Hotel U Zvonu Plzen

... part of the plant but one line was running so we saw the bottles scuttle past on their way to being filled.<br><br> We wound our way through the plant and saw a multimedia presentation on the brewing of Pilsner Urquell. They mash it or boil it three times which is unusual. They also hop it three times. Using Saaz hops from the region. A few years ago, there were several natural hops ...

I seemed to have developed a taste for beer on this trip (partly b/c it's too hot to drink wine!!) and no tour to Czech republic would be complete with a tour of the Pilsner Urquell brewery...<br> <br><br>The town of Pilsner is fairly nondescript (ie/ it has no redeeming features, other than a summer installation of a pilsner beer garden and a bouncy ...

Today we went to the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Plzen. Pilsner, the type of beer, originated here, where Pilsner Urquell was brewed from local crops and local mineral water. The tour was awesome. We saw the traditional brew kettles and the modern ones, as well as a very modern new packaging plant. We also tasted some unpastuerized beer directly from fermenting barrels.<br>

... 5L Pilsner Urquells. We got bored there and stumbled around until walking through an alley and finding Zach's Pub. Here the beer was all of 75 cents for a half liter of Gambrinus which is just as or more delicious than Pilsner Urquell; no need to say that I barely remember the walk back to the pension after experiencing Czech pub life to the fullest. We planned on staying in Plzen for two nights but when we woke up in the morning ...

... you know that I have been privileged enough to visit quite a few brewery tours (including whiskey.. etc etc..) and this one was just as unique as the others. They showed us their brewing process and took us on the tour of the cellar -- where the last remaining Cooper's are employed (only 10.._) and showed how they used to store and haul the liquid bread. Then came the climax ...

Arrived in Karlstejn on the "City Elephant" train at 1.20pm and walked 2km to the Karlstejn Castle. Went on the 2.30pm English tour of the castle which took about an hour. No photography allowed inside the castle. Took in the views over the town before walking back to the train station and catching the train back to Prague.

... less exciting. We visited the Czech Export Bank and Mearsk Logistics. About half the group went to the Opera to see the Marriage of Figarro, but I stayed behind to catch up on my beauty sleep! Actually I had a rough night at the disco and need to rest up for the rest of week. By the way, my luggage is somewhere in the hotel. They delivered it to our professor and I'll get it in the morning.

... on the bridge most days which is quite nice in the sunlight. Weather has been great except for today where it rained off and on. The rest of the week has been warmer than it was in Portugal!! Definitely spring time now and the trees are starting to bloom, funny the trees in Portugal were blooming a month ago already. There are some gorgeous churhes here, lots of spires and domes and great views from the castle over the whole city. The Vltava is still quite high, but not ...

... and angels, and everywhere gold. Mozart played the organ here in 1787. It was so cold in the church that not only the audience, but the choir and orchestra were bundled up in coats and hats. The main work was a Christmas mass by Jan Ryba, a Czech composer from the 1700s, based on early folk tunes. Back at the apartment we received phone calls from Hans and Rebecca, and it was wonderful to hear their voices. We cooperated on a Christmas supper of roast duck, dumplings, and cranberries. Tomorrow we head back to Bratislava.

... is still warm. The main bread is a coarse, brown bread with a thick crust. They bake it in huge loaves and usually cut them in half and sell them in halves. No one seems to mind that some people, while they are shopping, pick out a rohlik(finger roll) and eat it right there. I don't know if they tell the cashier when they check out. The church we are attending is 700 years old. The interior is nothing special, but the exterior is fascinating. It has a definite East European look ...