Another Train, Bus and a Plane

That’s us on the Olomouc web cam!

We are sitting in the Prague Airport. We are making a late addition to our plans. Our friend Jordan begged us to come and visit. We first met him in 2016. He was just a kid…well maybe a university student. Later he would take a semester abroad and studied in Atlanta GA. During Thanksgiving the college closed down so we flew him to Boise to spend a week during Thanksgiving. Now married, he wants to hosts us, it just requires a slight change of plans.  

After returning from Mikulov we were in Olomouc for another 4 days.  We spent time roaming some old haunts and reminiscing of times past. I needed another Sazava bakery fix and another trip to the Center of the Universe with Jared.  

The next day we were transferred to Veronika and Jirka’s home for a couple nights. They too have spent time in Boise. Veronika had a Fulbright to study NGO operations for 6 months at BSU. Like Jordan they experienced an American Thanksgiving at our home along with some exploring of Idaho’s nature. They returned the favor. We stayed in their home in the Village of Majetín about 10 km outside of Olomouc. We had fun storming another medieval castle, toured an open air museum depicting early life in CZ, ate lunch on top of a mountain that I was assured had a wonderful view through the mist and clouds. Then we shared a wonderful time with their weekly Bible Study group in their home. It was bittersweet to say goodbye.  

Negotiating CZ public transportation is becoming second nature. The RegioJet train to Prague was most comfortable and enjoyable, especially with their steward cart service of food and drink. Traveling two hours by train is so much more relaxing than CZ car traffic. We almost walked straight on to the AE bus (remember what that was from 4 weeks ago?). After being dropped off at the terminal we found a luggage storage facility so we couple travel lite in Amsterdam. We will be back in 5 days. Then we will fly home. 

Why fly back to Prague only to fly again to Amsterdam and then SLC/BOI? It’s complicated. Short version: airlines will not allow us to skip our first leg of the original flight without rebooking the entire flight at today’s fare price. If we just skip it, they will cancel our entire flight. So we booked a cheap flight with EasyJet, Europes answer to JetBlue.

So we sit again in the concourse watching humanity carry on. 

Catching up with friends: on to Olomouc and a side trip to Mikulov

 It was 2018 when we last saw our friends in the Czech Republic.  Tomáš was a single young man in university. Now he is married with two young boys and teaching at the university in Brno. We had a most enjoyable time on a walk and dinner with him on the edge of Brno. 

Jitka was pursuing a graduate school and helped her with applications to attend in the US. Now she works in IT and is married living in Brno. 

Reconnecting with friends and seeing how they have navigated adulthood was a blessing for us. 

On to Olomouc. Another train took us to the familiar train station in Olomouc where Jared met us. Our first stop was the Center of the Universe, where politics is not allowed to be spoken. But stinky cheese and pivo is highly recommended.  

We are staying with The Jared and Daniela in their home on the hill overlooking Olomouc where hikes just outside their door are in order. 

Then it was onward to more wine country, Mikulov with a 10 mike hike through vineyards before a tour of the Holy Hill and dropping down into the village of Mikulov with another castle storming and a Mercedes parade.

 Then a shorthop to the next village of Sidlec for the Sidlecká Vína wine festival.

On our return to Olomouc we stopped at the Lednice Chateau.