September 20

The jet lag is receding fast. The breakfast layout appealed to this Russian American, with herring and head cheese to go along with the oatmeal. The Hotel Ruze is filled with medieval references, including manikins, one dressed like the Pope, while another, a short distance away, looks like Rasputin in a hair shirt. Oh, how I wanted to exchange their costumes, but this is maybe not wise in a Catholic country.

The ride was excellent, short but through beautiful country. We had one major hill, and I envied Mary Ann who tore up it on her road bike. The rest of us got off and walked, although my Mary made it pretty far, standing on her pedals. Our ride took us through the town of Ceske Budejovice, home to the original Budweiser beer. In taste the American Bud is to Budweiser as pig slop is to Mom's chicken soup. Crossed the Vltava River here.

On a magical stretch of 17th Century farmland Mary saw a deer gallop down the highway, and a few of us saw Baba Yaga, or Jezibaba in Czech, a crone straight out of a dark fairy tale. She burst out of the forest carrying faggots on her back. All that was missing was the cackle of pleasure that now she had material to heat the soup kettle containing the children she intended to cook for dinner. Next I heard the merry sound of shot guns taking down game birds. Yes, Fall is here.

At a farmhouse we stopped for a fantastic lunch, prepared by a farming family. It included a savory spinach strudel, one of the best things I have eaten on the trip. I began consuming beers since I had the option of riding back to the hotel in the bicycle van. Given the alternative of climbing back up a long slow grade in threatening weather, it was an easy choice.

Dinner was at the Catacomby restaurant, a very noisy subterranean speakeasy. The names of all of our group come easily now. I captured a nice photo of each of the Black sisters.

I recall Zuzana's comment about how under Communism the country was gray. Even the people were gray. That is not the case now. Many buildings are splashed with color, such as the pink farmhouse where we ate lunch. She said that the economy is still behind much of Europe, and that one noticed this immediately upon crossing the border into Austria, which we will do tomorrow. Speaking of Zuz, she came to dinner dressed in a traditional Dirndl, used in the CR as well as Austria and Germany.