Radegast beer, eh? With a name like that, it ought to be a deep
brown ale. Every Tolkien fan knows Radagast the Brown. Sadly
for fiction, it is a Czech pale that comes in regular, premium and
non-alcoholic. The non-alky version is not in the league with
Becks non-alky. If somebody else ever tries, the regular or premium
Radegast, let me know how it is. Czech beer in general is held in high
esteem.
Etymology: the name Radegast refers to an old slavic
city, and maybe -
or maybe not - an old slavic god of hospitality. (I found that just now
on Wikipedia, which also mentions Tolkien's Radagast the Brown
in passing.)
These guys again.
The same statue as before, but there are so-o many easy photos in it.
As for why these founding fathers of slavic Orthodoxy are prominent in
this Catholic region... it may have to do with the presence in this
part of Europe of a denomination which practices orthodox services and
traditions, but belongs to the Catholics organizationally.
Beyond that, "deponent knoweth not". And knoweth that he knoweth not.
With the Dead
This cemetary spills up the hill behind one of the oldest-looking churches.
It is lovingly tended, almost all the graves show signs of care and attention, flowers, etc.
The hill has one of the best vistas in town.
Of course, what is here is not just the bodies of dead people, but the feelings
of live ones. Cemetaries, like funerals, are for the living.
Contents Copyright 2012 Jeff Bulf