On my way out of Noviny Pod Ralskem, there are a ton of tiny (and I mean tiny) settlements, and many of them bear the name of the nearest "proper" town, Český Dub. This can lead to a brain reset of some kind, as you leave Český Dub, pass through Český Dub and eventually end up in Český Dub, all of which are different. But once you get what's going on, it makes as much sense as it needs to, and when you see these places, it matters little what they're called.

Although I don't usually find buildings interesting, I've had to pay a bit of attention to them on this trip, because there are some gorgeous houses and they need sharing. Just have a look at these bad boys:

Some drive-by shots are better than a South Central junction on a friday night. These are probably not among them.

The real Český Dub, however, is a nice little town with the usual amount going on - someone sitting on a bench and someone parking a Škoda outside a branch of Coop. You know, the real nitty gritty. I was hungry, when I arrived, and I was happy to see a little cafe opposite a bakery; I'd felt assured a nice coffee with a fresh, warm loaf of homemade bread. I'd only forgotten one important factor: it's July, which means everyone's away.

I realized this as I approached the cafe, which I found picturesque enough to bother faffing with the camera.

...where you can buy a "flath whait" (flat white).

No coffee for me, though, and sadly, the bakery was a let-down, too. But there were some nice streets and a bunch of run-down buildings to enjoy. Sometimes, "things to do" means things to look at. You get what you get.

Also, along the way, I've discovered there are some things I always notice, and they are mostly ridiculous bus stops and telegraph poles. I think the latter can be explained by the usual obsession with texture, but the former, I can't account for.

Among the old buildings, I find atmosphere, and in that, some kind of enjoyment.