Cesky Krumlov

I took the bus from Prague to Cesky Krumlov. It was very easy & cheaper than the train; it also did not require changing in Ceske Budejovice, which was good. As I was walking up from the bus station in Cesky Krumlov, all I heard was Pink Floyd wafting through the trees that obscured the town. Odd, but welcome - one of those little things that lets you know you're in exactly the right place at exactly the right moment. (It turns out a Czech tribute band was putting on an open air Floyd concert that night. I didn't even have to pay because I could watch from a lookout point near my hostel.)

The hostel I'm at right now (Krumlov House) is really more of a communal living situation in a regular house. I love it. The people are amazingly friendly & it's a welcome dose commraderie. I went mushroom and berry picking in the woods the other morning with a few people and we made a mushroom cream pasta sauce w/our findings. (The guy working the hostel first reviewed the mushrooms to ensure they weren't poisonous, but I was still a little nervous; the mushrooms turned blue when you cut them and then a little red when cooked down. Interesting...) There's also great vegetarian food in Cesky Krumlov & interesting/affordable bars (e.g. Horor Bar). Overall, this town has been a welcome respite from Prague and Croatia - just a quiet place to chill by the river, in the forest, or wandering about the old buildings; it just gets cold here at night, which is really bringing home the message that it's basically Fall now and that I may have to think about buying warmer clothes and/or actual shoes... :)

Tomorrow, I take a shuttle bus to Linz, Austria (450CZK or ~$18USD, only 1.5hrs) and then a train to Vienna (another 1.5hrs). I wanted to go to Salzburg, but the hostel situation was not looking good (i.e. most affordable things were booked). We'll see how Vienna goes... So far, I've only booked 3 nights there...