Back to Praha!

Ahoj, everyone!

Although I just posted about London a few days ago, I wanted to write another quick post about my second trip to Prague, this time with my class as part of our FSP program itinerary.  This was also a great trip and further enhanced my love of Prague!  This trip was a bit more "tourist-y" than our visit with Elizabeth, but it was still great. (But being in Prague was DEFINITELY not the same without her - hi Elizabeth)!

Upon arriving in Prague, Matt and I led some of our FSP friends directly to our favorite bakery for some větrníky (the delicious glazed donut-like pastries with cream to which Elizabeth originally introduced us).  I am beginning to realize that no future visit to Prague will be complete without a trip to a bakery to indulge in these delicious baked goods.  We then went to dinner (I had more Czech meat and potato and bread dumplings) and then went to the National Theater to see Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni."  Although the performance itself was designed more for tourists than for hardcore Mozart fans, "Don Giovanni" was first premiered at this theater by Mozart, so it was really meaningful to see the piece where Mozart first conducted it!  We then headed out to a jazz club called Jazz Republic, which was a cool, relaxing way to end the day.

Matt and Drew at Jazz Republic

Dancing at Jazz Republic

On Saturday, we took a six-hour tour of the city.  We saw most of the famous sites, including the Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, and many others.  We also saw some really unique sites, such as the John Lennon wall (created upon John Lennon's death in the 1980s by young Prague citizens resisting Soviet rulers and embracing ideals of love, peace, and freedom) and the "Lover's Bridge," on which people in love put padlocks on a gate by the river and throw the keys into the water.  We took a boat ride in the Vltava River (the "Moldau") and up to "Little Venice" (a section of river on which many movies set in Venice are filmed because Prague is cheaper).

The astronomical clock 

The locks on the bridge by "Little Venice"

The John Lennon wall

View of the Charles Bridge from the river

We then attended a Czech Philharmonic concert, during which the orchestra performed works by Czech composers (including Dvorak's "The Golden Spinning Wheel") - it was definitely a unique experience to hear Czech music in Prague!  Matt and I then led our entire FSP to our favorite bakery.  We all enjoyed multiple pastries - and Matt and I took several to-go and ate them throughout the evening and on the bus ride home today.  For dinner, we then went to the vegetarian restaurant that Matt and I had gone to with Elizabeth - I particularly loved my ginger lemonade and delicious red pepper appetizer!  We then walked around the Easter Markets in Old Town and Wenceslas Square.  Later in the evening, we went to a famous jazz club called the Reduta Jazz Club (Bill Clinton played his saxophone there several years ago)!

Dvorak Hall

Me and Amy are crazy for Dvorak!

Pastries!

By the Easter Markets in Old Town Square

Today, May 1st, is the Day of Love in Prague, on which every couple in love is supposed to kiss under a blooming tree (ideally a cherry blossom) so that the girl will be beautiful for the next year to come.  Although we couldn't find a budding cherry blossom, but rather a simple tree on the sidewalk on the way to the metro station, Matt and I were happy to partake in this Czech tradition in some way!  

Happy Day of Love!

Prague is definitely a unique, incredible city filled with culture and history.  I'm so glad I was able to go twice during the FSP, and I hope to go back someday soon!  We are spending the next three weeks in Vienna, and I am looking forward to exploring this city more in-depth.