Prague, A Fairytale City (Spring Break Part 2)

 This post is a continuation of my last publication, which outlined my time in various locations in Germany. So, I'll just start where I left off: Dresden. After a morning of enjoying the city, I took a short train ride to a whole other country-- not something that you can really do in the United States, huh? After only about an hour and a half, I was observing the classic views of Prague. I wanted to end my exploration of Europe for the year here for quite a few reasons: I had heard of its beauty and cultural significance from many of my European friends, for one, but also because I didn't know much about the Czech Republic and thought the best way to learn was to experience it for myself. Turns out I was right.

Old Town Square, with the spires of the Tyn Cathedral in the background.

After my first day in Prague, it was already my favorite European city that I have seen so far-- and it was even better considering the festive Easter celebrations. The only way I can describe it is that it truly is a fairytale city, complete with castles and palaces.The cobbled streets came alive with the irresistible scent of Trdelniks (chimney cakes, a traditional Eastern European dessert) sold on the street, and the buzz of thousands of excited tourists. Countless vendors on the tiny roads offered Bohemian glass, marionettes, and Russian dolls to passers-by, giving the look of an 18th-century market in a way.

Easter festivals and chimney cakes-- what could be better?

The views of Prague were as amazing as any other European city I've visited, and I especially enjoyed seeing the exteriors (an interiors, if I got the chance) of the gorgeous cathedrals. My favorite was the St. Nicolas Church on the Old Town Square with its classic inner and outer beauty, which was the location for Mozart's own performances. The Church of Our Lady Victorious came a close second, holding the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague statue.

St. Nicolas Church, just a five minute walk from my hostel.

The Holy Infant Jesus statue, which has more outfits than I've ever owned.

I did achieve my goal of learning a little more about Czechoslovakian history, especially through--you guessed it-- museums. The Museum of Communism was probably the most informative museum that I visited in Prague, and undoubtedly the most memorable. It focused mostly on the implementation of Marxism in Central and Eastern Europe, possessing both ordinary objects from under Communist rule and rare propaganda artifacts, and showed a video with footage of the Czech protests during the late 20th century.

Leftist propaganda from the Museum of Communism.

The National Museum was unfortunately closed, but I was able to see a small temporary Retro-themed exhibition that illustrated fashion through the 20th century. As a girl who designed over 200 dresses in her childhood, I was thoroughly entertained for the whole afternoon.

Slightly less informative but just as entertaining was the Lego Museum, which possessed just about every set of the toy that you could imagine from the company's beginning in the 30's. I'm a particular fan of the Star War Legos myself, so you can imagine me geeking out at the sight of a huge Millenium Falcon made up of thousands of plastic blocks.

I also learned about the city through a walking tour, another of my favorite ways to experience big cities that I visit. My tour guide had countless stories about Czech history: its rulers, the significance of monuments, famous residents, and so on. He described Prague's style as "architectural lasagna" due to its layered looks from several regimes, which I thought was especially accurate. Here I discovered secrets about the famous Charles Bridge, the Velvet Revolution and the Prague Spring, and the beautiful Prague Castle. Speaking of which, it's the largest ancient castle in the world (it's really more like a whole neighborhood, and takes up a significant chunk of the city's land), and is absolutely breathtaking when lit up at night.

Antonin Dvorak, a Prague native and one of my favorite composers, outside the Rudolfinum concert hall.

One particularly moving story on the tour was of Jan Palach and Jan Zajic, students who both committed suicide by self-immolation as a protest to Communist rule in 1969. It was difficult to fully comprehend their actions as well as the situation that drove them, even when standing just a foot away from where it happened. Political life in the Czech Republic is so different from how it was before, and since I wasn't alive during either the Soviet Union or its fall, I can only imagine what it must have been like for its citizens at the time. 

A monument of where Jan Palach and Jan Zajic committed suicide as a political protest on Wenceslas Square.

Other adventures I embarked on in Prague included visiting the Lennon Wall (illustrated in my last photo), hearing a wonderful Easter concert from a Czech Philharmonic quintet, watching the famed Astronomical Clock make its hourly chime, and touring the Jewish district and cemetery while dodging the rain. Truthfully, Prague's culinary culture wasn't as rich as Germany's, but I was still able to enjoy some goulash and definitely NONE of the inexpensive, locally brewed beer (seriously, it's cheaper than water) because alcohol is DANGEROUS. Overall, the city is much cheaper than other European destinations (*cough* Paris *cough*)-- accommodation was less than ten euros a night, and thankfully, most places offered generous student discounts.

A traditional Czech goulash. If  anyone asks, that's apple juice in the glass.

And after a few days, before I even knew it, I was back in Dollar uniform again. I'm definitely going to miss what Europe has to offer, especially how it was so easy to travel. But now I feel like I'm so much more experienced and independent, so maybe I can continue these journeys when I go back to the US. After all, it's an incredibly diverse country, and there's still so much I haven't seen. But I'm eternally grateful for the ability to see so much this year, which is more than many people do in a lifetime. After this refreshing break from school, I feel confident that I can end the year strong and return to my home country a more developed, informed individual.