Hello all. I realize we have become rather estranged, and I fear this post will be far too short to assuage all the curiosity you are feeling about our trip. But, I will do my best as I sit in the gorgeous Croatian sunset. So, Prague:
It has probably been our favorite city to date. On our first day, we went on the ultimate tour, which included a boat tour with a free drink (and by free I mean included), a three course meal, and a lot of information. It was absolutely fantastic and we learned things like that. The city of Prague paid a LOT of money to build a statue of Stalin back in the day (enough money to build eight hospitals) before they realized what a total jerk face he was. They stayed in denial for around two years, when they could no longer ignore it, and then they put him in a wooden box... Basically a cone of shame. Then, one night, the statue just disappeared. There was no mention of it in the papers, nothing. It just disappeared, leaving a fifteen meter tall pedestal behind. Eventually they put. New statue up there- one of Michael Jackson. Only people didn't really like putting mj up On the same pedestal as Stalin, so that didn't last long. Now there's a cool statue of a working metronome, which serves as a reminder that time is always changing. Sweet.
So the next fun thing that happened in Prague was that Aunt Barb and Uncle Craig came! It was such a great surprise that we were able to see them. We were able to walk all around the castle with them, and have a drink by the most beautiful view of Prague. It was really amazing. Then Logan and I went to see the Mucha museum (awesome),and then we went out to dinner at the cafe louvre, where both kaftka and Einstein have eaten. It was a delicious dinner, and we could not have been more sad to say good ye to Aunt Barb and Uncle Craig. Then we went on a ghost tour and had a few drinks with some other Americans we met. And next is Krakow, where we stayed in our favorite hostel yet. It was called the soul hostel, and all the people staying there were awesome. We went out to dinner our first night with two ca Diana, Jess and Kate, and two Norweigans, jaquim and Oscar. It was such a fun night. The next few days, then, were filled with AushwitZ and the salt mines. Very depressing, but the salt mines were awesome. Anyways, sorry, but that is all my fingers have energy for, especially since I think the rest of the hostel is sitting by the pool at the moment... I'll try to update again soon. Love you all!
Ps I went cliff jumping today. In Croatia.
6.04.2011
guten tag: a blog from prague
Here we are, in Berlin. I have to say, it is quite hard to imagine this city during WWII, as right now (and for the past two days), it is about 70 degrees and sunny and lovely. So, to sum up two days in a few minutes--Logan and I are hoping to go out tonight and experience the Berlin nightlife at this place called the AstroBar, and our feet need to stop throbbing first. So, yesterday, we got a late start (lovely) and headed out to find the free walking tour. The mysterious walking tour that leaves from the even more mysterious Dunkin Donuts that we never found. Which meant that instead, we walked around the zoo--literally around, not through--and found a gorgeous little cafe where we had some bratwurst and Radler. Now, Radler is like Summer Shandy, only sweeter. So naturally I'm in love. Then we walked some more, until we found the building with the dome that I cannot for the life of me remember the name of but it has what looks like a beehive on top and you could walk around it. (It's called the Reichstag.) But we didn't--instead we bought a pretzel and walked down to the gate.
So now I am in Prague. There was a slight time lapse between this paragraph and the last, only because the people waiting for the computers at our Berlin hostel made me nervous and jumpy. But now I'm sitting with a Czech drink and not a care in the world (except what time the pool closes...). So, Berlin:
We took a picture with Yoda in front of the Brandenberg gate (mainly we did it for Dad, but I found it quite amusing when Yoda leaned in real close to Logan, and whispered, "It costs one euro for a picture..."), saw a bike bar (where you pedal and drink beer from a bar at the same time), and ate a lot of sausages. But more than that, we saw some amazing things--most of them surrounding the holocaust and the fall of the Berlin wall. We stopped at the Holocaust Memorial, which was 2,711 different sized blocks standing tall along sloping ground in the middle of the city. It was awesome--it cost 27,000 euros to build, and it is painted with an anti-graffitti paint. This, however, was controversial at the time, because the company who makes the paint also once was a Nazi supporter--so the feeling was that a company who benefitted from the Holocaust should not now profit from it. I don't remember if the paint ended up being donated, but there you go. (PS we learned all this from lurking behind a english speaking tour lady.)
Then we walked to where the Gestapo Headquarters once were, and learned just a lot about Germany during WWII. Did you know, for example, that Berlin held the Summer Olympics in 1933? I feel like the world should have seen what was about to happen... And that 70,000 people who were "incurably ill" in the hospital were killed? It's just so awful.
Anyways, after that, we walked to the Jewish museum, which was just cooler than cool. They have done such a nice job with this museum--it really immerses you in the horrors of the Holocaust. There was this one room, called the Holocaust Tower, which was basically a HUGE triangular dungeon with just a slim sheet of light pouring through at the very top. Then there was another room with 10,000 metal screaming faces lying on the ground that you were encouraged to walk on. This was really eerie because it echoed like nobody's business and it was like we were creating the noise and the screams of metal on metal... it gave me goosebumps. It was very effective.
So, there you have it--that's it for today. Mostly because I spent the five hour train ride writing a SEVENTEEN page entry in our journal covering these exact things... I could upload that, if you would prefer... but not right now. I love you all, and I cannot wait to go and explore this pool... (This hostel is AMAZING.)
Love from Praha,
LPRO and LMRO
ps--is that how you spell guten tag?
So now I am in Prague. There was a slight time lapse between this paragraph and the last, only because the people waiting for the computers at our Berlin hostel made me nervous and jumpy. But now I'm sitting with a Czech drink and not a care in the world (except what time the pool closes...). So, Berlin:
We took a picture with Yoda in front of the Brandenberg gate (mainly we did it for Dad, but I found it quite amusing when Yoda leaned in real close to Logan, and whispered, "It costs one euro for a picture..."), saw a bike bar (where you pedal and drink beer from a bar at the same time), and ate a lot of sausages. But more than that, we saw some amazing things--most of them surrounding the holocaust and the fall of the Berlin wall. We stopped at the Holocaust Memorial, which was 2,711 different sized blocks standing tall along sloping ground in the middle of the city. It was awesome--it cost 27,000 euros to build, and it is painted with an anti-graffitti paint. This, however, was controversial at the time, because the company who makes the paint also once was a Nazi supporter--so the feeling was that a company who benefitted from the Holocaust should not now profit from it. I don't remember if the paint ended up being donated, but there you go. (PS we learned all this from lurking behind a english speaking tour lady.)
Then we walked to where the Gestapo Headquarters once were, and learned just a lot about Germany during WWII. Did you know, for example, that Berlin held the Summer Olympics in 1933? I feel like the world should have seen what was about to happen... And that 70,000 people who were "incurably ill" in the hospital were killed? It's just so awful.
Anyways, after that, we walked to the Jewish museum, which was just cooler than cool. They have done such a nice job with this museum--it really immerses you in the horrors of the Holocaust. There was this one room, called the Holocaust Tower, which was basically a HUGE triangular dungeon with just a slim sheet of light pouring through at the very top. Then there was another room with 10,000 metal screaming faces lying on the ground that you were encouraged to walk on. This was really eerie because it echoed like nobody's business and it was like we were creating the noise and the screams of metal on metal... it gave me goosebumps. It was very effective.
So, there you have it--that's it for today. Mostly because I spent the five hour train ride writing a SEVENTEEN page entry in our journal covering these exact things... I could upload that, if you would prefer... but not right now. I love you all, and I cannot wait to go and explore this pool... (This hostel is AMAZING.)
Love from Praha,
LPRO and LMRO
ps--is that how you spell guten tag?
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