Czech Mate

This weekend I took my first solo trip to Prague, Czech Republic. Thanks to some amazing suggestions from my cousin Maggie who studied abroad in the city, I was able to keep myself busy for my two days there.

I arrived at midnight (thanks to a delayed flight) on Thursday and my Airbnb host met me to show me around the amazing apartment I had for the weekend and hand over the keys. I slept on that memory foam mattress like I hadn't been allowed to sleep for the past week. It was incredible. Friday morning I woke up and went to a family-owned cafe next door and enjoyed a great breakfast and cup of coffee before wandering through the farmer's market across the street.

After browsing the market I hopped on the metro and rode into the old town. I started in the Jewish Quarter at the Spanish Synagogue, went to the Ceremonial Hall, and visited the Old Cemetery, all of which are part of the Jewish Museum. I learned so much about the Jewish community of Prague and their intense history of being exiled and sent to concentration camps throughout the region. It was a heavy, but good way to start the day. From there I walked to Letna Park where I got a good view of the entire city on my way to the Castle.

Prague Castle is one of the largest in the world. It's such a feature of the city that even Hitler visited it while there. I was looking at the St. Vitus Cathedral when a woman approached me to take her photo in front of it. After talking for a bit I learned she was from Dallas, TX and was in the city because her husband was there for work. She asked where I was headed and I told her the Petrin Tower (Prague's much smaller Eiffel Tower), and she asked if I minded if she tagged along. I told her I didn't and we walked and talked the 25 minutes it took to get there. After climbing to the top and having a great 360 view of the city, we walked back down into the town and got lunch together. It was honestly really nice to have someone to talk to as I hadn't realized I hadn't said really anything all day until that point. We parted ways after lunch and I went to the Lennon Wall and the Piss Sculpture. I even treated myself and got Trdelnik (chimney cake) and went to the Ice Pub. They say you're never really alone when you travel and they're right. While in the largest Ice Pub in Europe I met two ladies in their 40s on a girls' weekend who invited me out to a pint at the Beer Museum after we left. With nothing else really on my agenda for the day I took them up on it, enjoyed sharing stories about our days, and then went to dinner at Cafe Lourve (another great suggestion from Maggie) where I ate Spatzle and had an amazing hot chocolate for dessert. I ended my night by visiting the Dancing House (inspired by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) and then took the tram back to the Airbnb.

Saturday was much shorter and less eventful, which was perfectly fine with me. I took the metro into the Old Town again and got coffee at a vendor near the entrance to the Museum of Communism. The museum took a while to go through because it was text-heavy, but was so interesting I honestly didn't realize I had been in there for over and hour and a half by the time I left.

Here are some fun facts I learned while there:

• The USSR once blamed an infestation of bugs on some crops on the U.S. as a propaganda scheme

• The monument of Stalin in Prague was erected the same year Disneyland opened

• According to one particularly astute source, the fall of communism took 10 years in Poland, 10 months in Hungary, 10 weeks in Germany, and 10 days in Czechoslovakia

• People would sneak into the Western Embassies seeking asylum and would be put on midnight "safe" trains into the west

After the museum I headed to a lovely little gingerbread shop recommended by a blog I read before going to see the well-known Astronomical Clock in the old town square. I had about another 30 minutes or so before the Municipal Library opened, which was the next, and last, thing on my list of places to go for the day. How did I spend that time? I visited the largest Apple Museum in the world (the technology company, not the fruit). They had one of every product ever made in every color, and I couldn't help but think how much my dad and brother-in-law would've loved it. There were items signed by Steve Jobs, one of the original iPhone prototypes, and some neat Pixar artifacts. After geeking out over Apple products, I did what a nerd would do and went to the library to see the Tower of Books. It's a column of books by Slovak artist Matej Kren with a mirror at the top and bottom, making it appear as an endless tower of knowledge. This timed out perfectly because as I left I grabbed dinner, wandered the streets and did some shopping, and then took the metro to the airport bus and was on my way home.

My flight was delayed (again) because a flight attendant's incoming flight was running behind, so I was stuck on the bus from the gate door to the plane for almost 30 minutes. At least I made it though, right? There were screaming kids, loud adults, and I don't think I had ever been more excited to get on the tram back to my dorm. It's all part of traveling though, and it makes for good stories later on.

Next weekend my friend Sarah and I will be going to Krakow, Poland to visit Auschwitz and eat pirogies. It's going to be heavy, but I'm looking forward to being immersed in what bit of history is left there. Thanks again for all of the prayers and well wishes. Expect another update next Sunday!