Trebic - only 1 night

 I really enjoyed my two days in Znojmo, and as luck would have it, I had brilliant weather yesterday and woke to rain this morning. It wouldn’t have seemed anywhere near as dramatic and stunning in the rain!

On arrival I had seen this little green and yellow train at the station. It really looked like something out of a children’s book, but no, it’s a perfectly good and very comfortable train. It took me to an unpronounceable station, where I had a one hour wait for the connection.

On every train there is a conductor and on this train we stopped at every tiny station, where amazingly there was always a little man or woman in uniform, with a red cap, whose sole job it seems, is to wave to the conductor whilst he blows his whistle. The conductor at least has to run to the door to blow his whistle, but the stationmaster only moves the bare minimum! Considering how empty the train was, I can’t imagine they make a profit, especially as it’s so cheap.

Somehow I lost the photo of the midway station. Presumably in its hay day it had been a bustling place with multiple tracks and mounds of earth beside them used as platforms, but now only about three trains an hour stop there. Three lots of hand waving from the stationmaster per hour!

As my little train left, I felt somewhat deserted! Not a soul around for the next half an hour. The stationmaster disappeared completely ! At least there was a spacious waiting room. 

Anyway, people arrived before my connecting train and fortunately I had help with my suitcase. Men of all ages here are very ready to help a struggling old dear with luggage! Very kind and respectful. I’m pleased they do, because trains are really hard to get in and out of, being really high off the ground.

Boy was I glad to see a taxi at the station! Google Maps said my 14-minute walk to the station would be mainly flat. Mr Google had obviously never been here. As is the case with every city I have visited in Czech Republic, they are all on hills, generally for protection against former enemies! This time, it would have been more down hill than up, but a cheap taxi was certainly a great option to get me to the Jewish Quarter of the town. 

What a lovely apartment it is, up in the roof again. The owner kindly came and helped me to carry my case up two flights of stairs. She’s taking me to the bus station tomorrow.

I spent a wonderful afternoon exploring the Jewish Town which together with the Jewish Cemetery became a Unesco Heritage Site over twenty years ago. 

I don’t know what it is at the moment about hills, but I seem to be drawn to them. Of course, they do give you the best possible view over the towns or cities. As I headed uphill to the Cemetery, I really enjoyed the spectacular clouds rolling in over the surrounding hills. They made the city look even more colourful. 

I stopped to chat to one of the very few people I have met who speaks good English. I did also use some of my Czech, which is certainly improving, very slowly, 

The above photo shows two of the main attractions here, the Waldstein Castle and St. Procopius’ Basilica.

I continued up to the Jewish Cemetery, a huge area, apparently one of the largest in Czech Republic. The oldest tombstones date back 400 years, and there are , of course, memorials to victims of the World Wars.

It’s actually a very pretty place and yet there is naturally a very somber feel about it.

I made my way across the Jewish quarter to the Castle, treading carefully on some pretty crazy roads. I will never complain again about Christchurch roads! Actually, here and in other places, a lot of buildings are in disrepair, to the point that you don’t notice the cracks and missing parts all of the time. 

I found the streets of the Jewish area really interesting, with many historical houses, many restored and others nearly completed. Getting out of the door nearest to me in the photo would be like getting off the train.,

The Basilica was very grand, dating back to 1230 but with lots of restorations throughout the centuries.

It’s really pleasant down by the River Jihlava. Tonight there’s a festival in the Jewish Quarter and the river banks are popular with the locals. 

It’s a very attractive town, but I think one day is sufficient unless you have a car to visit the area around it.

I wandered over to Charles Square, one of the largest squares in Czech Republic, but to me although there are lots of colourful, historic houses, it was the least attractive, lacking totally in life! Maybe during the day it’s more vibrant, but tonight I think everyone was in the Jewish quarter. I think it’s been spoilt a bit because half of the area is a car park.

I don’t think I will be sleeping early tonight. There are bands playing everywhere, and my room is between two very different types of music. I did spend an hour listening to one group who were very good. These guys in their garage were probably the best.

New Zealand might be far away but it felt close to me as I stood under this massive balloon.

Just metres down the road was the band I listened to earlier and can hear very clearly as I write this! It was really interesting watching the crowd. I have noticed that most people here don’t worry about fashion too much, and in general wear very ordinary clothes. I feel very much at home. Nobody seems to want to be glamorous, even the young. The women in particular look so different to many Spanish women, who tend to be heavily made up, etc. of course, I’m generalising a bit. 

The other very noticeable difference to Spain is the lack of animation on people’s faces, even at festivals. Perhaps by now they will be smiling more, once alcohol kicks in. I’m upstairs and can’t see them. 

Tomorrow I am heading down the road a couple of hours to Trenton, which I believe will be much more of a rural town.