Week 3: Places

27 July - 2 August: Austria - Czech Republic
My least favourite part of the journey so far has been to visit the Eagle´s Nest. While it offers views as far as the eye can see on a clear day (which we got), I don´t like the idea that it was Hitler´s summer home. I found the ride up to the top very creepy as it is a 6.5km long mountain trail,, 4 meters wide and 126m elevated high and was only made in 12 months including the bitter winter months. That means a lot of man power and also a lot of suffering and hardship for this whim of a holiday getaway. When we got there, we had to walk through a chilly tunnel and then take an art-deco mirrored lift up to the top where we saw incredible Bavarian vistas. Edwin loved it, as he could take photos to his heart´s content. I just felt strange and slightly upset. This was a place of grim historical significance in my opinion and I couldn´t while it away with all the tourists looking for a nice day out. Well, maybe it was the association with Hitler, but the nasty lunch we got didn´t help. It took 25 minutes for it to come out after ordering and then it tasted like not only had it been kept in a bain marie all afternoon, but that it had come out of a tin. That´ll teach me to try to enjoy the sights from the holiday home of a dictator!
Prague is too beautiful to describe in any non-cliched or intelligible way. Basically Edwin and I have spent two days going around dragging our chins on the ground behind us (if that´s indeed possible). So I´ll post some pictures. We have been able to see the Astronomical Clock, the Charles Bridge, the Prague Castle and numerous churches.

St Vitus towers over us

St Jan Nepomuk´s body was thrown from Charles Bridge at this point, and this statue commemorates him. Passersby touch the statue, for luck, to pray or just to be part of it all.

I try to take it all in as I check out Charles Bridge from afar.

The Astronomical Clock struck 5 via a little skeleton - see half way up the picture, on the right hand side - tingling a little bell.

By the way, if you want to read about Eastern Europe and find out more about its people and culture, then you must read Eva Hoffman's Exit into History. It's excellent, verbally arresting and extremely erudite. I've just read about Poland and the then Czechoslovakia, and am up to Hungary. Written in the early 90s, it is used for texts at universities, but is simply a very well written read.

The pool here at the Klavonice campsite is for public use as well as the campsite guests. Many or most of these visitors are Scandinavian, Dutch, German, or Czech. I was combing my hair after a dip in the cool waters, and pulled the loose strands from my comb and was horrified to find lots of hair not from my head. Blond ones! Ew. Well, at least I´m getting exercise (if not picking up an ear infection, gross).