Post by BigRay on Dec 9, 2003 15:15:16 GMT -5
Ceske Budejovice
Ceske Budejovice is south of Prague in a region known as Southern Bohemia. It is one of the largest cities in the Czech Republic (fourth largest, I believe), but it probably won't seem so large for tourists coming from larger countries. Unfortunately, I wasn't here for very long and didn't do too much. On top of that, I didn't have my camera with me so I have no pictures. But I hope to visit again soon.
The highlight of Ceske Budejovice is the large central town square, Namesti Premysla Otakara II. This is the largest square in the country (larger than Prague's Old Town Square) and is stunning. The architecture of the buildings around the square is beautiful, and there is a large fountain in the center. Restaurants and cafes line the square with outdoor tables.
The second biggest attraction in Ceske Budejovice is the Budweiser brewery, home to the original Budweiser. Advance reservations are required to tour the brewery, so I missed out on this. Next time...
Overall, I found the city to be very pleasant. I spent my time there walking around the old town and through a park just outside the historical center. There were far less people around than in Prague, and the room to breathe was very nice. The people I met were very friendly, too, as they are not as jaded to foreigners as the people in Prague. I am looking forward to visiting again and bringing my camera!
Plzen
In October, a friend of mine informed me of Pilsner Fest 161, a beer festival at the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Plzen. How could I pass up such a thing? Plzen is about 1.5 hours away from Prague by train and easily doable as a day trip. Because I was only there for a day, and there was a festival in town, I didn't really see much of the city outside of the brewery. On this day, I don't think I missed too much.
The festival is a yearly celebration of the Czech Republic's hallowed brew, Pilsner Urquell. It is a weekend event held at the brewery that features food, shops, brewery tours, games, entertainment, and of course beer. This year, Whitesnake (remember them?)was one of the bands that played, though I missed them. Damn.
There was a big tent that had the bands and tons of food stalls selling fried dough (or mini-donuts), barbecued meats, desert items and other treats, and lots of beer. The highlight for me, though, was the big fat bacon on the bone. I will send a picture of this to Kim to put in the photo album, as you have to see this to believe it. Mmmmm, so good!
I wish I could describe the festival better, but basically it was a big party put on by the brewery and people were there to have fun. People of all ages were there, from the elderly to parents with their small babies all having a good time, listening to live music, feasting, drinking, or participating in some of the activities which included a beer coaster tossing contest. It was a really fun day, and there is no doubt that I will be there next year for Pilsner Fest 162!
If you want to see more about the festival, there is an official website here:
www.pilsnerfest.cz/eng/index.htm
Enjoy!
Ray
Ceske Budejovice is south of Prague in a region known as Southern Bohemia. It is one of the largest cities in the Czech Republic (fourth largest, I believe), but it probably won't seem so large for tourists coming from larger countries. Unfortunately, I wasn't here for very long and didn't do too much. On top of that, I didn't have my camera with me so I have no pictures. But I hope to visit again soon.
The highlight of Ceske Budejovice is the large central town square, Namesti Premysla Otakara II. This is the largest square in the country (larger than Prague's Old Town Square) and is stunning. The architecture of the buildings around the square is beautiful, and there is a large fountain in the center. Restaurants and cafes line the square with outdoor tables.
The second biggest attraction in Ceske Budejovice is the Budweiser brewery, home to the original Budweiser. Advance reservations are required to tour the brewery, so I missed out on this. Next time...
Overall, I found the city to be very pleasant. I spent my time there walking around the old town and through a park just outside the historical center. There were far less people around than in Prague, and the room to breathe was very nice. The people I met were very friendly, too, as they are not as jaded to foreigners as the people in Prague. I am looking forward to visiting again and bringing my camera!
Plzen
In October, a friend of mine informed me of Pilsner Fest 161, a beer festival at the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Plzen. How could I pass up such a thing? Plzen is about 1.5 hours away from Prague by train and easily doable as a day trip. Because I was only there for a day, and there was a festival in town, I didn't really see much of the city outside of the brewery. On this day, I don't think I missed too much.
The festival is a yearly celebration of the Czech Republic's hallowed brew, Pilsner Urquell. It is a weekend event held at the brewery that features food, shops, brewery tours, games, entertainment, and of course beer. This year, Whitesnake (remember them?)was one of the bands that played, though I missed them. Damn.
There was a big tent that had the bands and tons of food stalls selling fried dough (or mini-donuts), barbecued meats, desert items and other treats, and lots of beer. The highlight for me, though, was the big fat bacon on the bone. I will send a picture of this to Kim to put in the photo album, as you have to see this to believe it. Mmmmm, so good!
I wish I could describe the festival better, but basically it was a big party put on by the brewery and people were there to have fun. People of all ages were there, from the elderly to parents with their small babies all having a good time, listening to live music, feasting, drinking, or participating in some of the activities which included a beer coaster tossing contest. It was a really fun day, and there is no doubt that I will be there next year for Pilsner Fest 162!
If you want to see more about the festival, there is an official website here:
www.pilsnerfest.cz/eng/index.htm
Enjoy!
Ray
