We all got an early night last night in order for my owners to rest their elbow bending muscles (and me my wing-bending ones): today is Budweis day!

(It’s taken me all week to learn how to pronounce the name Ceský Krumlov and now I’m supposed to tackle the beak-breaking Ceské Budějovice. So for simplicity’s sake, let’s just stick with the name we all know and love so well.)

As Budweis is quite a large town, the dynamic duo popped the bikes on the bike rack, parked the car in a side street and then cycled into the town centre. It took a while for them to find their bearings, but the main square is hard to miss (even for my pair of dim-eyed Oldies). At over a hectare, it is the largest town square in the Czech Republic, and the buildings all around are a feast for the eyes, from the 15^th century Renaissance town hall to Jugendstil hotels. That’s what I heard Her Ladyship banging on about anyway.

I just enjoyed sitting on the fountain in the middle of the square, looking at all the humans and pretty buildings. I really dug the gargoyles on the town hall.

The Oldies took me for a spin around town on the bikes for a bit, exploring the parks, the charming side streets… it was so nice, we almost forgot to go to the brewery!

No we didn’t. (Gotcha!)

If heaven has a colour it’s red.

I met this cool chap in the brewery. As I understand it (my Czech isn’t great – I’ve only been here a week after all), he’s the hero who says ‘NO!’ to Buweiser Budvar beer being brewed anywhere else other than in Budweis in the current campaign to keep the genuine article genuine. Proper order! I certainly wouldn’t argue with that. Or with him for that matter.

Her Ladyship, of course, insisted on tasting a Buweiser Budvar at the source, watched, through tear-filled eyes by Himself (our driver), and declared it the best pint she’s ever had. In fact, she went as far as to say it was the best beer in the world.

Not probably. Definitely.