I resort to what savvy travellers do in such situations. Returning to Cesky Krumlov, we have the afternoon for wandering around town. I follow the Vltava River, which meanders like a child's twisted scribbles. Outdoor restaurants overlook the watercourse. Centuries-old buildings line narrow streets and staired walkways.
Wood smoke flavours the air with the aroma of grilled meat.
It wafts from Restaurace U Dobraka, where our group goes for dinner. With tables surrounding a roofless patio, the place is like a neighbourhood barbecue. Owner Alois Slepanek supplies us with salad, chicken, pork, beef, fish, fries, croquettes, dumplings and vegetables. Wine flows from tabletop jugs. A band plays Czech-language renditions of tunes by artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to the Beatles.