Day 76b: Wrocław - Turnov

JUNE 18 - It seems like the moment we cross the border, it gets hilly. Suddenly there are hills everywhere, more than anything we’ve seen for over a month. A low mountain in the distance sports a needle-like monument, which I later read is a radio tower that is also a hotel (Hotel Ještěd). Off the bus in Liberec.

My brief glimpse of the city, on the way from the bus to the train station.

There was sort of an abandoned feel to the Liberec train station, with old dusty buildings. Today it was warm, about 32⁰ C, the hottest day we’ve had on the trip.

The cavernous interior of the platform stations seemed to have little purpose. Just something left over from an earlier time.

Had to sort out the puzzle of what train to take onward to Turnov. The ticket was just valid for a day on any applicable train line. It was up to us to figure out which one would pass through the town we wanted.

Today’s route: (A) Wrocław, (B) Liberec, and (C) Turnov.

Arriving in Turnov, we feel like we’ve entered a ghost town. More of a reflection on us, since we’ve been in big cities for a few weeks. Google maps informs us that it is a 30 minute walk to the apartment, so, considering the heat, we hang around until a taxi shows up. There are few public transport options available.

A random old building front in Turnov.

Near the apartment is an extensive park along a river. The forest in this area has some really large trees, and the river is bounded by cliffs.

This is the Jizera River, which has an extensive system of hiking and bike trails through this region. Because it is Saturday and it is hot, everyone seems to be down here today.

It was nice to just walk around this area, so quiet and unlike trudging through a city.

Another random building along the street. It appears to be part of a school.

The main plaza of Turnov. No tourists! What a relief.

Today read a news report that Lithuania has ceased allowing air or land trans-shipment of goods from Russia to the Kaliningrad Oblast enclave, in protest of the war. Kaliningrad is the home of the Baltic Fleet. Now Russia must ship everything from St. Petersburg through the Baltic Sea. This is a bold move for Lithuania, as Russia is (or was, perhaps) their largest trading partner.

Poland Czech Republic