Sept  28

With nothing to do, I decided to take a bus to Telc, for a day trip. I needed a day away from Prague and all the problems. Telc is a small town about 160 km from Prague. I visited there on my first trip to the Czech Republic, and then came back with Sandy a few years later.

The main attraction is its main square.

I am of the opinion that the town square is a mainly European tradition. Aside from Tienamin Square in Beijing, I can't think of any other Asian city that has a central gathering place, where  people can meet.

                                                                                                                                                                                In Europe every town, and most cities have a place where locals can

congregate, enjoy the outdoors, and gossip. Before TV, radio, and even newspapers, the town square is where all the action was.

Even now most families live in crowded conditions, and the town square is where families will gather, young couple have some degree of privacy, and kids can run around. Not so much in the big cities, but certainly in the smaller communities.

One of my favourite things is to sit at a cafe at the local square and just people watch.

You can still do this, although TV, and now the Internet, keep people at home. It still attracts teens, and families.

To get back to Telc. The old town, from the 13th century, is on a piece of land, surrounded, on three sides, by large man-made ponds, which, at one time were stocked with fish. The square is unique in its architecture. The houses are not majestic, they are two stories high, all with gables, and beautifully decorated and maintained. It is a charming place.

There is also a Renaissance chateau, from the 17th century, with a lovely English garden. It replaced a small castle built in the 14th century. Around the town is a lovely park. It's not on the tourist tour itinerary, and so its peaceful and lovely. Just what I needed.

I took the bus for the three hour ride, and, on the way there, the route was on secondary roads, with several stops. The countryside is lovely; fairly flat, with rolling hills. Lots of farms, with small villages. The villages are clean, and prosperous. 

The geography of this part of the Czech Republic is similarly flat to Poland. Good farm country, but also the easiest route for European armies to invade Asia, and vice versa. For centuries this part of Europe has been overrun by invaders. The Nazis in 1939, the Soviets in 1945, are only the latest. The resilience of the people is amazing.

Telc was as lovely as I remembered. I wandered through the town, the gardens, and the parks, and had a nice lunch, right on the square. It had warmed up by noon, around 16, and sunny skies. 

I must say that one of the interesting sight was a family with three poodles, made up like I have never seen before. Incredible.

The trip back was faster, the bus took mainly highways. I was grateful.

Some of the buildings on the square