pics #284 - #299

Friday December 10th - White Crystal Worldbridger
Leaving Prague today. FINALLY. The day starts with the snowy and paved streets in the historical area. Then comes the main road going south and I mistakenly get on a highway. After reaching the right national road the cycling is easy, flat along the calm river. Though after each stop I feel pain in my left knee -the one without trouble so far-. While I am  warming my lunch near the church of Stěchovice, a man invites me to eat home. He offers me tea and wash my dishes while keeping his dogs to quiet. He is the Polish priest of the village, and I am grateful for his help. An example of what a good Christian can be when following Jesus’ teachings.

          Church and presbytery of Stěchovice

Soon after that village, the national road stops: on the map it turns from red to yellow, in reality, from black to white. Leaving the banks of the river, I am cycling through some snow, crossing villages while it is getting dark. There is a big descent to a bridge over the Vltava, and a looong ascension following it. In the restaurant, in Sedlčany, the staff speaks to me German, logic: in Czech Republic, a majority of tourists are the richer neighbors from Austria and Germany. Pointing with my fingers two main courses to have enough nourishment as the only vegetable served are fries. One is a Czech specialty: fried Hermelin cheese. Karel, the husband of my host Kamila, finds me there and gets me to the house where Kamila arrives soon. We start passionate talks: she is learning ashtanga yoga on her own, knows friends who cycle-toured to India and back...

Saturday December 11th - Blue Cosmic Hand
After last nights’s late talks waking up happens late. Getting downstairs from breakfast, I am already concerned about time. Though Kamila and Karel are just back from groceries to prepare breakfast: eggs, cheeses, cereals... I listen to my heart, say my belly, and enjoy a delicious breakfast while going on with long talks. When I leave it is 11h30. I feel sad to leave so kind people, as well as leaving so late. Sun is shining and will be permanently hidden within 20 minutes. That was the good part of the day. My left knee hurts more than yesterday, the relief is more pronounced and cycling up takes ages as I can’t push much.

          Vysoký Chlumec: castle, village ... and hills

          By riding those the day would be easier

When reaching a top, a strong headwind prevents me of taking any speed and strongly brakes me in descents. This way it goes, up and down, extremely slow. I lunch cold, not willing to waste more time in cooking. There is no point in taking the nice road, I follow the direct one to Písek. Again a big downhill to meet another bridge over the Vltava, and a long uphill. All the way, all the day, against the wind. Finally it is Pisek with its bridge, the oldest of the country. Three more uphill kilometers, while snow starts, to Topělec and Pavlina. She, her son and girlfriend, invite me to the Indian restaurant where my appetite impress them. What a hard day!

           Písek: Starý most -old bridge-

Sunday December 12th - Yellow Magnetic Star
On the suggestion of Pavlina, I have decided to rest today, it's better for my knees. There are lazy cuddly cats in the house. I read a lot, about the starting Yellow star wavespell -maya calendar-, and in the “Jivamukti yoga” book. In both cases I feel involved, in synchronicity with these readings. I am currently in a dilemma, listening to my body and hurting knees, or to my mind that says to reach the Donau as soon as possible to avoid getting stuck in colder days? For now, I consciously know it is unconscious to go on cycling, which I will do. To prevent too much damage, I will ride shorter daily distance, hydrate myself very regularly, not push at all on the knees. In the evening I discover that after yoga practice, my knees do not ache as much as before. Something to do each morning before cycling

Monday December 13th - Red Lunar Moon
Pavlina leaves for work at eight. It is very good for me to leave at the same time, my personal discipline needing help. Starting the day this early leaves me plenty of time to ride slowly and gently with my knees and enjoy the -5ºC. Sun is shining, that makes it fantastic to cycle in the white landscape, on the roads above a layer of snow and a layer of ice. If I were to be religious, no doubt I would adore our star. Its heat is warming me, its light makes the landscape beautiful. At lunch time, I have troubles using the stove, -again!- and will eat cold in the cold. While I am not feeling the cold during cycling, a long pause in this weather allows my body to cool down and gets my fingers freezing.

           Village of Hosín from the frozen Vltava

Soon after lunch my route meets the Vltava river, to follow until the city center of České Budějovice, known in German as Budweis -thus Budweiser bier-. Its old center is surrounded by a can, almost like the Netherlands. My host Marketa is kindly indicating me where to find outdoor shops and a good doctor.

           České Budějovice

pics #284 - #299

Tuesday December 14th - White Electric Dog
Two issues to solve today. Starting with the stove I successfully have it lit and burning. It remains to go the hospital for my knees. There a doctor examines me and diagnoses an over-use. As insurances and hospital administrations are complicated he gets me the drugs and goodbye, it's free. Very nice from him. Again there are the cult pain killers, the blinding mask of modern medicine.

           České Budějovice: town square

At night Marketa gets me to a concert of some friends of her, a great rock band with an accordion player and joyful guitar solos. The beer is cheap, the ambiance is good, the audience is shaking on the rhythm. I love rock’n roll! I have a thought for my good friends of Brothers On The Edge, I wish I'd support them during their concerts in Utrecht area. Doing good music makes people feel good. In this good mood, we walk back home, on a fresh layer of snow: it is an early and tough winter in Czech Republic as well.