Brno

Czech

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”

Rabindranath Tagore

A walk around the old town. Znojmo is a morning town, not an evening town.

We take our time with breakfast. Check out is at 10.00 am, and the direct road to Brno takes only an hour. We plan two detours, for coffee and lunch.

We drive to Pavlov for coffee. If the surroundings of Znojmo are heavy with vineyards, Pavlov and the surrounding villages are the true heart of Czech wine.

Šálek Kávay sits in a row of cellars built into the hillside. It is remarkable how you step from a hot summer day, down a few steps into coolness, down a few more, and you need a blanket. Not an air conditioner in sight.

Šálek Kávay has a great location, and it matches with very good coffee.

I looked, but could not see the dog.

“If you want a new idea, read an old book.”

Ivan Pavlov

Half an hour from Pavlov is another small wine village: Velké Pavlovice. Here we find Amis Restaurant.

It serves a denní menu: a soup, three mains to choose from, and desserts are not listed.

The poléka is hovězí vývar s játrovou rýží a nudlemi. A clear beef broth with noodles, vegetables, and minced liver. Pure, earthy flavours with a sweetness from vegetables and herbs. It comes served in a misa, enough for six people. You help yourself until you’re done

We both choose smažený vepřový kotlet, bramborový salát s majonézou for main. The lightest fried pork cutlets with a creamy potato salad. Simple, and delicious.

We wash it down with a Pinot Gris made by a local vítězové.

I move to ask for the bill, and our číšník insists we stay for dessert. He lists four that the kitchen has on offer.

For dessert, the silkiest crème brûlée and a profiterole filled with crème chantilly.

Amis does the food well, but for a tiny regional village, the three people working the front service were absolutely superb. Attentive, polite, conspicuous yet on hand at the slightest gesture. Shell and I have dined at some excellent restaurants all over the world, and the service in this tiny restaurace is close to the best I have seen.

An hour to Brno. The second largest city in the Czech Republic, and the city skyline is dominated by Katedrála svatého Petra a Pavla – The Cathedral of St Peter and Paul.

Why both Peter and Paul? Was there a fight? A couple of cardinals brawling over their favourite Saints? The Rock v The Apostle. I like Paul personally. Originally he was Saul. Back in those days, he was killing Christians for good times. Sees the light and next minute, a Saint, all because he bumped into a hippie on the road to Damascus. Sounds like a Colin Hay lyric.

Our place sits right under the Cathedral, and it is a wonderful building. Our room is not ready, so we are forced to wait at the bar and drink free Prosecco.

Shell gets bored, so we head out to see the homage to Peter & Paul. I wonder briefly where I might find the Cathedral of Barry & John…

Impressive on the outside, not so much on the inside. I have seen more churches and abbeys than a compliant altar boy, so I am a good judge.

Back to our room, and it is palatial. We sit back and watch the storm clouds roll in. Could the drought break? Praise John, Peter, Barry, and Paul; it be true.

There is a knock on the door, and someone has bought us cake. Shell inquires, ‘Is this normal?’

Of course not, my beautiful wife; you are special.

“hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction”

The Apostle Peter 3:15-16 on the way, the Apostle Paul writes. Fightin’ words!

And then it rains. Shell throws open the windows, and it smells like Australian summers.