Another blog post from the 2009 Exchange. This was a visit to Prague in the Czech Republic.
July 06, 2009, By: Randy Mills
Prague is an ancient and historic city. We roamed buildings that had their origin in the 880s. A couple of hundred years before the Vikings traveled toward North America. The idea that something can be that old is mind-boggling. Some of the teachers of History in Germany were asking what the American History teachers did with all of their spare time since they only had 300 or 400 years to worry about. While I was there I also had the chance to get the perspective of Europe by reading History books in German and reading their take on history in America. This led me to the city of Prague and the home of greats like Kafka. Even Albert Einstein lived in Prague in the 1910s. This was a city of strength and culture. Prague Castle is one of the most impressive sights I have seen in Europe. The way it rises above the city and stands as a sentinel is inspiring. It holds court over the city in a very stately manner. The church and Palaces are unbelievably beautiful. But, of course, it was up a steep hill in our efforts that make me climb and go up tall things. It was a trek up the hill but it was worth every ounce of energy spent. We had the opportunity to visit the Cathedral of St. Vitius which can only be described as magnificent. We also spent time in the gardens and taking pictures of Prague from high above. We spent time in Old Town Square. The old City Building was a treat and contains a clock that has shown every hour as it rings. The other churches and stately buildings in the square we also very enjoyable and gave you a sense of history and respect for ancient people and the things that were accomplished. The only blight on the Square was a makeshift memorial to Michael Jackson. It seemed so out of place and inappropriate in such beautiful and graceful surroundings. We had a new item to eat that I had not seen before. Simply put, they are cinnamon rolls that look like a tube. When you look at all of the pictures from the trip make sure you see the Prague pictures to see this delicacy. This was a very long day because of the three-hour train ride but it was worth every minute and every effort to see it.
One last train story. The train we took to Prague was a little different and the style we were taking back was another type altogether. We got off at one of the train stations near the downtown area and as we prepared to leave that evening, (the only train back to Leipzig that night), we decided to get there early and check on the train. Because the day had gone smoothly it was time for a disaster. When we got there and checked the station they said that it actually leaves from another station across town. We all dived into the Metro and got to the other station and jumped on the train in time. With only a couple of minutes to spare we were there and ready to travel. Here is where it takes an even more interesting twist. Apparently, they have added a stop to this train as it leaves Prague and now stops once to pick up passengers. Guess where??? You got it! The train station we were at to start with. We didn’t need to dash across town but we do now have an appreciation for the good quality Metro trains they have in Prague.
There was one thing that struck me as I walked through Prague. I have been noticing in Berlin and Leipzig the great renovation and rebuilding that has been going on since the fall of the GDR and the reunification. I had heard a few of the German people in the West grumble about the reunification tax to rebuild the country but it was obvious that the Czech Republic isn’t as lucky and doesn’t have the financial resources after Communism. It is taking longer and I suspect will be about another thirty or forty years before the see the level of success that they are seeing in Leipzig and Berlin. Prague was dirtier and more run down when you left the tourist areas and it was obvious that there was a seediness that we hadn’t seen as much of in Berlin and Leipzig.
As a side note, Kaila used a picture from Prague for her picture in the yearbook.