Spring Break!
The three-week class session finished on Thursday, February 16th. I took my exam and then started packing for the break! I left on February 17th and returned on February 26th. The 11-week semester began after the intersession break.
I went to three places during the break, Prague, Edinburgh, and London.
Some highlights from Prague! The currency is called a Czech crown, and one crown equals 0.045 USD. When I paid 200 crowns for my food the first time, I was startled before I converted it. Also, everyone we encountered in restaurants and museums understood English which was nice because I know zero Czech.
The Astronomical Clock! Every hour it has a little show where the skeleton rings the bell and the apostles rotate in the windows at the top.
Some delicious food from a market that we stumbled across by the Lennon Wall.
The Lennon wall is dedicated to John Lennon but is also a place for creative expression.
Beautiful view of the city!
We visited the Central Gallery which was a nice change from all the Renaissance art. It features Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, and Alfons Mucha.
The architecture in Prague is so fun! Very gothic but also lots of pastel colors.
The nightlife in Prague was different from anything I had experienced before. This club has a floor with robot bartenders.
Other highlights from Prague include the chimney cakes, the castle, Charle's Bridge, the Jewish Quarter, the torture museum, and glow-in-the-dark mini-golf!
Next up was Edinburgh! To be honest, it was nice to be in a country that spoke English. The city made me feel like I was back in medieval times. I loved how all the buildings look like castles or like they belong in Harry Potter. The weather fit the moody vibe of the city and was everything I hoped for! Another pro of Edinburgh is that there is a lot to do there for free, such as the National Museum, the Gallery, the Royal Botanical Gardens, and more!
The Edinburgh Castle! It was right across the street from our hostel.
The sunset at Arthur's Seat. This is the best view I have seen so far in my travels.
The landscape in Scotland is spectacular! This is also Arthur's Seat.
The Scottish National Gallery! We saw Scottish Art and many Impressionist works like Degas and Manet.
My traditional dinner is called "stovies." A Scottish dish of tender beef, and root vegetables cooked in a rich gravy, with seasonal carrots and bread.
Other highlights include the Royal Botanical Garden, a Harry Potter walking tour, the National Museum of Scotland, Victoria Street, St. Gile’s Cathedral, the Writer’s Museum, and Calton Hill!
Last but not least, London!
I had to take a basic photo with the iconic red telephone box.
Emma and I toured the Westminster Abbey and saw the tombs of past kings and queens, Sir Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin.
The Royal Cavalry.
The London skyline in the evening was magical.
Other highlights include a board game cafe, Big Ben, Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate museum, the National Gallery, Buckingham Palace, Neal’s yard, and Chinatown. London did feel the most like the United States, which I was expecting, but it was still different in ways. Emma and I even ate lunch at Five Guys one day, and it was nice to have a taste of home.
For the trip, we flew on budget airlines like EasyJet and Ryanair. I lived out of my travel backpack for ten days. It was heavy but doable. I just had to re-wear clothes. We stayed in an Airbnb in Prague because it was so cheap, then hostels in Edinburgh and London.
I had such an amazing time during the break, but I will say that by the end of it, I was feeling tired. Ten days was the perfect amount of time. If the trip was any longer I don’t think I would have enjoyed myself as much.
I highly recommend going to all of these places!!
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