Vienna, Austria - Novosedly, Czech Republic

On the final leg of our trip now and depressingly we've started to think about all the things we need to do when we get home.  That is until we crossed the border into the Czech Republic and in the first town we went through there were outdoor markets selling FIREWORKS!!!! 

Just before the Czech border - Look kids blue sky, what's that Dad?

And not just fireworks that make pretty colours in the sky but some, what can only be described as, three quarter sticks of dynamite.  

Unfortunately we couldn't stop and buy any because the Czechs aren't yet using the Euro and we needed to hit up the bankomat for some cash.  

I promised the kids that we'd get them in the town we were staying and if not we'd make a return trip.

Found our apartment in the countryside which is about 7kms from the UNESCO listed town of Czesky Krumlov and introduced ourselves to our hosts.  

Game on

As luck would have it Courtney was from Australia (and married to a Czech lady, Petra) and besides being an industrial blacksmith, rafting guide, tree lopper, builder and a French translator he was also a mountain bike guide for a tour company in town.  

The eyes lit up with this little bit of information and I asked him if he was keen for a ride and he said no worries.  

Grabbed my gear and my bike and we went bashing around the bush out the back of their place chatting away and having a good time.    

View from bridge into Cesky Krumlov

Came home after he flogged my unfit legs half to death for a shower and a beer by the fire.

After that we put our party frocks on and had dinner in town at a nice little restaurant by the river.

Unbelievably for a country famous for its beer and the cheapness of it the blood alcohol limit for driving in the Czech Republic is ZERO.  

Dinner for 5 - €52

Madness!  



I'm no 'let's have a dozen beers and drive home' kind of guy but not even one?  

Forget the Israel / Hamas blowup the UN really needs to sort this travesty of justice out lickety split.

Stray observations:  The sight of fireworks for sale can turn even a grown man back into a 12 year old boy.