Getting from Vienna to Cesky Krumlov was not big in distance but huge in effort. Our first train from Vienna was at 10am, however due to ‘technical reasons’ it left a half hour late. This was just enough time to ensure that we missed our first connection. After waiting an hour and a half we took the next train from Austria over the border into Czech Republic, a total travel time of 4 minutes. We then had to change platforms for a train to Cesky Budejovice. This sounded ok, until the train stopped half way and everyone was loaded into buses for 20 minutes before getting back on the train. We later found out that part of the tracks had been damaged by a storm earlier in the week. This meant another delay and should have meant another missed connection, but we ran, so fast that we went back in time and made the connection. Either that or the train left 10 minutes late, were still not too sure. 
So finally we arrived in Cesky Krumlov and walked to Hostel 99. After checking in we went for a walk through the town and quickly realized that all the effort of getting here was well worth it! The hostel is just inside the old city walls, by the river. It’s a great location as its in the old town, but very quiet, as its set a bit back fro
m the main square. The town is all small but medieval decorative buildings and cobble stone streets. The main attraction is the castle which has a large tower. The river snakes its way through town, meaning there are several bridges and of course, there is a brewery. We ate dinner in a small traditional Czech restaurant and shared a Bohemian Banquet. This consisted roast duck, chicken and ham as well as various dumplings and potato pancakes. Somehow after dinner still needed dessert, so we stopped for Trdelnik which is like a curled pastry baked with cinnamon. 
The next morning we were up early for breakfast and then headed straight for the Eggenberg brewery. We were ju
st in time for the brewery tour, which in English, only had four people on it. The tour was good, different to most tours, as it’s a small brewery in the Czech Republic, it doesn’t have the same OHS standards that exist in other brewery’s we have seen. Parts of the brewery were quite warm, so staff would wear sandals and a singlet. As part of the tour we walked through the bottling room, right next to the machinery. The tour was comprehensive, we visited the rooms where the barley, malt and water are heated, where the yeast is added using bottom fermentation as well as the cellars. Most importantly at the end of the tour we were able to have a few pints. The waiter was very friendly and joked that there is a local story that the dark beer enhances a ladies bust, Christine refused to drink a dark beer after that. 
Christine was feeling a little happy by the time we left the brewery. On the way out she managed to drop our camera, which proceeded to bounce down a set of stairs. We turned it back on, it worked, thanks shockproof feature! We headed back to the hostel for a sobering coffee then got a picnic lunch to enjoy in the castle gardens. The moat around the castle held us up for a bit due to the fact that it houses some real bears. We watched as one of them played with a beer keg as it took a bath, very cute but I don’t think I would want to hug them, they are huge! As usual our picnics always turns into a nap but eventually we dragged ourselves up to explore the castle further. There are some lovely views of the town below as well as some very interesting architecture within. Our very friendly brewery tour guide suggested a traditional Czech pub so we had a bit more of a walk around town and stumbled across this. It seems to be the case of every man needs to take his dog to this particular pub, maybe they had told their wives they were taking the dog for a walk rather than a pint, but we were happy to pat them. Funnily enough we bumped into the tour guide as we were leaving the pub, he was heading home after a long day at the brewery. 
We headed home and were finally able to cook for ourselves. It is amazing the simple things you take for granted in everyday life, such as having a kitchen where you can cook your own food.
Wednesday was going to be a big day for us so we slept in a little longer. At midday we met at the hostel for a rafting tour. Not your average white water rafting but beer rafting Czech style. The group was huge, so it took a while to get started. We eventually we all piled into rafts upstream. We were in a boat with nine people, one American and the rest were friendly Irish. We were happy with this as many of the other boats were full of Aussies. Anyway all the boats pretty much stayed together anyway. Unlike other tours, there is no guide, we were given a boat and told to be back by 8pm. After the initial confusion of the Irish trying to paddle up stream we were on our way toward Krumlov. At times the paddling was unorganized or nonexistent, meaning we floated down the river sideways or backwards a lot of the way. It also bore the problem of ‘too many chiefs and not enough indians’, having only 4 paddles didn’t help either. A few of the girls were barking instructions, at each other. Finally, after 20 minutes, we made our first stop at a bar on the side of the river for a couple of beers.
Back on the boat the 3 boys sat up front, while the girls were down back with the paddles. This helped somewhat, as the boys entertained themselves while the girls bickered over which way we should be paddling! It was a great afternoon, rafting and drinking in the sun. There were not many rapids and the ones there were, were more like a ramp of water. Still our Irish captain somehow managed to nosedive the boat under the main bridge in town, throwing all nine people into the river. This was hilarious, the river is only knee deep so everyone was fine. For the second time in two days Christine endangered our camera. Once in the river she decided the best option was to throw it into the boat, and then proceeded to float off downstream. Two problems, the boat was full of water and there is no back wall on the raft. Luckily one of the guys found it before it fell out, we turned it back on, it worked, thanks waterproof feature! By the time Christine paddled back upstream, rather than walk, and everyone was back in the boat, there were hundreds of people gathered on the bridge above having a giggle, but I think we found it the funniest! 
As if we hadn’t already had enough to drink by 8pm, tonight the hostel was providing a free keg of beer, can’t pass up an opportunity like that! We ate some left over pasta from last night, much needed as we had only eaten half a pizza during the day. Then sat around the hostel with our new friends enjoying a keg of the local brew. 
So finally we arrived in Cesky Krumlov and walked to Hostel 99. After checking in we went for a walk through the town and quickly realized that all the effort of getting here was well worth it! The hostel is just inside the old city walls, by the river. It’s a great location as its in the old town, but very quiet, as its set a bit back fro
m the main square. The town is all small but medieval decorative buildings and cobble stone streets. The main attraction is the castle which has a large tower. The river snakes its way through town, meaning there are several bridges and of course, there is a brewery. We ate dinner in a small traditional Czech restaurant and shared a Bohemian Banquet. This consisted roast duck, chicken and ham as well as various dumplings and potato pancakes. Somehow after dinner still needed dessert, so we stopped for Trdelnik which is like a curled pastry baked with cinnamon. The next morning we were up early for breakfast and then headed straight for the Eggenberg brewery. We were ju
st in time for the brewery tour, which in English, only had four people on it. The tour was good, different to most tours, as it’s a small brewery in the Czech Republic, it doesn’t have the same OHS standards that exist in other brewery’s we have seen. Parts of the brewery were quite warm, so staff would wear sandals and a singlet. As part of the tour we walked through the bottling room, right next to the machinery. The tour was comprehensive, we visited the rooms where the barley, malt and water are heated, where the yeast is added using bottom fermentation as well as the cellars. Most importantly at the end of the tour we were able to have a few pints. The waiter was very friendly and joked that there is a local story that the dark beer enhances a ladies bust, Christine refused to drink a dark beer after that. Christine was feeling a little happy by the time we left the brewery. On the way out she managed to drop our camera, which proceeded to bounce down a set of stairs. We turned it back on, it worked, thanks shockproof feature! We headed back to the hostel for a sobering coffee then got a picnic lunch to enjoy in the castle gardens. The moat around the castle held us up for a bit due to the fact that it houses some real bears. We watched as one of them played with a beer keg as it took a bath, very cute but I don’t think I would want to hug them, they are huge! As usual our picnics always turns into a nap but eventually we dragged ourselves up to explore the castle further. There are some lovely views of the town below as well as some very interesting architecture within. Our very friendly brewery tour guide suggested a traditional Czech pub so we had a bit more of a walk around town and stumbled across this. It seems to be the case of every man needs to take his dog to this particular pub, maybe they had told their wives they were taking the dog for a walk rather than a pint, but we were happy to pat them. Funnily enough we bumped into the tour guide as we were leaving the pub, he was heading home after a long day at the brewery. We headed home and were finally able to cook for ourselves. It is amazing the simple things you take for granted in everyday life, such as having a kitchen where you can cook your own food.Wednesday was going to be a big day for us so we slept in a little longer. At midday we met at the hostel for a rafting tour. Not your average white water rafting but beer rafting Czech style. The group was huge, so it took a while to get started. We eventually we all piled into rafts upstream. We were in a boat with nine people, one American and the rest were friendly Irish. We were happy with this as many of the other boats were full of Aussies. Anyway all the boats pretty much stayed together anyway. Unlike other tours, there is no guide, we were given a boat and told to be back by 8pm. After the initial confusion of the Irish trying to paddle up stream we were on our way toward Krumlov. At times the paddling was unorganized or nonexistent, meaning we floated down the river sideways or backwards a lot of the way. It also bore the problem of ‘too many chiefs and not enough indians’, having only 4 paddles didn’t help either. A few of the girls were barking instructions, at each other. Finally, after 20 minutes, we made our first stop at a bar on the side of the river for a couple of beers.
Back on the boat the 3 boys sat up front, while the girls were down back with the paddles. This helped somewhat, as the boys entertained themselves while the girls bickered over which way we should be paddling! It was a great afternoon, rafting and drinking in the sun. There were not many rapids and the ones there were, were more like a ramp of water. Still our Irish captain somehow managed to nosedive the boat under the main bridge in town, throwing all nine people into the river. This was hilarious, the river is only knee deep so everyone was fine. For the second time in two days Christine endangered our camera. Once in the river she decided the best option was to throw it into the boat, and then proceeded to float off downstream. Two problems, the boat was full of water and there is no back wall on the raft. Luckily one of the guys found it before it fell out, we turned it back on, it worked, thanks waterproof feature! By the time Christine paddled back upstream, rather than walk, and everyone was back in the boat, there were hundreds of people gathered on the bridge above having a giggle, but I think we found it the funniest! As if we hadn’t already had enough to drink by 8pm, tonight the hostel was providing a free keg of beer, can’t pass up an opportunity like that! We ate some left over pasta from last night, much needed as we had only eaten half a pizza during the day. Then sat around the hostel with our new friends enjoying a keg of the local brew. 
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