Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
•
Plze
n
ské Pivovary/Pilsner Brewery
(Prague, Czech Republic).
At U
Prazdroje 7, Plze
n
will interest any-
one who wants to learn more about
the brewing process. The brewery
actually comprises several breweries,
pumping out brands like Pilsner
Urquell and Gambrinus, the most
widely consumed beer in the Czech
Republic. See p. 265.
•
Okocim Beer (Poland).
This is going
to generate a lot of controversy. Of
the big national beers, Poles seem to
favor
0
ywiec (maybe it's folk dancing
on the label that wins them over?).
For my money, Okocim is the brew
of choice. The slightly sweetish taste
is reminiscent of Czech Budvar (Bud-
weiser), and all the other beers more
or less taste blandly the same. Drink
it straight or add a shot of fruit syrup
to the mix (but don't try this if you're
male). See p. 382.
•
#
uic
â
(Romania):
#
uic
â
(also referred
to as P
â
linca) is a homemade brandy
distilled from plums, pears, apples, or
other fruit, and is a popular after-din-
ner or welcome drink, particularly in
Romania's village communities. You'll
probably get to taste it whenever you
dine or stay with local families, or at
traditional restaurants. You can pur-
chase some of the country's best-
known
#
uic
â
from Teo Coroian, who
runs a small distilling business from
his home in the medieval fortress
town of Sighi
@
oara. See p. 528.
•
Movia Estate (Slovenia).
You don't
even need to visit the wine farm to
enjoy tastings of some of Slovenia's
favorite vintages. Movia has a won-
derful little
vinoteka
right next to the
Town Hall on Mestni Square. Luka,
your obliging sommelier, will hardly
bat an eyelid as you order another
glass of something award-winning,
but he will certainly remind you just
how good it is. See p. 664.
•
The Jeruzalem Wine Route (Slove-
nia).
In Slovenia's “far” east, this
route is perfect for purveyors of fine
wine and gentle drives through ram-
bling vineyards. You can stop off at
any number of farms, with private
tastings usually conducted by one of
the owners, and then—should things
get out of hand—you can simply stay
for the night and pick up where you
left off after a scrumptious farm
breakfast. See p. 680.
