This article is dedicated to the Chinese tourists I met in Telč, Martin from U Seniglu, and those who showed me the ways when I most needed them.
It took me a while to make up my mind to leave Český Krumlov (CK). I did not book any domestic transportation and accommodation for my trip, and thus, I was totally free to stay or to continue.
I had Telč in my mind (after CK), but it was hard to leave the beautiful and comfortable town of CK. The decision was particularly tough after my lunch in Pod Radnici Restaurace, the last meal before I left CK (if I decided to). While I was happily chewing the sumptuous steak served by the restaurant, a Czech told me that the specialty there is salmon! I did not regret having steak, but, shall I stay for dinner? The salmon dish looked good.
After some battles within myself, 2 bus rides + 126 km + 3 hours later, I arrived at the main bus station of Telč. At 5.30pm, it was as dark as 9pm. The snow has stopped, but drizzles continued. The temperature felt like below 0°C. It was freezing.
"Where is the SQUARE?" I asked the driver. He shook his head. This was common. I faced this typical blank expression in 19 out of 20 Czech I spoke to. I was lucky that a Czech student who understands English sat near to me. He stopped me from getting down at the station other than Telč.
Seeing my fruitless conversation with the driver, the student pointed me a direction to Centrum. "I am not sure" he said. "Thank you", and I walked into the darkness and cold.
Streets were empty. Drizzling still.
5 minutes of walk later, I entered a convenient store to pick up some quick bites. I tried my luck, again. And for this time I restructured my question. Instead of asking for SQUARE, I asked "Pension?", supported with a "sleep" gesture. She understood me, muttered something (of which I did not comprehend), and pointed me a direction. "Thanks thanks", and I continued my walk.
I was lucky to find pedestrians to ask/confirm for directions whenever I needed it. Walking past streets and streets of quietness, I began to hesitate on whether it was possible to find an accommodation. I could sense my fear rising.
20 minutes later, I arrived at the Centrum/Old Town Square. As dark, empty, cold as it was with other parts of the town. Most of the shops were tightly closed. I ran into shops which were about to close, and asked for pension. Same like other Czech I met before, she muttered a name, and pointed me a direction.
It was then that I ran into a group of tourists from China. "你一个小女孩独自出来旅游?真勇敢哦"，"还没找到住宿?天都这么黑了，会不会没地方睡呀?"，"导游，小女孩没地方睡呀，帮帮她吧！"，"不如你跟我们回布拉格好了"，... My fear stopped. I could feel the warmth in my eyes, and my heart. I was touched.
I spent time sharing what I had seen in my journey, where I shall go next, that I am studying in Sweden,... and thanks them for their offer. "我还没机会好好看看Telč。我不走了，今晚就住在这里"."好吧，你快找住宿去！"
Eventually, I found a room in U Seniglu, a 3 rooms pension attached to a souvenir store. The boss of the pension had left, but Martin, her son, was taking stock at the souvenir shop. Martin offered me the biggest room in U Seniglu and insisted that I took a rest. "Don't worry about the registration and payment. We'll do it tomorrow."
The next day, I learned that the souvenir shop normally closes at 5pm in the winter.
Phew, I must have been lucky...
Warmth has its color, at U Seniglu.
Charles Bridge has witnessed over 600 years of sunrises and sunsets. While I, was in 3 of them.
A cute little boy was distracted by me. "Hey boy, look at the artist!"
Noticed the pigeon? It probably was doing the same thing as me, but from a much better spot.
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