Czech Mate

Simultaneously with the appearance of the story on Cesky Krumlov (Aug. 15), my daughter--independently--drove through the town. Later, in a phone call, I told her of the article. She writes:

“I laughed when you mentioned the cute little town of Cesky Krumlov. It indeed is a standard-issue medieval town, walled, intact, on a stone hill, river running through, bear in the moat place. But you would have laughed. As we approached there was a big sign with arrows to direct you to the ‘old town,’ so somehow we got the feeling it wasn’t as undiscovered as we were led to believe. And the dead giveaway was the signs to parking lots A, B, C or D. We went anyway, and it was great, but it is where all the Austrians come to buy crystal. Shops, shops, shops, and lines, and ‘change kiosks.’ It was too much. But cute. I felt a surge of deja vu from our trip last summer and the quaint German town we visited (Dinkelsbuhl).”

D. PENNYCOOK

Pasadena