Břevnovský klášter situated in lovely grounds is a  Benedictine  archabbey  in the Břevnov district of Prague, It was founded , in 993 AD. The first Benedictine male monastery in Bohemia, it also has the oldest tradition of beer brewing in the Czech Republic. It was destroyed in the 1420's during the Hussite Wars and rebuilt as a Baroque monastery complex in 1708–1740. More recent excavations have uncovered the foundations of the earlier church

Loket situated about 12 kilometres from Karlovy Vary means "elbow" in English. The town got its name due to the town centre being surrounded on three sides by the Ohře River, and the shape the river takes is similar to that of an elbow. The town centre itself features Loket Castle, a 12th-century gothic castle built on a massive rock in the town. Once known as "the Impregnable Castle of Bohemia", because of its thick walls, it is one of the oldest and most valuable historical stone castles in the Czech lands. 

We were staying at a pleasant hotel called the Císař Ferdinand, located in the town almost opposite the castle.

We went on to spend several days here and in Mariánské Lázně before returning to Prague. That was later followed by a day trip to Mělník,a town that lies at the confluence of the Labe(Elbe) and Vltava rivers, approximately 35 km north of Prague. Melnik is an old town and was a dowry town of the Queens of Bohemia. It's chief glory is it's Renaissance castle built for the princes of Lobkowicz. The surrounding vinyards hugging the slopes of the hillside down to the river and the castle restaurant overlooking them were a joy to experience.

From the restaurant you can not only see the confluence of the two rivers but you can also see across the plain to the East Říp Mountain . Říp is an extinct volcano and according to legend was the place where the first Slavs, led by  Forefather Čech, settled.