Adventure in the countryside.....

Years ago, I found myself in the countryside about two hours outside the city limits of Prague. How did I get there? By car. But, really, really, how? A number of events that I won't all detail here...a series of significant aspects changing, and exploration on several depths.  

We pulled out from the house in Prague very early that morning, destined for a golf tournament for him, and a castle exploration for me. He is a rather reluctant traveler, and that entails that I know my place (far away) when he gets ready to leave on a journey. As the tires made the sounds they do over the gravel drive path, my mind moved to comfort, for indeed, we were off without incident.  I have learned over the years (20 years+) that it is a very good idea to become scarce when he readies for a trip. To India, the USA, or a golf tournament  two hours away…..yes, stay away from all things that do with packing, don’t talk, or let yourself be any sort of distraction. Being seen counts as a distraction.  :)

I am setting this up so you might understand why I left the house without breakfast, a stingy allotment of kronas (Czech money), and got dropped off at the side of the road leading to a castle, saying “Yes, I will meet you at the golf course,” when I had little idea of the name of it. I don’t translate spoken Czech very well to actual letters, so, when he said the name, I was left to wonder if it K, C, O, U, CH, P, or SH.  

Ok, so, I didn’t know the name of the golf course…how many of them could there be out here? Maybe only that one, but, did I know where this golf course was in relation to the castle? No.  Do I speak Czech? No. Did anyone within 20 miles speak English out there? No, not that I found.  Did Robert think there would be signs for me to follow? Yes.  Were there signs for me to follow? No. Did he think the golf course was close enough to castle to walk? Yes. Was the castle close to the golf course? Well, kind of, but, 15 kilometers is rather far when you have no idea which direction the bloody golf course lies after 3 hours of touring a castle and its royal grounds on foot, with no signs, no money,  and no people to point the way. Well, one person helped me greatly, but, that comes a bit later.

The castle tour didn’t start for another 45 minutes, so, I sat on bench and wrote a postcard.   I took refuge in a little restaurant for tea. Really, my money situation was not very good. But, I was rather hungry, and a little cold. I do think that Robert had asked if I was ok money-wise when I was leaving the car, but, being an adult who is so used to taking care of herself, I have not yet mastered acknowledging my need for help like this, even from those to whom I am close. (So, if I ever ask one of you guys for money, just know I have reached another plateau!)

Toured the interior for hour or so, I was delighted by the insides. The words were in Czech, but, the beauty was in beauty. Tapestries, paintings, curios, ceramics, surreal monuments to “the hunt,” and “planned” vistas from the windows.

Outside the castle walls once again, and I reconnoitered that I had more time to spend here, unless I wanted to show up at the golf course well before he would be finished with his round. Note: I did not yet know how long it would take me to walk there. Nor did I know which way the golf course was from the castle. 360 degrees of options is a lot.  I decided that I had to make a concerted effort to find someone who spoke English, as so far, my encounters were in pointing and the five Czech words I knew at the time. 

Did anyone at the ticket office, gift shop, or little restaurant speak English or know anything about the golf course? No. Was I concerned? Yes, but, not overly.  I did have a cell phone...but it was getting no signal.  

The grounds were also spectacular. Green splendor, lake, winding paths, hidden sitting places, and rolling hills surrounding. (Except for those poor bears in the moat outside..ohh, sad).  Imagining the grounds graced with ladies and gentlemen of the day in their finery.  Oh, so grand.  But, imaging people from a bygone era was as close as I got to seeing people.  I was definitely off the tourist grid.

After an hour or so, I happened upon a formal garden, with several gardeners readying it for the upcoming season. Shaking heads was all I got when I attempted conversation regarding “Golf?” I sat down for a bit and looked around. Hmmmm. Do I go back down to the road and start walking? Surely I would find someone who could direct me.

This non-English speaking populous was strange for me, as in Prague and other towns in the Czech Republic, there are plenty of English speakers around.  But, this was a more isolated village, with very few tourists at this time of year, and I found that one can indeed be very lost in a countryside looking for a golf course, even with a big old castle positioned on the scenery.  Here I was, language-less and direction-wise about non-existent. I had navigated India, had tea in a river in Morocco, and taken a bus, ferry and pedal cab to visit houseboat people in Hong Kong. But, in all those places, I had used some language and location knowledge. Here, in Europe, surrounded by green lushness, I found myself a bit stuck. Note: “Lost, walking” is very different that “lost, driving a car,” or “lost, riding a bike.”

I got up, walked up the stairs from the garden, began walking along a path, and voila…. little white building with a chalkboard proclaiming “Pivo” (beer) and “Snacks” came into my sights.  This little white building, thankfully, came with a proprietor. Did he speak English? Well, a few words, but very little.  I smiled at the man behind the counter, and made a golf swing in the air, and said “golf course, golf course.” Golf is written “golf” in Czech. But, apparently, it is not pronounced with my accent. He nodded, but, said, something like “Sorry, no English.”

Reasoning that one is better off figuring out a bit of a mess when they are strong (mentally and physically), I decided my last few remnants of money would fortify me with a sausage and pivo. A pretzel came with it, thankful for calories.  One of the few times in my life that I seriously contemplated eating would equate to giving me energy to get somewhere.

I saw a tourist brochure on the counter, and thought, Eureka, my savior. I remembered to thank the euros flowing into the country to develop tourist trade. Things had definitely changed since my first visit to the country in 1990. Well, I am not really glad for the influx of all those tourism dollars, but, whatever it took to make that one brochure in that little white building seemed very well spent as I grabbed it.

Sure enough, the brochure had a picture of a golf course in it. No map, other than a very sketchy one of the region. I got some comic relief in reading an awkwardly translated (from Czech to English) about a horse farm somewhere in the region…something about allowing one self to experience the studs of their locale. But, I digress.

I went back to the counter, and pointed to the golf player on a glossy page. I used the international language for “where?” Another air swing by me was made to seal the connection.  I think he uttered “caddy” or something like that….it really was with very few words, and a great many motions, that I learned, I think,  that he had worked at a nearby golf course a few years ago. He pointed in a direction, over a great expanse of green fields, tall trees, and a mountain or two.  Maybe, I thought, I was not correctly following the extension of arm, and that pointing finger of his.

I then took my index and middle finger and moved them in a scissor type motion, placing them on the counter to simulate that I was to walk to the golf course.  He put his head back, and opened his eyes wide, and thus indicated distance, and not exactly a direct route from this little white building to 18^th hole.

I said “ahhhh.” He said “ahhh.” He said “moment,” and then proceeded to draw me the most becoming and perhaps most useful map of my life. I was to find that there was not one single golf course sign anywhere near that castle, there were no taxis in town at this time of year (even if I did have money), and yes, quite beautifully, I walked for about 15 kilometers, spotting only a man tending to a field, one car, and two people at the side of the road stop.

The proprietor very carefully oriented me to the map, drawing his building, and the castle.  He knew well on what to omit and what to include in getting a little lost soul from a castle to a golf course 9 miles away.  He drew the  lovely map pictured above.   Thank goodness for locals….he knew the back roads and the shortcuts.  I gave my thanks, indicated by my hand to heart, and a slight bow, and I was off.

 My walk started in a forest to the east of the little white building. It was so incredibly green and fresh smelling. The trees shielded me from the rain, though I took precautions with my new map.  The birds were singing to beat the band. I walked and walked, and saw no one. I did pick up a stick, for some semblance of protection in this isolated predicament (bears, people?), but, the branch, not of oak, but of some rather fibrous “non club yielding tree,” broke as I tested its tensile strength on the forest floor.

I know some part of me wondered what I had gotten myself into, but, wow, it was so beautiful.

That map took me by a babbling river, past a stone house, opened to the elements through age, with weeds growing in every room. Another kilometer or more, and I hit a pocket of civilization, composed of a 3 houses in a little village, but, no people, except that man in a field quite a bit off the road. Another kilometer or two, and then, that “fish shop,” a rather large fish hatchery.  I was on the right track.

When you are walking in absolute human quiet, with only birds, breeze, and your footsteps to hear, you really can allow yourself to hear so much better. I don’t recall all the thoughts I had along the way, but, that was a heart opening walk. You wish you could have everyone (singly) walk that walk, as you know it would bring peace.

I came to a road, and had to decide right or left. The map was terrific, but, it did turn, and sometimes left an intersecting road off. I now know he did that on purpose…to show me only the route, not the distractions. But, at this fork, I had to make a decision. And, remember, a walking decision is a lot more of a commitment than a driving one. I chose to go right. That did, indeed, make all the difference.

After another kilometer or so, a glimpse of manicured green golf course hole type landscape came into my sights. A golf course is an uplifting view for many, and it certainly was a Mecca for me that day.

Seeing something in the distance, does mean that it is a distance until you get there. Over hills and dales, I walked.  Low and behold, who should be one of those little figures dotting the golf course nearest to my pathway? One did, in fact, turn out to be Robert.

The clubhouse was actually quite a bit down the road, but, after another half hour, I was trying to spruce up myself (a little rained on, a little dirtied) in the ladies room of a "world class" golf course clubhouse. I made my way to a table on the veranda, and, with the knowledge that Robert was somewhere out there to “cover me,” I ordered an exquisite cup of cocoa, with whip cream.  I sipped that delicious hot chocolate as I watched the golfers enjoy their friendship and recount their days (in Czech) at the tournament. The setting was incredible.

I realize I wasn’t in a desert, or in the absolute wilds of danger, but, I was mighty far from sound planning that had usually been my ally.  I hadn’t “let go” on purpose, but, I found myself un-tethered by shear circumstances. I allowed the things that "God" put in front of me to give me joy on the journey, and relied very little, if at all, at any back up plan I created. That hand drawn map, with no words, no distances…that angel of a man who drew it for me, the green and “no-human” sounds of the walk.  Beautiful.