Prague!

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PRAGUE!!!!!!!!! Even though our flight there was delayed 4 hours, this was an amazing trip. On the plus side, we got free food from the airport, and basically took over the entire waiting area.

Praha was beautiful! Shielded from a lot of the damage in WWII, you can see the historical development of architecture from the Gothic period onward on every street. It felt a bit like walking through Easter eggs; every building was colored in bright pastels.

We headed right to the Palace to check out the church where they keep the crown jewels. We saw the dungeons where they tortured people, and there were still some remnants of skeletons in the pits! We went from the winter palace to the summer palace, which is right across the street. We saw lots of the palace guards, who do not move at all. Not even to bend their knees or itch their noses. That's talent.

We went to the famous clock tower, from which you can see the entire city. That's where all my high-up photos are from. The clock tower isn't so much a clock as a crazy thing that measures the movement of the cosmos. So basically everyone stands around and looks at it in amazement for a long time and then realizes that nothing actually happens and moves on.

The food was awesome. Their diet apparently consists of mostly meat, which is a nice change of pace for us kids used to living on pasta, bread, and potatoes. Our stomachs couldn't handle so much real meat though, after every meal we said we had never felt so heavy and full in our lives. One meal filled us for the entire day!

Prague is the classical music capital of the world (well, one of them), and it shows. There was music everywhere. Even the street musicians on the St. Charles Bridge seemed like classically trained professionals. The highlight of the trip was definitely going to the opera at Prague's original opera house. It was surprisingly small, which is apparently how they are supposed to be, and very decorated. The opera was The Devil and Kate, a comedy, which is an original Czech opera. (My opera professor here in Rome says she's never heard of it though. Hmm...)

This trip, my last, was the perfect way to end my semester abroad. Now I just have to get through finals ok. Whoever said abroad classes are cake and don't count obviously never went to the JFRC!

Wish me luck, and I'll see everyone in a week! Ciao!

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Comments

[Uncle Dan Ruane]

Great stuff
Thanks for the updates and especially the commentary...you crack me up Tracy! Especially the thing about the opera proffessor and the stuff about the "bodyguards" in Tunisia. Finish strong and get home safely. We'll see you when you get back.