. Anyway, I don't think I can do it tomorrow before heading to Vienna. I had unfiltered beer on both brewery tours this week and it was so awesome.

[krichard]

Quote de krichard

If you're still in Cesky Krumlov check out the Eggenberg brewery! They have a pils that they don't filter the yeast out of that is delicious.

I thought Eggenberg was from Graz, Austria. I've been to the Eggenberg Palace in Graz. Anyway, I don't think I can do it tomorrow before heading to Vienna. I had unfiltered beer on both brewery tours this week and it was so awesome.

The brewery is not that far from the castle. it'll give you something to do next time your in Cesky Krumlov!!

[imcarthur]

Don't forget to buy a pass for the A Series hwys in Austria. And don't drive in the ring in Vienna! I have an amusing story about going ballistic at the 'south ring' Vienna Hilton when they didn't have my reservation & of course, I was booked at the 'north ring' one. When I asked for directions, they suggested I take a cab because they couldn’t tell me . . . it’s hard to fit a rental car into a cab . . .

Btw the Kunsthistorisches (art museum) is superb. The layout & the display design beats most others.

Vienna is one of the few cities that I have visited that I would make any effort to return to.

Ian

[Joeaksa]

Glad to see you having REAL Budweiser!

[mikeesik]

Did you go to the Estates Theater where Mozart performed?
The place is supposed to be the best preserved theater in Europe.

[targa911S]

My old 70 S Targa is rolling around that area. Keep a sharp eye...

[Rick Lee]

In Vienna still, but this Internet connection is making it impossible to upload my photos to web-based format.

Nothing too exciting today other than we saw Bill Clinton from just a few feet away. We were at the Schoenbrunn Palace and noticed a motorcade out front with lots of guys in black suits with earpieces around a few black Mercedes with blue strobe lights on top. We thought nothing of it. Later we were in the humongous gardens behind the palace and sure enough, Bubba himself walked right by us. He didn't seem interested in chatting with others, probably because there were no tv cameras there, and just talked with his very hot, young, local female guide. There were plainclothes security around him with silly hawaiian shirts and conspicuous bulges on their hips. I took this photo without using my zoom. Bubba looked very thin and gaunt, but I'm sure he's having a great time here without his wife by his side.



We also went to watch the morning exercises at the Spanish Riding School, which was simply awesome. I'm not really into that stuff, but it was very impressive. Will try to post photos as connection speed allows.

[imcarthur]

Make sure you visit Stephensdom Cathedral as well. It drips history. Did you do the walk back to fountain at Schoenbrunn?

Ian