The Plzen hl.n., short for main train station, has the best looking sweets and breads in town, so we started our Sunday there. The plan for the day was to visit a little water castle an hour south by train. We started by getting on the wrong train, facing the wrong direction, but the train had arrived at the correct time. A maintenance worker in bright orange came through to clear the train. With friendly smiles and hand signals and a smattering of German, we found that our rylich, fast train was "caput" somewhere between Prague and Plzen. Confirming this with a family, the German speaking 80ish senior was so concerned that we get the right train that he led me by hand back into the train information center and waitted while I got the scoop in English. Then he noted that "he would make sure we got on the right train and which station to get off" since they were heading the same way. Then we boarded another empty car, with others also boarding, and waitted for an engine to come hook up to us -- a very short train indeed. During the trip it was amusing to catch the kind senior's eye, watching for the ney and finally OK nod. People really want to help and folks older than 60 still speak fluent German, and my minimal knowledge of numbers and courtesies are helping.
Svihov was originally built with an outside moat, and a complicated system to flood the inside 24 feet moat, now a grassy area, as well as a center area. It had an outside wall, an inside wall, and the buildings. One of the kings at the time decided that rebels could cause trouble and retreat to this well-fortified haven, so he had the whole eastern half of the walls torn down. From the available pictures it had been a veritable fortress.
From there we took the train to the next stop Klatovy and enjoyed sunset dinner on the cobbled square. Everyone was clammering for ice cream and we saw an older couple walk their bikes through town, looked like locals. Wish I could get Lonnie on the bike. Still no pictures of Lonnie but now I am working on it. Note the new cover picture from yesterday's local walk.
Julie
Note: that is the "royal potty" in the center where it hangs out over the side. Practical.
This is the inside moat area, which could have been flooded with water if under attack.
Rapeseed plant in full bloom. They use the seeds to make canola oil, the green for animal food. The field aroma is soooo sweet.
I was waitting to film the train, but it was actually 15 minutes late, a rarity. Note the hair on the other guy - doubt he was a local.
