Amsterdam, Netherlands

It is always hard when a truly happy moment and a especially sad moment happen within just one weekend. Travelling proves to be a little rough on the heart as so much love and wander can be found and then almost as quickly as it came it is gone again. Longing, always longing for just one more hour, one more day, one more time. When landing in Amsterdam this weekend with a group of friends I was excited and was ready to experience all the wonder this city has to offer. But, two days in Amsterdam is simply and sadly, not enough. However, I must concentrate on the good and be happy that I had such an opportunity to go even for the short trip!

Amsterdam is a lively, beautiful and friendly city. Like most tourists, we mainly stayed in the downtown area (Dom) and tried to explore as much as we could! We arrived Thursday night after a short airplane ride from Prague. We found the hostel with some help from the friendly Dutch people, met the rest of our group, ate dinner and went to a cool bar. I was pretty tired after a class all day and was happy to go to sleep!

Friday morning we packed our stay with first a trip to the Van Gogh museum. I have always loved Van Gogh's paintings and it was beautiful to see the largest collection of his paintings, letters and drawings. I also loved their temporary exhibition which was printmaking-I LOVE this type of artwork and it was a pleasant surprise! Next we made our way to the city center to participate in a free tour of the city. After our first tour in Berlin I have decided this is one of the best ways to see the city. There were places we never would have seen and history we would never know if we didn't sign up! Amsterdam is so beautiful and seems like an amazing place for a young person to live! After the tour we went to the Heineken Factory. We missed the tour of the brewery by twenty minutes :[ But got to see inside. To save money we did not use public transportation except to get to and from the airport. This made for a lot of walking! Everything is a lot more spread out than in Prague so it was pretty difficult but got to see a lot along the way! Anyway, I was not too upset because Heineken is not my favorite kind of Holland beer, I like Brand! We got hamburgers for dinner, yum! And went to a comedy show called "Boom Chicago" that mixes improve comedy and skits. It was really funny and all around a great night.

Saturday we ate some traditional "sweet pancakes" (crepes) for breakfast and then headed to the Anne Frank House. The line was sooo long but we got in relatively quickly. The Anne Frank house is really interesting and sad. This is where she and her family as well as other Jewish castaways hid during the Nazi invasion of Holland. The saddest part is Ottis Frank's (Anne's father) story. He survived the concentration camp where both his wife and two daughters died. He came back to his office in Holland and was given Anne's diaries. Very moving. 

We finished the day with a boat tour around Amsterdam and saw more industrial parts of the city. Our most shameful part of the trip is when we tourists tried to get back to the airport. This endevour included a 5 minute wait at a bus stop that no longer exists and a run through the streets to the correct the mistake. Oh jeez, silly tourists!

I really wished I had more time in this unique city. If I had more time I would have wanted to see other parts of the Netherlands and experience more of the city. I will have to go back one day and see more!!

Local Flower Market

Main square

Red Light District

Our tour guide tells us that hundred of people (men) die each year from falling into the rivers while they try to pee. For safety reasons the city has built these structures for public use. Over the guide's shoulder I caught one in use! Apparently during the time local women protested that their should be public restrooms for them. In protest, nearly 200 women went to each bridge and peed!

Site of the Dutch West India Trading Company now part of the university

Statue and tulips in one of the famous convents of Amsterdam

This site is used for all the local protests and gatherings

Squatting houses were popular here during the last decade. It was popular to squat in Amsterdam because it wasn't illegal. If you wanted to squat somewhere you would set up camp and call in to the authorities and tell them your name and what building you were in and that you were squatting. They said O.K. Numerous amounts of buildings were saved in Amsterdam because of squatters, which without their residence would have been torn down.

Heineken Brouwery

Line into Anne Frank House

 

Dresden, Germany

We finished the weekend with a trip to Dresden, Germany. Wahh, where is that? yeah. That was my first reaction too! This place is a city of travellers' paradise that few get to see, I have officially added it to my list of favorite places.

Dresden has some really great history. In February of 1945 the city was bombed by the Ally Forces crumbling the city. It's buildings dating back to medieval times collapsed. You can see the pictures here. The cool part is that the buildings were mostly restored using the pieces from the rubble! This creates almost a mosaic of light and dark across the face of each masterpiece. Something that I had never seen before. The most interesting part of the city is that in my head I couldn't place it. Sometimes when I go to a city I can say, "Oh, this reminds me of Madrid or this reminds me of Lucern." But I could not find anywhere that I had been that represents its whole.

On one side of the river you have the Old Town which has been, like I said, completely reconstructed and incredible buildings are, from the church the the opera house, lined up along the river-making this a backpacker's paradise! So much to see in such a small space! The landscape is absolutely incredible!

But while the Old Town lay in rubble the New Town flourished and the culture here is excitingly overwhelming. Funky shops line the streets as do coffee shops, art stores and music boutiques! The alternative vibe here is young and hip and is quietly pulsing with an underground flair of unique style. The night life in the area is laid back but alive and there are shisha bars and pubs everywhere.

Dresden gets made fun of by their German counterparts who say all the city inhabitants do is sit around and drink coffee. And I have to admit that there are a lot of cafes in the area and shops don't open til 11:00am each day (probably because everyone needs their morning coffee!).

Dresden has an abnormally high birth rate for its population and kids and strollers can be seen everywhere! At first I thought it was because it was a Sunday but this city has a calm, relaxing vibe that was a break from the bustle of the city! We also found some great street art and I have to say German people (especially here but also in Berlin) are a welcoming, kind and fun people and I loved their company and service! I went to bed this night overcome with joy at the weekends' end. It was a beautiful start to a long month a travelling. What beautiful cities this world has to offer, I think I even fell asleep with a smile on my face.

Here's a great map of Dresden (http://www.use-it.be/europe/)!

I didn't even need to enhance these photos!

view of the opera house

Berlin: Poor, but Sexy

I can't say that Berlin was on my list of places to see this semester. But, no girl in their right mind could pass up such an opportunity, so when my friends said they had planned a trip this past weekend and wanted me to come I bought my train ticket and prepared for my first adventure outside of the Czech Republic this spring. The weekend would end up being packed tight with endless walking, sightseeing and laughter.

I left Thursday night to take a bus to Berlin. It must have been last week's activities but I was passed out and was happy to wake up only when the German officials boarded the bus and asked to see my passport. Now, I am not the best at navigating around a big city-maybe its because I haven't been forced to, but this time I brought my secret weapon. What's better than being great at navigating a city? Having a friend who can navigate a city! That way in my sleepy stammer I can follow her around like a puppy dog, taking pictures and embracing senses while she worries about the map. We arrived at the hostel around midnight and despite a brick hard mattress and a pillow lumpier than a camel I slept like a baby in this new city.

The next morning we woke up early to the sounds of the city! We hit the most popular destinations; the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Gate, Potsdam Platz, Jewish Monument and Reichstag! We walked half the city and although I am no expert there are definitely some big differences between the Czech culture and the German culture. In Berlin, there are young people everywhere!! This city was built for the young it seems, the nightlife is incomparable and the edgy alternative feel of the city is perfect for these artistic, intellectual minds. The most notable differences are when you ride the U (berlin metro system). There is so much diversity here. I saw drag queens, punks, hipsters you name it! They drink, they are loud and they'll catch your gaze and match it! No doubt, it is the years of oppression that has taught some Czechs to be wary of these alternative styles. Be as unnoticeable as possible was undoubtedly the goal during their history. However, I believe Berlin does not have nearly the architectural diversity that Prague does. The damage of WWII in Germany is the soul culprit in that.

On Friday we enjoyed the East Berlin Gallery which is the longest stretch of the existing wall. It is now a representative of peace and freedom. We shopped around goofy boutiques and unique coffee shops around Falckensteinstrasse. (www.chaosinform.com) here I found a cool ring which I'll talk about later! At noon we went back to the hostel to meet for an Alternative Berlin Tour, intriguing-right? Our tour guide was the cutest boy you've ever seen and we have so much in common! We're both Scottish (he moved recently from Aberdeen to Berlin), we both wear skinny jeans and we both have an obsession of graffiti art! This was truly the best way we could have spent the day-we saw all parts of Berlin and were given a deep history of the culture during and after WWII.

One of my favorite graffiti artist (I will find his name later) does a technique called Pastia where the drawing is done off-site and then glued somewhere on a wall (when the police aren't looking of course). His trademark is drawings of Little Lucy who was a cartoon character popular in Czech Republic. Little Lucy takes amazing adventures with her cat, Kitti. In Berlin street art, Little Lucy is seen murdering her cat in several different ways! See these funny examples below.

The greatest part of the trip is when we arrived at Tacheles. This used to be an old squatter house until the late 90's when someone reformed it into an art school. But, the business since has gone bankrupt and the bank is foreclosing the structure. There are several art studios throughout the house that feature the artist's work to the public but many artists have been kicked out by the bank. The greatest part of the house is the walls that tell its story-it is filled with messages, graffiti and art that it's dwellers and visitors have left. I have never seen anything like it. I do hope that it will be open for a long time, its a truly alternative place that screams culture! The building really should be turned into a historical site, here is some more information http://super.tacheles.de/cms/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunsthaus_Tacheles.

Did you know the reason why Berliners love to play ping pong? It's because during WWII the Soviet Secret Police would hide microphones in every cranny they could get a bud-this included bars-trying to catch people dishonoring the government. Berliners started playing ping pong while they chatted in order to drown out the sound!

We ended the tour around the cool area of Simon-Dach-Strasse. A train station that was bombed during WWII and never rebuilt is now used as a graffiti canvas. To match it's venue a skate park was built as well as a climbing wall converted from an old water tower. This is the place the be at night where concerts, clubs and beer gardens fill the air with noise. The area used to be only accessible through a bathroom stall at a nearby cafe. People went to the bathroom and never came out. Our guide explained this to us by referencing Chronicles of Narnia, ha!

My favorite part about the tour is when our guide explained to us what locals commonly say about Berlin. As some of you might not know (because I sure didn't) Berlin has been bankrupt multiple times throughout the last decade. They say "Berlin: Poor, but Sexy!" I love it!! We later laughed that perhaps that described us too. Travelling college students, living off a cracker or crackers (if we are lucky) for lunch, street food for dinner and beer for desert (or for brunch or linner)!

We ended the day by walking around a popular market and then meeting up for dinner, I tried my first German beer and had some of them famous Bavarian sausages!

Checkpoint Charlie

Brandenburg Gate

Me at the Jewish Memorial Site

East Berlin Gallery Art

Little Lucy ripping her Kitti in half, yikes!

Little Lucy and Kitti at the "Cat Wash"

Now a protected site, this alleyway is full of street art!

Inside Tacheles

Climbing Rock wall that used to be a water tower!

Old Train Station bombed in WWII now home to street artists' work

Prague Nightlife

Prague has so much nightlife to offer you can go dizzy with finding all the different bars and clubs that pour the best beer and pump the best beat. I, in fact, devoted myself this weekend (and week because sleeping apparently isn't cool in college) to the night. What I found though was that you don't have to go far from your doorstep to experience the best places. There are a bunch of reviews on Prague Nightlife at http://www.expats.cz/prague/directory/bars/ if you are looking for more pieces here, this will just be an overview of some places I went to and the night environment I found.

First things first. Don't whatever you do walk out your door to a club at 10:00pm, you'll find them all empty and you and your friends will look rather silly. Around 10:00pm on a week day or 11:00pm on a weekend pick a bar close by to meet with friends and to start your night. Be wary that most bar/restaurants close around 11:00 (if their door says they close at 11:15pm it doesn't mean you can show up until that time and they'll take you that is usually when you should be out the door so last call would be at least 15 minutes before that) I prefer bars close by, in Prague there are many bars called "non-stop" they claim to be twenty-four hours but probably are not. Here they serve beer for cheap: most of them for around 30 czk which today is $1.60. I know right? Alcohol here is considerably less expensive than in the states-although everything is! Another good thing to note is that the metro doesn't run all night. It ends at 12pm and then the night trams run so plan accordingly.

You can head to another bar after you're finished here. There are lots of things to do around Wenceslas Square but be aware that most these bars are part of the international scene so not many locals would be here. This is a good starting point if it's your first night out.

Some places I've been here:

Vinarna U Sudu
Great info http://www.spottedbylocals.com/prague/vinarna-u-sudu/
I really liked this place and wished we stayed longer here. I would definitely go back-what looks like a tiny wine bar actually descends into a labyrinth of different underground hallways with high tables or low tables perfect for a group. The air is smokey but is dog friendly there are also games in one hall like Foosball. Paid 35 czk for a beer, service wasn't bad but I am pretty sure our waitress was drunk haha. Great place to start your evening.

Beer Factory
Great info http://www.expats.cz/prague/article/restaurant-reviews/beer-factory/
This place is known for its pour-your-own-pint system. Go with a big group, pick your drink and pour it yourself. You can also compete with people from other tables. We didn't eat here but the waitress wasn't very helpful. They play good music and a small dance party started but died. They also play all the sports games. The beer is not too bad but pricier than most places. In sum, its a good place to waist some time at but I wouldn't make this my nights' destination.

Nebe
Great info http://www.pragueexperience.com/places.asp?PlaceID=1435
This always seems to be our fall back plan mostly because the tram down the street takes us directly back to housing and really I don't mind. This place has some great atmosphere and really pumps up on the weekends after midnight. Drinks are more expensive here but if you've planned your night right you won't need to buy any here. Get out on that dance floor! They play some great music all familiar American beats from Shakira to Soundtrack from Grease they got it all. No cover but pay 20 czk (about a dollar) to check your coat-this is required. They also pad men down at the door.

Rock O' Reilly
Great info http://www.rockyoreillys.cz/
Prague has some great Irish bars! Rock O' Reilly has great service and they speak English! yay! This is a great place to go during the week or weekend before hitting the club-its right off of Wenceslas :]

Some friends and I at Rock O'Reilly's Bar

Music Sky Bar
Great Info http://www.skybar.cz/
Music Sky Bar is off of the Narodni Trida metro exit. Really open area with great tables and great drinks. Nice service. Small dance floor.

Friends and I sharing a Cuba Libre

Jazz Republic
Great info http://www.jazzrepublic.org/
Awesome location right off of Mustek metro stop. Plays live Jazz bands, tons of seating-good service although little English. Awesome selection of drinks. Great hangout!

I'll probably add here at a later date some more places I've found. There are just so many!!

Whatever you do, do not forget to get a late night (early morning) snack at the vendor carts. The favorite here is Smazeny Syr and my mouth waters talking about it! Imagine a large square mozzarella stick packed inside a hamburger bun with mayo and curry ketchup, oh goodness! Potatoe pancakes are good too! This is a late night tradition and if you don't try it you might as well get back on the plane home!!

This Weeks Activities in Prague

What a beautiful week it was in Prague! It seems that the snow has melted, the icicles have dropped and everyone was out this weekend to play. I enjoyed some great activities this week!

National Gallery of Prague at St. Agnes of Bohemia Convent
It started with a class field trip on Wednesday to St. Agnes' Convent which is now the National Gallery of Prague. Full of mostly medieval art from Central Europe and Czech. My favorite thing about his Convent is it's ghost story, what is an old convent without one? It says that one of the nuns was killed by her own father, when he found out that she is in love with a poor young man. Then he cursed her for putting the family in shame and said she shall never rest in peace as long as the convent is there. The ghost of the girl reputedly rambles around the convent in the night, moaning and wearing a habit stained with blood. It is said that she helps young people who are unhappily in love. So a friendly ghost!

Unfortunately I forgot my camera (but we couldn't take many pictures anyway) here are some I found online:

Country Night at Local Bar
Czech country music is very popular to this day, it is linked with the so called tramping movement, which was a pastime that was born out of the interwar period's pressures and opportunities. Saturated with idyllic images of the American Wild West and seeking respite from the pressures of modernizing urban life, many Czechs fled into the woods. Tramp settlements with names like "Hudson," "Little Bighorn," and "Swanee" soon became the temporary homes for scores of Czechs impersonating cowboys, "Red Indians," forty-niners, and other American characters.

The restaurant Na Mělnické is tipical for the outskirts of Prague, we got to meet locals, have a cheap dinner and enjoy the happy atmosphere created by the musicians.

Cirkus Cirkus 2012
Did ya'll hear? The circus is in town!! After reading the Night Circus I had an itching to see those big tents and flashing lights and that's just what I did! After a 4 metro stops the wrong way and a little doubts on the direction we were heading we saw a heavenly symbol in the sky- the spotlights! It was a very exciting 3.5 hour show, for only fifteen dollars! My favorite part was the cute guys dressed as pirates doing flips off swinging platforms! 

Carnival in Prague

There's not much to do in Prague for Carnival (Mardi Gras celebration) that is free or even cheap! We saw a performance in Old Town Square that was mostly geared towards kids and an act that included references we're not sure anyone one understood! 

Locks of Love

On a small bridge next to Lennon Wall you can find a tribute to individual love. Here lovers attach a padlock to the bridge and through the lock into the water, symbolizing their ever lasting love! 

John Lennon Wall

The weather was beautiful this Saturday so we crossed Charles Bridge and headed to the little famous ally way known to house a wall of inspiration. John Lennon never experienced Prague for himself but was a hero to the pacifist youth of Central and Eastern Europe during the totalitarian era. Prior to 1989 when communism ruled, western pop songs were banned by Communist authorities, and especially John Lennon´s songs, because it was praising freedom that didn’t exist here. Some musicians were actually jailed for playing it!

When John Lennon was murdered in 1980 he became a sort of hero to some of the young and his picture was painted on this wall, for whatever reason right here, along with graffiti defying the authorities. Don’t forget that back then the Czech people had few opportunities to express their feelings with their lack of freedom. By doing this, those young activists risked prison for what authorities called “subversive activities against the state”.

But the threat of prison couldn’t keep people from slipping there at night to scrawl graffiti first in the form of Beatles lyrics and odes to Lennon, then they came to paint their own feelings and dreams on the wall.

The Communist police tried repeatedly to whitewash over the portrait and messages of peace but they could never manage to keep the wall clean. On the second day it was again full of poems and flowers with paintings of Lennon. Even the installation of surveillance cameras and the posting of an overnight guard couldn’t stop the opinions from being expressed.

At first glance the Lennon Wall is like any graffiti-covered wall you see around the world. But this wall is special thanks to its history. I’ve heard people saying that it is Pague’s equivalent of the Berlin Wall. They are not far from the truth. Some people also believe that the „John Lennon Peace Wall“ helped inspire the non-violent Velvet Revolution that led to the fall of Communism in the former Czechoslovakia in 1989.

In 1998 the wall had to go through reconstruction of its crumbling facade but the spirit of the wall lives on. It used to be covered in anti-Communist graffiti, now it is covered in messages of love and peace. The original portrait of Lennon is long lost under the layers of new paints but if you look hard enough you can still find tributes to Lennon and a yellow submarine!

The wall, located at Velkoprevorske Namesti, Mala Strana, is owned by the Knights of the Maltese Cross, who allowed graffiti to continue. It will be a symbol forever.

http://www.prague.net/john-lennon-wall