June 2

Yesterday was a bit of a sentimental and nostalgic journey. My grandparents on my father's side lived in a small village of Nová Ves and as a kid I used to ride a train there just about every weekend in the spring and summer. The railway line is one of those single track country spurs that runs about 60Km south east of Prague partly through the beautiful Vltava river valley and then climbs up to the top of the ridge where it continues along the top of the range through a bunch of small settlements and villages.

Cathie and I bought tickets and boarded the train at the Branik train station in Prague

and rode it to the end point at Dobříš.

The yellow train on the right was our train. A little three car diesel powered unit. The train did make a whistle stop at Nová Ves, however, I wasn't able to see my old grandparent's house from the train. 

This is some of the scenery that the train rolls through. The last time I rode this this line was when I was twelve! The train got a little newer and the tracks got a little bumpier. Other than that nothing much changed.

As a point of interest, the tickets cost us 196.00 CK return for both of us together. That wold be the equivalent of about five bucks each!

In the next couple of days we are going to do some last minute sightseeing in Prague, visit with my cousin's daughter at their cabin on the Vltava River, settle my internet bill, cancel my phone service, clean-up the apartment use of which was so graciously donated by my cousin"s friend whose mom owns the apartment but lives in Sweden, take my cousins to a farewell dinner to thank them for all they've done for us, pack and get ready to fly home on Monday. Not looking forward to the goodbyes.