Learn all about the boating season
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| Hello, and welcome to the "Culture Class—Holidays in the Czech Republic" Series at CzechClass101.com. In this series, we explore the history and traditions behind Czech holidays and observances. I’m Michael, and you're listening to Lesson 21, Boating Season—plavební sezóna. |
| Going on a boating trip, or vodácký čundr, is a major formative experience for teenagers in the Czech Republic. This is a journey by canoe down a river, preferably in the company of many friends. The season starts in May and ends in late September, with the main season taking place during the summer. |
| Now, before we go into more detail, do you know the answer to the following question? |
| Which Czech rivers are the most popular among boaters? |
| If you don't already know, you’re about to find out, so stay tuned! |
| Every Czech river, or česká řeka, is suitable for boating trips, but much frequented are the rivers flowing through the picturesque countryside, or malebnou krajinou, of South Bohemia, such as the Lužnice and the Vltava. Once the summer starts, it's time to call your friends, arrange the dates, load the boats on the car, and leave for the water. |
| South Bohemian rivers are conveniently lined with campsites, pubs, and similar areas to refresh. Participants always pack up tents and sleeping bags in the morning or afternoon, board their boats, or lodě, and then—at a leisurely pace and with many interruptions—move on to the next campsite. Evenings and nights are then spent in a sociable environment around the campfire or at a local kiosk with refreshments. |
| Boating on the river is beautiful, but paddlers don’t like it when the current is slow; they call it "oil" because they have to paddle a lot—instead of relishing the views of the countryside and having fun with their friends. To make up for this, it’s customary to load a keg of beer on at least one boat in the group. This helps to maintain a good mood, or dobrou náladu, and keep them hydrated in the hot summer. |
| Among the welcome diversions of the boating trips are weirs. There are quite a lot of them on Czech rivers, and they present a fun challenge. Because of this, boats often end up upside down, and canoeists are then forced to wade through the water to collect clothing that has fallen in the river. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question— |
| Which Czech rivers are the most popular among boaters? |
| Most Czech rivers are used for boating, but the most popular are those in South Bohemia, especially the Lužnice and the Vltava. |
| Well listeners, how was this lesson? Did you learn something new? |
| Have you ever gone down a river in a canoe? |
| Leave a comment telling us on CzechClass101.com, and I’ll see you in the next lesson! |
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