Prague: The Eternal Winter City

why am i always in you in the winter, prague? i barely know what a prague summer is like. maybe it’s because i’m busy going other places in the summer. so, prague is a winter city as i know it. the trees are always bare, people bundled up, and what seems like never-ending christmas markets.

spent a fantastic first few days of the new year in this city that i love with my mom, who headed to the airport to go back to the U.S. afterwards. the sight and experience of walking along the charles bridge (especially at night) will always be one of my favorite things, even if i don’t use it anymore to walk back home to malá strana like i used to. and riding the 22 tram at night is always bound to make me wistful.

no trdelnik until you can pronounce “trdelnik”.

although i go to prague semi-often (it’s only two hours away) it was so fun being a tourist this time around. we shopped at wenceslas square, visited the castle grounds, and a full afternoon spent touring the jewish quarter synagogue sights. the prague jewish quarter (called josefov) is my favorite tourist attraction in the city and in my opinion, the most fascinating. i love the idea of one ticket providing access to 6+ synagogues & an art gallery, each providing an in-depth look at jewish culture in prague throughout the ages, and endearingly, each with their own friendly czech elder taking your ticket. (they actually seem happy to see you, it’s… perplexing)

after a couple days of feeling sad and happy at the same time, i think i’ve officially returned to reality.

but! i am still receiving christmas gifts from students (awh) and more christmas cookies. may they never stop rolling in! in more prague related news, i really loved this article i read earlier today about moving to a foreign city and that weird experience of being something between a local and a tourist– a feeling i’m quite used to at this point. in other news, it got to 9 C today (spring? naw, can’t be) on this beautiful sunny day, and now i’m finally going to watch the second half of the downton abbey christmas special that i’ve been much too busy to watch until now.

i leave you with weird černy babies. you’re welcome.