According to Google translate, “Dobrý den, jmenuji se Sára” means “Hello, my name is Sarah” in Czech!
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Prague was one of my favorite places while studying abroad. My friends and I explored it in just 24 hours, and while you could easily spend months in this gothic-style city, there was something exhilarating about mapping out each half hour with only one backpack in hand.
We decided to take on Prague by simply getting lost. We grabbed a map from our hotel lobby and circled off the major parts of the city. From there we just started walking. Some say that the best days are the unplanned ones, and that’s how we wanted to spend our time here. We stumbled upon crazy shops, beautiful architecture, secret alleyways, and silly street performers.
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Image may be NSFW.
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Popular things in Prague are the John Lennon Wall, the Old Town Square, the Charles Bridge, and St. Vitus Cathedral. Everything in this city is within walking distance of each other which is really handy too, but get your walking shoes ready if you want to see it all!
The Food:
The food in Prague was absolutely delicious. I ate gourmet pancakes, delicious stew, and devoured trdelníks. Trdelníks are rolled dough pastries in a spiral shape and the insides are coated with a layer of chocolate – amazing.
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A couple of friends of ours who had been studying abroad in Prague suggested we try DEN NOC — a gourmet pancake restaurant.
It took us about an hour and a half to find it on foot, but finally, through an ivory covered archway, there it was. The 20 minute wait made it even more desirable, as we waited with bated breath to try one of these famed pancakes. I ordered two — and recommend them both equally! — goat cheese and mushroom and Nutella banana. Oh, and you can’t forget to grab a hot chocolate while you’re there — mostly because of the almost-arctic temps.
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Image may be NSFW.
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The Weather:
Prague is definitely a chilly city – much colder than New England this time of year. I would make sure to layer up to the max. I wore a tank top under a long sleeve turtleneck that was under a sweater and topped the outfit off with a long wool coat. Carry gloves, a scarf, and a hat with you at all times in case you should find yourself shivering. When I visited, I experienced gloomy weather which made traveling around the city even harder due to lack of sunlight, so be sure to plan accordingly!
The John Lennon Wall:
The John Lennon Wall is probably the most iconic part of Prague. What was once simply a normal wall, is now a site for street art and memories. Since the 1980s, the wall began to become filled with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles’ songs. Czech students wrote of peace and love, similar to what John Lennon would sing about. Portraits of John Lennon were beautifully painted onto the wall and it started a movement that still takes place today. The wall is constantly changing as travelers from all over the world come to see this artistic and symbolic site, but even amidst its evolution, it remains a beacon of global hope.
I actually visited Prague about a week after the Paris attacks that happened in November of 2015. When I walked up to the John Lennon Wall I first noticed a massive French flag that was painted over the other artwork. The French flag remained pristinely in tact, while graffiti continued around it — proving that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness still rings true.
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The Czech Republic is such a unique place and worth a visit if you ever find yourself in Europe. You can capture amazing photographs, try delicious foods, and buy some nontraditional souvenirs. Tweet us your favorite place that you have ever visited and maybe we will write about it!
Na shledanou! (Goodbye!)