11
A Private Man Who Loved the Outdoors
Despite his widespread popularity, Miloslav Šimek was a rather private individual. He spent much of his free time away from Prague, particularly in South Bohemia, the region where his parents originated.
In the 1960s, he began traveling with his family to the area around Soběsuk in the Klatovy district. He fell so in love with the landscape that he later purchased an traditional blacksmith’s shop near a former quarry and gradually transformed it into a cottage.
He literally built the surroundings to his liking. He cleared the neglected quarry, planted trees, built a tennis court, and even played hockey there in the winter. He loved sports his entire life – friends remember him as a passionate tennis player who hated to lose.
