Q&A Round One

Thank you to everyone who has been following me. Your notes, emails, and comments have meant the world. I’ve received a number of questions and I’ve tried to respond to each of them, but I wanted to share some of them with everyone.

Q: Besides the day it snowed, what is the weather like?

A: I would say the temperatures are actually a lot like Colorado. It doesn’t change quite as much as it does back home, but it feels very much like a cool winter day in the Mile High City. Despite being close to sea level, there really isn’t much humidity and when it isn’t actively snowing, I am warm enough walking around town in just a fleece jacket and beanie.

Q: Have you tried the beer?

A:  Prague is known as the beer capital of Europe and, yes, I have tried it. I have to admit, with a bit of embarrassment, I really do not like the taste of it. A few people have suggested brands that I might like better and I will give them a try, but thus far, I am not a big fan. I feel like one of the only people in the Bohemian region who isn’t drinking beer two or three times a day, but it is a little too bitter for me.

Q: What else can you drink besides beer?

A: I tried a drink one night off the traditional Czech menu that Ivana helped me pronounce. It turned out to be some sort of lemon and cucumber beverage. It was a little sweet, but not in a high-fructose-corn-syrup kind of way. Lubos told me that it is traditional, but most Czech people only drink it when they have to. I can see why…

Lubos told me that juice and water mixed together was a pretty common drink when you don’t drink beer (for example: when they drive—which doesn’t appear to be that often—he said the driver will drink juice and everyone else will drink beer.)

We have also been told that hot wine is a cultural drink in Czech. Apparently it is a red wine that they boil and add things like cinnamon and nutmeg to. We’ve smelled people selling it on the streets a few times, but haven’t tried it yet.

Q: What has been the coolest thing you’ve seen?

A: This is a hard one because everything is absolutely amazing. The clock tower in the square that we saw the first night is pretty cool. I will try to describe it in more detail in a later post but the architecture of it is amazing. There are two faces to the clock: one is a standard 12 hour clock face, the other I’m told tells the month of the year and the day of the week (although it is in Czech so I’m not 100% sure what it says.) Every hour the windows open so that you can see the gears turning. The gears are also intricately covered with miniature sculptures of various saints. When the Nazi’s retreated out of Germany, they attempted to burn the clock tower as an insult to the Czech people. Parts of it were salvaged, but parts of it have been reconstructed.

The Charles Bridge is also incredible. It is a little touristy, but the energy and excitement on the bridge is tangible. The sculptures of various Czech leaders and thinkers are awesome, and every view from the bridge (be it of the castle, the cathedral, or the skyline of either side of the river) is breathtaking. Everywhere you turn on the bridge there is something more beautiful than what you’ve seen.

Of course the Mardi gras festival is still one of my favorites. It was just a fun environment. While I couldn’t understand what was said, and the culture was certainly different than what I’m used to, the nature of fun is another thing that is so universal. As I said, I will never forget that awesome music. I also found out later that the festival broke the world record for the largest salami ever served.

Q: When do you plan to start traveling around Europe?

A: I think next weekend. I am done with Orientation today, but a lot of the students still have some sessions over the weekend. Since I am free, I plan to use the time to explore Prague some more. I still want to tour the Cathedral and Castle, as well as wander some more of the back streets and cafes. Next weekend I plan to start venturing out. Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Budapest, and Rome are the top five destinations on my list right now.

Q: Does the water really go the wrong way down the drain when you flush the toilet?

A: I think that is Australia, but thanks anyway for your note!

Feel free to add more questions in the comments below and I will try to answer them either here, or in a later post. Thank you again for all of your support! I hope you have enjoyed reading the stories as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you!