By: Clare Vestal I love to dance. I searched for dance classes or dance meet-ups in Prague all over the internet but didn't find any viable options. What I did find was "Yoga Session in a Gothic Cellar" on Airbnb. Yoga and dance are closely related so I was happy to find a yoga class, and as a self-proclaimed history nerd, ecstatic to hear that it was housed in a 12th century Gothic cellar. It was also conveniently located close to the Franz Kafka head statue, which is accessible directly from the B-line of the Metro. I was extremely excited to see that other members of our group, Meg and Tabitha, signed up for the class with me. Yoga is wonderful for relaxing your muscles and your mind, so I decided to schedule my yoga experience for the second week of our trip for some much-needed relaxation after taking many adventures across our trip. Sure enough, by the time Wednesday July 18 rolled around my lower back ached and my hamstrings were strained. Yoga class is exactly what I needed to get my body and mind in a healthy place. The ambiance the cellar provided only enhanced the relaxation experience. Going down into the cellar was interesting; we descended from a seemingly modern office space into a medieval cellar illuminated with string lights and lanterns. Once in the cellar it was if the hustle and bustle of Prague in the middle of tourist season didn't exist and we were in our own relaxation oasis. We were the only ones there to take the class, which made for a more intimate and relaxed experience with the instructor. Without other people around us I felt more at ease and reassured that the instructor could give us greater attention throughout the class. Our instructor, Ramona, was very caring and helpful. She made sure to ask about our experience with yoga so as to make the class an enjoyable and beneficial experience for everybody. We began class with working through isolation movements with different parts of our body. I liked this because it was a nice way to ease into a physical activity that would deeply engage a lot of different muscles. Then we went through a couple of "sun salutations". These are common forms of yoga that are series of movements that build up in complexity and which you pair with the rhythm of your breathing in order to maximize the stretch of your body. These focused mainly on the upper body. Then we moved on to the lower body where we worked through our legs and feet. At one point we laid on our backs with one leg bent and the other in the air while we circled our ankle. This worked on my especially tight hamstrings, which I desperately needed. After all of the stretches and forms, the instructor had us lie down and relax. As we did so she laid blankets on each of us to keep warm, and encouraged us to relax our whole body and close our eyes. She then came around with incense and some chimes to deepen our relaxation. Upon finishing class my mind and body felt more at ease. To add to this lovely and relaxing experience, Ramona offered us tea and water following class. While we sipped our tea we talked with Ramona about our most surprising experience in the Czech Republic. It was interesting to talk with Ramona because she grew up during the Communist regime and so was able to make some connections between our observations and the impact of Communism on the Czech Republic. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with this yoga session in a Gothic cellar, and would love to revisit it if I travel to Prague again. I didn't take any pictures because the space seemed almost like a sanctuary and that I might tarnish it by requesting to take a picture. However I included a picture provided by the group to provide a visual for the atmosphere given by the cellar.
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By Tabitha Campbell “The not-to-be-underestimated effort of the ascension requires a good health constitution. Sturdy footwear is required.” That warning is displayed prominently on the website and entrance G for the Dresden Frauenkirche (“church of our lady”). After some quick mental math regarding how many miles I had hiked in the last week and a half, I decided that I was up for the challenge. Though I am only 5 feet 3 inches tall and joke that my height means I should stay close to the ground, I am glad that I pushed myself to the top of the gorgeous but intimidating Frauenkirche dome. If you are physically able to do so, you should definitely make time to tour both the church's interior and to climb the done to the observation deck. Though the ramp is steep at parts and the final ladder ascending to the observation deck is NOT for the faint of heart, once you mount the 258 steps to the top and get a glimpse of the breathtaking 360 degree view of Dresden below you, the end is more than worth the effort and cost, a mere 8 euro. To aid in your ascent, the first 87 feet up are facilitated by a quick and modern elevator. The entire climb up and down was clearly meticulously planned, with separate entrances and exits to prevent traffic jams in either direction (thank you, German efficiency!). The ramp wraps around the building two and a half times, and as you walk, you can see the ornate decorations of the church’s main dome since you are at eye level with the cherubs! You can also find inlaid pieces of rock and old stone plaques periodically along the interior walls, as these markers were saved and added to the building after it was reconstructed beginning in 1994 and concluding in 2005, 60 years after the original church was gutted by the Allied bombing of Dresden at the end of World War II. The viewing platform itself, a staggering 220 feet from the cobblestones below, is wide enough for a few people to navigate, and there are seating options if you need a moment to take in the view before heading back down. Overall, a small fee offered me unbeatable views both inside and outside the church, and provided a view of Dresden that I will never forget. By Tabitha Campbell It all started with the search for a perfect souvenir: something that would immediately remind me of Prague, something that I could share with friends and family for years to come, something that wouldn’t simply gather dust on a shelf. In pursuit of this goal, I chose to spend an evening with Tereza, a young Czech woman, who taught me how to make the most delectable, but surprisingly simple, fruit dumplings. When I arrived in Tereza’s neighborhood, Zizkov, I immediately noticed groups of boisterous young people walking together and a large park with exercise stations and graffitied statues. Walking through the cobblestone streets, Tereza explained the history and character of her neighborhood as she guided us through to her front door, an imposing, heavy wood door covered with random graffiti. Once we were settled in her apartment, she made us tea, explained the many different types of dumplings, and explained the century-old tradition behind the open-faced sandwiches we ate in her kitchen. I had never eaten a sandwich with a potato salad layer, but that starchy goodness will definitely make an appearance in my kitchen back home! Tereza guided us carefully through preparing the market-fresh plums and apricots, and walked us through weighing and adding the flour, butter, baking powder, and creamy cheese that formed the dough. As we kneaded and kneaded and kneaded some more, we discussed careers, interests, our first impressions of Prague and Czech culture, and her recommendations for the rest of our trip (in short: drink more Czech beer, try the butcher shop near the old Town square, dance clubs are better in Budapest). Although I carefully wrapped each fruit in the dough, after gently placing them in the water to boil, I realized that my sealing technique was not as effective as I had thought. Despite the six sad, water-logged dumplings that did not make it to the plate, the eighteen others that did were delicious. Tereza taught us the proper order for topping your traditional Czech fruit dumplings (sugar, poppy seeds, then butter drizzled on top, with sour cream on the side), and, five dumplings later, I left as a very satisfied, accomplished pseudo-Czech cook. Reflecting on the tram ride home with what felt like five pounds of dumplings in my lap, I realized what a special experience Tereza had provided for me. I was invited into someone's home and, over the course of two and a half hours, I learned about her life, her career, her goals, her political views, and her grandmother's dumplings. It simply doesn't get more authentic than this! by Alex Herzing Located about two and a half hours outside of Prague, Cesky Krumlov is best described as a castle and medium-sized village, with plenty to do depending on one’s interests. Upon arrival, I had virtually no knowledge of the town besides its name. One has the option of crossing under the castle arches into the village or up through the castle complex, and I chose the latter. There are a variety of courtyards to pass through before arriving at the ticket office, where you can choose from a selection of tours to take, offered in various languages. We chose the basic castle tour and waited for it to begin.
I was pleasantly surprised by the furnishings of the castle and the rich history that came with them. Our guide was knowledgeable and occasionally funny, with many useful tidbits about the many owners of the estate. One thing I loved about the tour was learning about the history of bears living in the moat below the castle, many of which have died and been made into quite shocking rugs spread throughout the home. There is still one in the moat, too! I was also captivated by the unique stories of the various owners of the home, and the different styles in which it was decorated. At one point, we walked from one room into another, and it was like the entire house had changed. The stone walls and marble furnishings were transformed to red fabric walls and gold accents in the blink of an eye. After the castle, we began our walk through the town, passing by artisan shops and small restaurants. We chose one named Svejk that served traditional Czech food and sat ourselves in the wood-paneled and wood-furnished establishment. My friends got items like schnitzel, pork ribs, and turkey with gravy. In the spirit of adventure, I ordered beef heart with dumplings. It was great—doused with gravy and not as tough as I might have thought. This was one of the only places we could pay with card (besides the castle) in the small village. From there, my group split up to choose either a free tour that began in the town square or a boating adventure. Other things to do were shopping or the Egon Schiele museum, which not only showcases the artist, but also houses other unique exhibits (currently Czech women artists). The rafting company that we chose to boat with offered a variety of rafting experiences with many different sizes of rafts, so we chose a short trip around the village (~30 minutes) in a three-person inflatable canoe. At the dock, we put our items in a waterproof bag, suited up in lifejackets, and got in the boat, where we were pushed off with an abrupt “bye!” We were entitled to paddle at our own pace, though it may have been useful to receive better paddling instructions beforehand. The sights were beautiful and surreal from the river, as it was a gorgeous day to circle the city! Thrills came in the form of two “rapids” that had to be entered to avoid more dangerous main sections of the water. We found ourselves laughing and smiling as we passed under bridges and snapped photos of ourselves and the castle. Once disembarking, it was only a short walk back to the company’s headquarters. We stopped at a riverside café shortly after to enjoy a pilsner and a honey cake. And wow, the honey cake! We shared one piece and enjoyed it so much that we had to order another. Though the sun made us very warm, we were never too hot, and enjoyed the brief rest before our last bit of time in Cesky Krumlov. Lastly, we stopped in a few shops to see the offerings. Hand-painted bags, carved wooden toys, and unique marionettes were available for purchase, and we also stopped in a gem shop to see all of the stones. I purchased a bright opalite ring, though in retrospect I wish I had purchased moldavite, a meteorite-formed stone that is apparently unique to Cesky Krumlov. There is much more shopping to be done, and I know that we only skimmed the surface. Overall, I had a phenomenal time in Cesky Krumlov, and I feel grateful that we got to spend the time there that we did. I would highly recommend that one spends a full day there, and to pursue what you are interested in. From my experience, it is hard to go wrong. And for your own sake, bring cash. by Kelsie Adloo Maybe it’s because of the excellent company. Maybe the excitement of being in a new city. Maybe the relaxation that comes with visiting a beer spa earlier in the day. Whatever the reason, seeing Don Giovanni at the National Marionette Theatre is one of my favorite theatrical experiences to date. -- Alex and Michael join me, walking into Old Town Prague from our stay at the beer spa. We purchase our tickets, take our seats in the middle of the theatre, and quickly read through our English program to refresh our understanding of the show’s synopsis. With the opera sung completely in Italian, this skimming of the plot is very helpful and makes for an unbelievably entertaining show. Don Giovanni was written by Mozart specifically to be performed in the city of Prague at the National Theatre of Bohemia. The National Marionette theatre takes this honored opera and blends it with the Czech past-time of marionettes to produce a hilarious spectacle. When the show opens with a Mozart puppet popping up out of the music pit, I’m not sure what to expect from the rest of the night. The overture is long, and puppet Mozart sort of fumbles here and there and everywhere. I glance over to see if Alex and Michael are regretting following me here. However, once the singing begins (a recording of famous performers of the past) I am immediately drawn in. Leporello anxiously waits for his suave and womanizing master, Don Giovanni. After his entrance and attempted wooing of Donna Anna, Don Giovanni kills Donna Anna’s father and pursues other women. This is all dramatic enough, but the addition of marionettes makes it all the more absurd. The show is publicized as fun for all ages, but this is only because the sexual escapades of Don Giovanni seem silly when played by a wooden creature, and children can’t understand the vulgarity of the opera. Still, I’m not too surprised when the family of six in front of us gets up to leave after a few arias. “Look at how big their hands are,” Alex whispers to me. “I know, right?” I respond, not even considering that the puppeteers are playing with our sense of perspective. The three of us laugh as we watch the marionettes bounce around the stage, Don Giovanni making a fool of himself all the while. I almost forget that the puppets are controlled by humans when a puppet falls down in defeat and the puppeteer's hands hang above, mimicking their character’s fatigue. I start to watch the hands that move up above. There is almost as much action up here as there is on the stage. I love watching the fluid movements of the puppeteers' fingers, playing their marionettes like instruments. As the show nears its finale, we are all stunned when statue suddenly comes to life and starts walking downstage. Suddenly Alex, Michael, and I realize that we’ve been tricked this whole time. The statue is a human in costume. Only then do I notice how small the “life-size” puppets actually are. Soon Leporello's puppeteer becomes annoyed, and wants to hurry the show up. While the other characters belt their wooden hearts out, this puppeteer starts hanging up the puppets in an attempt to speed things up. The audience chuckles as puppets come back to life only to be silenced once more. When the show ends, all of the puppeteers emerge from behind the scenes to take their bows. The National Marionette’s version of this show hasn’t been touched since it debuted in 1991, and I can understand why. Don Giovanni plays almost every night. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the theatre and a good laugh. --Traci Barger (with additional photos courtesy of Genevieve Stearns)
After a few days of hitting Old Town, New Town and Lesser Town it feels good to stretch the soul in other districts of Prague. I was on a mission to find pickles and a Chicago dog at Mr. Hot Dog so I had to get to Holešovice, also known as Prague 7.
Sidebar: I cannot help but think of The Hunger Games every time I refer to Prague's districts. Too bad the fictional District 7 in the book's main industry was lumber because the history of Holešovice has ties to agriculture and farming. Had they been similar, it would have made for a very cool parallel universe. Nevertheless, getting away from the throngs of cameras with legs on Charles Bridge and the smoke on the sidewalks in the tourist areas, Prague 7 was a respite. I encourage you to explore the other numbers in Prague. As Kami advices on her blog, "focus on regular districts, where the life goes by at its own pace." I found Holešovice to be exactly that, which is what I needed after so many days spent in City Center. Actually, I left wanting more and with more questions than when I arrived. I take that as a sign of a good neighborhood. Here are 7 things I would go back to explore even further. I did not mark them on my map, but they were all within Prague 7 and would not be hard to locate again. Just start at the Art Wall along the north side of the Vltava in Holešovice. Maybe I will see you there. -TM Let me guess. You are a socially conscious person that with a profound desire to learn history and about other cultures. Rain doesn't scare you and neither does exercise. Experiences aren't just about making memories but learning new things. If I just described you and you are traveling to Prague you need to sign up for the Velvet Revolution Walking Tour right now. The Tour is ran by a non-profit based in Czech Republic that advocates for and memorializes political prisoners. The tour guide I had, Dan, is a student at Charles University that studies history with a concentration in late antiquity especially the early Roman Catholic Church. Dan is incredibly knowledgeable. Of the half-dozen tours I completed in Prague Dan was absolutely the most knowledgeable, professional, and customer service oriented. The Tour follows the same walk that Charles University Students took on the Velvet Revolution protests. As you follow their path you learn about Prague and Czech history with an emphasis on the Velvet Revolution. From the beginning I knew I was on a tour like no other. Right before the tour began unexpected rain began pouring on the city of PRague. Perched under a tree I kept safe but the entire group knew that those of us without adequate gear were in trouble. Dan had a plan. Only a couple minutes into the tour Dan stopped at a shop and bought all of us without rain gear an umbrella. I was very impressed. He assured us that, though we wouldn’t follow the exact same path as the student because of the rain we would follow along close by. Clearly a Prague navigational expert Dan wizzed us from covering to covering citing facts and information all along the way. Eventually Dan looked at us and said, “guys we are about to go off script a bit to avoid the rain but you will get your money’s worth. If you don’t feel you have please let me know and I will make sure you are refunded.” No one asked for a refund. As the rain grew harder Dan guided us into an elaborate Catholic Church. A stop totally off script. He paid for our admission and gave us a tour. You could tell his professional learning had taken over. Dan walked us through the church and answered our many questions. After a few minutes and just in time the rain stopped. Dan assured us we were blessed by the Virgin Mary. Dan then took us through the Vysehrad Cemetery beside the church where many Czech greats and heroes are buried. He showed us the grave of Karel Macha, a 19th century Czech Poet which the students marched to and then took us out of the cemetery to St. Wenceslas Square where the students completed the march and began their protest. He told us more about the protests, showed and explained the memorial, and then we went on our way. The Velvet Revolution Tour was a truly impressive historical and political tour Of the Czech Republic that was an ideal example of experiential education. I highly recommend this tour to anyone with an interest in politics and history. Have you ever dreamed about flying through the clouds at mach 3? Have you wondered what it feels like to pull negative Gs? Do you find your pocket filled with only lint? The Prague Aviation Museum is the place for you! Filled with aircraft flown by the Czech Air Force from the birth of aviation to the collapse of communism and totally free of charge the Prague Aviation Museum is an excellent adventure for people willing to leave the beaten path. The Prague Aviation Museum is approximately 30 minutes from Prague 1 and can be difficult for the novice traveller to locate and find. The most direct route it is to take B yellow line metro and get off at Ceskomoravska. From there you hop on bus line 375. There is about 8 stops until you get off at Letecke muzeum. The bus will NOT stop on its own and you must push the stop button if you want to get off in front of the museum. You will know as soon as you are there as you see hangar after hangar of old aircraft. Walk through the main gate and walk into the building to the left which is the information center. You may find that the person at the desk does not speak english. No matter, my experience was that he was nice enough to find me someone who did and who gave me a map. If you have no such luck there is a large map that details the hangars just above the information center. The museum is divided into a number of hangars each organized by time period. I immediately moved to the right and enjoyed the World War I and II hangars. Both hangars were manned by local Czech experts that were happy to answer all of my questions in good english. One even told me that a new exhibit on simulators had recently opened that was not included on the map. Note as you go in the hangars there is a sign listing a number of rules and potential consequences. I noticed a notable ban on photography though the hand full of people (myself included) in the museum took plenty of pictures and no one seemed to mind. The World War II hangar was particularly interesting as it documented the history of the Czech Air Force from conception to exile in World War II. I don’t want to give away too much but know that Czech pilots continued to fly and fight Nazi Germany long after Czechoslovakia was annexed. Make sure you take a look at the messerschmitt 262 (right) in the front right of the hangar. This is one of the first jet fighters invented by Nazi Germany and this particular jet continued service in the Czech Air Force after World War II. Just above the information center and to the left is an enormous hangar with mostly Soviet Aircraft. All of the Aircraft are signed with basic information in both english and czech. I found this hangar a bit overwhelming. The star of the show was the space orbiter near the exit. Try not to miss it! Once you leave the large hangar to the left is four rows of soviet era Czech Aircraft and especially helicopters. If you’ve ever watched an 80s war movie you will particularly enjoy the hind helicopters (right) on display. Once you’ve visited the hinds you are pretty much done! Take a glance in the gift shop. There is some pretty exciting Czech aviation items you can purchase that you will not find anywhere else. Both of the people working in the shop spoke excellent english. Beside the gift shop is a small concession stand where you can refuel and recharge with a nice pilsner. For the grand price of zero crowns this museum is truly underrated. Relive a childhood dream or inspire new ones in your children by visiting the Prague Aviation Museum and taking a walk through Czech aviation history. I have always been a fan of things that go bump in the night. I watched my first horror movie when I was eight years old with my brother by my side the entire time. I was so scared that night, I slept with my parents. As I have gotten older, I still enjoy being scared, and Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I feel that we can learn a lot about each other through what frightens us. This is why, before coming to Prague, I booked a ghost tour of Old Town. After enjoying some drinks at a local jazz club, a quartet of us, found who we were meeting, Tomas, a 23 year-old Czech native who has lived in Prague for all except 2 years of his life. He reminded me of my brother when we were younger. A group of 20 of us started following him around the town. We were very lucky because a jazz festival was going on in the Old Town Square, so as he started, light jazz notes accompanied his story. The music didn't really fit the type of tour I was on, but this seems to be part of what I love about the city, juxtapositions everywhere around you and it is embraced with loving arms. We made it to our first stop, and Tomas started by telling us a story about the Death House #5. Tomas is a very fun story teller, but when the story is done, he is ready to move on. Another thing that I have come to expect in the city. No one waits for interruptions or explanations, when the story is done, we simply move on. This is very different that I am used to from going on tours in the States, but I enjoy it. It adds a sense of ease and play to the tour. As we continue along the tour, we come to many different places, no one place is particularly scary. Instead, we learn a lot about legends of Prague, especially from the Middle Ages. Tomas gives us different explanations for what has happened in the story and lets us pick what we believe to be true. As we stopped across the street from a Franz Kafka statue Tomas decided to give us some insider tips on being a better tourist in Prague. In the background loomed the top of a cathedral (one that Tomas swears Cinderella's castle was designed after), he tells us what tredelnik translates to (silly) and said that it is not in fact a Czech tradition, but came along when all of the tourists started coming. He gave us information on Franz Kafka as well. I really enjoyed the tour because it wasn't scary and I definitely didn't have trouble sleeping, like I did back when I was eight years old, but I instead learned a lot about Czech culture. Czech's are a very proud people who continue to be strong and courageous, even though the country and people have been through incredibly tough times. The Czech people also have a great sense of humor, but not in a mean way. I would really recommend this tour to everyone, it really is a great way to see some landmarks and learn a little history when you first arrive in the city. |