Classes are in full swing here at Charles University in Prague. So far the piece of knowledge that has been most fervently impressed upon me by my professors is that I know absolutely nothing about history...so here goes an informative and necessary semester learning about Eastern Europe. On the upside, I only have class two days each week and my professors are enlightening people who have traveled all over the world and who are truly passionate about their respective subjects. The other days are spent exploring Prague, which in many cases means setting off for an under-appreciated park and doing it justice by oohing and ahhing at the miraculous views it humbly provides. Another big part of my free time has been, and will continue to be, occupied by travel through Europe. I went to Munich last weekend to the world-renowned Oktoberfest. This was quite the place, let me tell you. The festival is akin to McDonald's only in the way that everything is super-sized: from the roller coasters to the beer to the lederhosen. I tried on a number of lederhosen dresses and thoroughly enjoyed the experience but in the end found it fiscally irresponsible to drop 150 euro on a very fanciful apron (especially when I don't even cook). The ambiance at Oktoberfest is so lively and high-spirited. We were fortunate enough to find a table in the Hofbrau tent next to some fascinating Swiss people and a number of rowdy Italians. German chants, cheers, and songs abounded sprinkled with rousing renditions of the American "Will you be my girl?" The next day was spent exploring Munich in what can only be described as a complete downpour...and I'm from Seattle. It's a very impressive city filled with old buildings and heritage. Miles of city streets were blocked off to make room for the Oktoberfest parade, the largest I've ever seen. In a strange way, Munich gave me an ever greater appreciation for Prague. I love the set up, size, and accessibility Prague offers, definitely the right place to choose to study. The only thing that would have made the Munich trip better was if I had gotten a seat on the train; standing in the cramped hallway of a train car for six hours will make a massage sound like heaven. But the silver lining is that I met a number of traveling Aussies and a nice cop from Seattle (so I guess I've got a good person to call in case anything ever goes awry in the Emerald City). Future trips are being planned and booked. Look for upcoming blog posts about Czech Switzerland, Berlin, another trip to Munich, Budapest, Vienna, surrounding areas of Prague, and Amsterdam!
Thanks for reading :)
No comments:
Post a Comment