Enchanted Forests

This weekend we took an NYU sponsored trip hiking in the Šumava Mountains in Southern Bohemia.  The Šumava mountains (Bohemian Forest) is a large mountain range along the southern Czech border between the Vyšebrodský Průsmyk and Všerubský Průsmyk - near Germany.  

FIRST STOP: Glassworks and grinding plant of glass in Annín.  

Inside the factory: artisan at work

Finely crafted glass balls

SECOND STOP: bunker from WW II

We descended into this historical bunker to find tiny rooms filled with strategic weaponry.  Unfortunately, it was too dark to take any pictures but on the bright side we got a realistic experience of what life inside the bunker was really like (cramped with stale air).

Stop Three:  Hiking at last...

world's softest moss.

We were hiking along and, out of nowhere, came across a miniature zoo with otters.  ummm... what?  so strange.

"Salvador Dali Mushrooms" that Dillon found

Along the trail we found an instrument facing a stream that amplifies the sound of the water.  It was like a water stethoscope!

Day Two:  We woke up to a nice breakfast at the hotel that fueled us for the second day of hiking.

The countryside meadows were so beautiful!  The fluffy clouds coupled with green pastures made it seem like a real life fairy tale.

sun streaming through the forest

After a strenuous hike up the mountain, we reached KASPERK CASTLE. 

playing with stilts

We thought the view from the base of the castle was pretty cool, but then we climbed to the top...

Breath taking!

We got a tour of the inside of one of the towers.  This is a view from inside the palace:

It's hard to imagine what life was like here in the medieval days.  They had a suit of armor on display.  The people back then were so small!  

We took a different route down the mountain, passing through the woods and farmland.

Lizard rescue

On the way back we stopped in a quaint little town for an ice cream break.