"Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance."
-Rabindranath Tagore
Dobry den (for the last time because it's my last full day in the Czech.. CRYING)! I am writing to you from my favorite café while drinking coffee (or a sugared-down latte for me) with some of the few people still hanging out in Olomouc. We got back from our final (agh!) class trip yesterday, and that's what I'll be telling you about this blog. My class had to say our goodbyes last night as we're all going our separate ways, and let me tell you, it was super sad (even more so than I expected). It's crazy to think how for three months, these people were my people. We went everywhere together, ate together, travelled Europe together, got tattoos and piercings together (not me, promise), made plans together, got lost together, and made memories that will last a lifetime together. Gosh, it's been an amazing time with some amazing people.
Our last trip was to Bohemia (the westernmost and largest region of the Czech Republic). We left on Tuesday and arrived in Litomysl just in time for a yummy traditional lunch. We toured the Discovery of the Holy Cross Church (the only church we've seen that combined modern art with its traditional aspects) and the Litomysl Castle. We then traveled a little further to the memorial of the destroyed village of Ležáky. This small village in the beautiful Czech wilderness was demolished after it was discovered that some of its residents helped Czech rebels during WWII, and in its place now stands eerie but powerful stone memorials where the houses used to be. We then hopped back on the bus until we arrived at our destination for the next couple days, Kutná Hora!
Kutna Hora is a charming little city that a few of us actually visited once before. Let me take you back to the very beginning of our trip (I'm talking very beginning as in the second day we were in Europe) when we decided that we wanted to visit the famous Czech Republic Bone Church (located in Kutná Hora). At the time we didn't know that we were going to visit the church during our final class trip to Bohemia, so we confidently (and naively) headed to the train station to find our way to the little city. Long story short: Kutná Hora was not a success the first time around. We rode the train and sat in stations all day. We overshot our stop then had to get back on and overshot it again the other way. We rode the train to the very end of one of the lines and found ourselves in a very strange and abandoned (and kind of sketchy) neighborhood. Never fear though, we did indeed make it to Kutná Hora, just in time for everything to close and be insanely and creepily deserted and dark. We then proceeded to walk through the ghost town to another train station so we could get back to Prague.
This time was much better though, so don't worry! We finally got to see the Sedlec Ossuary (bone church) where the bones of nearly 70,000 people decorate the Roman Catholic Chapel. It was strange but super cool (if you know me you won't be surprised that I was impressed), and we were also happy to find that the town wasn't deserted at all this time around. We stayed in a cute little hotel in the center of town and spent the afternoon going on one of the best adventures of this entire trip (in my opinion). We visited the Kutná Hora Silver Mine and got to legitimately squeeze through tiny little leaking passageways far underground with hardhats, headlamps, and white miner's coats. It was so fun (and super crowded and tiny), and we got to explore the mine in a way that may be deemed unsafe in the United States (I hit my head every five steps or so). There was one moment (or ten) where the guide had us turn our headlamps off. It was the darkest place I've ever been, and I could not see my hand in front of my face (and if you know me well, you can probably imagine how uncomfortable this made me). The experience was incredible (despite the dark), and All in all, the trip to this little city would be ranked a 10/10 for unexpected adventures (and weirdness).
The next and final stop on our trip was to Cesky Krumlov, but on the way we made a pitstop at the Budweiser Brewery (the original European brand, not the gross U.S. stuff). We toured the brewery and of course tasted some of the product. I was actually surprised and didn't hate their beer but was even more impressed with the factory line and the size of their operation (plus we got to wear super cool neon orange vests). Once we got to Cesky Krumlov, we walked in the pouring rain to our hostel where we tried to dry out and find some food. Once the storm cleared, we were able to see how insanely beautiful the city was, and I can confidently say that each of you should go see this storybook place. We visited our last castle together as a class (this one featured a bear moat so we were not disappointed), toured the only preserved Baroque Theatre in Europe (the set was incredible and the space was surprisingly small), ate lots of food, drank plenty of beer (and tequila) to celebrate our last days together, and got to go on an incredible (and intense) four-hour rafting trip down the river surrounded by Czech wilderness. This place was as busy and amazing as it sounds, and I can't believe all the cool stuff we did and saw. It was the absolute perfect place in the heart of the Czech Republic to end our Study Abroad experience. I started this trip with 22 strangers, but now I know and appreciate every single one of them. It's incredible how God places people in your life right when you need them, and I'm so happy to know that courage, knowledge, and experience weren't the only things that I gained on this adventure.
I'll save the sappy stuff for next week (my final required blog), but leave you this week with the same summary about my life that I always try to give. I am currently sitting in my room with all of Natasha and my stuff packed up around me (crying). It's our last night as roommates and my last day in the Czech Republic. I am in denial about all of this. In the last 24 hours, I've said goodbye to a lot of people that have become good friends, and I am very emotional about it. I will be leaving for Paris tomorrow (!!!) though with a good friend and couldn't be more excited. I have no idea how I'm going to get all of my luggage onto a metro, bus, train, and airplane in the next week, so stay tuned. I finally think I may have a place to live in Omaha, so that's an exciting new development. Finals are over and went well (but I still can't speak a lick of Czech). I had cabbage in the Czech for the last time tonight, and I have no idea how to survive without it, so someone please make me cabbage when I get home. My ten-day-countdown in Europe has begun, and I'm absolutely refusing to believe it (but I am more than ready to see my horse, my sister, my boyfriend, and my parents- in no particular order). I've said it a thousand times, but I'll say it a thousand more: how the heck could three months have gone by so flipping fast?!?! Talk soon!
x Paige
-Rabindranath Tagore
Dobry den (for the last time because it's my last full day in the Czech.. CRYING)! I am writing to you from my favorite café while drinking coffee (or a sugared-down latte for me) with some of the few people still hanging out in Olomouc. We got back from our final (agh!) class trip yesterday, and that's what I'll be telling you about this blog. My class had to say our goodbyes last night as we're all going our separate ways, and let me tell you, it was super sad (even more so than I expected). It's crazy to think how for three months, these people were my people. We went everywhere together, ate together, travelled Europe together, got tattoos and piercings together (not me, promise), made plans together, got lost together, and made memories that will last a lifetime together. Gosh, it's been an amazing time with some amazing people.
 |
| View of Cesky Krumlov from the castle. |
Our last trip was to Bohemia (the westernmost and largest region of the Czech Republic). We left on Tuesday and arrived in Litomysl just in time for a yummy traditional lunch. We toured the Discovery of the Holy Cross Church (the only church we've seen that combined modern art with its traditional aspects) and the Litomysl Castle. We then traveled a little further to the memorial of the destroyed village of Ležáky. This small village in the beautiful Czech wilderness was demolished after it was discovered that some of its residents helped Czech rebels during WWII, and in its place now stands eerie but powerful stone memorials where the houses used to be. We then hopped back on the bus until we arrived at our destination for the next couple days, Kutná Hora!
 |
| Part of the beautiful memorial of Ležaky. |
Kutna Hora is a charming little city that a few of us actually visited once before. Let me take you back to the very beginning of our trip (I'm talking very beginning as in the second day we were in Europe) when we decided that we wanted to visit the famous Czech Republic Bone Church (located in Kutná Hora). At the time we didn't know that we were going to visit the church during our final class trip to Bohemia, so we confidently (and naively) headed to the train station to find our way to the little city. Long story short: Kutná Hora was not a success the first time around. We rode the train and sat in stations all day. We overshot our stop then had to get back on and overshot it again the other way. We rode the train to the very end of one of the lines and found ourselves in a very strange and abandoned (and kind of sketchy) neighborhood. Never fear though, we did indeed make it to Kutná Hora, just in time for everything to close and be insanely and creepily deserted and dark. We then proceeded to walk through the ghost town to another train station so we could get back to Prague.
 |
| Sedlec Ossuary decorated with human bones. |
This time was much better though, so don't worry! We finally got to see the Sedlec Ossuary (bone church) where the bones of nearly 70,000 people decorate the Roman Catholic Chapel. It was strange but super cool (if you know me you won't be surprised that I was impressed), and we were also happy to find that the town wasn't deserted at all this time around. We stayed in a cute little hotel in the center of town and spent the afternoon going on one of the best adventures of this entire trip (in my opinion). We visited the Kutná Hora Silver Mine and got to legitimately squeeze through tiny little leaking passageways far underground with hardhats, headlamps, and white miner's coats. It was so fun (and super crowded and tiny), and we got to explore the mine in a way that may be deemed unsafe in the United States (I hit my head every five steps or so). There was one moment (or ten) where the guide had us turn our headlamps off. It was the darkest place I've ever been, and I could not see my hand in front of my face (and if you know me well, you can probably imagine how uncomfortable this made me). The experience was incredible (despite the dark), and All in all, the trip to this little city would be ranked a 10/10 for unexpected adventures (and weirdness).
 |
| Silver Mining! |
The next and final stop on our trip was to Cesky Krumlov, but on the way we made a pitstop at the Budweiser Brewery (the original European brand, not the gross U.S. stuff). We toured the brewery and of course tasted some of the product. I was actually surprised and didn't hate their beer but was even more impressed with the factory line and the size of their operation (plus we got to wear super cool neon orange vests). Once we got to Cesky Krumlov, we walked in the pouring rain to our hostel where we tried to dry out and find some food. Once the storm cleared, we were able to see how insanely beautiful the city was, and I can confidently say that each of you should go see this storybook place. We visited our last castle together as a class (this one featured a bear moat so we were not disappointed), toured the only preserved Baroque Theatre in Europe (the set was incredible and the space was surprisingly small), ate lots of food, drank plenty of beer (and tequila) to celebrate our last days together, and got to go on an incredible (and intense) four-hour rafting trip down the river surrounded by Czech wilderness. This place was as busy and amazing as it sounds, and I can't believe all the cool stuff we did and saw. It was the absolute perfect place in the heart of the Czech Republic to end our Study Abroad experience. I started this trip with 22 strangers, but now I know and appreciate every single one of them. It's incredible how God places people in your life right when you need them, and I'm so happy to know that courage, knowledge, and experience weren't the only things that I gained on this adventure.
 |
| We didn't feel so tough when we were sore the day after rafting. |
I'll save the sappy stuff for next week (my final required blog), but leave you this week with the same summary about my life that I always try to give. I am currently sitting in my room with all of Natasha and my stuff packed up around me (crying). It's our last night as roommates and my last day in the Czech Republic. I am in denial about all of this. In the last 24 hours, I've said goodbye to a lot of people that have become good friends, and I am very emotional about it. I will be leaving for Paris tomorrow (!!!) though with a good friend and couldn't be more excited. I have no idea how I'm going to get all of my luggage onto a metro, bus, train, and airplane in the next week, so stay tuned. I finally think I may have a place to live in Omaha, so that's an exciting new development. Finals are over and went well (but I still can't speak a lick of Czech). I had cabbage in the Czech for the last time tonight, and I have no idea how to survive without it, so someone please make me cabbage when I get home. My ten-day-countdown in Europe has begun, and I'm absolutely refusing to believe it (but I am more than ready to see my horse, my sister, my boyfriend, and my parents- in no particular order). I've said it a thousand times, but I'll say it a thousand more: how the heck could three months have gone by so flipping fast?!?! Talk soon!
 |
| It's only appropriate to feature beer in this week's blog. |
x Paige
Comments
Post a Comment