Cesky Krumlov

Torrential rain greeted us in Cesky Krumlov, but it didn't put a damper on exploring the city. The Cesky Castle is perfectly perched on top of sharp rock and a steep hill across the meandering river that runs through the sleepy town. The town's name is derived from Cesky meaning Czech and Krumlov, which is to meander through a specific watercourse. I took the day to relax and later tried a local treat which is fresh pastry baked around a hot metal roller, then covered in cinnamon and sugar. I would say this is similar to a Beaver Tail at Blue Mountain or Quebec City....but you get more bang for your buck in Cesky...super filling. The rain eventually stopped and I could get mz camera out to capture the layered red and orange peak roofs and the view from the castle walls. Had the weather been slightly warmer I would have taken a raft down the Vltava river.
It was a nice break to visit the quaint little town, and next I'm off to Vienna!

Prague

Wowie! This city is awesome! Every corner you turn there is a new variety of architecture. A delightful cruise down the main canal was perfect for viewing the sights built along the water. The Astronomical Clock is a main attraction for most tourists with its rotating golden hands and trumpeting sound at every hour. Our group stayed in private apartments just off the main square, which were a riot to celebrate our final night, and a group member's birthday. To set the evening off, a massive thunderstorm hit the city which finally cooled things off for the next part of the trip. It was hard to see everything is such a short amount of time, but I would highly recommend visiting this unique city.

Krakow

A suprisingly relaxing overnight train out of Berlin delivered me safely to Krakow, Poland. This city's dark past is reflected in the monuments surrounding the city center. In the afternoon of day one some of us took a bus to the Wielicyka Salt mine and explored 136 m below the ground. Having never seen Goderich's salt mine, it was interesting to see. Day two took most of our group to Auschwitz and Birkenau. While having a general understanding of the mass execution of the Jewish, Polish and even German people, it was very overwhelming to stand on the soil of the concentration/death camps. Birkenau in particular was so vast, with it's main gates (recognized in the film Schindler's List) and double rail tracks that run further than I could see. Old farmer's barns were used to house over 800 people at a time with the most horrifying hygenic conditions.
Visiting Krakow was an emotional experience, but away from the sadness, the historical city was perfect for a cold beer on the main square after sun down.