Oct. 30, 2010

We woke up early this morning, Kristen, Kacey and I, to head to Prague. Hannah Eddy and Kirsten were planning to come with us, but unfortunately last nights dinner did not agree with their stomachs. It was a huge bummer for Hannah, she had been looking forward to going there for so long. I hope that she will get to go later in her life. 

It was the crack of dawn and we hopped on the first train to “Praha.” On the way there we entered a thick fog that blocked out view  of anything that was outside. At about ten we watched the scenery change as the sunlight began to enter into the white foggy air. And when we finally got to the train station in Praha (Prague) and there was a huge advertisement for the seventh Harry Potter! It was huge! So naturally us girls had to get pictures in front of it.  

We had around 5 hours to explore this new city in this new country. So after finding a map, getting some money in the right currency and asking a few questions we ventured into the unknown. Our first goal was to find a Polish dog to eat. I went up to this stand and asked a man selling sausages where the best place here to get a good sausage was and he pointed down the road. Honesty, it is good to know that it is still out there, he could have very easily said that his were the best. We took his advice and went to this stand. They weren’t bad! 

The next thing on our list of “things to do and paces to see” was the St. Charles Bridge. On the way there we walked through markets where scarves, jewelry, art and toys were sold. We walked through the town square and in front of us was the most intricate clock that I have ever seen. It could have been a astronomic calender as well as a clock and a few other things. It was beautiful. The most beautiful clock I think I have ever seen. Except for Big Ben.

There were a lot of people in the town square, actually there were a lot of people in Praha, but none us us got stolen from or anything. It was a major blessing. We walked through the streets and made our maze of a way to the bridge. The Saint Charles Bridge is known for its stands that sell handmade jewelry, trinkets and artists who will draw you for money. It is also known for its use in the movie “Mission Impossible” where one of the main characters throws himself over that very same bridge to stage a death and Tom Hanks runs down the steps to see his mentor “dead.” It was cool to be there and see where it was filmed. In the picture to the right I am on the steps. 

Much of our day was relaxing as we walked through this unknown (to us) city. But the time was running out and we had to catch our train home. On our long train ride home we had hoped to relax and sleep a little, but alas we were accompanied by two old drunk men. They had had a few beers before they got on the train and kept drinking the whole time they were with us. Kacey made the mistake of being friendly and talking to them, so the chances of sleeping were now nonexistent. I am not saying that you shouldn’t always be friendly to people, it’s just that I was so much looking forward to sleeping a bit. When their stop finally came they kissed Kacey’s  hand good bye and one of them kissed my foot!!! I just hope that they made it to their houses okay. Once the train began to move again we were finally convinced into having the worst hot chocolate I have ever tasted. Kacey said that it tasted like dirty sock water,  Kristen and I full heartedly agreed! But we enjoyed it all the same. Up to this point nothing bad had happened to us the entire day. We didn’t miss our train, didn’t get pick pocketed, or anything else. Mystery that… Prague was a great city. 

Oct. 29, 2010

Today we all ventured to the city of Nürnberg where we visited the Nazi document center. The establishment was in just one of the many buildings that were parts of Hitler’s dream Parade Grounds. After an hour of so in the building I actually began to understand how this man had the support of the nation. He slowly desensitized the people into the ideal followers that he so needed. Everyone knew the Nazi song and would sing it like a Christmas carol, subconsciously in the kitchen wile making dinner. He convinced them that the Jews and many others were inferior to them all and needed to be rid of. Propaganda filled the minds of every individual and it seemed so right that the undesirables should be disposed of. So when the time came and all the Jews and many others were disappearing, no one saw the harm in it. And when this large supply of rock began to come from nowhere, no one saw reason to wonder. Now we know that at most concentration camps had strenuous work for its prisoners to where many of the worker would die from being over worked and malnourished, but the German people did not know this. It was all a secret.  

We walked around later outside in the beauty of the yellow fall leaves. An hour was given to us to explore the grounds of the Nazi turf. I wish that we would have had more than an hour. Two would have been nice. We got to the famous Zeppelin field and I had to sit on the steps in defiance against Hitler. The irony to his end just screams JUSTICE!!! If he knew that this was all that was left of his “kingdom” he would role over in his ash can. 

Later that day we all got to taste the world famous Nürenburg bratwurst. They were smaller than normal, but Jerry says, “the smaller, the better.”

The next day we were off to spend the day in Prague!