Saturday, July 24, 2010
Traveling with Mom and Sarah
1. The World Cup in Madrid and San Miguel
2. Segovia- Fried Egg
3. Toledo- Bacon Bits
4. Soaking up Madrid
5. Pretty Paris
6. Chateaus in France
7. Long Travel Day
1. World Cup in Madrid and San Miguel
On Sunday, July 11th, I met up with Mom and Sarah at the Madrid airport. After settling into our hostal (small hotel), we walked over to the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza del Sol with our Spanish fans and water bottles. The streets were buzzing with excited fans for the World Cup- red and gold capes, shirts, face paint, wigs, crazy glasses, really annoying plastic horns. . . the works. To watch the game, we stumbled across the Mercado de San Miguel where we enjoyed sangria, tapas, and watched Spain win the world cup on one of the several TV screens. It was such a cool experience to see the whole city celebrating, and I felt like we were able to partake in Spanish history!
The Mercado de San Miguel turned out to be one of our favorite places in the city. Inside the glass and iron building were 33 vendors or mini-restaurants selling tapas, pastries, fruits, drinks, and sea food. For the rest of the week, we began each morning there in the mercado, sipping on cafe con leche and nibbling on some bread and fruit. We also enjoyed the olive and fish tapas and pickled squash for our pre-dinner appetizers.
2. Segovia
On Monday, we took a high speed train to the Medieval town of Segovia which I would highly recommend. It is usually cooler than Madrid due to its location in the mountains, and there is plenty to see for a full day. We saw the huge Roman 
aqueduct that leads into the city, passed by the last cathedral in Spain to be built in the Gothic style, and had a nice lunch before touring the Alcazar, the castle that supposedly inspired the Sleeping Beauty's castle down in Disney World. The castle was so interesting with a very low entrance fee. I still love learning about the Middle Ages and I was relieved to see something different than the gaudy, heavily-ornamented styles that would emerge later. Before leaving Segovia, we walked through the tree-covered paths at the base of the Alcazar and enjoyed the scenery and winding stream.
Breakfast food analogy for Segovia: Fried Egg. The beautiful, old city and castle is easily walkable with a delicious, condensed atmosphere like the yolk of a fried egg and the egg white on the outside represent all of the trails and surrounding scenery which are also very nice, but if you only have time for one, go for the yolk.
By a lucky chance, we got back to Madrid just as huge crowds of red and gold began to assemble along the streets. We decided to stick around and see what the hub bub was all about, and then we saw the floats. It was the Spain Futbol team coming back from South Africa! We saw them live, in person! I mean, they were not close enough shake hands with, but we could definitely pick out the different players, including my favorite- Alonso #14.
3. Toledo
We took another train on Tuesday south of Madrid to the historic city of Toledo, a city of metal-working, ceramics, marzipan, a giant cathedral, and heat. We wandered the streets and bought some yemas, a traditional, regional specialty of candied egg yolks. It was pretty good- not my favorite dessert in the world but "when in Toledo. . ." Our adventurous spirit did not extend, however, to eating cuchinillo, a roasted 28-day old piglet.
We enjoyed Toledo, but the experience would have been better if it had not been quite so hot. When we walked back to the train station, we found out that it was 104 degrees Fahrenheit. No wonder we were hot!
Breakfast food analogy for Toledo: Bacon bits. It is dry and kind of crumbly city that is worth a visit as an accompaniment to something else, but I would not necessarily recommend it as the city to visit if you only have time for one in Spain. It also has a long history, like bacon, and the city is a reminder of that history (bacon bits are not the real deal, but they are a reminder of real bacon.)
4. Soaking Up Madrid
We spent the rest of the week in Madrid, searching for good tapas and real paella, shopping, walking, visiting the Thiessen Art Museum, having picnics in the Retiro
Park, smelling the flowers in the Botanical Garden, taking siestas during the hot part of the day, and meeting Mattieau, Sarah's boyfriend, who has been studying intensive Spanish in the city of Salamanca. The four of us had a great time sitting at cafes, talking and sharing tapas (spinach and seafood croquettes, tomatoes and goat cheese, tostados with crushed tomatoes, etc.)
5. Pretty Paris
I said hasta luego to Spain on Sunday, July 18th, and we flew to Paris. For the rest of the week, we stayed at Sarah's apartment were we cooked a lot of our meals. Sarah had to work during the day, but mom and I would explore neighborhoods on our own(the Islands, the Marais, the Latin Quarter), eat a packed lunch, and then meet up with Sarah in the evenings.
Paris is so pretty- the food, the people, the buildings, the flowers, the clothes. . . sigh, everything. And although some things such as rent are expensive, other aspects are incredibly cheaper than in the U.S. Because bread is subsidized by the government, the amazing baguettes are less than a euro. Cheese and yogurt is very cheap, too, and there are so many varieties. French food also incorporates a lot more vegetables than Spanish food. I do not count potatoes as vegetables. Yes, technically they are BUT. . .
During our week, Mom and I went on a Fat Tire Bike tour (fun, but oh-so scary when you are trying to cross heavy-traffic streets or share sidewalks with pedestrians and 26 other fat-tire bikers.) We also ate delicious falafel in the Jewish section of the Marais neighborhood and toured the Rhodin Garden which is such a good deal. It is only a euro to walk through the gardens and see quite a bit of his sculpture including The Thinker and The Gates of Hell.
For our last night in Paris, Mom, Sarah, and I went to this nice, little restaurant that was the perfect place to celebrate the end of our trip. Tucked into a small, cobblestone street with rope lights strung between the buildings and cafes. We sat on a curved, red plush bench and talked about little things and big things, past memories and future hopes. Before walking back to the apartment, we stopped for gelato sculpted into roses and passed by the Eiffel Tower with its sparkling lights one more time- haha, but not too close so we could avoid the tourists.
6. Chateaus in France
Let me back up just for a moment. Before we left Paris, Mom and I went on a tour of several chateaus in the Loire Valley. The van with a French guide, couple from Ohio, and family of three from Paraguay, picked us up early on Wednesday morning. Our first visit was Ambroise and then Leonardo DaVinci' house. We had lunch at L'Orange before seeing the third chateau and the gardens. Before driving back through the sunflower and wheat fields to Paris, we stopped quickly at several other chateaus to view from the outside. The grounds at Leonardo DaVinci's home were very beautiful, and along the paths were life-sized replicas of his inventions.
7. Long Travel Day
Mom and I left the apartment at 9 am on Friday, July 23rd. After a the long metro and RER train rides, we made our way through all of the security and other pleasantries of airports before boarding the plane a little after 1 pm. Ten hours later, we were in Detroit where several violent thunderstorms caused delays and cancellations. Luckily, our flight was not canceled but simply postponed, and we arrived in Des Moines at 12:30 Iowa time (7:30 Paris time.) Dad picked us up and drove us home where we were finally able to sleep.
It is good to be back, Iowa!
2. Segovia- Fried Egg
3. Toledo- Bacon Bits
4. Soaking up Madrid
5. Pretty Paris
6. Chateaus in France
7. Long Travel Day
1. World Cup in Madrid and San Miguel
On Sunday, July 11th, I met up with Mom and Sarah at the Madrid airport. After settling into our hostal (small hotel), we walked over to the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza del Sol with our Spanish fans and water bottles. The streets were buzzing with excited fans for the World Cup- red and gold capes, shirts, face paint, wigs, crazy glasses, really annoying plastic horns. . . the works. To watch the game, we stumbled across the Mercado de San Miguel where we enjoyed sangria, tapas, and watched Spain win the world cup on one of the several TV screens. It was such a cool experience to see the whole city celebrating, and I felt like we were able to partake in Spanish history!
The Mercado de San Miguel turned out to be one of our favorite places in the city. Inside the glass and iron building were 33 vendors or mini-restaurants selling tapas, pastries, fruits, drinks, and sea food. For the rest of the week, we began each morning there in the mercado, sipping on cafe con leche and nibbling on some bread and fruit. We also enjoyed the olive and fish tapas and pickled squash for our pre-dinner appetizers.
2. Segovia
On Monday, we took a high speed train to the Medieval town of Segovia which I would highly recommend. It is usually cooler than Madrid due to its location in the mountains, and there is plenty to see for a full day. We saw the huge Roman 
aqueduct that leads into the city, passed by the last cathedral in Spain to be built in the Gothic style, and had a nice lunch before touring the Alcazar, the castle that supposedly inspired the Sleeping Beauty's castle down in Disney World. The castle was so interesting with a very low entrance fee. I still love learning about the Middle Ages and I was relieved to see something different than the gaudy, heavily-ornamented styles that would emerge later. Before leaving Segovia, we walked through the tree-covered paths at the base of the Alcazar and enjoyed the scenery and winding stream.
Breakfast food analogy for Segovia: Fried Egg. The beautiful, old city and castle is easily walkable with a delicious, condensed atmosphere like the yolk of a fried egg and the egg white on the outside represent all of the trails and surrounding scenery which are also very nice, but if you only have time for one, go for the yolk.
By a lucky chance, we got back to Madrid just as huge crowds of red and gold began to assemble along the streets. We decided to stick around and see what the hub bub was all about, and then we saw the floats. It was the Spain Futbol team coming back from South Africa! We saw them live, in person! I mean, they were not close enough shake hands with, but we could definitely pick out the different players, including my favorite- Alonso #14.
3. Toledo
We took another train on Tuesday south of Madrid to the historic city of Toledo, a city of metal-working, ceramics, marzipan, a giant cathedral, and heat. We wandered the streets and bought some yemas, a traditional, regional specialty of candied egg yolks. It was pretty good- not my favorite dessert in the world but "when in Toledo. . ." Our adventurous spirit did not extend, however, to eating cuchinillo, a roasted 28-day old piglet.
We enjoyed Toledo, but the experience would have been better if it had not been quite so hot. When we walked back to the train station, we found out that it was 104 degrees Fahrenheit. No wonder we were hot!
Breakfast food analogy for Toledo: Bacon bits. It is dry and kind of crumbly city that is worth a visit as an accompaniment to something else, but I would not necessarily recommend it as the city to visit if you only have time for one in Spain. It also has a long history, like bacon, and the city is a reminder of that history (bacon bits are not the real deal, but they are a reminder of real bacon.)
4. Soaking Up Madrid
We spent the rest of the week in Madrid, searching for good tapas and real paella, shopping, walking, visiting the Thiessen Art Museum, having picnics in the Retiro
Park, smelling the flowers in the Botanical Garden, taking siestas during the hot part of the day, and meeting Mattieau, Sarah's boyfriend, who has been studying intensive Spanish in the city of Salamanca. The four of us had a great time sitting at cafes, talking and sharing tapas (spinach and seafood croquettes, tomatoes and goat cheese, tostados with crushed tomatoes, etc.) 5. Pretty Paris
I said hasta luego to Spain on Sunday, July 18th, and we flew to Paris. For the rest of the week, we stayed at Sarah's apartment were we cooked a lot of our meals. Sarah had to work during the day, but mom and I would explore neighborhoods on our own(the Islands, the Marais, the Latin Quarter), eat a packed lunch, and then meet up with Sarah in the evenings.
Paris is so pretty- the food, the people, the buildings, the flowers, the clothes. . . sigh, everything. And although some things such as rent are expensive, other aspects are incredibly cheaper than in the U.S. Because bread is subsidized by the government, the amazing baguettes are less than a euro. Cheese and yogurt is very cheap, too, and there are so many varieties. French food also incorporates a lot more vegetables than Spanish food. I do not count potatoes as vegetables. Yes, technically they are BUT. . .
During our week, Mom and I went on a Fat Tire Bike tour (fun, but oh-so scary when you are trying to cross heavy-traffic streets or share sidewalks with pedestrians and 26 other fat-tire bikers.) We also ate delicious falafel in the Jewish section of the Marais neighborhood and toured the Rhodin Garden which is such a good deal. It is only a euro to walk through the gardens and see quite a bit of his sculpture including The Thinker and The Gates of Hell.
For our last night in Paris, Mom, Sarah, and I went to this nice, little restaurant that was the perfect place to celebrate the end of our trip. Tucked into a small, cobblestone street with rope lights strung between the buildings and cafes. We sat on a curved, red plush bench and talked about little things and big things, past memories and future hopes. Before walking back to the apartment, we stopped for gelato sculpted into roses and passed by the Eiffel Tower with its sparkling lights one more time- haha, but not too close so we could avoid the tourists.
6. Chateaus in France
Let me back up just for a moment. Before we left Paris, Mom and I went on a tour of several chateaus in the Loire Valley. The van with a French guide, couple from Ohio, and family of three from Paraguay, picked us up early on Wednesday morning. Our first visit was Ambroise and then Leonardo DaVinci' house. We had lunch at L'Orange before seeing the third chateau and the gardens. Before driving back through the sunflower and wheat fields to Paris, we stopped quickly at several other chateaus to view from the outside. The grounds at Leonardo DaVinci's home were very beautiful, and along the paths were life-sized replicas of his inventions.
7. Long Travel Day
Mom and I left the apartment at 9 am on Friday, July 23rd. After a the long metro and RER train rides, we made our way through all of the security and other pleasantries of airports before boarding the plane a little after 1 pm. Ten hours later, we were in Detroit where several violent thunderstorms caused delays and cancellations. Luckily, our flight was not canceled but simply postponed, and we arrived in Des Moines at 12:30 Iowa time (7:30 Paris time.) Dad picked us up and drove us home where we were finally able to sleep.
It is good to be back, Iowa!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Hasta Luego, Valencia
Tomorrow morning at 7:00, we say goodbye to our host moms, load onto a bus, and leave Valencia. Our trip is not over; we still have a day trip to Toledo and another day trip to Segovia before Sunday, the 11th of July, but it feels like the end. It is strange to think that this is not another three-day weekend and that we will not be returning to Valencia. I will definitely miss Valencia, and I am still completely charmed by the city, but I cannot wait to see my mom and sister on Sunday! We are traveling around Spain for a week before heading up to France for a few days.
This past week has been pretty warm with temperatures in the mid to upper 90s, but it did not deter my walking and further explorations. On Tuesday, I went with Katie for a last look at the beautiful produce of the Mercat Central before the long, hot walk to Carrefour (basically a Spanish Super Walmart) so she could purchase some amazing Carrefour granola bars. We bought them for our breakfasts while in Barcelona, and she wanted to stock up on a couple boxes before we left Spain. They are called barritas con naranjas y chocolate (granola bars with orange and chocolate specks), but they are more like a delicious mix between a cookie and a cracker. We also went back to the ¨duck park¨ with Sarah later that evening and walked around.
I forget to mention that before the Mercat Central, we also visited the Jardin Real (Royal Garden) and walked up 202 winding stairs to the top of the Cathedral´s bell tower of Miguel. It was nice to be able to look out above the city and see all of the little gardens and clothes lines atop the apartment buildings, the Jardin de Turia wiggling through the the city like a lush jungle, the gleaming, modern architecture to the east and the Medieval towers to the north and west. We could see the hazy outline of the surrounding mountains and the vague blue from the Mediterranean. While the sun beat down our faces, the bell tower of Miguel informed the city that time never stops. Life is always changing, and although it can be frightening at times, the change is what makes life exciting. How we adapt to change builds or tears down our character, strengthen or weakens our fiber.
I do not believe our personal weaknesses or struggles ever leave us, but as we mature, we begin to recognize them, and by being able to do so, we observe how we can overcome them or mold them into something beneficial.
Ok, I do not know where that came from but anyway. . . Yesterday was our last biology field trip. We went to the Oceanografic, and although we had been there before, it was still really enjoyable. Two professors from the university gave us tours and talked a little more in-depth about some of the species and the ways in which the Oceanografic cares for the organisms. We also went on a tour of its Mediterranean rescue facilities for turtles that were injured in the wild.
Last night was another World Cup futbol game between Spain and Germany. The Cafes everywhere were packed with estatic Spanish fans. Although I would have enjoyed viewing the game, I decided to take advantage of my last opportunity to go running through the park in Valencia. I have one more class left, and tonight I will be packing up my clothes and possibly going to a jazz concert with Carmen and Kendra. Oh, by the way, Spain won, but I did not have to watch the game to know! The cheers, honks, whistles, and fireworks informed me. This means Spain is now in the finals and on Sunday, the team will play to hopefully win the World Cup.
I wish you all a wonderful rest of the week, a moment of tranquility, a moment of laughter, and a chance to enjoy life, something that is ever-changing.
Ok, I will stop being so sentimental and cheesy now.
This past week has been pretty warm with temperatures in the mid to upper 90s, but it did not deter my walking and further explorations. On Tuesday, I went with Katie for a last look at the beautiful produce of the Mercat Central before the long, hot walk to Carrefour (basically a Spanish Super Walmart) so she could purchase some amazing Carrefour granola bars. We bought them for our breakfasts while in Barcelona, and she wanted to stock up on a couple boxes before we left Spain. They are called barritas con naranjas y chocolate (granola bars with orange and chocolate specks), but they are more like a delicious mix between a cookie and a cracker. We also went back to the ¨duck park¨ with Sarah later that evening and walked around.
I forget to mention that before the Mercat Central, we also visited the Jardin Real (Royal Garden) and walked up 202 winding stairs to the top of the Cathedral´s bell tower of Miguel. It was nice to be able to look out above the city and see all of the little gardens and clothes lines atop the apartment buildings, the Jardin de Turia wiggling through the the city like a lush jungle, the gleaming, modern architecture to the east and the Medieval towers to the north and west. We could see the hazy outline of the surrounding mountains and the vague blue from the Mediterranean. While the sun beat down our faces, the bell tower of Miguel informed the city that time never stops. Life is always changing, and although it can be frightening at times, the change is what makes life exciting. How we adapt to change builds or tears down our character, strengthen or weakens our fiber.
I do not believe our personal weaknesses or struggles ever leave us, but as we mature, we begin to recognize them, and by being able to do so, we observe how we can overcome them or mold them into something beneficial.
Ok, I do not know where that came from but anyway. . . Yesterday was our last biology field trip. We went to the Oceanografic, and although we had been there before, it was still really enjoyable. Two professors from the university gave us tours and talked a little more in-depth about some of the species and the ways in which the Oceanografic cares for the organisms. We also went on a tour of its Mediterranean rescue facilities for turtles that were injured in the wild.
Last night was another World Cup futbol game between Spain and Germany. The Cafes everywhere were packed with estatic Spanish fans. Although I would have enjoyed viewing the game, I decided to take advantage of my last opportunity to go running through the park in Valencia. I have one more class left, and tonight I will be packing up my clothes and possibly going to a jazz concert with Carmen and Kendra. Oh, by the way, Spain won, but I did not have to watch the game to know! The cheers, honks, whistles, and fireworks informed me. This means Spain is now in the finals and on Sunday, the team will play to hopefully win the World Cup.
I wish you all a wonderful rest of the week, a moment of tranquility, a moment of laughter, and a chance to enjoy life, something that is ever-changing.
Ok, I will stop being so sentimental and cheesy now.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Prague is a Cinnamon Roll
To continue with my breakfast food analogies of cities I have visited, I have decided that Prague is a cinnamon roll. It is a beautifully ´´sweet´´ city with its wonderful architecture and picturesque bridges over the Vltava River. History is very well-preserved here and you can peel back the ´´layers´´ to discover its unique and rather complicated past. As a center of intersecting trade routes, travellers from all over the world brought goods, including ´´cinnamon,´´ to this cultural hotspot of Europe. After the end of communism, Prague has ´´risen´´ again to a sought after destination for tourists and is now the 6th most visited city in Europe.
Ok, and now for the details of my trip:
1. A Rough Night at the Airport
2. Ugh, Tourists
3. GHOSTS!
4. A Full Day of Prague-ness
5. Synagogues and Fairy Tales
1. A Rough Night at the Airport
I left Thursday evening with three other girls for the Valencia airport where we caught a plane to Milan. Since we arrived close to 1 in the morning and left at 8:30, we decided we would spend the night at the airport which was. . . an experience. We were not the only ones camping out at the airport and all of the seats were taken due to transportation strikes in Madrid. We ended up finding one of the less stickier floors and bunkered down with our backpacks for a restless night of one to two hours of sleep and the peskiest flies I have ever encountered. Despite our lack of sleep, we still stayed pretty positive and at one point, probably due to how tired we were, we just started gigglying and could not stop.
2. Ugh, Tourists!
When we arrived in Prague that morning, we dropped off our bags at The Little Town Hotel Hostel (I would definitely recommend) and then went out to walk around and familiarize ourselves. We walked over the Charles Bridge and around the Old Town Square with the Astronomical Clock. After a picnic in the park, and some more exploration, we started to encounter hoardes of tourists. I know it is hypocritical of me to be bothered by all of the tourists when I myself was one, but in my mind I had envisioned the four of us girls wandering around in a foreign city inhabited by Czechs- not other Americans. Oh, well. It was still really great.
Later in the afternoon, we headed back to our hostel for naps and a chance to freshen up after walking around in the heat (mid 90s.) For dinner, we went to a Czech restaurant where I ordered a plate of tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, and onions that had been sauteed and flavored with olive oil. Yay for vegetables! Word to the wise, do not order water. It is such a rip-off! A pint of beer costs a little over 1 U.S. dollar whereas water was almost three times as much. Anyway, I learned my lesson and decided that the next time I would order iced tea which was still a little more expensive than beer, but not nearly as pricey as the water. I know the Czech Republic is supposed to have amazing beer, but after I trying a few sips of the different varieties the other girls had ordered, I decided I am not a beer fan.
3. GHOSTS
Instead of going on a traditional city walking tour, we decided to wait until dark and take one of the McGee´s Ghost Tours of Prague where we learned about the ghosts and legends of Old Town. It was a lot of fun! Our tour guide was from Nebraska but had lived in Prague for four years and was very helpful. We saw some interesting parts of the city, learned some history, and heard some of the traditional old tales of the city. Before heading back for the night, we stopped in quite a few stores where the other girls bought souvenirs for their families. We were suprised at how late the stores stayed open since they are usually closed by 9 in Valencia and people like to stay out very late in Spain.
4. A Full Day of Prague-ness
Our hostel was really nice. It was the perfect location, quiet, and even had a kitchen in each room and a little balcony where we ate our breakfast we had bought from the grocery store (whoo hoo for oatmeal!.) The hostel also offered free internet and had a lot of books and games to borrow.
We left fairly early on Saturday morning to walk up the steep hill to Prague Castle with a history dating back to 870 and the famous St. Vitus Cathedral. Even though I am getting a little tired of cathedrals, this one was really unique with its stained glass window. The pieces of glass were very small and colorful and depicted scenes of mercy in the daily lives of the Czech people: people feeding the hungry, providing comfort to widows. . . We paid to visit the castle where the famous Defenestration took place, a basilica, the Noble Women´s Institute, and the Golden Lane which unfortunately was closed for reconstruction. The Defenestration was in 1618 and the shortened-condensed version is that there were a lot of power struggles going on between the Protestants and Catholics and the Protestants threw a bunch of the Catholic Reagents out of the Castle window, but all of them survived because they happened to land on soft manure. This was the start to the 30 Years War throughout Europe.
After another park picnic, we walked around the city in some areas away from tourists and in the shade and saw the Lenin Wall, the opera house, and the Dancing House which is supposed to represent Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. We shared some refreshing gelatto and sat in the shade of a little cafe. Later that evening, we walked through some nice, very natural parks on the hills surrounding the city. The tranquility was very nice after the crowds of the castle, and it provided a great opportunity to see views of the city from higher ground.
We ate a late dinner in the lower level of this really cool restaurant in the Jewish Quarter, and one of the girls shared the best soft pretzel I have ever had. After meandering back to our hostel, we played several games of speed scrabble and went to bed tired and sweaty but very pleased with everything we had gotten to see.
4. Synagogues and Fairy Tales
On the Fourth of July, we set out again to do some more exploring and took a lovely stroll through one of the parks. The parks there were very different from other European parks, and it was a nice change. They were left very natural with woods and forest-undergrowth and grass. Eventually, we wandered out and went to the see the Spanish-style Synagogue in the Jewish Ghetto. We were not allowed to take pictures, but I do not think I will forget what it looked like. It was so beautiful and intricate, and I enjoyed seeing something different than another cathedral. We also learned a lot about the history of Jews in the Czech Republic. Later that afternoon, we had our last picnic in a different park and enjoyed Kolaches which are a type of Czech pastry. Unfortunately we could not find a bakery and had to purchase them from the grocery store, but we wanted to experience one last aspect of Czech cuisine.
Before picking up our bags at the hostel and heading back to the airport, we walked up and down the steep hills of the park through the forests and apple and cherry orchards. With the sound of music floating down the slopes, the dirt paths winding around the old trees, and the intermitent views of the beautiful city, we felt as if we were in a fairy tale or on a great quest.
The plane ride back to Valencia was a direct flight, and we did not have any problems.
Ok, and now for the details of my trip:
1. A Rough Night at the Airport
2. Ugh, Tourists
3. GHOSTS!
4. A Full Day of Prague-ness
5. Synagogues and Fairy Tales
1. A Rough Night at the Airport
I left Thursday evening with three other girls for the Valencia airport where we caught a plane to Milan. Since we arrived close to 1 in the morning and left at 8:30, we decided we would spend the night at the airport which was. . . an experience. We were not the only ones camping out at the airport and all of the seats were taken due to transportation strikes in Madrid. We ended up finding one of the less stickier floors and bunkered down with our backpacks for a restless night of one to two hours of sleep and the peskiest flies I have ever encountered. Despite our lack of sleep, we still stayed pretty positive and at one point, probably due to how tired we were, we just started gigglying and could not stop.
2. Ugh, Tourists!
When we arrived in Prague that morning, we dropped off our bags at The Little Town Hotel Hostel (I would definitely recommend) and then went out to walk around and familiarize ourselves. We walked over the Charles Bridge and around the Old Town Square with the Astronomical Clock. After a picnic in the park, and some more exploration, we started to encounter hoardes of tourists. I know it is hypocritical of me to be bothered by all of the tourists when I myself was one, but in my mind I had envisioned the four of us girls wandering around in a foreign city inhabited by Czechs- not other Americans. Oh, well. It was still really great.
Later in the afternoon, we headed back to our hostel for naps and a chance to freshen up after walking around in the heat (mid 90s.) For dinner, we went to a Czech restaurant where I ordered a plate of tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, and onions that had been sauteed and flavored with olive oil. Yay for vegetables! Word to the wise, do not order water. It is such a rip-off! A pint of beer costs a little over 1 U.S. dollar whereas water was almost three times as much. Anyway, I learned my lesson and decided that the next time I would order iced tea which was still a little more expensive than beer, but not nearly as pricey as the water. I know the Czech Republic is supposed to have amazing beer, but after I trying a few sips of the different varieties the other girls had ordered, I decided I am not a beer fan.
3. GHOSTS
Instead of going on a traditional city walking tour, we decided to wait until dark and take one of the McGee´s Ghost Tours of Prague where we learned about the ghosts and legends of Old Town. It was a lot of fun! Our tour guide was from Nebraska but had lived in Prague for four years and was very helpful. We saw some interesting parts of the city, learned some history, and heard some of the traditional old tales of the city. Before heading back for the night, we stopped in quite a few stores where the other girls bought souvenirs for their families. We were suprised at how late the stores stayed open since they are usually closed by 9 in Valencia and people like to stay out very late in Spain.
4. A Full Day of Prague-ness
Our hostel was really nice. It was the perfect location, quiet, and even had a kitchen in each room and a little balcony where we ate our breakfast we had bought from the grocery store (whoo hoo for oatmeal!.) The hostel also offered free internet and had a lot of books and games to borrow.
We left fairly early on Saturday morning to walk up the steep hill to Prague Castle with a history dating back to 870 and the famous St. Vitus Cathedral. Even though I am getting a little tired of cathedrals, this one was really unique with its stained glass window. The pieces of glass were very small and colorful and depicted scenes of mercy in the daily lives of the Czech people: people feeding the hungry, providing comfort to widows. . . We paid to visit the castle where the famous Defenestration took place, a basilica, the Noble Women´s Institute, and the Golden Lane which unfortunately was closed for reconstruction. The Defenestration was in 1618 and the shortened-condensed version is that there were a lot of power struggles going on between the Protestants and Catholics and the Protestants threw a bunch of the Catholic Reagents out of the Castle window, but all of them survived because they happened to land on soft manure. This was the start to the 30 Years War throughout Europe.
After another park picnic, we walked around the city in some areas away from tourists and in the shade and saw the Lenin Wall, the opera house, and the Dancing House which is supposed to represent Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. We shared some refreshing gelatto and sat in the shade of a little cafe. Later that evening, we walked through some nice, very natural parks on the hills surrounding the city. The tranquility was very nice after the crowds of the castle, and it provided a great opportunity to see views of the city from higher ground.
We ate a late dinner in the lower level of this really cool restaurant in the Jewish Quarter, and one of the girls shared the best soft pretzel I have ever had. After meandering back to our hostel, we played several games of speed scrabble and went to bed tired and sweaty but very pleased with everything we had gotten to see.
4. Synagogues and Fairy Tales
On the Fourth of July, we set out again to do some more exploring and took a lovely stroll through one of the parks. The parks there were very different from other European parks, and it was a nice change. They were left very natural with woods and forest-undergrowth and grass. Eventually, we wandered out and went to the see the Spanish-style Synagogue in the Jewish Ghetto. We were not allowed to take pictures, but I do not think I will forget what it looked like. It was so beautiful and intricate, and I enjoyed seeing something different than another cathedral. We also learned a lot about the history of Jews in the Czech Republic. Later that afternoon, we had our last picnic in a different park and enjoyed Kolaches which are a type of Czech pastry. Unfortunately we could not find a bakery and had to purchase them from the grocery store, but we wanted to experience one last aspect of Czech cuisine.
Before picking up our bags at the hostel and heading back to the airport, we walked up and down the steep hills of the park through the forests and apple and cherry orchards. With the sound of music floating down the slopes, the dirt paths winding around the old trees, and the intermitent views of the beautiful city, we felt as if we were in a fairy tale or on a great quest.
The plane ride back to Valencia was a direct flight, and we did not have any problems.
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