A few of my friends and I decided to go paddle-boating on the Vltava Saturday afternoon. I've been paddle-boating before, but never in a setting like this! We were able to go all up and down the river, seeing many of Prague's great buildings (Vysehrad, the National Theater, Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, etc.). And as we were finishing up, the sun was setting, providing a beautiful backdrop. Having been in Prague for a while, it can be easy to get a bit jaded from seeing such beautiful architecture 24/7. Put going on the boat really reminded me why I'm here and how special of an opportunity this really is. Not to mention, 1 hour on the boats costs only 80 crowns, or about $5.... now that's what I call a bargain!
One of the great things about studying abroad here in the Czech Republic is that I'm able to see a country that I otherwise would have never explored, let alone visited. On Sunday, a few friends and I went to Karlstejn, a small town about 20km outside of Prague, boasting one of the Czech Republic's most famous Gothic castles. We went on somewhat of a whim, but the Czech public transportation system made it fast, easy, and cheap to pick up and go at a moment's notice! Once we got off the train, we walked through the tiny town, which is dotted with restaurants and a bunch of tourist shops, and then walked up a steep hill to the castle. The area surrounding Karlstejn is absolutely beautiful countryside, especially during the fall season. All the leaves are changing, giving the Czech landscape a burnt orange color, perfectly complementing the orange roofs and the natural, earthy color of many of the houses and buildings. Needless to say, the walk up the hill was very pretty, and once we got to the top and came into view of the castle, it was pretty impressive. At this point in our trip, we're all getting a bit tired of guided tours and Czech history, so we opted not to take the guided castle tour, but instead walked around the grounds and still got a feel for the area. And on our way back down to the town, we stopped for a traditional Czech lunch (meat and dumplings with beer, of course!) and then said goodbye to Karlstejn!
In other news:
- I finally received my absentee ballot, after much agony over whether or not I would... it can be a guessing game with the postal service here and also with the State government. Luckily, my vote should get cast in time for the election.
- Last night, NYU sponsored a "language forum" in which we were able to mingle with some Czech university students, who were interested in meeting and talking with Americans. It was a fun night and provided some good insights on the Czech student perspective. There should be more similar events throughout the semester, so perhaps I'll write more in the near future.
- Apparently someone does read my blog! I've been quoted in NYU in Prague's e-zine, The Prague Wanderer. Check it out at http://thepraguewanderer.com. My quote's in the featured article about Czech perceptions of this year's American election.
So that's all for now! I hope everyone back at home is staying well, studying not-too-hard for midterms (if you're an NYU or other college reader), and enjoying the changing season. Keep in touch!
Karlstejn Castle and the surrounding Autumn foliage
P.S. - If you're curious about the title of this post, you'll have to check out the picture gallery from my paddle-boat adventure!
3 comments:
Fabulous blogging Oren, miss you! It seems like you're having an amazing time!
obvi, you were on acid....purple bunnies don't just pop up
I just looked at the pictures....you're camera was on acid?
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