Back to Reality

I arrived back on Saturday evening from my Czech trip, and after spending a couple of days in Norfolk staying with my father, it was back to work with a vengeance this morning.

 There’s a lot to write about, and I intend to do this in the fullness of time, but in the meantime I just want to say how different, and refreshing it was to go to a place well off the normal tourist trails of Prague, and to see a bit of the real Czech Republic. 

We visited historic old towns, caught in a time warp, as well as work-a-day industrial towns which help power the national economy. In between was some of the most pleasing countryside I have been fortunate to gaze upon; with rolling hills, dense forests and stretches of verdant green pasture. There were numerous fish ponds dotting the landscape, providing a renewable source of fresh fish for the many picturesque villages which abound in this part of the country; settlements linked by winding country roads, lined by blossom-laden apple trees, all looking particularly splendid at this time of year.

There were also attractive old pubs serving hearty and tasty meals with plenty of excellent beer to wash the food down. Even better was the fact that both beer and food were available at prices last seen in the west many years ago. And all this enjoyed in the company of friends and like-minded people. The only thing lacking was some warm weather and sunshine; but then you can’t have everything.

I had a great time, and enjoyed sights and experiences I wouldn’t have missed for the world. Over the next few weeks, I plan to share some of them with you.