Kvilda

Kvilda is a wee little town in the Sumava (shoo-mava) National Forest, a swath of green along the Czech/German border. We went there to round out our Bohemian exploration--we'd been in a hip city, a university town and a castle town, and wanted to spend some time in a rural area. Fiona, our election night friend, also recommended it. And, we love the forest.

The approach to the Sumava. Winding country roads through rolling hills.









We passed many quaint little villages like this one.


















We saw this large solar array outside a small village. On some homes, you'll see solar panels on the roof, and smoke coming out of the chimney. Most homes still use wood for their heating.









We arrived in Kvilda just before dusk. It is a small launching point for forest trails, biking, and skiing. There is one main road, maybe four pensiones, a few apartment buildings for seasonal rental. Pretty much everything was closed except for the Sumava Inn, a lodge-style hotel with lots of wood and fireplaces. It was owned by a young couple from Prague who grew up in the area.

In their restaurant, Joe had a meal of game. Goose liver dumpling soup, and a venison steak with bilberry sauce and dilly potatoes. Check out the color of his Magnum beer.









Our inn, and our zippy car (a Czech make, Skoda).












The next day we hiked up to the mouth of the Vitava River, which we'd seen in Prague and Cesky Krumlov.









And there it is! The mighty Vitava starts as a trickle.












The hike was along a forest road and began and ended in cow and horse pasture. There's Kvilda in the distance.









Kvilda was a peaceful place to end our time in the Czech Republic (we were both a little sad about this chapter coming to a close). Full of fresh air and legs stretched, we hopped in the car for our next adventure: the region of Hessen, and the autobahn.