Recently, a friend of mine followed a job opportunity to the Czech Republic. Moving there didn’t require a stretch of the imagination for her. She’s actually originally from there. In fact, much of her family still resides there.

Except for some basic information, like the fact that Czech and Slovakia split years ago and that the country was once a communist state, I really didn’t know very much about it. Before she left, my friend showed me brochures of the area around Prague where she will be living. Have you ever been bowled over by the ingenuity and creativity of a people? That’s how I felt poring over those pictures. That taste inspired me to do further research. It’s nice, too, that my friend provides me with up-to-the-minute happenings in the country.

In the first weeks after arriving, my friend embarked on a tour of re-acquaintance. She travelled over much of the country before settling into her new home. Of all she saw, the mountain town of S̊tramberk managed to pull at her heart strings. This little town sits off the beaten track in the eastern corner of the Czech Republic. It borders Poland to the north and Slovakia to the south. As a result, the region shares certain delicious aspects of the other countries’ cuisines, like S̊tramberk ears (ginger cookies in the shape of ears).

Planning a little ski trip over the winter, or a special summer holiday? Consider visiting Czech. Prague, of course, is very beautiful with its medieval architecture. But, if you can, drop into a small place like S̊tramberk. This little town with wow you.

What To See
– Sipka Cave
– S̊tramberk Castle
– Zdenĕk Burian’s Museum