My Time in Prague

We finally made it to Prague! On our first evening in Prague we didn’t have anything planned, so my friends and I headed out into the city, had some dinner and just explored for a little while. We also got some trdelnik, a type of spit cake which we had filled with ice cream, and yes it did taste amazing.

St. Vitus Cathedral

On our first full day in Prague we began with a walking tour of the city. We got to walk around the castle area and explore the St. Vitus Cathedral, which was beautiful. There were so many different stained glass (and even a painted glass) windows that all told a different story, some of which were even of Wenceslaus. We then got to go over the Charles bridge and get some amazing views of the city. Throughout this tour we got to see some incredible architecture, some stunning views of Prague, as well as learning some more about the history of the city. 

That night we went to a Czech Folklore Dinner, which was quite an interesting experience! We got to eat some traditional Czech food and watch a performance of some traditional Czech songs and dances. They even invited some of our group up and taught them some dances! This was honestly a lot more fun than I was expecting, and I found myself humming along to the songs and moving along with the music in my seat. I’m so glad I got to experience some more traditional Czech things.

Man Hanging From An Umbrella

The next day we were supposed to see the Czech Opera Kate and the Devil but due to a mixup we were unfortunately unable to see it, but that meant that we had some extra time to explore the city! My friends and I decided to get some lunch and also picked up some macarons (which were delicious). We then decided to walk around a part of the city we had never been to and ended up stumbling across some cool public art including a statue of a man hanging from a line by an umbrella. 

Dinner at U Fleku that night was quite interesting. We got some more traditional Czech food and there was an accordionist who played some traditional pieces as well as some pop songs. It was not quite as entertaining as the folklore dinner, but it was still nice to try some more traditional foods!

Glass Harmonica

The next day we headed out to the Musical Instrument Museum and spent some time getting to see the development of some traditional instruments as well as some more unusual ones including some hurdy-gurdies and two glass harmonicas. After we finished there we headed over to the Lennon wall which I loved! It was interesting to learn a little bit about the history surrounding it, as well as getting to see the art that adorns it today. For the rest of the afternoon, my friends and I decided to grab some lunch (which turned out to be a very disappointing crepe) and then just shop for a little and relax. That night we saw the PhilHarmonia Octet and they were great! I thoroughly enjoyed their set, especially the eight sections from the collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Mahler. The baritone soloist was very good and after reading the translations afterward I can tell that he effectively portrayed the pieces. 

Estates Theater

Our last full day in Prague was definitely one I think I’ll remember forever. We started out by heading to Terezin, a former military base turned concentration camp during WWII. We had an incredible guide who took us through the city and museums and explained what exactly went on there during WWII. Needless to say it was a very heavy start to the day, but I am so glad that I got to experience it. After we got back into Prague it was time to meet up with the other PLU J-Term study abroad trip that was in Prague for dinner and a ballet. The ballet we saw was Leonce and Lena and it was absolutely fantastic! This was easily my favorite performance we had seen. It’s a comedy ballet about the prince of the kingdom of Popo and the princess of the kingdom of Pipi, and it was hilarious! The dancing was also quite a bit more modern (there was even flossing at one point), which added to the enjoyment. I had seen a handful of ballets before coming on this trip, but none of them have been as entertaining as Leonce and Lena! It has been the only performance we’ve seen so far that I would truly love to see again. And with that the next morning was spent packing up our stuff and boarding the train to Leipzig!