Drinking with the locals

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A discussion on a Travel Bulletin Board led to my meeting with Karin, a native Municher. I had never met her before, so when I arrived in the city, I phoned and arranged to meet her where Rosenheimstrasse meets the bridge over the River Isar. I parked and phoned her again to say I was at our rendez-vous point. “Where are you exactly?” she enquired? I scanned for a landmark or street sign. “Einbahnstraße” I replied. She laughed, “That means One Way Street!”. I walked towards the bridge and saw Karin dressed in a fetching dirndl. We hugged hello and headed for Theresienwiese via the U-Bahn.
The large tents and insane fun fair surprised me, but there was more to come.  Karin suggested the Augustiner-Festhalle, because she preferred their brew, a great reason at a beer festival!  As we walked there she explained that the Hofbräu-Festzelt attracted the most tourists but revellers often got too rowdy. We squeezed onto a table full of locals, most dressed in lederhosen or dirndls and soon the whole table chatted as if we had known each other years. The oom-pah band played traditional German songs, the beer flowed, we ate pretzels, the singing got louder, more people stood up and raised their glasses. My highlight was 8,000 people singing “Smoke on the Water” accompanied by the Brass Band while we stood precariously on trestle stools holding our litres of beer. A memorable night, thanks to Karin’s local insight.

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Cesky Raj rural and industrial

The Cesky Raj, North of Prague has some exceptional rock formations. Covered in “Cesky Raj a bohemian paradise”. This photo essay covers some of the other attractions of the region.

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More of the sandstone that forms such picturesque structures.

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Traditional house and more of those sandsyone cliffs.

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Trosky Castle, symbol of the Cesky Raj

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Ski resort at Josefuv Dul a former industrial valley

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Old Textile factory

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Old Textile factory

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Czech trains

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Soviet era sign on collective farm