Weekend in Prague March 7th 2010

Big update on the Prague scene......
I found the famous Strudl place that will hopefully be the clincher in getting you all to visit. Foot long Strudles filled with apple, cream cheese, or poppy seed. For only 2 dolla!! I found the directions on someone elses blog that had been in Prague. It is the place that was on Samantha Browns travel video but definitely a locals place. We braved the below zero weather and took the trek down some curvy residential roads and the shop is just a walk up window in the bottom of an apartment building. Too bad it's kind of close to my school...my diet will now be made up of cheese, bread, salami, beer, and strudels :) Yummmm Since it was so cold we swiftly found a pub to go eat our delicious bug strudels in. Nothing better than a strudle and some beer on a Saturday afternoon.
My friends and I visited the Mucha museum earlier on in the day which was awesome. Mucha was a very good artist from the Czech Republic but most of his art was for French films and advertisements. It was a small museum but had lot's of original artwork and sketches from when he was a kid.
On Friday night we went to an opera in the beautiful and ornate National Theatre which is a famous and historical venue, we got student prices right before the show of about 50 korona which is about $2.50 and the tickets are normally 1000 korona which is about $50.00. I love being a student!!
We had a dinner party last night in our dorm room (potluck) we had quite and array of foods. The Canadians brought tacos, we made pasta and our French friends brought pizza. The party moved to a club and we all got back pretty late or I suppose early this morning. So today was spent cleaning up and then we went into town and found a cool coffee shop to hang out in for a bit. It's been a great weekend in Prague, a good restful one for everyone to try and get over the cold that keeps circulating around. I have been able to plan out trips for the next few weekends and do some research on where i want to go over our Spring Break. So all in all a lovely cold weekend in Prague, Czech Republic for Shanan. Paris blog still to come.........
I hope you are all well!!



Beautiful view of Prague from the grain tower.


Crazily enough this is a famous statue by a Czech artist, it's in a little courtyard in the old village. We found it as we were searching for the Jazz club.


Awwww Prague------ I love you.


An old gargoyle from the grain tower....and me.


Some of Mucha artwork


Beer and a strudel- the way to go.


yay we found the STRUDL place!! One of my conquests for this trip....mission accomplished, now I gain 10 pounds by eating strudel everyday.


It's a local place, two older ladies were in line behind us, they don't speak English so lot's of hand signalling.

Music from the Jazz club I went to.

Hey!
I know I'm behind on my Paris blog. I'm finishing it up and will post it (and lot's of pictures soon). I rerturned to Prague on Monday after a whirlwind trip and I had an amazing time. You'll hear it again but paris is so beautiful and I felt like I was in a 1950's French movie sometimes.

Since I've been back I've done some sight seeing with my Czech friend Hana, it was kind of nice enough to run outside so I did that yesterday, and I went to a jazz club last night where they played Chicago Blues. I talked to the band after and the main man was from CHicago.

Heres pictures from this week. Paris is coming soon. Berlin this weekend??? Need to decide now cause the bus leaves at midnight tonight!

FUN FACT
- Paris smells better than Prague
- Baguettes are yummy, French desserts even yummier
- in Paris 60,000 people go to the hospital a year with injuries related to dog poop
- Jazz/blues music is good no matter where you see it in the world.

February 25- Bon Voyage to Paris

I fell in love with Prague today! (even more than before)
a sensationally beautiful beautiful sunny warm unusually warm day in Prague today.
Of course it was the only day so far that I forgot to take my camera to class but i took memory pictures. I got to my first class and it was cancelled so some classmates and I did the next logical thing and went exploring (my favourite thing to do in Prague....or anywhere)

We stumbled on some new places we didn't even know about and one involved a few hundred steps to a wonderful view of the city. Also visited a few of the regulars like the Charles bridge, but it was completely different than anytime I have been before. There was a jazz band playing tunes about Chicago, a blind man playing an accordion and singing and everything looked happier than normal, I even got a few smiles from some passer byers which is a rare occurrence here.
It seemed like a new city and there were lots of ppl out and about. I was told to enjoy nice days as much as possible because as it gets nicer and closer to summer of tourists will come. Its nice to not feel like a total tourist, although the language barrier is still very much apparent. The sunshine pulled me out of a suto depression and got me re-excited to travel and explore all that Prague offered. Before when I would explore after an hour or two i would be so cold i would search for a pub to warm myself in :)
I will have to revisit some of the places i went today to post the incredible pictures as the memory ones i took may not upload.

Its funny because as excited i am about travelling and going to Paris of all places there are groups of people going other fun places and staying in Prague to do fun stuff, its hard to make the decisions! but a friend and world traveller once told me that any place is fun if you are with friends :) I completely agree


I'm very excited about going to Paris tomorrow, we are trying to pack in as much as we can in three days and have a draft itinerary that includes:
Notre Dame
Latin Quarters
Eiffel Tower (at sunset)
note here: Alex I will work on meeting someone, kissing them here and then dating them ;) following in your footsteps!
The Louvre (free on Friday nights for students!)
the famous Pere Lachaise cemetery where Jimi Hendrix (and other well known ppl) are buried
Luxembourg Gardens
Sacre Cour basilica
Arc de Triumph
Croissants
French men

We are planning on living on bread, cheese, fruit, and wine so we can afford all the attractions and maybe have money left to go on more trips in Europe :)

I will have many many many pictures and stories upon my arrival!
Stay tuned..........

February 24th- Preparing for Paris!!

Dobre Den (good day)
I'm going to the communism museum today which I have heard good things about, I mean I've been told to go see it, not that communism is a good thing.
I have a blossoming bruise on my bum because I fell in teh tram the other day. When we were coming back from Brno and had successfully navigated the bus and metro home we were on our last leg of the tram ride, I got on and had my backpack with me and the tram started pretty fast and since I was top heavy I biffed it. No one offerred to help and my friends were laughing histerically so it was a good time :)

I've been making lists of things that are different that I want to tell you all, here is some:

- Czech people don't like peanut butter (crazy!) I offerred Ian a Reeses and he looked disgusted (they dont even like peanut butter covered in chocolate!) They think we Americans are wierd because we eat it and like it.
- There are seperate work out rooms for the boys and girls. I will try to get a picture of the room because it looks like it may have during communism. They have 2 bikes and one eliptical but they don't turn on you just pedal through it.
- There are no preservatives in the food so things spoil very quickly here. We have been using our window sill as a refrigerator because we only have a mini fridge and my roomies are big cooks and always buy tons of stuff.
- A lot of the pubs here are underground and catacomb-ish. They are pretty awesome.
Also awesome and cool are funny words to the Czech but I find myself using them a lot when with czech friends cause we are usually sight seeing and they are showing me cool places.

Tomorrow we are doing a trial run to make sure we can find the airport for our trip to PARIS on FRIDAY!!! So if you have any tips let me know!

miss you all.

Shan




Jazz-Goulash-and Beer, all very Czech



Pretty architechture


The cafe at my school, there is a very modern building and a very, very old building.


Our little kitchen- we made guacamole today!



Seen in one of the many churches I have been in


Found in the alcohol/liquer isle at the grocery store. They start them young over here. The Czech Republic is the number one consumer of beer in the world, I've heard (and witnessed)


Cool graffiti art on the Lennon wall



A fried cheese/sausage stand that is very attractive early in the morning after a night of consuming famous Czech beers.



Foos ball (or baby foot as the French call it) They have them in most bars but I have not seen any pool tables.

February 22- Brno, Lennon Wall, Dancing Building

Hey!!
I got back form Brno Czech Republic last night. It is the second largest city on the Czech Republic and definitely had a small town feel, it reminded me of Fort COllins. My friends and I stayed with a friend of a friend and were able to crash on their floor in the dorms which was nice because we met new people in that program and saved some money. The bus ride down there and back was only about $16.00! Saw the church and did a brewery tour, the walk around town only took about half the day. We wanted to see the castle but could not figure out how to find our way out there.

SOme of these pictures are from last week just sight seeing around Prague. The Lennon wall is a tribute to John Lennon.
The Dancing building is pretty well known for it's architechture. We stumbled upon it and found out that if you buy a drink in a cafe below it (which by the way has the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted and when you all come visit I am taking you there for sure!) you can have access to the top, which is a beautiful view of the castle and the river and bridges.

I have gotten lost approximately 5 times in Prague, sometimes with other people and sometimes by myself. I've found tram lines that get me home everytime and even though I have a few panicky moments I think this is the best way to help me figure out the city and all it's wonders!

A rare miracle has occurred today in Prague--- SUN!--- makes me miss sunny Colorado but I am headed out to find adventures, I think it may look like a whole new city in the sun :)


Pivnice= brewery in Czech- found beer that tasted like Sunshine and there was a bike parked inside (reminded me of New Belgium Brewery in the Fort!)


me and my trusty Pocket Pal which will be travelling with me all over Europe. I will come home a Harmonica star :)


Finally, a sunny day in the Czech Republic, view from a church bell tower in Brno.


Dinner of champions, meeting new friends in Brno, Czech Republic


The trams that make the city run, and are all around awesome!




Just IMAGINE!!

This one goes out to Pete!! Who will be here in 2010 :)


Me at the Lennon wall

tiny car

Street signs and faint signs of sun setting!

Just wanderin- a park near my dorms, notice the castle in the background!

The city from the top of the dancing building.

A cloudy day in Prague- view from the top of the dancing building. Note: best hot chocolate (horkada chocolata in czech) in the world!

February 18

1. This means 'honey here'
2. At the Nation to Nation party this week
3. My French friends
4. My French friend that looks and acts like Mr. Bean


Went to school today and met Mad Eye Mooody, this professor I have for INternational Business is a whoot and I hope to capture a picture for ya'll someday so you can see. He was wearing a bow tie and I think he may have been drunk :)
I still am a bit stuffed up and planned on buying some orange juice to drink but we found a place that serves margaritas every Thursday so I think I will just go drink some of those instead.

Played squash with Ian last night, took a bus to a squash court with a bowling alley inside. It was weird because I could smell cigarette smoke from the bowling as I was 'getting a work out'. I wasn't too much competition for Ian but told him I would strategorize for next time.

Have been talking to people from all over and trying to plan some trips, there was hope of a trip to Amsterdam this weekend to see a band called Pretty Lights from Denver play but it was too expensive for last minute. So we planned to go to Paris next weekend instead, and Brno (south Czech Republic) this weekend. Hostel for 2 nights= $30!!! Now we just need to figure out the bus system for tomorrow morning.
But first MARGARITAS :)

I got a request for more pictures so I'm just posting some randoms.

Fun Fact:
-Beer costs $1.00

Happy Valentines Day

February 14th:
I just sat around with my roomates and had some valentines dinner from the Potraviny (store) down the street. Today we got back from Cesky Kanada, a weekend camp of sorts about 2 hours away from Prague. It felt like summer camp only they were promoting alcohol ingestion and late nights :) Oh Prague. It was really beautiful though, I didn't realize how much snow they had here until I saw a white white landscape. On Saturday my new Czech friend Hana and I walked about an hour to a small nearby village that was very cute. We saw old women standing on the corner appearing to shovel the walks(Hana said they were gossiping :)) One night we had a Hawaiian themed party and the next it was a Valentines theme party. I met a lot of new people, some from New Zealand (we reminisced about fish and chips). School starts tomorrow, taking the tram in for my Czech Language class and figuring out what other classes I will take. There's plan in action for a trip to Hungary, Budapest this weekend, I'm sure lot's of exciting things will happen before than!
Oh I ate fried cheese last night, a well known Czech dish here. It was like a huge mozzerella stick and all I wante d afterwards was a big plate of veggies so not sure I'll be ordering it again anytime soon :) Every Czech person that I have talked to about the food here says they do not like Czech food (except for the Strudles :))
FUN FACTS:
- Dogs go anywhere that people do, grocery stores, restaurants, trams etc.
- The Stores here are called Albert, Kaufland, and TESCO
- Every little kid I have seen has been in a puffy full body snow suit. :)


At the Hawaiian Party

Where I stayed in the countryside, notice the pub sign (Pilsner Urquell)

Czech family with puffy baby :)

Fried Cheese in Prague

The Countryside of the Czech Republic

The Beautiful City of Prague