Back to the Bas.

Well, I am officially back home in Calabasas which marks my final blog post. I have to admit, it is very nice to come home to...a refrigerator full of my favorite foods, tap water, ice, frozen yogurt, sushi, a big bed, NICE SHOWER, my dog, family, and my car. However, these past four months have been the most amazing months of my life and the past 24 hours have definitely been emotional. To think that I have travelled to ten countries, met so many new people, and experienced so much diversity and culture is truly astounding. Prague is the most incredible place I've seen in my life: the architecture, the landscape, the liveliness. Everything about it makes me smile. The last week in Prague, we took full advantage of the beautiful weather: walked along the Charles Bridge at night, went paddle-boating in the Vltava River, and even went on a segway tour around the entire city! I couldn't have asked for a better last week, and  I wanted to end this blog by emphasizing some key points  for those of you hoping to come to this beautiful city:

• the language: czech is not easy. let me re-phrase that. Czech is freaking IMPOSSIBLE. You would think after a 2-week course, 5 days a week, 5 hours a day, that I would be a fluent speaker.... wrong. Even though I got an A in the course, I left knowing how to say the basics that anyone with a Czech guide book could speak. To be honest though, most people spoke or at least understood English. This made me feel even more of a failure. Oh well, I had fun attempting the language. I think I'll stick to English and Spanish.
• public transportation: Shocked? So was I. But as a matter of fact, I am now a PRO at the metro, tram, bus, and even walking. This couldn't have come at a better time in my life, considering I might need to take the subway in New York. PSH that will be easy as pie after taking the metro at least 4 times a day in Praha. Pros of the metro: quick, conveniently located to my dorm, cheap. Cons: smelly, crowded, HOT. The best part about taking the public transportation everywhere was definitely the people watching and the culture shock. From dogs on the metro to heated kissing couples sitting next to me, there was never a dull moment on the metro, tram, or walking along the streets. Also, I absolutely love how you walk so much in Prague. Definitely something I will miss at home, but don't get me wrong, I missed driving.
• the food: Goulash. Yes, I know Czech food is more than just goulash, but that is the only czech dish I tried, and yummmmmmmmmm. Very very filling? definitely. Warms you up on a sub-zero day? definitely. The goulash came with different dumplings too. I mean, to be honest I only really had czech food 4 times. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that Prague had a variety of restaurants: italian, mexican, japanese, thai, american, and chinese. They even had a Hooters... who would have thought?? Clearly, I wasn't at a loss when it came to food. But in my opinion, I could only handle a few bowls of goulash in four months.

Prague, thank you for not leaving me one dull moment. From the insane night life, to the incredibly cheap prices of meals, drinks, and souvenirs, you were all I could have asked for and more. To anyone planning on traveling to Prague in the future, I have pages of restaurants, cafes, clubs, and bars for you to have. It has been such an amazing semester and I cannot believe it is already over. While I doubt anyone other than my family reads this blog, thanks for being a part of my journey. Ahoj!!

my last trip... Split!

A view of the island from our boat!

Jenna and I at the port.

Hello All! We got back from our amazing Croatia trip at about 2am this morning... seriously SUCH an incredible weekend. Unlike any of my previous trips, this one involved no site-seeing, and PLENTY of sun-bathing. Many of you know how important this is to me, and let's just say, I was in my element. A group of about 20 of us (from my program as well as friends from a different program) signed up for Bus2Alps.

This student travel agency sets you up with hostels, day trips, etc. We left Prague on Thursday at about 8pm and our bus arrived in Croatia at about 9am. Yes, quite a long bus ride.. Believe me, it was not fun, but obviously worth the wait. When we checked into our hostel, which was actually pretty awesome, we immediately changed into bathing suits and shorts, hit up the ATM for some local Croatia Kunas, and hit the beach. It felt SOOO good to be relaxing and napping next to one of the most gorgeous ocean's I've seen. We of course had some tropical beachy drinks, and listened to music. 5 hours later, and a skin tone or two darker (or maybe more red), we headed to dinner at this little place right on the beach. Croatia is known for their pizza since they are so close to Italy, so naturally, we tried it. After a great meal, we headed back to the hostel to shower and get ready for our first night out in Split. Bus2Alps set us up with this really cool pub crawl which took us to local spots. We went to some spots on the beach, and some in the medieval parts of Split. After a fun night, we headed back to get some sleep after the brutal 13 hour bus ride in.

Me in my element.

Saturday was by far the best of the trip (granted, it was only about 2 days) because we went on an "island hopping tour." About 40 people signed up for this excursion which made it that much more fun and lively. We got onto our boat and everyone rushed to get a good spot on the deck... to catch some sun of course. We were on the boat for 4 hours, during which time we were socializing, taking in the sun, and enjoying the beautiful scenery. There was even a dolphin right next to our boat at one point! Once we reached the island, we were given a delicious lunch inside the boat of fish and wine. After eating, we got off the boat, and had about an hour or so to explore this island. A few people went to go get souvenirs, but the others (including myself) found a gorgeous private beach with white sand and chase lounges. IDEAL.

Jenna and I on the boat!

After a quick cat nap, we were woken by our friends that said it was time to head back... thank gosh otherwise we would have been stranded.. I mean, I would have been happy to have been stuck there, let's be honest. After another 4 hours and a beautiful sunset, we made it back to Split. My roommates and I were pretty exhausted and a bit sea-sick, so we all
decided to stay in. The next morning, we woke up early to shop around: they had a marketplace with oils, honeys, fruit, veggies, and souvenirs so we were all very happy about that. Finally, we got to the bus at about 1045am and headed back to Prague by 11. After a movie marathon and a numb butt, we made it safely back to Prague early this morning. I cannot believe this marks the end of my many travels, but I had such an incredible weekend. It is crazy that in less than 2 weeks I will be back in America. Until then, BYE!

Cesky Raj & Jaclyn's visit!

one of the amazing views on the hike path at Cesky Raj!

Dobry den! With only a few weeks left, and only one more trip, I have been taking full advantage of my time in Prague. This weekend was very eventful, and assured me even further that I chose the right city to "study" in. On Thursday, Jenna and I went to a city called Cesky Raj, also known as "bohemian paradise." We went with five other girls from a different program that we have classes with. They were talking about it in class one day and they invited us to go with them. We took an hour and a half long bus ride to Cesky Raj and had a bit of a rocky start (typical). We were dropped off in the center of town, when we were trying to reach the hiking trails and caves like we saw in the pictures. After roaming around, speaking gibberish to local czechs, and not seeing the bohemia paradise, we finally reached a train station where a man who spoke english pointed us toward the right direction. Once we got onto the hiking path, every pathway, hill, and lookout point had the most incredible views of the city. The trees were green, the flowers were in full bloom, and it was a sensationally clear day.

Jaclyn, Jenna and I in front of the Lennon Wall

We hiked for about 3 hours, stopping at a castle along the way. I couldn't believe that a place this beautiful existed just an hour away from Prague and we had never heard of it before our friends told us! After the hike, we reached civilization again and found a restaurant overlooking the city. It felt amazing to sit down and just enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately, Jenna and I had to leave early, but we definitely want to try to go back before we leave to hike through the caves!

That same night, our friend Jaclyn came to Prague for the weekend. We all went to high school together and have not hung out much since then. We picked her up from the airport, dropped her stuff off in the room, and of course, took her out to a club. What better way for her to start her journey in Prague, right? The next day, Jenna and I played tour guides and took Jaclyn to the Charles Bridge, the Lennon Wall, the Prague Castle, and even a little park to sit and catch some sun. To be honest, I loved going to all the sites again. I don't think I could ever get sick of any of them because each time I go it's different. Jaclyn also wanted to walk through the Jewish quarter, so we did that and walked into one of the temples.

Sparta Game!

After a long day of site-seeing, we went back to the dorm, and then headed out to our favorite Mexican Restaurant (Jaclyn told us she hadn't had Mexican food this entire time she's been abroad, so Jenna and I happily obliged). Immediately following dinner, we headed to the Prague Sparta soccer game! We had never been to a game before, and our team is actually really good. I had to buy a Sparta scarf, even though I know I will probably never wear it (especially considering it is dark red and has an S on it... Stanford?). The game was so much fun! We had front row seats and a bunch of people from our program went too. Overall, it was a great night and Jaclyn enjoyed herself. Saturday was Jaclyn's last full day in Prague, so we took her to some more sites, some of which Jenna and I hadn't even seen yet. We woke up and went straight to the Wallenstein Palace and Gardens. The palace is now home of the Senate and the gardens were absolutely beautiful. Jenna and I had been waiting to go to a garden until the weather got better, and it was well worth the wait. Everything was so green and bright, it felt so great to be walking in the sun through the gardens. Next we headed to Petrin Hill, one of the best views of Prague. Jaclyn was in awe at the city and I had to admit, I had never been up to Petrin Hill with such phenomenal weather. After the climb to the middle of the tower, and many snapshots, we were ready to head to Old Town Square where the Easter Fair has been going on. After walking around the fair and making Jaclyn try all our favorite treats, we went to the Chocolate Museum, a museum Jenna and I have had our eyes on for a while.

horse and carriage ride around old town

We got to watch a chocolate demonstration and of course, we got to sample the finished product. It was a lot of fun and quite delicious. Our last stop on the agenda was the Jerusalem synagogue. We had seen a picture of it during our walk through the Jewish quarter on Friday, but it wasn't anywhere near where we were, so we waited to go. It was honestly the coolest looking synagogue I have ever seen: so many bright colors and intricate designs, I wouldn't even have known it was a Jewish synagogue (well besides the star of David and hebrew writing). Since it was Saturday, it was closed for Shabbat, but Jenna and I really want to go back to see the inside. For Jaclyn's last night in Prague, we took her to one of our favorite restaurants on the river. With a view of the bridge and castle right behind us, we couldn't have asked for a better ambiance to end the weekend. Before going out with friends for the night, we actually went on a horse and carriage ride around Old Town Square! We were waving to people as they passed, and it was actually a lot of fun! Definitely something worth doing. After our carriage ride, we met up with a bunch of friends and went out. Jaclyn left on Sunday and headed to her next destination. I am so glad we got to catch up and spend time together. Overall, this weekend was great: filled with sites, adventures, and great company!

prague and krakow,poland.

Springtime in Prague!

I know I haven't spoken about Prague much since I've been traveling every weekend, but I will now take this opportunity to update you on my recent activities in Prague, the most amazing city EVER! So the weather has been pretty on and off. Luckily last week the weather was phenomenal... I mean, I actually wore SHORTS around town. I was so excited considering those were at the bottom of my drawer. Because we wanted to take full advantage of this weather, Jenna and I had some fun adventures when the sun was out. One of the days last week, we walked across the Charles Bridge to a little park. We walked closer and found a cute ledge over looking the entire river, with a view of the castle to our left, and the city across from us. While we were sitting and chatting, some man came up to us to ask to take a picture for the Prague Newspaper because he was writing an article about Spring in Prague. Of course, we immediately turned to our best angles, and let him snap away! The pictures actually turned out cool, so the next time you pick up a Prague newspaper, let me know if you see us!

It started getting a little chillier later in the week so I had to pack my shorts back away... Jeans came back out. Jenna and I decided to be historical and so we went to the Museum of Communism. It was actually much more interesting than I thought it would be. It is crazy to think that communism lasted until 1994. The museum consisted of a bunch of pictures, artifacts, and movie clips from life in Prague under Communist rule. It was crazy to watch the movies of students being beaten up by police in Wenceslas Square, an area we walk by almost every day. After the museum, we walked by Old Town Square. For those of you that are unaware, Easter is HUGE in Europe, Prague especially. Until May 1st, there are easter markets located in Old Town Square & Wenceslas Square consisting of souvenirs, easter decorations, honey, breads, sausage, candy, baked goods, hot wine, live music, and even a petting zoo. It is such a great vibe, so whenever we have time in between class, we work our way to Old Town.

Jenna and I in the garden in front of the Castle

This weekend we went to Krakow, Poland. Unfortunately we were really only there for a full day considering we got there at about 8pm on Friday and left on 8am Sunday. I don't really know why (probably because the bus driver refused to do an overnight trip) but we left Friday morning and it takes about 8 or 9 hours to get to Krakow. Oh well, it was fun I guess... bonding/sleeping time. Once we got to Krakow, we were pleased to find that our hotel was one of the nicer ones we've stayed at with AIFS so far. They even had 2 english channels!! (Most of the other hotels just have one, BBC Worldwide...) The first night there, we were taken into the town, which actually reminded me a lot of Old Town in Prague. They even had a clock tower and church! That night, we went to a pub and got Polish cuisine: a bowl of borscht and a plate of pierogis. Most of my friends got them filled with potatoes and cheese, but I branched out and got the cabbage and mushroom filling. They gave you ten on a plate, and I could barely finish 5 before I felt sick to my stomach. They were definitely delicious though!

Jenna and I in the center of town- Krakow.

After dinner, we walked around and went to some local pubs but I got exhausted and called it an early night. The next morning, after another continental breakfast provided by the hotel, we headed out for our first tour. The morning tour was a walking tour of the city of Krakow, including many churches and important monuments. The city was beautiful, and we got lucky with the weather. It was supposed to be rainy all weekend, but it was actually clear skies! After the morning walking tour, we went to their version of easter markets (see I told you Easter's huge in Europe). I got a couple souvenirs and we picked up some lunch in the main square. After some shopping and eating, we made it back to our meeting point for the second tour: the castle and Jewish quarter.
The castle was a little different from Prague castle, but equally as gorgeous. The church at the castle is the largest in Krakow, and it was very gothic style, many statues and paintings inside the church. After walking around the church, we went back outside and took in some great views from the top of the castle. Next, we headed to the Jewish quarter. We learned that there only remain 200 Jews in Krakow because after the war and the brutal treatment of Jews in Poland, many did not come back. We walked by the synagogues and actually saw a JCC! Unfortunately it was Saturday so none of the main Jewish stores were open, but it was interesting walking around and seeing the area where so many Jews used to live and no longer do. After a long day of walking, we headed back to the hotel, took a nap, then went with a small group to the markets for dinner. A fresh plate of grilled veggies and a chicken kebab, and I was set!

The remains of the gas chambers- Auschwitz II

This morning was definitely not an uplifting one. We checked out and left the hotel by 8am and headed to Auschwitz I. It was established on June 14, 1940 approximately an hour outside of Krakow. Auschwitz I held up to 20,000 prisoners during the Holocaust. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to bring our tour guide into the campgrounds (strict museum rules) but we were able to walk around and see the concentration camp. Wow, so chilling. The part that got me thinking the most was walking through the living situations of the prisoners... tiny beds that had to fit 4 to 5 grown men. In addition, I walked by the "shooting wall" where prisoners would be lined up and shot. It was very eerie and scary to be at such a well- known concentration camp. After walking around the camp and going through different museums within it, we headed to Auschwitz II- Birkenau. This was turned into mostly an extermination camp by the end of the war. The Crematoria in Birkenau could burn 4500-8000 corpses in 24 hours. Unlike Terezin, multiple corpses were cremated at a time, which made the process faster. It was interesting to learn that in Birkenau after the war, Nazis tried to destroy as much evidence as possible- they wanted to get rid of proof of mass murder. This is why the camp is partly damaged. We walked by the remains of the gas chambers and crematoria. The second concentration camp was much scarier looking and definitely harder to walk through, while obviously both were equally shocking to see. However, like our guide said, it is important to acknowledge that such an awful series of events occurred to the Jews, and Auschwitz is definitely somewhere to go at least once in your lifetime.
After the visit, we headed back onto the bus to Prague. Overall, I learned a lot this trip... While it may not have been the most exciting and upbeat trip, it was definitely one I will remember.

food coma, thanks rome.

Ciao! Jenna and I just got back from an unforgettable weekend in Rome, Italy. Seeing as though it was our first official trip alone, without help from AIFS, we were a little nervous, but when we put our two genius brains together, everything usually works out. Our journey started off a LITTLE bit rocky when we got to the airport an hour before our flight, to find an insane, and I mean INSANE line to check in. I kid you not, it was moving at a pace of about one person every 5 minutes.

making a wish at the trevi

After a little over 30 minutes, Jenna and I sprinted to security (we kind of cut the line, oops) and made it through security with 15 minutes to spare. Needless to say, I was a little stressed but knew what an incredible weekend we had ahead of us. After a quick hour and a half flight, we landed safely in Rome and headed to the taxis (our friend told us that it should only cost 40 euros total from the airport to her apartment). Once we got a cab, he informed us it would be 40 EACH! Jenna and I stared at each other annoyed, and got out immediately. We ultimately ended up getting one of those shuttle buses (you know how much I don't like those) because it was 45 total. After 7 people were crammed into the shuttle, we made it to the apartment. By the way, we stayed with my friend Kristen who is in Kappa with me. Her apartment is super cute, pretty close to the Vatican and also close to town. She lives with 5 other girls and a couple of them go to Berkeley as well.

gelato!!

Once we got to Kristen's apartment and put our stuff down, Jenna and I snapped into tourist mode. We knew we had to kick it into high gear right away since we only really had one full day in Rome. We went straight to the Colosseum, passing by the Piazza Venezia, a huge white monastery-like looking building. We walked up the stairs to the piazza and got some good pictures, and then moved onto the Colosseum. Of course, we had to make a pit-stop. OUR FIRST GELATO IN ROME! We got a scoop of vanilla with chunks of nutella on a cone. YUM YUM YUM. We were literally in heaven. I must have looked like a little girl again because I had the biggest smile on my face as we walked toward the Colosseum with our gelato. Seeing the Colosseum in person was unbelievable. Of course I've seen it in movies, but to see it in real life... it's so huge and just so old, it almost seems unreal to think that it was used in the Medieval times. We went to go buy tickets for the entire inside of the Colosseum but when we did, the lady at the counter told us entrance is free the next day. So of course, trying to budget our euros, we decided to come back the next day to go inside.

piazza venezia

After the Colosseum Jenna and I headed to the Pantheon. That was so gorgeous. All the columns and exterior design were so incredible. We walked toward the entrance, but there was "Prayer in Session" so we walked around a little, and then came back to go inside the Pantheon. It was so beautiful: there were sculptures, frescas, paintings, and there the painter's tomb was inside as well (what a legit place to be buried!). After a long afternoon of site-seeing, we went back to Kristen's apartment and got ready for our night out. We went to dinner at this adorable italian restaurant (of course) and Jenna and I were in heaven. I got a Ragu Fettucine and Jenna got a Pesto Fettucine. Nothing like fresh italian pasta. In addition, we got the house wine and it truly was the perfect meal to start our italian adventures! After dinner we went out to a Reggae dance concert and this other outdoor club. Overall, day & night number one was a success.
The next morning, we got up early to make sure we fit in everything we wanted to see. Our first stop was lunch... Of course, we need to fuel ourselves with italian carbs. This time, we decided to try the pizza, since we already got pasta the night before. I got veggie pizza (classic) and Jenna got mozzarella with tomatoes and basil. Instead of wine, we had a huge pitcher of tap water... If you did not know, Prague's tap water is, for lack of a better word, dirty (sometimes it comes out brown and you have to let it run for a few seconds before using it). Needless to say, we were so thrilled to have tap water. After another delicious meal, we continued toward the Vatican. After reading Angels and Demons I thought I had a pretty good visual on what the Vatican would look like. Nope, I was completely wrong. I had no idea that it was its own city-state in Italy! It was so cool to stand on the outside and look all around and see the museum, post office, fountains, and gardens all enclosed in one area. We wanted to do the Vatican the real way, so we bought tickets for a tour of the museum, and the Sistine Chapel.

vatican city

Walking through the beautiful gardens and seeing all the magnificent statues was awesome. The museum tour took us through several galleries, hallways, and rooms that were detailed with frescas and other paintings. After a long build up of suspense, we made it to the Sistine Chapel. WOW. Jenna and I were listening on our audio tour (we're such losers) and learned all about the work Michelangelo did for the chapel. The entire ceiling and all the walls are composed of paintings by him, each telling a different story. Overall, the Sistine was by far the most intricate and beautiful place we visited. When we were done with our tour, we headed back toward town but made a quick pit-stop... GELATO NUMBER 2 of our trip. I had heard that this place called Old Bridge Gelateria was one of the best in Rome, so inevitably, we were there. They gave you three scoops for the price of one. Since it was so hot, I stuck with refreshing strawberry, pineapple and vanilla. It was so delicious yet again. Thank god I don't study in Rome... You wouldn't recognize me when I got back to the States. Next, we met up with Kristen and went back to the Colosseum, this time to go inside. Like I said earlier, there is so much history in the Colosseum, it is a little chilling to actually be in there and imagine what it must have been like ages ago in the medieval times. We got to see the ruins and take amazing pictures from the top of the Colosseum.

colosseum!

Afterward, we ended our long day of touring at the Trevi Fountain. It was swarming with so many tourists. We had to shove our way down to the foot of the fountain because there was absolutely no way I would go to Rome and not make a wish at the Trevi Fountain! We threw our coins in and made our way back to the apartment. Jenna and I had to sit down for a while and rest because our feet were dying (We had been walking for 8 hours straight). After a nap and some down time, we changed and had dinner with Kristen at this outdoor restaurant. Again, amazing pasta and wine, and great company. It was so good catching up with Kristen and spending time with her in Rome. After dinner, Jenna and I actually met up with some girls that go to Washington, one of her sorority sisters is actually studying in Rome for the quarter. They were all really nice and fun to hang out with. After another fun night, we got back to Kristen's apartment and fell asleep right away. This morning we woke up, packed our bags, got some souvenirs, and headed to the airport. Honestly, this weekend was so great because Jenna and I got to travel by ourselves, and to a destination that we have been wanting to see the entire time we've been in Europe. We had so much fun, ate amazing food, and loved all the sites. CIAO!

take me back!

Guten Tag! I just got back from an incredible weekend of sun and sites in Vienna, Austria. Out of the 44 students in our program, about 40 came to Vienna, which was very exciting because the last trip we all went on together was in London and Munich all the way back in January. We left the dorm Friday morning at 9am and took a bus to Vienna. After two stops (one being at this crazy amusement park-like place called Excalibur City) we made it to Vienna by 4pm. When we got there, we were all more than relieved to step off the bus to the warm air and almost perfectly clear sky. You could already tell how stoked we were that we were in warmer spring weather by the sunglasses and tanks. Granted it was only about 63 degrees when we first arrived, but hey, that’s basically 100 degrees in Prague weather! After checking into our hotel, our guides for the weekend, Zee and Jana, led us toward the town where there were plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, and bakeries. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Vienna is very modern and quite crowded. You know how I love cities that have people walking around and live music… well that’s exactly what life is like in Vienna. With designer stores all around, as well as the usual H&M, everyone was feeling quite excited for the weekend. After our walk into town, a group of us decided to find a good spot for dinner. After much walking, and after looking over countless menus (we are very picky when we are in unfamiliar cities) we settled on a cute little Italian restaurant by the river. Vienna is known for their wines, white in particular, so we immediately tried that. I have to say, the wine was quite delicious, and I’m more of a red wine kind of girl. After a great meal (well, great food, but NOT great that Vienna is on the euro) we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the night. We met up with some more people from our program and headed to some local bars, one Irish bar in particular which has a bunch of locals, as well as people visiting from other areas of Europe!

Our second day was even better than the first. We woke up to what we were told from the beginning of our time abroad was the best breakfast buffet EVER. I’ll admit it was pretty good: scrambled eggs, veggies, fruit, fresh OJ, toast, fresh jam, croissants…basically they had anything you could really want for breakfast which was nice for a change. After breakfast, we ventured out for our walking tour of Vienna. We walked by the Town Hall, which is a beautiful neo-gothic building from the 19^th Century located right near our hotel. Next, we walked by the Imperial Parliament. As we were walking, we came across a huge BMX bike competition taking place. Obviously all the girls rushed over to stare at the bikers and watch them do crazy jumps and flips. We continued on with our tour and headed to the church called Minoritenkirche. This church was amazing because we walked into a choir performing! They sounded so beautiful and it was so great to see the church, which is so old, being used today. The church is also home to a famous mosaic called “The Last Supper.” After seeing the church, our tour guides brought us back to the main center of town and we were free for the rest of the afternoon to venture around and explore the beautiful city for ourselves. Lucky for us, the weather was perfect: clear skies, high of 68 degrees. A small group of us stopped at a café for a quick bite to eat, and then we stumbled upon this open park with grass and gorgeous trees and plants. This was EXACTLY what we wanted to do. We literally sat around talking, soaking up some sun, and laughing, for about 2 hours. 

The Hundertwasser House

Laying around in the park made me so excited for the weather to heat up in Prague so we could do things like that all the time! After the park, we went to the first pub ever built in Vienna. After that, my friend Phil and I decided to branch off from the rest of the group to grab some dinner. We were suddenly craving sushi and came across this little restaurant with outdoor seating. Since it was so nice out, we decided to stick with it (risky, I know…sushi is very questionable when it is not expensive) but it turned out to be delicious, and the company was the best part. After a great meal and even better conversation, we headed back to the hotel.

Me in front of the gardens of the Schonbrunn Palace

This morning was unfortunately our last day in Vienna, and of course, it was the hottest it had been all weekend! With just a tank top and pants, I felt like I was back in Calabasas! (Well, not quite, but the weather is definitely getting me excited!) Before heading back to Prague, we stopped at two more amazing sites. Our first stop was at the Hundertwasser House, an apartment house in Vienna designed with undulating floors, a roof covered with earth and grass, and huge trees growing from inside of the rooms. The exterior of the house is not only extremely colorful, but also very intricate and detailed. I haven’t seen anything like it, and everyone was in awe! The second place we stopped at was the Schönbrunn Palace. This palace was one of the most beautiful places in Europe I’ve been to so far. From the interior of the palace (which consists of 1400 rooms and detailed wall designs and paintings) to the HUGE garden outside of the Palace, there were so many beautiful things to look at. After our audio tour of the palace, we were free to explore the rest of the estate. A group of us walked around the gardens, took pictures, and ended up at an adorable café in the back of the gardens, next to the oldest zoo in the WORLD! To think that people actually lived in such a breathtaking palace is too unreal. It literally took my breath away! After a long bus ride back, and of course one more stop to Excalibur city, we made it back to the dorms safely! I’ve got to say, Vienna has been my favorite city so far. From the weather to the sites and liveliness of the city, I truly enjoyed everything about Austria. On Friday, Jenna and I are traveling by ourselves to ROME!!!

mother-daughter bonding time :-)

What an amazing week I just had. Last Wednesday, my mom arrived in PRAHA! Immediately after class, I went to her hotel, which was located in a prime location right in Old Town Square. Right when I got to the hotel, we were so excited to see each other. After a little time catching up in the room and after my mom finished the Pilsner beer I got her (most popular beer in prague) I took her to the dorm to see my FABULOUS living condition and to meet my roommates. 

First sushi dinner in 2 1/2 months!

After a brief tour of my dorm (you only really need about 10 seconds to see the entire room/kitchen) we headed back to Old Town Square to this cute little italian restaurant for appetizers. I can't even describe how happy I was to be in Old Town Square, one of my favorite spots in Prague, with my mom! After some grilled asparagus and sausage, we started walking around to find a spot for dinner. Once I told my mom I was craving sushi since it had been 2 and a half months since I've eaten it, she decided that's what we were going to eat...and I could not have been more thrilled! We went to this cute sushi place called Yami Sushi. We were pretty adventurous as always, and ordered a few of their specialty rolls. The rolls came out on a boat and we were both taken aback when we saw it! The food was delicious and I will definitely be back there with my friends.     
The next day, we woke up BRIGHT & EARLY for our flight to Budapest, Hungary. When I saw the tiny prop plane we were about to embark upon, I started to freak out a little bit. Luckily, I was too tired to stay scared for long since I passed out right when we took off. After a short hour and a half flight, we landed in beautiful budapest. Right when we arrived, we walked around the square by our hotel and stopped at a little cafe for some breakfast! The weather was absolutely perfect ALL weekend.. clear skies, sunny, highs of 65 in Budapest. As I'm sure you can imagine, I was very happy, considering how cold it was in the beginning. After breakfast we checked into our hotel and rested a little bit before our venture to the baths. 

Szechenyi Bath and Spa

Everyone who had been to Budapest before told me I absolutely had to go to the Szechenyi Bath and Spa, so my mom and I decided the first day would be a great day to go and start off our trip with a nice massage! What's so cool about these outdoor and indoor pools is that they are heated from underground hot springs... there are NO heaters! The downside is that the entire place smelled very strongly of sulfur... we were not too stoked about that, but what can you do. Since it was so sunny out, I decided I had to lay out on the lounge chair before my massage. I don't even remember the last time I laid out, and WOW was it amazing. Of course, there I was moving the chair every 5 minutes to be in the direct angle of the sun! Some things never change I guess. The massage was incredible as well. Apparently I had a few knots (who knew studying abroad was so stressful?!) because she was massaging REALLY AGGRESSIVELY on my upper back. It felt great though, and my mom and I were completely relaxed afterwords. When we left the baths we headed back to the hotel, the Sofitel. It was located right next to the famous Chain Bridge and our room had a gorgeous view of not only the bridge, but the city as well. After showers and naps, we were ready to venture out to our wine tasting at Faust wine cave. This place was so cool: it was underground and had such a great vibe. We tried 5 different red wines and then got to choose one more that we liked the most to try again. It was such a treat and I got to taste numerous different flavors of wines. My favorite was a blend of two different red wines! The man who owned Faust was very knowledgeable; throughout the entire tasting, he showed us (on a map) where each wine was made and where the grapes came from. After a delicious wine tasting, we kept the italian spirit going and headed to a cute little italian restaurant not far from our hotel. Overall, our first night in Budapest was a success!

Faust wine cellar in Budapest

    The next day we had a very in depth tour of the Jewish part of Budapest. Our tour guide, Andrea, really knew her history. She even talked more than Michael (and we all know that's quite an accomplishment!) However, I did learn a LOT about Budapest during the communist age. We walked into two synagogues that withstood the Nazi invasion and we walked by buildings which still had bullet holes in them! It was amazing to learn about the history of Budapest and actually see the buildings which made it through the war. In addition to the Jewish tour, Andrea took us to some important sites in Budapest. We saw the Parliament, the US Embassy, Freedom Square, and a statue remaining from the Marx era. At the end of the tour, she took us to the top of this hill where we overlooked the entire city. After a wonderful and detailed tour, we were dropped off at an indoor market, filled with vendors selling meats, cheeses, caviar, dried fruit (my favorite!), hungarian dishes, leather goods, souvenirs, glass art, and much more! We walked around and definitely did a little bit of damage here, but everything we tried was delicious! That night, we went to a restaurant called The First Strudel House, where we watched bakers stretch out the dough for strudel and make it fresh right in front of us.. YUM. On our way back, my mom and I were feeling quite adventurous so we stopped into the casino in our hotel. We were on a losing streak at this blackjack table until we all of a sudden had more chips than we started with!! Wow, guess I'm officially ready for VEGAS!

Cooking class in Budapest!

  Saturday was one of my favorite days in Budapest because we took our very special cooking class! We were each given our own station to cook a different recipe. I was at the dessert station (typical) and I made a sponge cake: half vanilla, half chocolate, with vanilla custard and rum soaked raisins! I've got to say, I was quite impressed with my skills. Just imagine how much better I'll be at cooking after living in an apartment next year! My mom made a potato soup with sausage and a mushroom cream goulash with noodles. I wasn't a huge fan of the sausage soup, but the goulash was AMAZING! The class was so much fun and we had a lot of laughs. For our last night in Budapest, we went to a very nice restaurant specializing in caviar. The food was incredible: I had borsht to start with (Nanny, I'm sure you're proud to hear this) and for my main course I got a grilled salmon on top of risotto with salmon pieces. DELICIOUS! Of course, after dinner we decided to give the casino one more go... while I didn't do so well, I learned quite a bit of blackjack 101 since I was sitting next to a professional GAMER! What a fabulous way to end the trip!
 Back to Prague we went! My mom took my roommates, along with Jenna's boyfriend, Mack, out to a cute czech restaurant. We all had a great time talking and catching up on our weekends. I am so glad my mom got to meet my friends whom I talk about all the time! Now she can actually put a face to a name. After some wine and delicious food, we called it a night and headed back to the hotel. Monday was definitely not the most uplifting of days because me, my mom, Jenna, and Mack headed to Terezin, a concentration camp located about 45 minutes from Prague. It was unbelievable to be standing in the cells that Jews were crammed into, walking on the paths that lead to most of the deaths, and to visit the crematorium where nearly 80,000 bodies went through. Our tour guide was unreal, mostly because he was so passionate about the subject and he was full of knowledge. It was crazy and sad to see the camp, and I learned a lot about the propaganda of Terezin. Unfortunately Jenna and I had class but when I was done, my mom and I walked around a little before dinner and then we headed to this adorable italian place overlooking a very busy street. We split a pizza and pasta dish and like every other night, had great conversation and plenty of laughs! On our way back to the hotel, we walked through Wenceslas square and lucky for me, past H & M where my mother so kindly bought me a number of cute dresses to start my internship wardrobe! 

On the Charles Bridge

Unfortunately the last day of my mom's visit came too quickly! Tuesday I had class but met up with my mom at one of our favorite spots: Bohemia Bagel. I'm pretty sure she enjoyed it. After, we walked into the Spanish Synogague which was awesome to see, especially after having been to Terezin. Since it was such a gorgeous day out, we walked toward the castle and stopped by the river at this cafe for some wine and a latte. What a wonderful way to spend the day! I had such a great time walking around the city pointing out all my favorite spots. For our last night together we went to the most incredible restaurant I've ever been to. Located at the top of the Dancing House, Celeste, a French restaurant, overlooked the entire city. We got there at sundown, and by the time we left, the entire city was lit up perfectly. Our meal was unbelievable! After wine, lobster appetizer, and veal rib, we were stuffed! After a quick look on the terrace which had breathtaking views from outside, we headed back to the hotel. Honestly, this was the best week I've had, and I am so glad my mom got to see what my life has been like here. I can't even describe how amazing this city is but now she got to witness the beauty of it! 

Pita, Doner Kebabs, and Baklava

I just got back from such an incredible weekend. Thursday morning, we headed to the airport for an 11am flight to Istanbul. Right when Turkish Airlines served us a full meal (and quite a good one might I add) of chicken, vegetables, rice, and complimentary wine, I knew I was in for a great trip. Once we got off the plane, we headed straight to the hotel. It was located in a prime spot, right near the major sites and shopping areas (crucial).  Our hotel, the Vezir Hotel, was a small boutique hotel, with green walls, cute interior design, and a small garden where we had breakfast. I had absolutely NO idea how many stray cats there were in Istanbul, but let me tell you, DO NOT go there if you are allergic to cats. Those of you that know me know that I am 100% a dog person, so I was not too stoked to find cats coming up to me at every meal.

me in front of the Blue Mosque

Besides the cats, the food in Istanbul was unreal. I am happy that I am not studying there, because if i were, I'd come back as a completely different human being, one that would not fit into my jeans. We had so many amazing dishes: the first night I got a chicken kebab, which consisted of freshly grilled chicken, vegetables, and some whole grain rice. Oh! How can I forget? Each meal started off with a HUGE piece of freshly made pita bread. We demolished those pitas. Another famous dish in Istanbul is the doner kebab, which are thinly sliced pieces of either chicken or lamb and it comes in a pita or in a sub sandwich. I got a couple of the chicken pita doners... interesting fact: they put french fries INSIDE the pita doners. What a wonderful surprise to bite into. Last but not lease, baklava. What can I say about baklava? Basically, I was never a huge baklava fan before this trip. Granted, I never really had it on a regular basis, but the times I did, I liked it but I wasn't craving it. This baklava was a whole other story. Turkish baklava is so fresh, dripping with honey, chocolate, nuts, and a crisp layer of flakey dough. Basically, it's heaven in your mouth. We all made it a point to try all the different flavors. My personal favorite was the plain one, but a close second was the chocolate baklava.  While the food was unbelievable, I have never witnessed anything as beautiful as the sites we saw in Istanbul. Right after checking into the hotel and putting our bags down, we took a short walk to the Blue Mosque. The first thing you notice about this mosque is the beautifully- arranged cascade of domes. The entire exterior is decorated intricately, with gold linings and detailed engravings. Inside, the mosque is lined with 20,000 blue tiles (hence the name, Blue Mosque) I thought this was the most beautiful sight in Istanbul. From the interior to exterior, everything about the Blue Mosque was so gorgeous!

Jenna and I inside the Aya Sofia.

The next day, we went to the Aya Sofia in the morning. It used to be an orthodox basilica, then a mosque, but it is now a museum. It is said that the Aya Sofia "changed the history of architecture." This is definitely true-- the domes and the interior decor really live up to its expectations. The interior is super tall and from the top, we got a great view of the Blue Mosque and the sea. Overall, it was beautiful and incredible to see how such an old site stayed in tact and so decorative. Later that day, we visited the Topkapi Palace. Crazy enough, this palace was the home to the Ottoman sultans. In addition to the incredible architecture and gardens, we saw swords, daggers, royal clothes, carpets, textiles, ceramics, and armor. We also saw one of the largest diamondsever. It was so beautiful I just wanted to take it out of the case and bring it home! (If it weren't for the security and cameras...) This palace was so big, it took us roughly 2 hours to go through all the rooms! 

Inside the Blue Mosque

After a busy day of touring, we went back to the hotel to rest and clean up for one of the best experiences I've had so far---the turkish baths. Jenna and I signed up for a 15 minute scrub bath and the 30 minute oil massage. This was truly a unique experience: once we walked into the spa where the bath area was, we found everyone laying topless on a huge steaming lounge. When it was my turn to get a bath, the turkish lady (who was also topless, weird...) scrubbed me with soap, and used buckets of water to wash me. She covered me with bubbles and then shampoo'd my hair with this amazing coconut shampoo. It was unlike anything I've ever done, but so incredible. After the bath, we waited for our oil massages which were done on a massage table. It felt so good to relax! After all the girls were done, we had a nice dinner and headed back home for the evening. Nice way to bond with the girl on our program. Saturday we went to the Grand Bazaar, which is known all over the world. There are roughly 4,000 different merchants selling their goodies on this series of covered streets. Anything from gold and silver, carpets, slippers, boots, purses, spices, teas, dried fruits, and much more, can be found here. Unlike shopping in Los Angeles, shopping at the Grand Bazaar was quite a treat. In turkey, they expect you to try and talk them town on the prices... It's kind of like a game for them. Luckily, my mom has taught me very well how to bargain so I think I did pretty well overall. I got a bunch of gifts for family and friends, and a few small things for myself! It was so crazy and eye opening to see the culture at the Grand Bazaar. After Jenna and I did some damage to our bank accounts at the Bazaar, we got to the Port which is by the sea. For those of you that did not know, Istanbul is the only city which is located on two continents, Europe and Asia. For a cheap fare, Jenna and I took a 20 minute boat ride over to... you guessed it, Asia. While it was actually pretty boring and freezing, it was cool to say we've been there!

the view as we were crossing to get to the new area- Taksim

Saturday night we walked about 45 minutes to the newer side of Istanbul. The area was called the Taksim area and it consisted of a 2 mile long street of nice shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs. It was much more lively and modern than the areas we had seen earlier in the weekend. Our group of friends went to one last Turkish meal together and then headed back. It was so cool to see the different areas of Istanbul as we walked to the Taksim... We walked through four areas all together and each was completely different from the next. Today we woke up, did a little bit more souvenir shopping, picked up one last bit of baklava (of course!) and headed back to the hotel to leave for the airport. After a 2 and a half hour flight, we made it back to Prague safely. A new stamp in my passport and a stomach full of baklava and doner later, I am back to my dorm... home sweet home!

Belgian Waffles, Chocolate, and SENSATION WHITE!

roommates and I touring around Brussels

Hi everyone! This past weekend has been hands down the most incredible weekend so far. It was our first trip on our owns, and the destination was Belgium! On Friday, my three roommates and I had a 8:50am flight to Brussels, Belgium. After a short hour and 20 minute flight, we arrived anxious to see what our hostel looked like. Surprisingly, it was not as bad as I thought it would be. It was super close to the Metro where we got off, and a 25 minute walk to downtown Brussels. Steph's friend from Boulder is dating this guy who actually lives in Brussels, so we had our own personal tour guide! He took us to all the sites, including a palace and the world's largest brewery, Delirium, which contains more 2004 different kinds of beer! Crazy! After a great day, we went back to the hostel and changed quickly and went back out with the local boys to a local lounge. It had a new york feel which was very cool. Exhausted, we didn't stay out too late because we knew the next day was Sensation White, the rave with renown DJ's from all over.

Sensation White!

The next day, we had to check out of the hostel at noon, so we left our bags in the lobby, and my roommates and I walked into town to get some souvenirs, and experience all, and I do mean all, of the Belgium specialties. We went to this little restaurant for lunch, and then proceeded to have a DELICIOUS belgian waffle for dessert, with cream and sugar on top. It was perfectly soft on the inside but crisp on the outside. YUMMMMM! It reminded me why I love belgian waffles so much! Then after that, we walked around a little bit more and then stopped into a store called neuhaus chocolates. I was so overwhelmed, but ended up choosing a variety of dark chocolate, caramels, nougat, rice crispy chocolate, etc. Needless to say, I was about ready to die after a day of INTENSE belgian food. But hey, I'm only in Belgium once, so I figured I had to squeeze it all in, no holding back.

me dancing in my all white attire

At about 5, we took the train to Hasselt, a city north of Brussels, where the rave was that night. For those of you wondering exactly what a rave is (anyone not in my generation), it is basically a concert of DJ's that mix a bunch of different songs, specifically techno, house, and there are a lot of lights and the base is VERY strong. The concert went from 10pm to 6am. I kid you not, we lasted the entire time, and you know me... I didn't sit down once. We were dancing for 8 hours straight and my legs definitely feel it today. The rave was all white, so everyone got super creative with their costumes. I actually bumped into a few people from high school at the rave, such a small world. Anyway, we are finally back home, I took a well-needed shower, and now I am about to start my homework. This weekend was amazing, and it is just the first weekend of my travels. Next stop, ISTANBUL ON THURSDAY!

home is where the heart is...

Dobry den!

So I have been in Prague for a little over a month now, and I am so happy to call it my home. Finally, I am getting a feel for the city, I've developed my daily routines, and know how where to get all my groceries, school supplies, boots, etc. I can even tell when someone is ripping me off! While I am nowhere near fluent in czech, I am definitely capable of holding a conversation, or at the very least, saying "Nerozumin" which means, I don't understand. It's weird to think that after this weekend, I will be traveling every weekend up until April 18th. Prague has easily become the most incredible place I've ever been in my life, and I am just so anxious for the weather to get nicer and for flowers to bloom. If it already looks this gorgeous in the cold weather, I can hardly imagine what it will look like with green everywhere! After a grueling 3 days of class, my weekend began on Wednesday. We are taking full advantage of this last weekend we have in Prague for a while. Tomorrow I'll probably wake up and go explore! It's supposed to be sunny and in the 40's, which is very nice for here. I just can't believe it's already March, and by the time I'm done traveling it will be the middle of April! In case you're wondering where I'm going, here's the lineup: Belgium, Istanbul, Budapest, Vienna, Rome, and Poland. We're trying to squeeze one more trip the first weekend of May, but as you can tell, I have a pretty full schedule. We're trying to go to Croatia or greece since it will be warm and beachy! Basically, I am just so happy I chose to study here and I finally feel like I'm settled in and at home.

weekly forecast: clear skies and SUN!

the city of prague from the top of the church

Today was absolutely beautiful, from the weather to the scenery. Jenna and I woke up at around 10am and decided to take advantage of the nice hot weather (and by hot I mean 30 degrees). So, we decided to go to another tourist spot of Prague, seeing as though we've already been to the Charles Bridge and the Lennon Wall. You guessed it, we went to the PRAGUE CASTLE! We started our adventure by eating at one of our favorite italian restaurants, Grosetto's. We have one by the dorm, but we found another one right on the river with a beautiful view of the castle we were about to visit. After a delicious meal of tomato soup and salad, we ventured toward Prague castle. It took us a little while to get to our destination, but once we did, we took some scenic pictures, got a nice cup of hot wine, and walked around the cute area by the castle.
After, we headed toward the famous church that stands behind it. Let me just say this, Jenna and I woke up with intentions of going to the gym at the end of our day... WOW were we setting our sights high. Little did we know that in addition to the hike up to the castle, we walked up an additional 10 minutes of steep stairs to get to the top of the church behind the castle. 100 crowns and 10 minutes later, we made it to the top, and yes, it was worth the hike. I have never seen Prague from this view before and it made me realize how lucky I am yet again, to be living in such an incredible city. From this high up, we could see EVERYTHING: the bridge, Petrin Hill, the river, all the churches and famous buildings.. it was crystal clear out, which made everything that much better. On our way home, we stopped at Tesco to do some grocery shopping. I stocked up on my usual groceries here: rice cakes, turkey, dried fruit, real fruit (apples and bananas), mango juice, and some salsa. (some things never change, no matter where I am in the world!) We finally got back to the dorm, showered, and tonight we are going to our friend's apartment and then heading out to Lucerna, a really fun club that plays 80's and 90's music on Fridays. Anyway, the weather is supposed to be beautiful this entire week so I'm looking forward to tanks and shorts! Just kidding, but I'm still excited to finally have blue skies.

p.s HAPPY ANNIVERSARY LISA AND HOWARD STERN!! WISH YOU WERE HERE!

classes, culture, & catching up

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted but I have been pretty busy and a little bit under the weather with a cold and sore throat. A lot has been going on since the last time I blogged... A group of guys and girls from my program celebrated Valentine's day by going to this cute little mexican place, Las Adelitas. While it felt amazing to finally have some mexican food I've been craving, (I ordered a chicken tostada with mango salsa, right up my alley) I really don't like Valentine's day all that much, so it wasn't that exciting. 

steph and I at valentines day dinner.

The rest of that week mainly just consisted of my usual intense czech course daily schedule: picking up a fresh juice on the way to class, class from 9-1:30, gym, lunch, back to the dorm by 4, showering, catching up on shows, doing homework, then getting ready for the night. Luckily, the class ended that Friday, and I'm proud to admit I got an A- in czech! I guess I am a local now, considering I mastered vocabulary, adjectives, and the most common czech phrases! Funny because I still can't seem to speak to anyone at the market or ask someone a simple question regarding location, but I'm still going to keep trying to show respect, of course. Everyone on my program was stoked when that repetitious, tedious class finally finished... so we of course used that weekend to celebrate! A couple of my friends from Kappa, Katie and Carrie, were actually in Prague last weekend. It was nice to see some familiar faces in such a foreign country. We grabbed some lunch and then they came out with me and my friends that night. 

Jenna and I at the ballet

I've been super cultural lately, surprising right? I have been dying to go to a ballet here, so we finally went to one called Coppelia. It was held at the Prague National Theater, this beautiful theater with gold all around the insides and paintings of famous members of theater from back in the day. The ballet was much more entertaining to watch than the opera in my opinion. It was funny to see the guys as ballerinas though, I always get a kick seeing them in the tights! Another cultural experience we've had recently has been attending a Prague Sparta hockey game. Apparently, hockey is huge here, so we figured we had to go, and it was the last game of the season so we got lucky to get tickets. It was soo much fun to go and be in a stadium filled with people that shared a love for Praha. We were all screaming "sparta!" and we got hot dogs and hot wine. Regardless of the fact that it was absolutely frigid inside the ice rink, we all had a great time--I even managed to get on the huge mega-screen twice! I got so excited! 

This week was our first week of real classes. My schedule is pretty light, as I think it should be... let's be real, I'm mainly here to explore this new city and learn a bunch of new things, the fact that these classes count for credit is an added bonus! Monday, I have Jewish history from 2:30 to 4. This class seems like it will be a lot of work, but definitely informative. I'm excited to learn about why Eastern Europe is so historical with regards to judaism. The first day we watched a movie about the disappearance of Yiddush people throughout Europe which consisted of many interviews of older jews talking about their lives growing up and now and the differences with regards to religion. That's it for mondays, so normally I'd go to the gym after and then straight back to the dorm. Tuesdays I have Central and Eastern European film from 10-1:30. This class has a lot of writing because after every film we watch together in class we need to write a six page response paper! (seriously, six is WAY too much everyone in class was super annoyed!) That's it for Tuesday... Wednesday is my busiest day but my last day (Yes, my weekend starts on Wednesday :-)). I have my Art and Architecture class from 10-1 and then Jewish History from 2:30-4. The art class is a MUST and I'm so happy I'm in it. Basically, the first 90 minutes we are in class and the teacher lectures us on different styles of architecture. The last 90 minutes, we go on a tour of some specific part of Prague and look at those styles. Yesterday for our first class we went to Old Town Square and went to the top of the astronomical clock. Luckily, it was a crystal clear day out so I got awesome pictures from the top of the tower. 

The view from the astronomical clock tower!

Today we got to sleep in, but since I'm still not feeling too good I didn't sleep that well. Kept tossing and turning. I've been taking medicine, but my throat is killing me so I am just trying to get through it. According to weather.com, the weather is supposed to start getting a little better in March, thank goodness. This week was actually unbearable. It would be 10 degrees, that's right ONE ZERO, when we walked to class in the morning, and made it to a whopping 12 degree high. Good thing for that down jacket, or should I say sleeping bag that covers my body. Without it I would freeze. But today it is 30, basically I should throw on my swimsuit it's so warm here! This weekend I might take it easy because I definitely want to feel 100% for when I start traveling (I leave on March 11 for Sensation in Belgium and then the next weekend to Istanbul!! ) So I definitely want to make sure I am up to speed. Overall, everything is finally feeling like home, I've got my schedule down, have my favorite cafe's and restaurants, and a core group of friends. I miss you all so much and I cannot wait for my mom to visit! 

best day so far.

jenna and i in front of the lennnon wall!

yesterday was by far the best day i've had in prague this far. we finally got to sleep in past 8 which was already making the day better. once we got up at around noon, jenna and i decided to grab some brunch at one of our favorite restaurants called bohemia bagel. we got a make your own omelette and hash browns, which obviously was delicious considering not many places serve good eggs here. after a yummy meal, we met up with one of jenna's sorority sisters who was visiting this weekend from rome. she brought some other girls with her from washington so we met up with them and toured them around praha. it was funny though, since neither jenna nor myself have actually been to all the "touristy spots" yet: charles bridge, lennon wall, prague castle. so we warned them that we might get lost! eventually, we found our way and made it to the charles bridge. the weather was cold but clear and the view from the bridge was stunning!

me on the charles bridge.

 walking across the bridge was so much fun.. there were people playing music, beautiful statues, and a crowd of people taking pictures, smiling, and enjoying the views of prague. as we walked along the bridge and soaked in the breathtaking city that we live in, i really realized how lucky i am to be studying here. there is so much history and beauty that we dont even realize even though we walk around every day. after we crossed the bridge, we made it to the lennon wall, a whole wall with graffiti of sayings of the beatles and designs of peace and love. it is so colorful and pretty and we took plenty of pictures. finally, after a lot of walking and even more pictures, we headed back home but stopped at a cafe for some cokolada, hot chocolate! the hot chocolate here is so sweet and thick, we were just craving that after our cold and productive day. overall, i had such an amazing day yesterday.. the weather, the sites, the people, it was all so great and i know we will have many more days like that in the next four months!