Divoká Šárka (Wild Šárka) Nature Reserve

Dzban Hill

Hi Everyone,

Spring is coming along nicely in Prague; this is the time of year Czechs love to get in touch with the sun and nature. Czechs love being out in nature; weekend jaunts are part of Czech culture in spring and summer. Many families have a chata (a cottage or cabin) located in the mountains around the country, or in the forests and hills not far from Prague. 

Cities and towns, including Prague, empty out on the weekends, as many people head out of town to enjoy the beauty and serenity of Nature in this beautiful country. However, if you can't get out of Prague, there are beautiful parks in the city where you feel as if you're completely out of Prague. One of my favorite Prague parks is Divoká Šárka. 

Divoká Šárka Park Location

Divoká Šárka sits on the northwestern outskirts of Prague 6, on the way to Ruzynĕ Airport. Divoká Šárka, or Wild Šárka, is a nature preserve famous for its forests, lake, rocky cliffs, high bluffs and deep valley. The park is one of the largest within the city of Prague. 

Šárka and Ctirad

Vyšehrad, Prague

Divoká Šárka—A Czech Legend

Divoká Šárka is named after Šárka, a mythical female Slavic warrior. Šárka was one of the main characters in the mythical story of The Maidens’ War —which is an interesting tale about a war between men and women. The story takes place in about the 6^th century, before Prague existed. 

At this time, according to legend, Czech society was based on the matriarchal system (women were in charge, rather than men). In the story, after Libuse’s rule and death, the men gain the upper hand and rule in place of the women.  The women become unhappy with this arrangement, and plan to once again rule over the men. 

Šárka, one of the top warrior leaders for the women, tries to entrap the men’s warrior leader, Ctirad, and kill him. Šárka succeeds in catching Ctirad with her feminine wiles and kills him. After Ctirad’s death, the women warriors gain the upper hand, but later the men win the Maiden’s War, and women are thereafter ruled by men.  Rather than be ruled by men, the legend says that Šárka jumped from a cliff, in the current park, to her death.  Divoká Šárka, the park, is named after this famous, legendary woman warrior. 

Park's History

The first recorded settlement of Divoká Šárka dates back to the Paleolithic era (prehistoric times), with archeological evidence also showing human settlement from the Neolithic era, the Bronze Age, through to modern times, when farming and settlement of the area was ended just after WWII.  You can find the remains of an ancient hrad (castle fortress), which was used from the 7^th to the 9^th century.

What to Do in Divoká Šárka

Divoká Šárka is full of paths where you can walk, hike and bike. The paths run through the entire valley, affording beautiful views of rocky cliffs, forests, a reservoir and stream. Some parts of the park’s sides are steep; making them popular with mountain climbers of all ages who go there to train. Jiri spent many years climbing the cliff walls in Divoká Šárka, in preparation for his many mountain climbing expeditions.You’ll also find a beautiful lake in the midst of the park, Lake Džbán. Swimming is allowed in this lake, which is refreshing after a hot day’s walk. Another popular swimming site is Divoká Šárka’s swimming pool. The water in both the lake and pool are spring-fed and cold. There’s also a beautiful stream that runs through the park’s valley. 

A Refreshing Stop and Animal Life

Meandering along the walkways of Šárka, you’ll also come across a lovely pub, where you can have lunch and pivo (beer), the favorite Czech drink. The pub makes a nice place to take a break on a warm day. Along with the beautiful scenery in Divoká Šárka, you’ll encounter many types of animal life. The park is popular with bird watchers, as you can see more than 80 types of birds there. You can occasionally see free operas and plays in the park, as well.

Divoká Šárka One of My Favorite Places

Divoká Šárka is one of my most favorite parks to visit in Prague. You actually feel as if you’re in the middle of nature, far from the busy, noisy city. You hear less and less of the city’s noise the farther down into the park’s valley you go. The forest, plants and animals refresh your mind and spirit, all without having to venture out of the city. I highly recommend a visit to Divoká Šárka when you come to Prague. The park will give you a break from the city’s popular tourist sites--you won’t be disappointed.

That’s all for now. Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0) 

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(c) 2012 by Sher Vacik, all rights reserved.

Best Czech Republic Apps

Hi Everyone,

Mobile devices, such as tablet computers and smartphones, are becoming more popular all the time. Even here, in Prague, I’ve seen more people use e-readers on the metro, along with smartphones and tablets. These are typically Czech people, however, mobile devices are also popular with tourists coming to this country from all over the world. Walking in Mala Strana recently, I noticed tourists taking pictures with their smartphones, and even some making photos with their tablet computers. Personally, I can’t imagine taking a picture with my iPad, as it would seem very awkward. Plus, it looks a little bit funny to see someone pointing this huge flat device at a beautiful Prague scene to capture a photo.

Popular Apps for the Czech Republic

I own both Apple devices (iPod Touch and iPad) and an Android smartphone, and have been looking around to find helpful apps for people visiting or moving to the Czech Republic. There are great apps on both iTunes and in the Android Market. The following are apps you can find in the iTunes App Store and/or the Android Market. Most are free, though there are some that have a minimal cost. These apps are specifically for the Czech Republic.

Czech Ski Slopes

Available:  iTunes

This app offers information on the ski slopes found in the Czech Republic. Czech Ski Slopes covers 200 different runs, with the runs’ locations displayed on a map of ski areas. This is a great way to discover new places to ski, while checking on the current ski conditions of your favorite slopes.

English-Czech Dictionary

Available:  iTunes

Travelers and newcomers to the Czech Republic should invest in some kind of a Czech dictionary. This app provides an English-Czech dictionary with about 65,000 pairs of translated words (from English to Czech and back again).

World Travel Guide by Triposo—Czech Republic

Available:  Android Market

The World Travel Guide by Triposo offers free, downloadable travel guides for many countries around the world. The app offers maps (viewable offline), major sites and a list of restaurant and nightlife options. The World Travel Guide is available for the Czech Republic.

Popular Apps for Prague

These apps are specifically for Prague, and are available in either the Android Market or iTunes App Store.

Prague Lonely Planet Travel Guide

Available:  iTunes

Travelers are familiar with the Lonely Plant travel guide books filled with useful information about worldwide travel destinations. Now you can find Lonely Planet apps for your mobile devices. The Prague Lonely Planet travel guide app provides GPS tracking and offline maps, along with offering information on hundreds of places to visit and things to do in Prague. This app also includes content from their guidebooks.

Chci Taxi! Czech Republic

Available:  iTunes

This app gives the Yellow Pages listing for taxi services provided in Prague. The app is in Czech, however it is still easy to understand. You look for the name of a service, and the app will provide you with the taxi company’s name, address and phone number, along with a map of where the company is located.

Czech Taxi

Available:  Android Market

The Czech Taxi app provides a listing of taxi companies in Prague (and the Czech Republic), showing the prices and user rating for each company. This app also shows each taxi company’s address, phone number and website. Czech Taxi provides the information in Czech, but it is usable by most international travelers.

Prague Find the Pub Lite

Available:  iTunes

Prague Find the Pub Lite does just that—it helps you to find some of the best and most unique pubs in Prague. Along with pubs, the app provides information on popular ale and liquor brands, and even provides a news feed of upcoming events. You can sort pubs by area, and share them with your friends on Facebook and email.

Find Pubs & Bars

Available:  Android Market

The Find Pubs & Bars app helps you find fun pubs and bars in Prague. In addition, you can use this app to find bars and pubs all over the world. The app offers the pub name, map location, address according to your GPS location. This app also gives you the open hours, and other information about pubs and bars near you.

CG Transit-Public Transport Trip Planner

Availabe:  iTunes

CG Transit helps you to locate public transport systems near you. It will help you plan your trip from point A to point B, and even works offline, too. This app works in major cities in the U.S., Canada and Europe (including the Czech Republic).

Pubtran-Czech Republic Transit

Available:  Android Market

The Pubtran-Czech Republic app will help you with public transport across the Czech Republic, including cities such as Prague and Brno. You can plan your entire journey via metro, bus, tram, and train.

Prague2Go

Available:  iTunes

Prague2Go offers you maps of Prague that you can use offline, and thus avoid roaming charges on your data plan. This app not only offers offline maps, but also offers 250 articles, find your GPS location, while finding tourist attractions near you. You can also bookmark your favorite places within the app.

Additional Travel Apps

There are so many travel apps available in the iTunes App Store and the Android Market, it would be impossible to list them all here. But I do have some favorite apps that are helpful wherever you travel.

Skype

Available:  iTunes and Android Market

Skype is a free app that allows you to make free calls to your contacts’ computers and smartphones, via WiFi or 3G. You can also call landline phones with the purchase of Skype credit. Skype’s call rates are very reasonable, and I use it to call my family back in the U.S. regularly. The connection is usually as good as you’re used to when making cell or landline phone calls.

MobilyTrip Travel Guide & Journal

Available:  iTunes (coming soon to Android Market)

The MT Travel Guide & Journal allows you to download free travel guides to popular destinations worldwide. In addition, you can keep track of your trip with the journal portion of this app. Your mobile device (with GPS turned on) will keep track of your travels, and also connect photos you take with your device to the places you visited. You can then share updates and more about your trip with loved ones and friends. This app will work offline, however you must have the GPS function turned on in order for the app to track your trip.

XE Currency Converter

Available:  iTunes and Android Market

The XE Currency Converter is an app that will help you to keep track of currency conversions when traveling overseas. This app works for every world currency, and even precious metals, and will give you the live rates updated every minute. You can also use XE Currency Converter offline, as it will store the last updated rates.

Tripit Pro

Available:  iTunes and Android Market (on Android is Tripit)

Tripit is an app you can use to help organize all aspects of your trip. This app allows you to forward all your trip details to a special email address. Tripit then matches up your trip details with your account. You can use Tripit for hotel, restaurant, flight and cruise booking, and even events such as concerts. Tripit makes it easy to share your trip details with family and friends via email, Facebook and LinkedIn.

World Clock-Time Zones

Available:  iTunes

The World Clock-Times Zones app allows you to keep track of time all over the world. You can organize your choice of cities on one page, and even choose what type of clock design you’d like to use.

World Clock & Widget

Available:  Android Market

The World Clock & Widget app supports multiple clocks, and offers a customizable background. It also offers a quick search for new locations around the world.

Accuweather

Available:  iTunes and Android Market

Accuweather is a useful app that uses your mobile device’s GPS location system to show you the current weather conditions in your area. This app works for overseas locations, and also offers a seven-day forecast and other weather information. This app also warns you of any severe weather that might be coming your way.

These are a few apps that will help if you’re planning a trip or a move to the Czech Republic. If you have some other apps you really like, please leave a comment and share it with the rest of us. One note, I don’t accept comments with urls or links. So, please just leave your comment and include the name of the app you’d like to share without a web address or a link. Thanks!

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website

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Sher’s Inspirations

Točník Hrad

Hi Everyone,

About a year ago, Jiří and I took a day trip to see Točník hrad, near Beroun in central Bohemia. We took the train from Prague, and got off at Žebrák, and walked a ways to Točník castle. Točník is one of two castles in the area, and is situated to the north and slightly east of Žebrák. The area is filled with beautiful rolling hills and farmland, along with picturesque towns and villages. We visited in October while the trees were turning and there was a slight chill in the air. I also remember many sunflowers along the way we walked that day. On the road up the hill to the hrad we encountered sheep and goats in a field. I found one sheep that really enjoyed having his ears rubbed.

Točník hrad is a fortress castle, and was started by Holy Roman Emperor Vacláv (Wenceslas) IV in 1398. The castle is situated on one of the highest points in the area, and offers extensive and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. The castle was not only built to be the personal residence of a king. Being a fortress, one of Tocnik’s jobs was to guard the trade route from Prague to Nuremberg. The castle also served as a place to entertain dignitaries. Točník is made up of two courtyards (forming an L-shape), one at the entrance of the castle, and the second courtyard near the main building (King’s residence) in the middle of the western wall. The other large building within the castle walls was used as a place for important visitors to stay, and contained a huge hall for entertaining.

After the death of Vacláv IV, his brother Sigismund became the owner of Točník. Over the years, Točník came to be owned by a strong Catholic family—the Šumburks. From there, the castle went on into other hands, eventually coming back to the Czech crown during the reign of Emperor Rudolph II. He was the last royal to visit the castle. Eventually this beautiful fortress became a state prison until about 1865, when it was abandoned and left to decay. The castle and grounds were later bought by the Czechoslovak Tourists Club, in 1923. The club worked to restore the fortress, and then sold Točník to the Czechoslovak Sokol in 1953.

Točník hrad is a beautiful fortress castle where you get a vivid sense of the past. You can almost see the lords and their ladies walking across the square, with servants rushing to and fro. You can hear the distant sounds of horses and other animals in and around the castle walls from a long ago time. If you listen closely, you might even hear the sounds of war, for Točník was devastated by the Thirty Years War (1618-1648).

The castle is used for festivals and weddings to this day. There is a beautiful chapel, and we saw several wedding couples and their parties on the grounds having their pictures taken. 

If you are visiting Prague, and have extra time to tour outside of the city, a visit to Točník would make a wonderful day trip. The castle is closed for the winter months, but will open again in March. Here is the schedule I found on the Tocnik official website:

Točník Opening Hours

January-February:  Closed

March-April:  Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 to 12 and 13 to 16

May-June:  Daily, except Monday, from 10 to 12 and 13 to 17

July-August:  Daily, except Monday, from 9 to 12 and 13 to 18

September:  Daily, except Monday, from 10 to 12 and 13 to 17

October:  Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 10 to 12 and 13 to 16

November-December:  Closed

Admission

Adults:  70 CZK

Children (6-15):  50 CZK

Seniors: 50 CZK

Children under 6 and those with disabilities:  Free

Make a day trip Točník hrad and enjoy the scenery and the castle. Don't forget to stop by the castle's small hospoda for a snack. Točník hrad will not disappoint. 

Have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website

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Photos property of Sher Vacik.

© 2011 by Sher Vacik. All rights reserved.