Midnights in Paris

As a little girl, “Madeline” was one of my favorite cartoons to watch and stories to read. I was enthralled by how her adventures were told in rhymes and how the picture books and scenes were magnificently illustrated, even if they captured Madeline prancing through Paris in the rain as one of twelve little girls in two straight lines. From that time, my interests in visiting Paris were piqued, and last week that dream became reality.

I was so ecstatic to find a cheap, round-trip flight from Wroclaw to Paris that would allow me to stay for six days. Neil and Mike would be there for the first three days, and my friend Katie, who is interning/studying in London, would be joining me with a group of her London friends for the weekend! It was the perfect amount of time to see all the main attractions, some even twice, and still take our time soaking it all in!

We spent the first afternoon exploring the Palace of Versailles and its gardens. It was so amazing to see such opulence depicting how King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette lived over-the-top affluent lives.

Patrick, Jessica, Katie, me, and Matt in front of the golden palace gates

Night out on the town with Neil and Mike and the girls 

The next day Katie and I spent four hours at the Eiffel Tower, which included climbing over 700 steps before we could climb no more and had to take an elevator to the top! The views were absolutely spectacular—we both couldn’t stop smiling! We even had a picnic and took a nap in the park below.

We made it all the way to the top!

After waking up, we made our way to Montmartre, a hilly village over looking the city. Historically, this area is known for the famous artists who would escape here to paint. After randomly meeting up with most of the London group, we headed towards the Arc De Triomphe and then walked through the quiet city to see the Eiffel Tower, which sparkles every hour on the hour, in the evening. We sat along the Seine River just mesmerized and ended the day with a delcious ice cream treat!

Simply stunning

Despite how tired we were the next morning, we made it out of bed bright and early so we could attend the 8:30am mass at Notre Dame. Although it was all in French, it as amazing to be a part of the service, especially since it took place in the stunning cathedral.

Notre Dame with Katie 

Because this day was the first Sunday of the month, we also were able to visit the Louvre Museum for free! Thanks to Katie’s detailed planning (including a highlighted, color-coded, and annotated book) we were all provided a wonderful experience in Paris.

Mona Lisa

The crowds waiting to see Mona Lisa

Come Sunday evening, I was sad to see my friends leave and was trying to figure out what I was going to do in Paris by myself for the next two days. Monday morning as I was leaving the hostel, I met a fellow American, Ben. I asked if he wanted to explore the city together since it was his last day before heading home. Ben had such an amazing story: he is an aspiring screenwriter and talented artist who had spent the past month and a half in Europe as a graduation gift. We spent the entire day walking along busy streets and through cute gardens, stopping in cafes intermittently to avoid the rain.

Buddy for the day, Ben

The last day, I knew I wanted to visit the Arts and Measures Museum where the showcased everything from how early scientists studied the universe, the making of the Statue of Liberty, and the creation of the iPod. I then meandered through the Jewish District and found the recommended restaurant, which served “Best Falafel in the World” and enjoyed my lunch in the university courtyard.

My trip to Paris wouldn’t have been complete without enjoying some Crème brûlée and spending a few hours in the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore! While nestled in a reading alcove reading all the notes on the wall left by visitors, I looked up and noticed a book in the corner, one that I recognized all too well: “Madeline.” I was overjoyed at the site, picked up the book, and read it immediately. When purchasing the colorful storybook, I was even able to get the official Shakespeare and Company stamp! Way cool!

The perfect reading nook, filled with notes from visitors from across the world. I want one of these in my future lake house : ) 

One of my favorite souvenirs

Besides a few minor mishaps (Neil and Mike missing their flight, Patrick getting his wallet stolen while we were in line for the Louvre, and the hostel having complications with all of our reservations at some point) Paris was an incredible finale to my Fulbright travels.

Midnight view of Paris from our hostel

Three words describing Paris, France: opulent, rainy, pick-pockets

Au revoir,

Lauren

A Baltic Euro Trip

In less than a half an hour I’ll be boarding a bus to the airport and departing for my next, and last, European adventure before coming home! This time, I’ll be flying to Paris and meeting up with my friends Mike, Neil, and Katie Mettler (who is interning this semester in London)!

Since I will have no internet access while in magnificent France, I will be highlighting the four Baltic countries visited while on a week-long trip at the beginning of May to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland.

I went with an organized tour group (the same organizer as the trip to Ukraine) and was joined by fellow American friends Ona and Jonathan. While on the trip we were accompanied by 30 other travelers who were studying in cities across Poland! Despite the charter bus being at least two decades old, which meant hardly any ventilation and no air conditioning, we still made it to each of the destinations without much trouble at all (besides a few people always being late for the designated leaving time).

Below are pictures and highpoints of each of the countries!

Riga, Estonia 

Of each of the capital cities we visited, Riga was my absolute favorite. The old town’s charm, the vibrancy of the art nouveau architecture, and Soviet markets throughout the city provided a glimpse into the city’s incredible history.

View from the Riga Cathedral

Vilnius, Lithuania

Though Vilnius was a quaint Baltic city, it had so much charm! My highlight of that day was walking through the park with Ona, eating some ice cream, and people watching in the Cathedral Square! We saw everything from toddlers learning how to walk and ride bikes, to skate boarders, and socializing fashionistas.

Vilnius Cathedral Square- loved how majestic it was!

Tallinn, Estonia

Despite the unseasonal frigid cold in May, we were able to enjoy a tour throughout Tallinn and learn a lot about its medieval roots. The sea of red roofs reminded me so much of Prague too!

Tallinn’s Old Town

Helsinki, Finland

Our last day of the trip, we had a designated “free day” so most all of us decided to take a ferry to visit Helsinki. Having the chance to visit the “2012 Design Capital” was awesome! The agglomeration of architecture and urban design components were spectacular! Ironically enough, the hefty boots that guided my traveled to so many countries, had a zipper malfunction while I was trying on shoes in H&M. Just another reason to buy a new pair of fun spring shoes : )

One of my favorite buildings was the cathedral

I’m off to Paris!

Lauren

Pots of Gold Versus Pints of Beer: Ireland

I always love a good reason to celebrate, and holidays are no exception! Partaking in traditions and cultural events with my Spanish, Polish, and Turkish friends have been not only fun, but also enlightening. At the beginning of 2012, my five American friends that were living in Europe and myself, began to plan a holiday celebration to remember: we would be going to Dublin, Ireland to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Not only would be dressing up in green, and enjoying the Irish shenanigans, but we would also be celebrating my friend Stephanie’s birthday, which is also on March 17th!

Mike, Neil, Antone, Brian, Stephanie, Kara (Stephanie’s sister who was visiting from Arizona), and myself stayed at one of the most gorgeous hotels, “The Brasserie”. It was originally an old boarding school for girls, in the upscale Bewley District.

Mike, Neil, Brian, Stephanie, Kara, me, and Antone at the hotel

Our amazing hotel

Though the city itself wasn’t anything extraordinary, its hospitable and friendly people were top-notch! Everyone from the cab drivers, waiters, hotel staff, and the locals were so affable, despite the chaos that came with the holiday celebration. One afternoon the BSU boys and me took a tour to the west coast of Ireland to visit the countryside and Cliffs of Moher. Despite the persistent rain, the phenomenon of the cliffs jetting out 700 feet above the crashing waves was absolutely breathtaking. Tiptoeing as close as I could on the slick rocks towards the edge and peering down to the sea below me, I had never felt something to exciting, scary, and exhilarating!

Antone, Neil, me, and Mike at the Cliffs of Moher, before the guys ventured beyond the fenced in area to the more dangerous area of the cliffs. I stayed dry in the museum instead!

The cliffs had the greenest grass I had ever seen!

On the morning of Saint Patrick’s Day, we made sure to get up early enough so we could claim our spots for the famous parade. By the time we got there, the parade route was already lined with spectators. Neil and Mike, being the adventurous spirits that they are, decided that the best opportunity for viewing the parade would be from the top of O’Connell Monument itself. Us girls embraced the same idea, but only went as far as the top steps. From there, we watched the most spectacular parade filled with ornate costumes, floats, and performances.

Scaling the monument! Such delinquents!

Check out the detail on those costumes!

Massive parade crowd

The week in Dublin wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Guinness Brewery where I was able to master the pouring of a Guinness Pint!

I even received a signed certificate verifying I have mastered the art of powering the perfect pint!

Each evening we made our way to the Temple Bar District and spent just as much time walking around soaking in the madness of Saint Patrick’s Day as we did relaxing in the pubs enjoying our cold brews. This was by far the best European holiday celebration I experienced, which was made possible by the most amazing company!

Temple Bar District

The broskis out on the town

The ladies with our pretty roses

To sum up Ireland: friendly, traditionally deep-rooted

May the luck of the Irish be with you!

Lauren

Happies in Spain

I have many “happies” in life, or those certain things that bring pure bliss and make me giddy with excitement just because. Happies also foster those moments where that huge cheesy smile reveals that overwhelming joy built up in my heart. These happies help define perfect life moments, because in every way that truly matters, they are just that! My list of happies includes: making cards, sunsets, peanut butter M&M’s, and s’mores by the campfire, among millions of others! My favorite happy of them all, hands down, is spending time with loved ones. (Side note: as I was writing this blog entry, Claire called me on skype and I told her I was writing about our trip to Spain. When I asked what she was doing, she said she was eating a s’more! No matter how far away, we always share the sisterly love and our happies!)

Towards the end of the coldest winter Poland had experienced in decades, and after a serious bout of health ailments that included way too many trips to the ER and trying to communicate with Polish doctors, I would finally be able to spend time with my beloved sissy and her boyfriend, Michael, in Spain! I had been looking forward to not only visiting this amazing country with its incredible mountains and beaches, but I was ecstatic to see my sister and spend more time getting to know Michael.

Sunset over the sea with sissy

We rented a quaint apartment near the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona and spent much of our time exploring the shopping districts, historical sites, parks, boardwalk, and seaport. Michael served as a wonderful tour guide, since he had been living there for a semester studying abroad. I absolutely fell in love with the organic architecture of Antoni Gaudí. The bombastic character of Sagrada Familia, the natural features used to create La Pedreira, and the attention to detail found in Park Güel were astonishing! I admire how avant-garde, yet timeless, his structures and public spaces are!

In front of Sagrada Familia

From the inside the church, it’s as if you are in the middle of a huge forest

One of my favorite parks ever, Park Güel

I never expected that the urban design in Barcelona would be so impressive either. The wide, tree-lined streets, and their separation of pedestrian and vehicular use are a city planner’s dream come true!

Great streets!

We spent a part of every day as gadabouts window-shopping and people watching while strolling along Las Ramblas and Passeig de Gracia. Whether on a main arterial street or discrete ally way, we would always see buildings or landscape features that would astonish us!

Sunset over the boardwalk

Michael and Claire with “The W” in the background

We sipped on fancy drinks on the top floor of  “The W” Hotel, drank sangria while at an open-air restaurant overlooking the sea, devoured bocadillos while sitting on the post office steps, and consumed our fair share of paella at almost every restaurant we visited.

Spanish bocadillos will always trump Subway!

Drinks at the “W” and taking in the amazing views of the city

Our last few hours of the trip we spent watching the sunset over the bay and talking about our dreams of learning to sail together, since it’s already one of Michael’s favorite hobbies! The combination of the the sun, sand, fresh air, blossoming trees, delicious cuisine, amazing sites, and being nurtured by love from Claire and Michael, I went back to Poland feeling much healthier and more resilient to the final days of the Polish winter. I wish I could have stayed longer with them in Spain, but I cannot wait to have many more traveling adventures with the two of them together!

Dreaming of sailing together someday

Three ways to best describe the happies of this country: colorful, timeless, decadent (ironic isn’t it!?)

Adiós con el corazón-Lauren

(“Goodbye from my heart”–one of my favorite Spanish phrases that I’ve learned)

Queen for a Day…or Two

13 Days!

When preparing for my trip to London with my friend Alberto, I don’t know if I was more excited to potentially get a glimpse at the Queen, William, and Kate, or if I was more anxious for the possibility of being swooned over by a gorgeous Brit with a charming accent. Though neither of the aforementioned happened, I did get to see and experience some pretty amazing things while in the UK and felt like a queen doing it all!

It’s not a trip to London without checking one of these out! It’s the Queen on the other end!

Alberto and I spent one entire first day walking around the city visiting all the famous sites including Big Ben, London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Parliament, and the London Eye.

The Palace of Westminster’s Big Ben

That evening, on the way back to our hostel, I noticed an advertisement for the musical “Wicked”. Within a matter of minutes, we found ourselves at the ticket office and became two proud owners for that night’s production! I had never been to a Broadway Musical before and I couldn’t contain my excitement. The stage set, costumes, and musical/acting prowess we witnessed at Appollo Theater was outstanding. During the final song, “For Good” the entire group of women sitting behind us were bawling uncontrollably, and I couldn’t help but wipe away the tears from my eyes too. The musical was so moving and the highlight of the trip!

“Wicked” cast final bow

The next day, we walked to the Buckingham Palace, again, and got there right in time to see the changing of the guards! We continued our trek to Hyde Park where there was the largest Christmas Market I had seen throughout my European Christmas Market adventures! The day wasn’t complete until we saw Piccadilly Circus, Harrods, rode the “tube”, and enjoyed a nice cold pint of Strongbow!

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace with Alberto

Playing with the biggest swans in Hyde Park

I will most definitely be making another trip back to London because there just wasn’t enough time to see everything that needed to be seen!

London in three words: Mind the gap!

Cheerio!

Lauren

Let’s Make Like a Tree and L’viv!

Two Weeks to Go!

Being a part of the “Erasmus” (International Student) network here in Wrocław, I am constantly bombarded with party, events, and travel invites via Facebook. In January, I came across a trip that would be to L’viv, Ukraine in late February, and I decided I couldn’t pass up this opportunity! My friend Ona, who is from Portland, Oregon, but is studying international relations here for her Master’s Degree, was the only friend I knew that was attending; but, it was a great way to meet many new people! There were about 13 of us who attended, most of who were Polish, and we drove through the night before arriving in L’viv. This was also the first time I ever went through border control since Ukraine isn’t in the EU. It was neat to see the inspection process, but I wasn’t too thrilled that I had to stay up for the entire hour while waiting in the inspection line at four in the morning.

With Ona at the top of the City Hall! Quite the climb that was!

I was curious to see how the city would differ from Wrocław, because before WWII, L’viv was actually a Polish city. And my, what a world apart they were! I felt like I was in a completely different world and had entered a time warp! Everything in L’viv, from the architecture, roads, cars, and fashion seemed so ancient and rife with character! Throughout our city tour we visited more than a dozen churches where weddings were taking place one right after the other!

The churches were beautifully ornate, but were colder inside than it was outside!

Brides and grooms filled the city–it must have been a popular day to get married! Too bad it was extremely windy and cold.

One of my favorite parts of the city was the Soviet Market area where you could purchase anything from old war medals, puppets, books, and worn mattress frames.

I had never seen any market quite like this before…it was so cool!

For lunch, we went to one of the most uniquely themed restaurants I’ve ever visited. To enter, you had to knock on the door and say a password, and then a man with gold teeth looking identical to Fidel Castro opened the door.

Fidel Castro lookalike and our tour guide!

Each guest was also greeted with a shot of Russian Vodka before selecting a table. The kitsch throughout the hidden eatery was amazing! Stone bunkers built into the walls with original artillery, war uniforms and helmets to try on, walls filled with pictures and war propaganda, and even a bookshelf which served as a secret door!

Secret hidden door leading to the basement

The hotel we stayed in, Hotel George, was the oldest in the city and looked like a pleasant place to crash from the outside. From the inside however, it could have been the setting for Ukraine version of Stephen King’s “The Shining.” There was only one shower and one toilet on the entire floor and the rooms hadn’t been renovated since the mid 20^th Century. The decorative hallways, mix of paintings and statues, and grand staircase and lobby were a bit of a consolation though!

The tube in our hotel room–I didn’t know TV’s like this still existed!

The day we left, however, was not so pleasant as I get extremely carsick from the bumpy and curvy roads. It will be interesting to see how Ukraine fairs when it co-hosts the Euro Cup with Poland in June!

Old Town Market Square

To some up Ukraine:  industrial, medieval, deep-rooted

Time for me to L’viv!

Lauren

What’s Not to Love About Italia?!

One of the most important thoughts that got me through the brutally cold Polish winter was looking forward to traveling much of Europe with my three Ball State friends who would be studying in Italy this spring/summer semester. Neil, Mike, and Antone arrived in Italy in late February to continue their Masters of Architecture studies abroad and are living in the lakeside town of Lecco. As soon as they arrived, we started planning a trip to travel through Italy. As timing would have it, a group of BSU College of Architecture and Planning students would be in Milan working on an immersive learning project simultaneously. We planned my visit around traveling to Milan for a day and exploring more of the Lake Como region.

Gelato in the Duomo Square!

Milan was an absolutely breathtaking city. I loved the sense of fashion, the urban design, and gelato. We met up with the group from BSU and were even able to climb to the top of the Duomo. Not only were we greeted with spectacular views of the entire city, but also we got to witness a flash mob performing the LMFAO hit “Party Rock.” It was incredibly surreal but so neat to witness something of that magnitude from such a historic vantage point.

The only Italian mob we got to experience was this flash mob from the top of Milan’s Duomo! Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJeVzHpfMU4

Neil and Mike were even courageous enough to purchase an authentic Italian tracksuit from the morning trip to the market.

Now that’s a souvenir!

The rest of the weekend was full of indulging in pizza, gelato, and beers on the shores of Lake Como.

Antone, Chez, Mike, and Neil enjoying a perfect Italian day at the lake

So hard to leave this amazing place

Italy in three words: mamma mia, bello

Ciao,

Lauren

T-minus 16 days! Viva Sofia, Bulgaria!

Today I’m heading back to Wroclaw, via Polski Bus from Warsaw, and I am happily accompanied by a Fulbright friend, Sarah, who will be staying with me for a few days. Yesterday we had a wonderful gathering and awards ceremony at Ambassador Feinstein’s residence, which was followed by our end of the year meeting. The awards ceremony was a great way to soak in the memories of the past nine months and thank all those who played a vital role in this journey. During this “quasi-graduation” of sorts, Ambassador Feinstein left us with a homework task of sharing the legacy of Senator Fulbright’s vision and information about the scholarship with as many people as possible.

I also met a Polish Fulbrighter, Kate, who will be studying linguistics at IUPUI this coming academic year. I am excited to serve as her American mentor and share with her all that is to love about Indianapolis! This trip also offered one last time to say goodbye and share stories with fellow Fulbrighters and the Fulbright Commission staff. I’m so excited to see what the future has in store for the talented and intelligent group who became my friends, mentors, and role models.

With Ambassador Feinstein

In honor of this past weekend, which was rife with nostalgia, I wanted to highlight my trip to Sofia, Bulgaria where all of the English Teaching Assistants from the Eastern European Region met for a four-day conference. During these few days we were able to meet other ETA’s, learn from their experiences, and brainstorm ideas of how to provide a more conducive learning environment.

Group brainstorming session

American ETA’s during one of many coffee/tea breaks

The hotel accommodations provided by the Fulbright Commission were outstanding! We were even treated to a “travel stipend” (which I used to purchase a massage at the hotel spa), a city tour, and delicious meals throughout the conference. Surprisingly, Bulgaria had some of the best food I had ever tasted! The well-balanced meals consisted of extremely fresh vegetables and fruit, tasty meats, and pastas!

The amazing salad at the authentic Bulgarian restaurant we visited as a group. I was afraid our bus wouldn’t make it to the top of the mountain where the restaurant was because of the steep and winding roads!

One night, all of the Polish ETA’s visited a Moroccan Restaurant—which could arguably be the best meal I’ve had during my time here! The colorful platter consisted of homemade humus, pita, tabuli salad, and falafel. We shared endless bottles of wine and devoured as much as we could of the delectable cuisine.

Wining and dining

Though the “old town” of Sofia had some beautiful buildings, including a newly renovated Presidential Palace, much of the surrounding city limits were run down and dilapidated. It as evident that much of the funding for condos or office buildings had fallen through during economic times, as some buildings stood abandoned or were left with just their concrete frames. However, the fading autumn colors and mountains in the distance provided the perfect view from our hotel window.

Perfect view to wake up to

One of the neatest but simplest of pubs I had ever been to, “The Apartment”, was literally an old flat converted into a pub with this fabulous DIY chalkboard wall!

Three adjectives describing Bulgaria: antiquated, delicious, stray-dogs (there were a ton of these meandering around!)

Woof!

Lauren

“The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Music!”

Since leaving for Europe, the trip I was looking forward to most was visiting Austria with my sissy-Claire Bear—in early December! From the time we were little tykes, we absolutely loved watching and singing along to “The Sound of Music”, though neither of us could stay awake long enough to watch the film in its entirety. We planned our trip around visiting the city where our favorite musical was shot, in the quaint mountain town of Salzburg!

The beginning of the Austrian adventure actually began with a bit of excitement. I was still trying to conquer my Polish language skills and the local transit system. Though we arrived to the station well in advanced, we had to wait outside of the main entrance until it was announced on which platform the train would arrive. Because the Wroclaw train station was under construction, it was difficult finding the platform! As we boarded the train we asked the first person we saw if the train was heading towards Katowice, where we would pick up a bus for the next part of our trip. The woman politely replied: “No, this train is going the opposite direction.” As Claire went to step out of the train, the doors closed on her and we both looked at each other, overcome by doom! After a few moments of collecting our thoughts, we found out the next stop was only five minutes away, so we exited the train as soon as possible. Though the next station was not well lit, and a bit sketchy to say the least, I was able to use my limited Polish to figure out what to do next! We ran to the other side of the tracks and were greeted by an oncoming train only a few minutes later, and boarded it after confirming it was indeed headed to Katowice. Despite the few stressful moments, we could finally rest assured we would make it to Austria safe and sound!

Claire is overcoming panic mode at the sketchy train station outside of Wroclaw

While on “The Sound of Music Tour”, we got to gallop through the Mirabell Gardens singing “Do-Re-Mi”, frolic around the famous gazebo, stride down the isle where Maria married the Captain, and best of all, we got to ride through the Alps taking in the snow covered mountains while everyone on the tour bus sang in unison to the classic songs!

Overlooking an ordable lakeside town in the Alps

Our legitimate tour bus!

Salzburg during the winter season was crammed with stores selling Christmas tree ornaments and decorations. Each Christmas in the Petersen household, we always receive a new ornament, and this past holiday we found the perfect fit for the tradition: hand painted globe ornaments in celebration of the year’s travels!

Christmas stores filled from floor to ceiling with ornaments!

Our last afternoon in the city, we also ventured up to the top of the Salzburg Castle. Though the climb was arduous and steep, the views that were offered were stunning!

The second city we planned to visit was Vienna. Our hostel accommodation here was amazing! Though we arrived very early in the morning, they allowed us to check in and even upgraded us to a private double room, which was a great greeting to such a friendly city. Vienna was one of those cities that we were able to meander throughout, without much regard to our map, and we magically ended up exactly where we needed to be by the end of the day.

Schönbrunn Castle Fountain of Neptune

The baroque architecture, extremely well kept parks and streets, and Christmas Markets scattered throughout made this city such a splendid escape, despite the cold weather! Claire and I were also fortunate enough to meet up with my friend Stephanie for the afternoon as we explored more of the white and pristine city together!

Warming up drinking some hot cocoa with Stephanie

Three words to describe Austria: pristine, picturesque, alivewiththesoundofmusic

These are a few of my favorite things!

Lauren

18 Days Left! Thus, 18 Blogs Devoted to 18 Countries Visited!

With only 18 days left of my Fulbright journey living Poland, I found it befitting to blog each remaining day highlighting the adventures encountered in the 18 countries I visited these past nine months. Some countries I spent only an afternoon in, while others I spent many days traveling through. These last few blogs will share memorable stories, embarrassing moments, lessons learned, cuisines devoured, unforgettable memories, and everything in between!

I’ll start with the first European trip I planned, with the destination of: Prague, Czech Republic.

Towards the end of October, I found out we had a few days where there were no classes to honor “All Saint’s Day” and I got my first insatiable itch to travel. On the way home from Polish lessons on a Wednesday evening, I ran into a fellow Fulbrighter, Cynthia and asked if she had any plans for the extended weekend? In a matter of the tram ride home, we both decided that we would visit Prague together (with a day stopover in Dresden, Germany, which will be discussed in a later post). I was originally a bit nervous to plan the entire trip on our own, but it proved to be much simpler than I imagined! Within 24 hours we had booked our train tickets, hostel, and other travel details and were on our way to experience Europe together.

I had high expectations for Prague, as my sister had visited here before and said it was her favorite city! The expectations held true and I fell in love with the city’s beautiful architecture and detailed urban design components! The massive, stone bridges that span the Vltava River, the patterned brick roads and sidewalks, and the sea of red roofs made this city so enchanting!

At the top of the Rynek Bell Tower soaking in the amazing views with Cynthia!

When arriving at the train station, Cynthia actually met two German boys who were looking for the same ticket office we were, for our plans for the weekend included a Halloween costume party. Long story short, we had a blast at the party and ended up hanging out with our new German friends the entire time in Prague. Since that fateful meeting, Cynthia is still dating one of our German friends, Sebastian! Prague really is a lovely city and perfect place to fall in love. (For those of you who are avid fans of “The Bachelorette”, Emily actually takes Arie there on a date this season; maybe it will be where they fall in love too!)

In the courtyard for the Prague Castle with new friends: Sebastian, Cynthia, and Stephen!

I must also mention two of the most endearing friends that I met while in Prague, Stephanie and Brian. We actually were on the same walking tour and all attended the beer tasting tour around the city that evening, where we got to know each other a bit better. It wasn’t until a few weeks later that Stephanie and I discovered we both shared a strong bond through competing in the Miss America Organization! They were the sweetest couple and are from Arizona but living in Budapest for Brian’s job. I have kept in close touch with the two of them, even visiting them in Vienna, Dublin, and Budapest (more to come on that later) but the have truly made this experience so much more wonderful! I wish them the best on their recent engagement, too!

On our beer tasting tour across the city! On the right: Cynthia, Stephanie, and Brian. We are at the ORIGINAL Budweiser Brewery here! Some of the best beer in Europe! 

During the middle of our stay in Prague, Cynthia and I literally ran into a fellow Fulbrighter, Joseph, while in the market square–proving once again how small this world really is! We ended up going back to the Budweiser Brewery together and enjoyed some schnitzel and potato salad, with a cold pint too, of course!

After extending our reservation at our hostel for a total of four nights, we finally decided to head back to Wroclaw. It was the perfect time of the year to visit the “City of 1,000 Spires” and see it amongst the golden backdrop of autumn leaves. I knew I would always want to go back, and this past March, my wish came true! I was able to spend a day exploring parts of the city that I hadn’t seen before and spent much of my afternoon in the market square, which was filled with vibrantly colored Easter decorations and musical performances. The highlight of that afternoon was treating myself to an hour-long Thai massage, which was much-needed after an intense week of traveling.

A colorful Rynek set for Easter performances

Though the city of Prague is by far one of my favorites, the countryside of the Czech Republic is absolutely breathtaking. It’s steep cliffs with trickling streams and winding roads made traveling by train and bus an absolute treat. A February skiing trip to the small village of Horni Branna, as mentioned in a previous post, was the perfect escape and wonderful opportunity to bond with 22 other international students! Each time before I would descend the mountain (whether by skiing or tumbling), I would stand in silence for a few seconds, breathing in the crisp mountain air, and savor the majesty and peacefulness of my surroundings.

Three words to describe the Czech Republic: majestic, decorative, captivating

If you get the chance, you should definitely CZECH it out : )

Lauren