Cesky Krumlov

Of hauntings.

Had a day trip to this beautiful town whose street layout hasn't altered since medieval times, coming from Australia, this is both mind boggling and strangely comforting.

Our guide is informative as we walk around the town. He tells us of the White Lady from the 15th century whose husband abused her and who haunts the halls of the castle. The priest who fell asleep in the confessional (I can imagine how boring that could be sometimes) only to awake and find the congregation had left and ghosts had moved in. His hair turned white overnight.

The worst story was the gruesome tale of Emperor Rudolf II"s illegitimate son, Don Julius, born around 1586. He was a dangerous schizophrenic who had to be sent away from the court (after a series of unfortunate events, you don't want to know), to Cesky Krumlov's castle where he met and fell in love with the bloodletter's daughter. Bloodletter's in those days were the medics of the time, believing that by taking the blood, you removed the ill humours of the person. Thus he was summoned to treat Don Julius's humours (which were decidedly ill) and he brought with him his daughter. Don Julius became obsessed with her. He convinced the family to let her live with him but eventually he brutally attacked her and threw her off the castle wall. Luckily, she landed on a pile of garbage and survived but when she healed, he demanded that she be brought back to the castle. Her mother eventually allowed her to return and then he brutally murdered her. His father imprisoned him in the castle for life where he went mad and died in the room where the murder was committed. Europe's aristocratic society was horrified. I decide not to go into the castle....

We lunch at the Two Marys, a restaurant in a 500 year old house overlooking the river that wraps around the town. The food is hearty and we need it, it's freezing here. Pork sausage, cabbage, potato and smoked paprika soup. Smoky chicken with weird vegetable patties that have the earthy taste of root vegetables and a hot spiced wine.

Fortified, I go to the castle tower, to climb the steep stairs to get a view which is spectacular, framed by the river and the wintry treescape.

Then there's a bit of time time to look around. There are beautiful Xmas markets and wonderful pottery and glass shops. I buy more presents here than anywhere else I've been.

The buildings here are beautifully maintained, the murals stunning, their colours lighting up the otherwise grey day. It must be magic here at night with all the Xmas lights strung throughout the town but I'm back to Prague and then moving on the next morning.

Prague.

Of elegance and swans.

Prague station is an art nouveau wonder and again, dressed magically for Xmas. My hotel is opposite the Erotic club and on the edge of the red light district so should be an interesting stay. Wenceslas square is awaiting my exploration , this is the location of the famous Xmas market. The song, Good King Wenceslas comes to mind, the famous Bohemian king who journeyed through the harsh winter to give gifts to the poor. The square is very grand and elegant. The market is small compared to Hamburg and the art in the stalls feels heavier, darker somehow. I don't know why.

It's freezing. I find a tavern to warm up in and have duck with cabbage, dumplings and hot cider, which is the thing to have. Then on my walkabout, I come across a Cubist Cafe, Cerna Madona, built in 1911 in the House of the Black Madonna, which originally referred to a sculpture that once adorned it but does no longer. The Black Madonnas are still being looked into as to whether they depicted Mary, who was of eastern origin and very likely had dark skin but was possibly changed over time to a white Christian representation. This is an amazing cake shop. I order a coconut one in a choc coconut shell filled with a coconut mousse with a ball of mango couli in the middle.

Then I spend the afternoon looking at the beautiful architecture, all gelato colours with red roofs. Baroque, Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance architecture ,in tact and lovingly cared for. On my way home, as I pass through another food market, it snows! I put my head back and feel the snowflakes fluttering onto my skin. Tourists are stopping, the natives have seen it all before.

The next morning, I've booked to go to the Prague Castle. As usual, I allowed myself too much time to get there and suffer in the cold and gentle but icy rain. There's another market setting up and there's a chimney cake stall, the perfume of sweet yeasty dough and vanilla floating on the air, enticing me but although they are just removing them ready to sell, it is not exactly the right time and they are quite rude about it. And so I wait in the rain with all the other crazy tourists under their umbrellas. The castle, built in the 9th century, is the largest castle in Europe. It's perched on a slight hill overlooking the Vltava River. The castle itself wasn't that interesting but the Golden Mile was, it's full of old houses done up from a century ago.

After wandering through them, I go back for my Chimney cake or Trdelnik, (because I wasn't going home without one, no matter how rude they were and they were still a bit taciturn). It's strips of dough wound around a wooden stick, glazed with sugar and grilled over open coals and filled with all manner of good things. I had mine with melted chocolate. It was a messy business as I ate it under the huge Xmas tree, but worth it.

I walked back slowly, the colours of late winter watercolouring the landscape with golds, rusts and reds, past all the tourists spending ages positioning themselves for the best selfie or Instagram shot. Then down to a section of the river where there is a large swan colony with their big babies waddling after them. Then past a gingerbread shop that lured me in with the smell of spices, full of beautiful biscuits and gingerbread houses and onto a cafe to warm up but truly, customer service is not the best in this city. You're ignored until you make yourself known but they're probably sick of tourists.

On the way home, I stop again at the Cubist cafe where the staff at least notice you've arrived. I have a beautiful Blueberry mousse cake this time. That night I eat at Deminka restaurant, established in 1886, with art nouveau components and one of the longest running establishments in Prague. The staff here are super friendly. I have salmon with potato and pea mash. Food and wine are cheap here.

The next day I go to the famous Dancing House, (or Fred and Ginger as they call it here because it looks like a pair of dancers), built in 1992 near the river. The Fred and Ginger dancing label got dropped later because it was built on a site of historical significance which was bombed by the U.S in 1945, which is slightly ironic. It's stunning architecturally and I meet a guy from Equador who is trying to take a selfie and then we end up taking each other's photos. It's amazing how we don't think twice about handing our phones over for photo ops!

Then I'm off to the famed Charles Bridge with it's grandiose statues, straddling the river and leading into the old town. I'm ready for coffee but am left alone yet again at a cafe but I'm grudgingly served when I go to find someone.

I go through Mala Strana, the historical centre of Prague, passing the water mill and other cute art shops and quirky cafes where they actually serve you with a smile. And then back over the bridge.

Then I inadvertently stumble upon the Municipal building...an art nouveau masterpiece! I don't know where to look. I find out it houses Alphonse Mucha works, a favourite artist of mine whom I've always thought was Spanish but he's Czech! I have chocolate cake and prosecco in the beautiful cafe and sit and watch the idle rich of Prague, dressed in jewels and fur.

And next there's the tour of the Klementinum, originally a Jesuit University, built 1722. It's famous for housing one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, Strahov, an exquisite Baroque masterpiece holding 20,000 books, with exquisite frescoes and a collection of antique globes. We can only look from behind a barrier but it's stunning. They also have the Astronomical Tower, which has been recording local weather there since the 1700's. Even though we have to tramp up many tiny stair treads, the view is worth it.

I recommend Prague in the winter, it seems right to be here with the soft falling snow, to be able to appreciate the hearty Czech meals and to drink the hot cider and for the Xmas decorations that dazzle during the day and twinkle at night. It's such an elegant old beauty.

Tomorrow I'm off to Cesky Krumlov for the day.

Leipzig.

Home of Bach and chocolate!

I'm sent off with Xmas cake, apple and water and I'm leaving for Leipzig, which boasts the biggest railway station in Europe. It was built in 1842, obviously rebuilt after the war and added onto but it's beautiful and is all dressed up for Xmas. My Hotel 24 is not far from the station and after dropping off my bags, I'm off to more Xmas markets! This is my career of choice - going from one to another in the spirit of Xmas.

These are amazing! These, as in more than one. They have a Medieval, Austrian, Finnish and a Children's market. Smaller markets than Hamburg but so festive. I follow the scent of spices to find the one in the main square, cinnamon, cloves, apple, nuts roasting and being tossed in caramel. I have a wholemeal bun stuffed with hot cheese and ham from the medieval market; chocolate Kirsch hot wine from the Austrian market and I leave with another mug to pack into my bag.

I finish my Xmas shopping here, there's a shop of tiny gingerbread Xmas houses, delicately decorated biscuits and marzipan cakes. By the late afternoon the market is packet with people standing at the wine stalls, gluwein is de rigueur in the cooling early evening.

I go to the town hall for a view out over the square and the markets and then I find a lovely old restaurant, Zill's Tunnel, 1785. I have duck with the softest feather light dumplings, apple and cabbage with a rich cider sauce. The clientele is impeccably dressed. The cafes and restaurants full at 6.30! Loving it here where they eat early. Walking home under a full moon past the markets all lit up, it's like a scene out of a Xmas movie. Soft flakes of snow fall on me. My idea of heaven.

The next day starts at the Riguet cafe, an art nouveau beauty topped with a pagoda tyle turret, it's beautiful inside and out. Then I'm off to see the two main churches, St Nicholas and St Thomas where Bach used to be the music director.

I lunch on a selection of Quarkballen - nougat, gluwein and apple flavoured. All out carb fest!

There are beautiful arcades here and interesting shops so I walk it off or so I tell myself. The markets beckon me in again. I love all the different themes. Dinner is a mushroom and leek stew with - you guessed it - dumplings. Oh, and sour cream served in a tavern/beer hall from medieval times with wooden booths and buxom waitresses in traditional garb. Don't bother to come to these northern countries without cream being the star of the menu.

Tomorrow I'm off to Prague in the Czech Republic.