czech republic slideshow
Once again, I have way too many photos to post individually to the site. So to those of you who are interested, here are all of my [good] photos from Prague and the Czech Republic. [Click “show info” button to get a bit of a description of each photo]
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prague
Oh what a week! So busy with studio and wrapping up the semester. And just to think this past Monday morning I was in the Czech Republic! Not even a week and it already feel like it was so long ago.
As many of you know I spent the extend Thanksgiving holiday with my friends in the capital of the Czech Republic – Prague. Like all of my travels so far, I had an amazing time, not only because I was in one of Europe’s most picturesque cities, but because I was able to spend time with my new friends who I’ve gotten to know throughout the semester in Denmark. It’s sad to think that in a few short weeks we all will be heading our separate ways.
But back to Prague.
Take any early childhood memory of a medieval city. Place it on top of a hill. Build a medieval town around the castle. Throw in some castle gates and erect a bridge crossing a mighty river. Sprinkle in a few dozen church spires and you’ve got Old Town Prague. To get modern day Prague, erase some of those quait churches, drop in several sterile, blank, low-cost apartment buildings with leaky faucets, fill the boulevards with heavy traffic, and throw in a couple cabaret halls and a few thousand prostitutes and you’ve got the post-World War II, post-Communist ruled city of Prague.
Prague is a city rich in history. Filled with stories of medieval battles between neighboring regions, years of hard handed Communist rule behind the Iron Curtain, and devastating loss of life during World War II. Beneath all of that hard history, Prague is a city of beauty filled with picturesque winding streets, countless spires, and unbelievable views across the Vltava River to the castle. Czechs are proud of their city as well. Maybe it was the goulash, kielbasa, and cabbage, but the people of the Czech Republic remind me of people back home in the ethnic quarters of rural Pennsylvania – where people work hard to make a living and enjoy conversing at the end of the day around a glass of beer.
Our time in Prague was similar, working hard sightseeing during the day, only to spend the evening at a pub trying the numerous local beers (Kozel, Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinius). Here’s a brief rundown of my time in Prague:
Day 1
- Morning on the three-hour NewEurope Free Tour of Prague – guided by a guy from North Carolina. Quite interesting and insightful. ‘
- Spent the afternoon wandering the Prague waterfront along the Vltava River. Wandered the Charles Bridge and climbed to the Castle.
- Evening watching a quartet play selections from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in an old (unheated) cathedral. (The seats were heated though!)
- Typical Czech dinner – beef goulash, Bohemian dumplings, and a glass of Gambrinius.
- Mullied wine (hot wine in spices) watching British music video countdown at British bar.
Day 2 – THANKSGIVING
- Ride the funicular to the top of a park in Prague. Wandered the park.
- Spent afternoon touring the Prague Castle, Lennon wall.
- Went to the Museum of Communism next to a casino. Really interesting, but I fell asleep during the movie 😦
- Meant to have traditional Czech dinner, though I wasn’t feeling well. Thanksgiving dinner for me consisted of a chicken salad.
Watching the changing of the guard in the Prague Castle
Lennon Wall – A graffiti wall near the Charles Bridge where students used to write their grivences about the Communist government. After multiple paint-overs, the French embassy across the street demanded that it remain. I think that’s how the story goes.
Day 3
- Wandered around Zizkov neighborhood, climbed mountain to Soviet tower covered with babies.
- Bus to Plzen.
- Tour Pilsner Urquell Brewery. English tour group consisted of a family from Philadelphia! Tasted unpasturized, unfiltered beer from a wooden barrel in the underground caves.
- Bus back to Prague.
- Dinner – goulash filled bread bowl and beer.
- Dancing at Karlovy Lazne – central Europe’s largest nightclub – four floors of dancing (retro, techno, hiphop, house). Tequila shots and beer.
- Dead tired for 2:30 bedtime.
Day 4
- Christmas markets open in Prague.
- Shopping all day (new shoes at Batas, H&M, Big Ben Bookstore for English expats)
- Evening Christmas tree lighting in Old Town Square
- Dinner – goulash, potato dumplings, Kozel dark beer
My new shoes…I could do a whole blog post about them. My new shoes I bought at a store called Batas in Prague – 7 floors of shoes. Of all the shoes, I picked these, hand made in the Czech Republic. Supposedly the Botas brand is not sold anywhere in the Americas. The shoes came with a gratis (free) pink leather carrying bag (?), a poster, a button, and postcards.
Old Town Square all decked out for the holidays.
Day 5
- Final sightseeing tour – Wencesclas Square, Astronomical Clock.
- Josefov Tour (Old Jewish Quarter Tour) – four synagogues, Jewish museum, and Jewish cemetery
- Climbed mountain for view of city.
- Shopping at Christmas markets at night.
- Evening drinks at U Fleku – traditional German beer hall.
The famous Spanish Synagogue
in the air again…
off to Prague.
Once again I’m leaving Denmark to explore the great vastness that is Europe. This is the last of any major travel breaks for me. I am leaving this evening for a hour’s flight to the capital city of the Czech Republic. I arrive back to Copenhagen Monday afternoon, a few hours before my Monday history class.
I am pumped and totally excited for this mini, yet somewhat long travel break in Prague. Five full days exploring, what I’ve hear, one of Europe’s most picturesque cities. This trip comes at the perfect time as well, since the Christmas season begins this weekend in Prague. The Christmas markets open up and the city is filled with lights, a large Christmas tree, and supposedly lots of carolers. Should be really pretty and lots of fun. The added bonus is that Prague is one of Europe’s cheapest cities (our hostel cost $9 a night!), always a plus for college students.
So long for now, I’ll be back in less than a week!
Neither Here Nor There 
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