So last week, my friend Honor and I packed out backpacks with the warmest clothes we own and headed east. Her friend Charlie is studying in Prague so we were able to stay with him, save some money and have a wonderful tour guide. When our flight touched down at the airport, I looked out the window and wondered if I was going on a snowboarding trip I didn't know about. There was about 4 feet of snow on the ground and even though we could tell it was freezing, it was beautiful.
Our first night there, we somehow braved the cold and Charlie took us our to this really fun underground bar/club. It was a great time and I definitely gained a lot of respect for people who study in COLD countries haha. We started Saturday morning off with Bohemia Bagel. It is an amazing breakfast joint that was actually started by an American entrepreneur. We then headed to the Old Town Square and clocktower where all of the Christmas markets were up. It was like being in a fairy tale. The snow made everything so majestic and all the lights were so festive. They have delicious hot wine called svarak and these cinnamon treats called trdelnik - perfect little combination for the cold weather.
We then went to the Strahov Library. It has been around since 1679 and has been restored many times after almost being destroyed many times. It holds over 50,000 volumes of any kind of book you could ever learn from. The ceiling is painted similar to that of the Sistene Chapel - it portrays human advancement and the path towards truth. It is so beautiful and the age of it really makes you appreciate the beauty.
We then headed over to the Castle of Prague. It is the largest castle complex in the world and the Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept there. With the snow and the lighting, I felt like we were smack dab in the middle of a Disney movie.
After walking around the castle grounds, we headed to the communist statue. This statue was built after communism fell in '89. The plaque next to it reads: The memorial to the victims of communism is dedicated to all victims. Not only those who were jailed or executed but also those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism. It signifies the effect communism has on someone, the breaking down of a person and their being until there is nothing left. It was very moving.
Saturday night, Charlie took us to a five story club (rumored to be the largest club in Europe). And just another example of how small the world is: ran into a girl in line for this club who I went to high school with, haven't seen since graduation in June 2008 and is studying in Madrid right now. I could not believe it, so fantastic though and such a great story!
Sunday afternoon, after wandering some other parts of the city, we went to the Lennon wall. This is a wall that a group of people started to graffiti during the 80s when Prague was still under communist rule. The government painted over it many times but every time, people would graffiti again. But this isn't graffiti that you normally think of. This graffiti should be called art. It stands for love and peace and was a symbol of hope for the Czech youth. It's called the Lennon wall because originally it was covered in Beatles lyrics with a large portrait of John Lennon. It is a really unique part of the city that you would not expect to find given Prague's history.
We were also able to see and walk across the Charles Bridge. This bridge is the only means of getting from Old Prague to New Prague. It was erected in the 1400s and has 30 statues of saints and patron saints - most of whom were killed as a result of communism. It has been in many movie and videos and is the perfect place for artists to sit and capture the view of the two towns and the river.
One really cool thing that was going on the same weekend we were in Prague was a Christmas festival. One day during the holidays (the Sunday we were there) all the kids in the city dress up like little devils and go around the city giving out candy. None of us are entirely sure the meaning or tradition of this but it was the cutest thing we've ever seen! A bunch of little kids all bundled up giddy as ever even though it was freezing outside. There were even a few little petting zoos out for them. It was adorable.
Despite the snow and the cold (if I was studying in Prague, I would probably sit in my house all day long haha) I can't imagine not having gone to this city. Of course we drank some delicious beer as Prague knows how to brew but paired with the history and the culture, Prague was absolutely one of my favorite places that I've traveled since I've been here. I am so grateful that I was able to experience the city and learn more about a country that had never really crossed my mind before coming abroad. And as my last trip before returning stateside, I'd say that this was quite the cherry on top of an already amazing time.
