Spring Break Part 1: Prague

The next couple blog posts will be a series since I went to four different countries, all with distinct culture and character. I have to say that this has been one of my greatest, most fun, most memorable spring break. Not just because of the places I went, but the people who made it memorable. I went to countries I have been dreaming about travelling to since I was ten. This blog is helping me solidify my disbelief that I actually went to these places. Let me tell you about the first stop on my trip, Prague.

On the Old Stone Bridge

It’s kind of sad when the best way to describe a country like Prague to an American is to say it reminded you of Disney World. It’s sad, but true. Prague was like a fairytale land. The first day we toured the Olde and New Town.The "Prague-ians" had begun setting up the Easter Market that weekend, so it was even more colorful than usual. It was bitterly cold, so we convinced ourselves that a Starbucks cup was an essential accessory to our coat and hat wardrobe. I missed my White Chocolate Mocha since being in Europe. So even the coffee tasted like a fairtale in Prague.

Czech food is very much like German food: heavy, hearty, and starchy. We got lunch at the Czech Kitchen where I had Goulash soup, dumplings, some kind of meat roast, and the most interesting tasting spinach I have ever tried. I’m known in several places as the “garbage disposal” (I can eat almost anything), but I had to leave the spinach where it belonged, in a real garbage disposal.

I loved just walking around the beautiful city, eating Turtlenecks (a cinnamon sugared dough cooked on a spit over a fire), feasting on Kielbasa from a market vendor, and drinking hot wine (like mulled cider, only it’s WINE. So good).

Went to the John Lennon wall. Took about 55 profile picture worthy photos, wrote some lyrics on the wall, and gave peace a chance.

We toured the Prague Castle complex, which had a lot of places to discover, considering it’s the biggest castle complex in the world. It’s not what you would think as a castle, though. It’s more like a little town resting on a hill overlooking Prague. It has a bunch of different office buildings, a gorgeous cathedral, a quaint little side street, some gift shops and cafes, and hot wine. Reminded me of Disney World. Tried some more hot wine there to keep our fingers warm, and enjoyed the beauty that is Prague.

Turtlenecks! So yummy

Lots of street performers on the Old Stone Bridge

The Lennon Wall

Oh Suz...

Inside the cathedral at Prague Castle

Kate Update

It’s been midterm week here, and I leave for my spring break trip tomorrow. Not to be the one to talk about the weather, but it was rained 8 days consecutively without stopping. I haven’t seen a dove bring an olive branch to my window yet, but I am hopeful it will come soon. The Arno River was looking rough when I walked along it yesterday. On the positive side, because it’s been raining so much, it gave me no choice but to put my sorry little bum in the library to study for midterms. Contrary to popular belief, I actually did put the “study” in “study abroad” this week. I just finished my last midterm today, which means SPRING BREAK STARTS TODAY.

Lookin a little rough, Arno. This was the only part of the day that was sunny.

 Because the weather has not been the most ideal, the past weeks mainly involved staying in Florence, going to class, getting free fries Friday at The Oil Shop, walking through the markets, and drinking tea.

 Oh wait! Two Saturdays ago, we went to Fiorentina vs. Chievo soccer game. It was incredibly fun to experience and watch. I may or may not have enjoyed watching the little boys behind us more. They were so cute cheering and yelling, just like their father next to them. Obviously, you probably had to be there to enjoy what I’m trying to explain. All in all, the soccer game was so much fun and Italian soccer is the bomb dot com.

 If you’re wondering where I’m going for spring break, then you’re in the right place. I leave for Prague tomorrow night. We will stay there for a couple days then take the trek up to Berlin where we’ll stay for a couple of days. Then we travel to Amsterdam, and lastly end in Paris. If you think that’s a lot of travelling, then you’re right. I will have travelled through 7 countries and I don’t even know how many miles that is. But I am soooo stoked and I can’t wait to tell you all more about it when I get back. If you have any suggestions on places to go or things to do in those countries, let me know!