I haven’t traveled in recent years. My mental health has collapsed into a black hole, from which I am slowly climbing back toward the light and something that at least somewhat resembles normal functioning. Again and again, I practice seemingly simple things, such as riding the tram, being in a crowded shopping center, or sitting in a busy café. And now I’ve decided that it’s time to try traveling again. Very carefully.
I decided to try going somewhere for one night, somewhere I could quickly escape from if necessary. I chose Beroun, which is half an hour away by train. I arranged with a friend to come with me. We chose a date when we were both available. I looked through the apartments on Booking.com and very carefully chose one that was guaranteed to be pleasant and quiet. And then it was time to go.
On the day of departure, my friend texted me that she had come down with the flu.
Panic. I was already packed, ready to go, and mentally prepared to test whether I could handle traveling, at least on a small scale. None of my other friends was available that day. The accommodation could not be canceled.
So I decided to do something that would have seemed unthinkable to me just yesterday. I set off alone.
At first, it seemed like a damn stupid idea. I was already feeling anxious on the train, and the idea of spending the whole trip in a similar mental state seemed very unappealing. What the hell was I going to do alone in Beroun? And overnight, too?
I decided to at least try it and come home if I needed to. And so I suddenly found myself standing in the main square in Beroun, looking at the architecture. I felt alone and lonely. My mood was briefly lifted by an interaction with a man playing guitar in the underpass. I tossed him a small coin, and he smiled at me and thanked me. I felt better for a moment. I realized that contact with people is what saves me and that without it, I will have a hard time.
My cell phone rang. It was the lady from the accommodation calling to say that the cleaning was done, and I could come. “I’ll just free up a parking space for you,” she said. I replied that she didn’t have to because I didn’t have a car. Her next question made me freeze. “How will you get here, then?”
I realized that I had carefully checked the reviews, the comfort of the bed, and the quiet environment at night, but somehow I had forgotten about the location. The Trilobit apartment was a half-hour walk from the center. But my landlady solved the problem. “Wait, I’ll pick you up,” she said.
We agreed on a meeting place, and at the appointed time, a friendly and talkative lady opened the car door for me. I mentioned that I was originally supposed to go with a friend, and she thought for a moment and asked, “Since you’re alone, would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?” I accepted with almost pathetic gratitude.
But at the same time, I was a little scared. Now I couldn’t go back home, as I had been almost certain I would do just a moment ago. The die was cast.
What to do in Beroun?
I pulled myself together a little at the accommodation and set out with a firm determination to see Beroun. My first stop was the Městská hora lookout tower, from which I wanted to see the surroundings of the city. With Google Maps open in my hand, I climbed the hill. But, oops. The lookout tower was closed for the winter. Next to it was an amazing long slide to the foot of the hill, but it was closed too. So I walked to the nearby bear enclosure. The bear was outside. Next to me, a couple of rescuers in uniform were taking pictures of it and speculating whether there were two bears or if one of them had already died. I took a picture of the bear too, and then I asked them for directions to the center. They said they were heading there too and that I could go with them. And so, in friendly conversation, we walked down the hill. I learned that they were on duty—they were taking a patient to Beroun for dialysis and were waiting for her to finish. In the meantime, they were checking out the local sights.
I reached the square and found that the center of Beroun is quite small. I looked at the Prague Gate, the Pilsen Gate, and then there wasn’t much else to see. So I headed to the Museum of the Bohemian Karst.
The museum was deserted, so I got a private tour. A lady showed me around the lower floor, which focuses on geology, and then handed me over to a guide who showed me the exhibits on the upper floor. There, I could see how ordinary people and wealthier townspeople lived in the Middle Ages, look at some paintings, and a collection of firearms, which, for some reason, took up a significant part of the museum. Time flew by during the guided tour until I realized that I had to run, otherwise I would miss my meeting with my hostess.
I arrived at the Blackdogs restaurant, which is said to have the best burgers in the Czech Republic, slightly late. My new acquaintance was already sitting at a table. We ordered food, started talking, and when we finished eating, we ordered drinks, and then more, and then more… In the end, we were sitting there for three hours. With someone I met for the first time that morning.
From the restaurant, we went to see the miniature Christmas market, where only a few stalls selling hot drinks were open. Kristýna (we got on a first-name basis in the meantime) invited me for a hot pear drink, and then we slowly made our way to her home, where her husband was supposed to pick us up and drive me to my accommodation.
And so I suddenly realized that I had spent the whole day in Beroun and hadn’t been alone for a moment. Time and again, I see that when you find the courage to take a leap, life always catches you.
At my accommodation, I looked through a book about Beroun, from which I learned that there were a few more places I could visit. If you’ve decided to explore Beroun and not miss a thing, here are some other places you can see.
You can climb the Pilsen Gate and Prague Gate and see Beroun from above, although I’m not sure if this option is only available in the summer. Not far from the Prague Gate, you can see the remains of the city walls. You can also visit St. James’ Church, which is not far from the Pilsen Gate. And finally, you can also visit the Beroun Museum of Ceramics. You will find many smaller monuments here (the page is in Czech, so you will have to use a translator). Kristýna recommended a trip to the Máminka lookout tower, which is about 6 km from Beroun.
So I have a list of things I would like to see next time. I definitely plan to come back here in the summer so I can ride that amazing slide!
Then it was time to lie down and sleep in the big, comfortable bed. I was worried about how I would manage the night in a new place, but it turned out to be no problem at all. I slept like a baby.
And so finished my first mini-trip in a long time. A tiny adventure. And I found out that it’s possible! A small step for mankind, a giant leap for Hela! I’m already looking forward to where I’ll go next.
P.S.: If you want to stay at Beroun, I wholeheartedly recommend the apartment I stayed in, Trilobit Apartment. It’s really nice, squeaky clean, and the bed is super comfortable. One of the best accommodations I have ever stayed in! And, of course, the host is super nice.
Here are some photos of what it looks like!
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