Family reunion...

We follow the Vltava River valley south west between steeply wooded hills, and cross the river three times. Firstly by a metal structure covered in worn planks, then a rusty metal, open mesh gangway, attached to the side of a railway bridge. Finally a rather narrow bike lane on a road bridge. Here at DOBRICHOVICE it is clear what the old grannies need their industrial size shopping trollies for, as an old dear leaves the Co-op pushing a very large LPG cylinder, for all her household needs.
The gentle cycling is over as we leave the valley, climbing for 10 miles through wooded hills. The large town of PRIBRAM is quiet of lorries as it's Saturday, and then the final stage through tiny villages amongst arable fields. The GPS brings us straight to sister Jane's door (it was our first visit). Their newly built house is right by the lakeside on the edge of the village of NESTRASOVICE.


From their balcony we watch swallows catching insects over the lake and herons and harriers fly in and out of the reed beds.


Jane tells us the lake is owned by the local major landowner who drains it once a year, to fish out all the carp, and keep them in tanks ready for the very busy demand of the Christmas season. There are flotillas of mallards destined for the table too.
They feed us up with local dishes, including deep fried cauliflower (smazeny kvetak), fist-sized herby meatballs (sekana) and big round biscuits (oplatky), washed down with local beer (budvar).
In the village centre is a large deserted farm and outbuildings, and we have seen similar seemingly abandoned homes and businesses elsewhere. Apparently these were taken from their owners for State ownership during the communist period. Since the fall of communism, they have been "restituted" to former owners, but in some cases there is no one left to return them to, or they cannot afford to repair them, so the buildings fall into decay.

Location:PRAGUE to NESTRASOVICE