Medieval wonders in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic

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Today, which I spent with Masayo on a series of trains and buses trying to get from one small town in the Czech Republic to another, was a good demonstration of problems that travel can cause diabetics. I was at various times both quite low and quite high, and basically owe it all to the pace of travel life.

In other words, it was a valuable lesson about times when travel and diabetes don’t get along. Hey, it happens.

The plan was to move from the town of Kroměříž, which I’ll miss but will be happy I don’t have to keep typing here (it takes forever) – to the town of Kutná Hora. I bought train tickets online last night, and was given a six-digit number to show to the various train officials along the way. I love simple systems like that. When they work.

My blood sugar at 9:30 am was 154; I have fallen into a pretty regular pattern of being very high after dinner then taking a corrective Humalog shot and waking up with a more acceptable reading. I really need to dare myself to take enough Humalog at dinner and not spike so high. But it’s been tough to actually pull that trigger.

We had our breakfast in our room at Penzion Kroměříž, which I’ll really be sorry to leave. It’s such a nice room in a such a nice town. After yogurt and danishes we’d bought yesterday, and instant coffee, we checked out and walked to Kroměříž station.

At the station we each bought some food since we’d be on the train over lunch and didn’t know if we could buy anything on board; I got a slice of rather unappetizing-looking pizza. The old fallback so far on this trip, even if it tends to play havoc with my diabetes. I feel with each experience I learn something and will eventually conquer it.

Travel offers it all to you, diabetic or not!

Our first train was to a place called Hulín, and best of all my ticket number thing worked. I also had to show my passport for some reason, but it was totally smooth. Good job, Czech train system.

We passed through Olomouc, a town that I know of because it’s mentioned in an R.E.M. song called “Disappear”. Unfortunately at 1:30 my BG was high — 235. I took a shot and ate my pizza, which was kind of thick and as I suspected of mediocre deliciousness.

The next train took us to Kolín where we finally changed to the one bound for Kutná Hora hlavní nádražy, a mouthful which I believe means “Kutná Hora central station”.

We stepped off the train in our brand-new surroundings, the only non-locals carrying large bags with us, and found a tourist info kiosk right on the platform where we got a map of the town. Actually thanks to my internet research back in Kroměříž, I knew how to walk the short distance from the station to get to our pension.

But the roads outside the station entrance didn’t match what I expected; we eventually realized that “central station” is not the station down close to Old Town that I was expecting. We were several kilometers away from where we wanted to be. So it goes when you’re traveling using your own wits in strange places.

We jumped hopefully onto Bus #1 which was waiting outside the station and I paid the driver for two tickets. As we bounced along the residential streets, stopping here and there, I oriented myself with the tourist map and figured out which stop to get off at. From there it was a quick walk through town to our pension.

I felt like an explorer! Kinda. Hey, it takes some skill and resourcefulness to wend your way to a certain building in a town you’d barely heard of two days ago.

Penzion Centrum is our guesthouse, and it’s another triumph for the Czech Republic and for booking.com, which as usual I’d used to find it and reserve a room. The pension is in a rather amazing location in Kutná Hora — right next to the giant and ancient stone Church of St. James. The streets around the pension are made of cobblestones and there’s a palpably old, lived-in feel to the area.

Nobody was around at first, but finally the couple that owns the place returned. The lady spoke a little English and checked us in. The room turned out to be pretty small, with two single beds and a little space in between. The bathroom was very narrow, more like a crawlspace than a room, with a toilet at one end, the sink in the middle, and the shower at the other.

But the Penzion Centrum was a good price, and the location was unbeatable.We loved the place immediately.

But there was no time to soak it all up just yet: I was feeling very tired and fell into a long nap against my better diabetic judgment. Naps quite often destroy my blood sugar; I’ll be ok when I wake up but two hours later get very high. That’s why I rarely take afternoon naps. Little did I know how volatile this particular nap would become.

But that’s what the trip required of me – diabetes aside, I needed to rest and so I had little choice but to chance it. Afterwards it would be me and my Humalog vs. the effects of sleep.

Afterwards as Masayo and I roamed the streets of Kutná Hora at random looking for a restaurant for dinner I checked: BG now 55. It must have been low while I slept. I drank some juice and we soon found a Czech restaurant.

The place was rather quaint, with a homey feel and lots of colorful posters and things as decoration. I ordered their special of the day, venison in ghoulash with potato pancakes (and sparkling water). It was truly excellent, if not terribly filling, and I waited until I was finished to take my shot in light of the earlier low.

It wouldn’t work out for me, though: bad diabetic times were in my future tonight thanks to the aftereffects of that otherwise delightful nap.

Back in the cramped room Masayo and I relaxed a little more. It felt like kind of a waste to me: we’re in a new and inviting little town, and we’re hanging around our room doing nothing on our first day?!

Yes. When traveling at the relentless pace we’ve been doing, you have to take your breaks when you can and not feel guilty about it. Exploring Kutná Hora could and would wait until tomorrow.

The diabetic moment of truth came a couple hours later, unfortunately: 383, almost the highest of this trip so far. Stupid nap.

I was surprised to be that high but dutifully took some Humalog to correct it, plus my Lantus, and went to sleep after watching a documentary about World War II on YouTube. WW2 has been on my mind ever since visiting Poland, especially Auschwitz-Birkenau, and besides reading the book I bought in the Old Jewish Quarter of Kraków I’ve been seeking out documentaries online about it.

Travel: it expands your mind in every way.

So even though it was a bad day for blood sugar – no readings between 70 and 130, most far outside that range – it was a fun day slithering into the deep heart of Central Europe. The trains worked, we’re in a lovely little town in a stunning location, and tomorrow we’re going to see one of the region’s weirdest sights: the Church of Bones!

Have you ever missed something while traveling due to taking a break in your room?

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