Feurtag
Trip Start
Aug 02, 2007
1
14
73
Trip End
Jan 06, 2009
Prague,
Czech Republic
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Monday morning we started out with a run, to get all energized. I don't think Erskine knew what he was getting into. Ellen won't run with someone without teaching them the proper way to run (she runs marathons) and Erskine just runs for the cardio workout, like most normal people. Maybe not perfect form, but close enough to get by. Lets just say it was an interesting hour
Monument Title
. Although it was nice for me to have Ellen pick on someone besides me. Lol. Finally we headed back to the hotel for breakfast, then we were off into the streets of Prauge. Old town Prague is beautiful. But there's more to the story. Let me preface this by saying I saw the Prague that not alot of people see, driving into the city, instead of flying in. I saw the ex-communist country still struggling to get by, with shop windows diplaying old merchandise, and graffiti everywhere and dilapidated buildings. I also had the tour-guide who had a father born in the Czech, and who has friends who lived through sneaking out from under the iron curtain. So, until we found the heart of Prague, with it's tourist center, I was left wondering what all the fuss was about. Then we found old town. You can see from the photos, it's beautiful. And there is an amazing amount of history in the monuments and buildings. Thankfully, Erskine's method to exploring a city is similar to mine, just start walking and see what you find. We covered a large amount of distance, just appreciating the great architecture. We only had one day to wander, but it was a good day. I also just enjoyed getting a dose of news from home, and chatting rapid fire english again!
I have to laugh, because my buddy from work, Veit, told me that I had to go to the castle, and go into the church within the castle walls, and I'd find something really cool
To the survivors of communism
. He wouldn't tell me more than that, so I was left with a great curiosity. looked it up (on wikipedia, gotta love that site, even if it is info from the public!) and was pondering what it could be. Is it the fact that "good king Wenceslas" was buried there? Or is there someone else I should know in history who is buried there? So, we get to the church, and just stepping into it was gorgeous. It was mid-afternoon, and the sun was coming in through the stained glass windows to the west (try to apprecate it in the photo above...), even with the tourist activity, it seemed fabulously spiritual. I peeked into every nook and cranny, trying to decide what the secret was. Erskine decided it was purely the beauty of the interior, and the amazement that it induces. I really had no idea. Once home, I find out, it's the fact that the name of the church is Saint Vitus Cathedral...which means Veit. Ha ha. So, now my co-worker is no longer Veit, but St. Veit. After saying goodbye to Erksine, and making the drive home, I found my bed, and yesterday was a typical day of work. Today, however, is the Day of German Reunification (the official rejoining of the east and west after the fall of the wall), so everyone has the day off. (Feurtag = holiday). I'm enjoying it, drinking my coffee and catching up on e-mails because I work the coming weekend, so I don't have a day off until the weekend that Kat comes!!!! (Can you tell I'm excited?!) The unfortunate (or fortunate) thing about Feurtags is that everyone gets the day off. So, one cannot go shopping or try to run errands because everything is closed. I suppose that's good, because it forces me to relax. But, I do miss the 24/7 atmophere of Meijer a bit.
So, enjoy your day, and I will too!
Love,
Beth
