Personal Growth

Emily at Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, Germany

            For my final blog post required by my professors I am going to write about my academic and personal growth. I found my trip to Central Europe was incredibly educational as well as personally enriching.

 

Emily at John Lennon Wall, Prague, Czech Republic

            As a future history teacher, I wanted to travel to Central Europe to see some of the locations I will one day be teaching about. Seeing these famous sights in person has given me much more insight into those past events and has given me even more to consider. It seemed that every building and street corner had some significance or story. As someone who loves learning, I relished the opportunity to learn so much in such a short amount of time. Every day our itinerary was full of enriching educational opportunities that I would have missed out on if I traveled to Central Europe on my own. The amount we learned was overwhelming at times, but my understanding of this region of the world is now much firmer. I believe that I will be able to convey the knowledge I have gained to my future students. The Central European Travel Seminar was an amazing academic experience that will be an asset to me in years to come.

Emily at Castle Ruins, Wachau Valley, Austria

            Personally, traveling through Central Europe was rather transformative. I am a quiet individual, not shy, but often not one to speak up. However, while traveling I had to speak up in order to make sure that I was understood. Whether it was to other members of my group or to the many individuals I encountered while we traveled, I needed to be a little more assertive and have more self-efficacy. Although we were traveling with a group, this was my first time traveling without my family. I was nervous at first about how traveling alone would be, but I was able to thoroughly enjoy myself. I have discovered that I am able to keep myself occupied and engaged without the constant encouragement of others. The largest personal transformation that I underwent during the Central European Travel Seminar was to my confidence. It was not that I was not confident going in, but now I feel that I could be put in the middle of any major city and I would be able to find my way around without being afraid. I am still a small town girl at heart, but big cities are no longer scary. I am able to take care of myself in a place where I do not always understand the language. There are always ways to make myself understood. Patience and an open mind are the most essential skills of any traveler. I believe that my time traveling in Central Europe helped me further develop and understand those skills. During my time abroad I feel that I changed a great deal and came to know a lot more about the world as a whole.

Emily at Citadella, Budapest, Hungary

            Thank you for taking the time to read the thoughts and opinions I have written about in this blog. For any future travelers to Central Europe, remember to always be open to new experiences. The Central European Travel Seminar was the trip of a lifetime.

            Good luck and have fun!

                        -Emily Herkert

Picture References:

1.      Emily Herkert. Charlottenburg Palace. May 29, 2014. Berlin, Germany.

2.      Emily Herkert. John Lennon Wall. June 8, 2014. Prague, Czech Republic.

3.      Emily Herkert. In Castle Ruins. June 14, 2014. Wachau Valley, Austria.

4.      Emily Herkert. Climbing to Citadella. June 21, 2014. Budapest, Hungary.

Applying the Classroom to the Trip

            

           For this Blog entry I will be discussing how I applied the skills, knowledge, and research methodologies I gained in the History 280 course I took in the spring semester to the International Studies 316 course I took as part of the trip to Central Europe.

            The major skill that I gained in History 280 and then applied to International Studies 316 was map reading, particularly transportation maps. In the class during spring semester we studied the maps of each city and had map quizzes of the locations of the most significant locations in the cities. This made it much easier to find locations when we were actually staying in the city as part of the summer course. Looking over the tram and metro maps ahead of time also made navigating the metro and tram systems much easier. The navigational and map reading skills that we practiced during the spring course before the trip were very helpful during my International Studies 316 course.

Oktogon Stop: M1 Research

            The knowledge that I gained during History 280 in the spring was also essential to International Studies 316 in Central Europe. While I am a history student so I know a lot of the broad history of Central Europe, gaining a closer historical perspective of the cities and specific locations we would visit was imperative. In order to understand a location, the history that place is essential. We also learned a lot about the music we would hear in Central Europe in the class. It made recognizing and appreciating the music we heard much easier. It also prepared me for what aspects of music to listen for at the various performances we attended. For instance, I knew what to expect at the opera, so I could more fully enjoy the performance and talent of the performers. The background knowledge that I gained in the spring course was essential to the summer course.

Metro in Leipzig

          The research methodologies I gained in History 280 were also very important to my experience in International Studies 316. In our spring class I was part of a small group that did a research project on the M1/Andrassy Ut metro line in Budapest. When we were in Budapest, we did field work along this line. The research and presentation at the conclusion of the History 280 course gave me a lot of background about the M1 and also gave me some idea about what type of information I would need to collect during my field work. The advice of the professors for research collection as well as the presentation in the spring course prepared me very well for my own first-hand research during the summer course.

            I feel that the History 280 course during the spring semester was an excellent preparatory course for the International Studies 316 course while we were traveling in Central Europe.

Picture References:

1.      Emily Herkert. Out the Train Window. June 2, 2014. Germany.

2.      Emily Herkert. Oktogon Sign. June 19, 2014. Budapest, Hungary.

3.      Emily Herkert. Metro in Leipzig. June 3, 2014. Leipzig, Germany.

Touring Krakow

            

          The final stop on my whirlwind one-month tour of Central Europe was Krakow, Poland. I had a great time in Krakow and it was a great place to end the trip. The experiences I had in Krakow seemed like the culmination of everything we had seen and prepared for throughout the trip.

Cloth Hall in Rynek Glowny

            The geographical aspect of the city that I was most fascinated by was gigantic main square in Krakow, Rynek Glowny. This square housed some of the most iconic buildings in Krakow such as the Cloth Hall. This gigantic market building had many shops lining both sides selling a variety of goods to tourists. It reflected Krakow’s roots as a city founded on trade in the Middle Ages. St. Mary’s Basilica was also present on the square along with the remaining tower from the old city hall that has burned down. The market square itself is the largest in Europe and has the largest population of Rock Pigeons in the world. There was also free Wi-Fi in the entire square for visitors. I appreciated the geographic significance of maintaining this large commercial space. It was central to the identity of the citizens of Krakow as well as Poland as a whole.

            My favorite academic experience while we stayed in Krakow was our day trip out to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camps. While it feels strange to use the term “favorite” to describe this place, I am grateful for the opportunity to have seen it. As a history student, I have heard about Auschwitz many times, but it is completely different to experience that place in person. Even now, I still have difficulty putting into words exactly what it felt like there. The best I can say is that walking through that place made it difficult to breath, as if the horrors of what happened there still linger, pressing down on visitors as they try to make sense of it all. Auschwitz holds a particular power as a place where almost unspeakable evil occurred. I greatly appreciate the experience of being able to visit and tour this location. Everyone traveling through Krakow should take a day trip here. It is a difficult and emotional trip, but certainly worth it.

Auschwitz Gate

            My favorite extra-curricular experience in Krakow was a visit to the Archdiocese Museum. Krakow was the home of Karol Wojtyla, the man who became St. Pope John Paul II. My family is Catholic, and I can remember when John Paul II was Pope. The Archdiocese Museum had his room with the original furniture as well as many of his possessions. The most interesting aspects of the museum were John Paul II’s personal belongings. It turns out that he was quite the sportsman and enjoyed skiing and kayaking. It was strange to see his clothing such as leather jackets and scarves. I enjoyed learning more about John Paul II as a man as opposed to the familiar image of him as head of the Church. The museum also had medieval paintings, altarpieces, and priest vestments on the first floor. The museum was a welcome surprise and I greatly enjoyed myself. Anyone with an interest in Pope John Paul II would appreciate this museum.

Pope John Paul II's Leather Jacket and Skis

            For my food recommendation in Krakow, I would suggest the Klezmer Hois Restaurant in the Kazmierz neighborhood. Kazmierz is the former Jewish neighborhood of Krakow before the Jewish population was forced into the ghetto. This is a much pricier restaurant, but the atmosphere is great. Visitors can simply go for dinner, or they can go for dinner and a Klezmer music performance. Klezmer, the traditional Jewish music, is very dynamic and emotional. It is a fantastic listening experience and the food was excellent.  This was an excellent place for our last group dinner on the trip. I highly recommend it.

Klezmer Musicans at Klezmer-Hois

            Well, that completes all my favorite experiences in each city I visited. The next blog entries will focus on my transition from classroom learning to learning in the field and my own personal growth on this trip.   

References:

Archdiocesan Museum. “History.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://www.muzeumkra.diecezja.pl/about%20museum.htm.

Auschwitz. “Memorial and Museum: Auschwitz-Birkenau.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://en.auschwitz.org/m/.

Klezmer-Hois. “Restaurant Klezmer Hois.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://www.klezmer.pl/restaurant_klezmer_hois.

Krakow Info. “Krakow’s Rynek Glowny Central Square.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://www.krakow-info.com/rynek.htm.

Picture References:

1.      Emily Herkert. Krakow from Wawel Cathedral. June 24, 2014. Krakow, Poland.

2.      Emily Herkert. Cloth Hall. June 23, 2014. Krakow, Poland.

3.      Emily Herkert. Auschwitz-Birkenau Entrance and Train Tracks. June 25, 2014. Krakow, Poland.

4.      Emily Herkert. Auschwitz Gate. June 25, 2014. Oswiecim, Poland.

5.      Emily Herkert. Pope’s Leather Jacket and Skis. June 24, 2014. Krakow, Poland.

6.      Emily Herkert. Klezmer-Hois. June 28, 2014. Krakow, Poland.

Discovering Budapest

            

After leaving Vienna we traveled to Budapest. Budapest was the city that I was least certain I would enjoy before the trip. However, I was proven wrong as I had a great time. Budapest was breathtakingly beautiful and I loved getting to explore this city.

Bridges over Danube

            The aspect of Budapest that I was most fascinated by was the many bridges over the Danube. Budapest is actually the combination of two different cities on either side of the Danube, Buda and Pest. The bridges connect these two different cities and make transportation and economic activity possible. During World War II, the retreating Nazis destroyed every bridge. These bridges are essential to life in Budapest and were quickly rebuilt. In Budapest I was impressed by how the locals utilized the waterfront along the Danube. Unlike the other cities we visited, the river seemed to still be essential. The use of the bridges to close the gap between the two sides of the Danube was a very interesting aspect of Budapest.

Szechenyi Chain Bridge Across Danube

            My favorite academic experience was attending a folk dance performance. We attended the performance with a Hungarian woman who met with us in the United States. She knew the songs and dances shown, which meant the dances we watched were really traditional not simply created as entertainment for tourists. Watching these performances felt like it gave me a better sense of what it meant to be Hungarian. These dances are a major part of Hungarian culture. The men’s dances were very aggressive and warlike with a lot of stomping and boot slapping. The women’s dances were usually more delicate. The dance that we watched was highly dominated by men’s dances. It was easy to see how these dances would be used at celebrations or other joyous events. I really enjoyed witnessing such an important part of Hungarian identity and culture.

            My favorite extra-curricular experience in Budapest was visiting Memento Park. This relatively isolated park is where statues from the Communist era were moved and housed. Unlike other countries who destroyed all these statues when the Communist government fell, Hungary kept the statues as reminders. As a history student I really enjoyed seeing these massive statues. It is clear that many of these statues represented the values of a Communist society such as stoicism and hard work for the state. I was most struck by the gigantic size of the statues. When they stood in the main streets of Budapest they would have been impossible to ignore. I am glad that I was able to visit this site and see statues that would have been completely destroyed every else.

Statue in Memento Park

            My food recommendation for Budapest is in the Great Market Hall. The Great Market Hall is a massive building that houses many shopping and food vendors. The entire first floor is essentially like a massive farmer’s market with almost any type of food you can imagine. Fantastic fresh foods can be found here. The second floor has small vendors for souvenirs and fine hand-stitched fabrics. On the second floor is also a food vendor that has a large selection of traditional Hungarian food. Although this is always very crowded and there are few places to sit, this is a cheap and tasty place to grab lunch. There is a wide selection of food and everything that I tried tasted fantastic. When visiting Budapest, I highly recommend a stop in the Great Market Hall both for some shopping and to grab some lunch.

Great Market Hall

            I had an amazing time in Budapest. It was truly a beautiful place that I will never forget. Next blog post I will be talking about my experiences in Krakow, Poland.

References:

Bridges of Budapest. “The eight famous bridges of Budapest.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://www.bridgesofbudapest.com/.

Budapest by Locals. “Great Market Hall Budapest.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://www.budapestbylocals.com/great-market-hall.html.

Hungarian Folk. “Hungarian Folk Shows.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://hungarianfolk.com/.

Memento Park. “Statue Park.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://www.mementopark.hu/pages/sights/.

Picture References:

1.      Emily Herkert. Budapest from Citadella. June 21, 2014. Budapest, Hungary.

2.      Emily Herkert. Bridges over the Danube. June 21, 2014. Budapest, Hungary.

3.      Emily Herkert. Szechenyi Chain Bridge. June 18, 2014. Budapest, Hungary.

4.      Emily Herkert. Folk Dance. June 17, 2014. Budapest, Hungary.

5.      Emily Herkert. Memento Park. June 19, 2014. Budapest, Hungary.

6.      Emily Herkert. Great Market Hall. June 17, 2014. Budapest, Hungary.

Ventures in Vienna

            After a day in Brno we traveled on to Vienna. Vienna was one of my favorite cities on the entire trip. Everything was clean and classy. It was expensive of course, but I did not expect anything else. I truly enjoyed everything that we saw in Vienna, and I would be willing to return in a heartbeat.

Wachau Valley

           My favorite aspect of geography that we saw in Austria was our day trip to the Wachau Valley Vineyards. We biked through the gorgeous Wachau Valley, following along the Danube to little villages and vineyards. This picturesque valley was surrounded by mountains. As part of our day trip I was allowed to climb a mountain to visit the ruins the castle where Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner. The views of the valley were breathtaking. The Wachau Valley is a UNESCO world heritage site and has been a major producer of white wines for centuries. The modern villages, situated along the Danube, have grown out of their medieval counterparts. This land has changed very little throughout time and as we biked through the countryside it was almost like we could go back in time. The entire area was beautiful and the wine was fantastic. I felt completely rejuvenated my trip to the Wachau Valley despite the 18 mile bike ride.

 

The Art of Painting: Vermeer

            My favorite academic activity in Vienna was our trip to the Kunsthistoriches Museum. This massive art museum was the largest I have ever visited. I am by no means an artist, but I took AP Art History in high school. I greatly enjoyed that class, so I do have some background knowledge about how to look at and appreciate art. When we were given time to look around I headed straight for the Painting Gallery, because I knew what type of art I wanted to look at. The museum hand a fantastic collection, and I was able to see many pieces I remember learning about in high school. Some of the highlights of my visit included viewing paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Raphael, Claesz, Caravaggio, Titian, Van Eyk, and Brueghel. The audio guide that we had for going through the museum was great. We could listen to further explanation about a painting or painter if we were curious. I could have easily spent all day in the Picture Gallery. It was rather overwhelming, but I loved visiting the Kunsthistoriches Museum. It was a fantastic experience.

Madonna of the Meadow: Raphael

            My favorite extra-curricular activity that I experienced in Vienna was my trip to the Austrian Military Museum. I went to this museum because it boasts an excellent World War I exhibit that includes the car and clothing of Archduke Ferdinand. Unfortunately, the exhibit was being redesigned for the centennial commemoration of the start of WWI. I still enjoyed the other exhibits we were able to view. We got to see Austrian military uniforms throughout time as well as different historical guns and weapons. I do not have much background knowledge about particular weapons, but the changes throughout the decades were interesting. The World War II exhibit was open, and this section of the museum was excellent. There were many artifacts from this time period ranging from military gear to Nazi propaganda. There was a yard out back completely filled with Austrian military tanks. I really enjoyed the museum despite the initial disappoint and I would recommend that anyone visiting Vienna stops by when the World War I exhibit is open.

Military Museum

            In Vienna I would suggest that everyone stops by Café Hawelka. This café has been open and owned by the same family for over one hundred years. It was a favorite meeting place for political dissidents. It is a small, intimate café with an incredible vibe. I do not even like coffee, but while in a famous café in Vienna I ordered coffee anyway. I ordered a drink called a Melange, which was essentially a cappuccino, and it was excellent. I am still not a coffee drinker, but I could drink it at Café Hawelka. The wait staff was incredible. Our waiter reminded me of my perception of a proper butler. The owner of the restaurant, the son of the original owner, walked around the café and shook hands with all the guests. It was a great café experience that I would recommend to anyone.

Cafe Hawelka

            I had an excellent time in Vienna and someday I would love to go back. Next blog post will be about my experiences in Budapest, Hungary.

References:

Café Leopold Hawelka. “Tradition History.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://www.hawelka.at/cafe/de/geschichte/

Heeresgeschichtliches Musuem. “History.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://www.hgm.at/en/museum/history.html

Kunsthistoriches Museum Wien. “Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien.” Accessed July

            15, 2014. http://www.khm.at/en/.

UNESCO.org. “Wachau Cultural Landscape.” Accessed July 15, 2014.

            http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/970.

Picture References:

1.      Emily Herkert. Vienna from St. Stephens. June 11, 2014. Vienna, Austria.

2.      Emily Herkert. Wachau Valley. June 14, 2014. Krems an der Donau, Austria.

3.      Emily Herkert. The Art of Painting. June 12, 2014. Vienna, Austria.

4.      Emily Herkert. Madonna of the Meadow. June 12, 2014. Vienna, Austria.

5.      Emily Herkert. Military Museum. June 13, 2014. Vienna, Austria.

6.      Emily Herkert. Café Hawelka. June 15, 2014. Vienna Austria.

Traveling Through Brno

            

Tram in Brno

          After we left Prague we headed to Brno. It was miserably hot when we arrived and we only stayed for one full day, so I do not feel that I was able to fully experience and appreciate Brno. However, I was happy to visit and I enjoyed the sights we were able to see.

            The aspect of Brno’s geography that I found the most interesting was the effects of globalization on this Moravian city. Brno is actually considered the capital of Moravia, which is in what is now the Eastern portion of the Czech Republic. While globalization was present in every city we visited, I noticed it particularly in Brno. Brno was not as much of a tourist or “global” city as the other areas we visited. Here, we saw much more about what life is like for average Czech citizens living outside of the major urban center of Prague. This includes the massive impact of international brands and chain stores. For instance, after arriving in Brno, I went to a Tesco store to pick up some items that I needed. This Tesco, which is a British-owned chain, sold both groceries and other general merchandise. Many of the brands were familiar and I could recognize many products that I use at home. While globalization had been prevalent everywhere, I was much more struck by it in Brno because there was not a large tourist crowd demanding international brands. Globalized products has simply become a part of regular life in the Czech Republic.

            My favorite academic experience in Brno was our trip to the Roma Musuem. This Museum focused on the experiences and history of the Roma people in Europe. This group has faced many hardships and persecutions throughout time. Besides being often treated as outsiders and forced to move from place to place, these individuals also faced terrible discrimination. The Many Roma became victims of the Holocaust because they were viewed as “undesirable” by the Nazi Regime. I had very little knowledge about the history and struggles of the Roma people before visiting this excellent museum. We had a guided tour and our guide was fantastic. What struck me most was the discrimination that the Roma people still face. The vast majority of Roma are working members of society. However, many of Europe’s poorest citizens are Roma and stereotypes about the Roma continue to persist. I believe this evident discrimination is one of Europe’s major problems going forward.

Abbey where Gregor Mendel Lived

            My favorite extra-curricular activity in Brno was the trip I took to the Gregor Mendel Museum. I had learned about Gregor Mendel in my high school Biology classes, so to see the place where he lived and worked was quite interesting. Mendel is considered the father of modern day genetics. His careful recordings of his experiments with the cross-breeding of pea plants resulted in much further study about how genes are transmitted from one generation to the next. His work was incredibly instrumental in early genetics. He was a monk who was later made Abbott. The museum dedicated to him is now in the Abbey where he once resides. The museum featured many of Mendel’s belongings as well as several original documents. I had a great time visiting this museum and it was air-conditioned! It was a great place to learn about Gregor Mendel and beat the heat.

 

Gregor Mendel

            As for my food recommendation for Brno is a visit to a beer garden. We visited this beer garden for our group dinner in Brno. I am not certain of the official name of the beer garden. I believe it is called either Rosnicka or Plzensky Dvur. Both of those are beer gardens in Brno with excellent reviews. The service was very friendly and the food was excellent. I recommend the grilled barbeque ribs. There was so much food it was almost impossible to finish. I highly recommend visiting a beer garden while in Brno. It was a great place to unwind and forget about the heat.

            I did not have enough time in Brno to really get as much of a feel of the city as the larger cities where we stayed longer. However, I still greatly enjoyed every place I visited. Next entry I will be discussing my experiences in Vienna.

References:

Czech4you. “List of Beer Gardens.” Accessed July 14, 2014.

            http://czech4you.com/index.php?menuitem=150.

Mendel Museum. “The Exhibition Online: Introduction.” Accessed July 14, 2014.

            http://www.mendel-museum.com/eng/1online/.

Museum of Roma Culture. “About Us.” Accessed July 14, 2014.

            http://www.rommuz.cz/o-nas-2/.

Tesco. “Tesco Czech Republic.” Accessed July 14, 2014.

            http://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=332.

Picture References:

1.      Emily Herkert. A Tram in Brno. June 10, 2014. Brno, Czech Republic.

2.      Emily Herkert. Muzeum Romanske Kultury. June 10, 2014. Brno, Czech Republic.

3.      Emily Herkert. Gregor Mendel’s Abbey. June 10, 2014. Brno, Czech Republic.

4.      Emily Herkert. Gregor Mendel Statue. June 10, 2014. Brno, Czech Republic.

Exploring Prague

            After departing from Leipzig we had a brief delay in Dresden before proceeding on to arrive in Prague. I had a fantastic time in the Czech Republic and it had a very different feel than Germany. I think one of the highlights of this trip was being able to visit such a wide variety of places.

            In Prague, the aspect of the city’s geography that most fascinated me was the placement and development of the Nové Butovice Panaláks. These communist era apartment buildings were constructed so a large population of people could live in a concentrated area. The apartments themselves are quite small, but all necessary services besides work are nearby or in the same apartment building. This includes grocery stores, schools, and plenty of green space outside the buildings. All residents were intended to be a short walk away from the metro. Unlike in the United States, these complexes do not have any negative associations and middle class families often reside in them. I was struck by these complexes because they are so different than Old Town Prague. Since Prague was not bombed during World War II many old buildings still stand. The Panaláks in Nové Botovice offer a strong contrast to the much older feel of the city in general. I was glad to have the opportunity to view a place where citizens of Prague live outside of the Old Town area.

Village of Lidice

            My favorite academic experience was our class trip out to the destroyed village of Lidice. Many of my fellow students had no idea of what happened at Lidice although I had heard of it before in my history classes. After the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague, the occupying Nazis wanted to make an example to suppress any thoughts of resistance to their control. Lidice was the small village that was decided upon. The men were shot and the women and children were sent to concentration camps. The Nazis then systematically destroyed each building to make it as if the village of Lidice had never existed at all. For me the most powerful statue was of the children of Lidice standing in a group. The sculptor managed to capture the unique emotion of each child. Where the village once stood is a well maintained field with the former locations of important buildings in the village marked. These locations included the church and the school house. There is a new small village located next to this site that developed after the war. Visiting Lidice was a very powerful and emotional experience.

Statue of children at Lidice Site

            My favorite extra-curricular experience was walking and shopping along the famous Charles Bridge. We went to the Charles Bridge as part of our class, but it was still early when we arrived and the street vendors had not yet begun to sell their goods. I returned much later that evening with a small group and we walked the bridge, shopped, and looked out at the beautiful view of Prague. It was very relaxing and enjoyable. The goods available for purchase were all homemade and of good quality. The prices were also reasonable. It was still crowded of course, as the Charles Bridge is a major tourist area, but as long as I paid attention to my belongings I felt secure. It was a lovely walk that was very much worth the return visit to the bridge.

On the Charles Bridge

            As far as food recommendations for Prague, I would suggest a visit to a small café near the Smetana House. This café and house is just off the Charles Bridge. It is called Klub Lavka. This was a small sit-down restaurant with a traditional Czech menu. The prices are not unreasonable and it is right along the Danube, offering excellent views. For the more adventurous food-lovers, this restaurant does serve pork knuckle, a Czech specialty. I stuck to more familiar sounding dishes but one of my companions tried the pork knuckle and quite enjoyed it. Whatever food you choose, Klub Lavka had good service, was relatively quick, and offered us blankets as the sun began to set. It was a lovely place for a meal.

            I truly enjoyed my time in Prague and there were so many other wonderful experiences I could document here. It is so hard to pick favorite sights when we truly saw so much. Next time I will be talking about my brief time in Brno.

References:

 Památník Lidice. “History of Lidice Village.” Accessed July 14, 2014.

            http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/history_en.aspx.

Klub Lávka. “Klub Lávka.” Accessed July 14, 2014.

                http://www.lavka.cz/en/.

Ryan Scott. “Cemented In: Prague’s Panalák Estates.” Accessed July 14, 2014.

            http://www.expats.cz/prague/article/czech-culture/prague-panelaks/.

Picture References:

1.      Emily Herkert. Charles Bridge from Bridge Tower. June 8, 2014. Prague, Czech

Republic.

2.      Emily Herkert. Nové Botovice. June 8, 2014. Prague, Czech Republic.

3.      Emily Herkert. The Remains of Lidice. June 7, 2014. Lidice, Czech Republic.

4.      Emily Herkert. Children’s Statue: Lidice. June 7, 2014. Lidice, Czech Republic.

5.      Emily Herkert. On the Charles Bridge. June 5, 2014. Prague, Czech Republic.