Tuesday 31 July

Melnik to Děčín

After breakfast by the tents we struck camp, loaded the car and arranged to meet Liz at Terezin. We followd the west bank of the river until Nučnički where we tuned left to visit Terezin. I was impressed and surprised to ride towards what appeared to be the perimeter wall of a Napoleonic fortress. It was built in the years following 1780 and named Theresienstadt after the Hapsburg emperor’s mother Empress Maria Theresa and was intended to defend river crossings against Prussia. It was used as a political prison camp during WWI and later become notorious for its use as a concentration camp during WWII. Terezin is its Czech name.

We found a shady picnic spot amongst trees but suffered with the oppressive heat and midges. There was a camp site just west of Ústí nad Labem but that was not far enough, so we decided press on to Děčín, Mick taking to the car for the afternoon and driving on with Liz to set up camp.

We cycled along the small road on the east bank gradually running out of water in the heat. We didn’t come across any cafés or other shops so when we came across a small railway station at Boletice nad Labem we went round onto the platform and found a tap outside a cottage. We filled our bottles and as we sat down on a bench for a rest a lady came out of the cottage to see what we were doing but after inspecting us decided we were harmless and went back inside.

We arrived at about seven o'clock and found our way to Liz and Mick on the campsite. There was no camp restaurant so we cooked a satisfying meal on our small stoves and had an early night.