A step away from the crowd

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Olomouc for you and me...but not for the tourists. Yes...that's right kiddies...i managed to avoid the camera-happy, fanny-pack wearing, hotel-staying tourists! And remember i am surely not a tourist...traveller fits much better. ahh yes...there is a difference indeed. and one certain difference between a traveller and tourist is the uncertainty of our journey...able to change at a moments notice...that's the excitement in it! where am i going tomorrow?  hmm...let's see what sounds good from these guys sittin next to me at the bar. very cool to wake up and think...where shall the world take me today? so it just happened that in my hostel in vienna a haning newspaper article caught my eye simply because it was from the los angeles times. the woman who owned the hostel saw me and began raving about this small town in the czech republic and how it hadn't been "discovered" yet. i sadly explained i had just come from czech and regretted not hearing about it before. but the more i chatted with people and thought it over...i thought...well why not! so the next morning i completely changed my plans, called up the hostel to make sure there was a bed, and hopped on the next train to Olomouc. all on a sudden instinct and smiling recommendation. i journeyed by various trains weaving through untouched countryside, farmland and tiny towns that both intrigued and intimidated me had i suddenly been asked to get off the train there. only through broken english and hand motions did i hope i was on the right train. and let me tell you that although a ticket will say 2 transfers apparently this means 3 transfers! after going on a main train line i had to hop onto a local train in czech. it stopped about every 5 minutes for over an hour...and it let you know it was stopping...the screeching, literally ear-piercing hault it came to was brain numbing. haha...it was so bad that even though i knew that wretched sound was approaching i couldn't help but curse under my breath and try to conspicously cover my ears trying not to look like too much of a foreigner. so i'm not quite sure when my stop will come so i'm practically leaping out of my seat each time the train starts to slow just in case i have to make a run for it (i don't know why i even tried to look normal...) turns out that the train came to it's last stop...i guess i didn't notice that EVERYONE but me had left the train and i'm just sitting there patiently wating. the conductor comes on and is rattling on in czech. but he was very helpful and pointed me in the right direction...which was off this train and onto another! haha...the end of the line and i'm takin out my book thinking it's another long stop. haha. so enough about the journey...i did make it to my cozy little hostel in Olomouc and was happy to be in a warm, friendly, english-speaking home. and that's literally what this hostel was...someone's flat converted into a hostel. loved it there. and before i go any further may i point out this city is pronouced Olomoots (natural mistake...don't worry about your previous mispronounciations).

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So perhaps i shall talk about my actual time there! long intro...sorry bout that. well actually it fits because this town was not so much about "doing everything!" but instead was a place to walk around, hang out at local pubs and take in the small city. it's a college town and fills with tons of young students. and beautiful like so many of the places i've visited. the architecture...when you take the time to look up above the modern stores you realize the sheer work and art that went into all of these buidlings...sculptures above every doorway and window. there was also a great park where you could see the remains of the city walls that used to surround olomouc. and there were definitely things to sightsee all around. An amazing Trinity Tower in the center of town, churches, modern art museum, old palace where mozart once stayed recovering of sickness when he was only 8! he wrote a thank-you symphony in return for the hospitality...what a nice little boy he was! and thank you to that doctor that helped him recover! But my timing couldn't have been better. I arrived right in the middle of a poetry/art festival happening throughout the town. the first night i went to a bizzarre puppett show in a bar of all places. i really can't even describe it...so weird...wish i could have understood...probably would have helped....it only seemed like half the people were paying attention anyway. also went to a drunken poetry reading from some guy that is apparetnely a big deal as he managed a band that was banned during the communist era...but that continued to play and make political statements in the underground. The czechs are also big on their ice hockey!! and i was able to see two games while i was there...the rink was practically right next to the hostel! was great to watch...the fans there are nuts...drumming...chanting...yelling...the ENTIRE game. man...really made me miss playing...wanted to get out there so bad. because this place is a bit off the beaten path i met some really interesting travellers and just enjoyed the ability to chill out in a great little university town. no tourists...you know you're in a good place when the only place to buy postcards is in the city information office and all the stores close on sat. at noon and always on sunday...or maybe if the owner decides not to come in that day. had some great time at small little bars, meeting locals, eating fried cheese and potatoes (and if you're wondering...yes...it is just a piece of cheese, battered and fried...this is why they need lots of beer!! ha). And i did find a vegetarian restaurant here...who thought i'd ever be eating veggie meat in the czech republic?? I also love the tea houses they have hear...just a place to chill, read, write, chat, maybe smoke a shisha pipe and sample one or two of about a hundred teas. People were saying you kind of get sucked into Olomouc...and i can attest to this as i had only planned on 3 nights and ended up staying 6. luckily my stay did pay off as i got to see a ska show by a band a girl in prague had recommended! awesome! skanked (this is a ska dance for those not in the know) the night away and then played foosball (they love it here!) with some locals for about an hour. just a fun place with a great atmosphere. when i did decide to hop onto a new place it was tough to leave and no one in the hostel believed i could do it. again...oh a whim i decided on a tiny place recommended by Greg, one of the hostel owners, after i explained i wanted a completely untouristed little farm town. and as i said goodbye to my friendly australian hosts who moved there 5 years ago to open this hostel, i realized the amazing life of a traveller and smiled as i embarked on another adventure into an unheard of place filled with awaiting opportunites.