Prague, Czech Republic

Since spring break includes Prague, Rome and Copenhagen I realize that not a single person is going to want to read a single massive blog post about my Spring Break, so I am dividing it into sections.  On Thursday morning I began the first leg of my trip with a 6:30am flight from London to Prague.  At the airport I went to the ATM machine to get the Czech currency, the koruna.  One US dollar is the equilivant to about 18 korunas so I literally had bills that were worth hundreds and thousands of dollars, which made me feel really rich.  The best thing about the Czech Republic being on the koruna is that everything is cheaper here.  I have been to restaurants here and had three course meals for about $10-15 US dollars.  However that is eventually going to change and the country will be switching to the Euro as soon as it meets the economic criteria, which will make the city much more expensive in a few years. 

The first day that I was here I went with Shayna to meet up with our friends Marissa and Alexa, and their friends Matt and Chris that we met in Nice a few weeks ago.  The first thing we did was get lunch and the waitress was a complete bitch to us because we had a biut of difficulty paying the check since it was in Czech and we did not understand the currency very well.  She gave up dirty looks and slammed the change on the table...she did not recieve a tip.  For the next few hours we explored the entire city and treked up hundreds of stairs to Prague Castle, which provided beautiful views of the city.  Prague is filled with beautiful architecture, which is evident in the churches and clock towers that dominate the city skyline.  It is truly one of the most magical and beautiful cities in Europe. After walking accross the Charles bridge and the old town center, we headed to Marissa and Alexas hostel to relax and play cards for a little while to get out of the freezing cold (Oh, I forget to mention that it is FUCKING FREEZING in Prague).  At their hostel we decided to act like the ridiculous Americans that we are and went to Hooters.  All I have to say about Hooters was that it was ridiciously entertaining and hilarious for numerous reasons.  After Hooters we went to a local pub to end off our first night in the city and returned to the hostel where we hung out with Chelsea, her friend Jen and Meagan. 

Yesterday, our entire group of eight went on a walking tour of Prague Castle which was very intresting and had many unique and cool sights. After the tour I was hungry and went to an Authentic Czech restaurant with Meagan. Chelsea and Jen which was delicious (and cheap!).  After resting back at the hostel for a few hours our entire group decided to go on a pub crawl which ended up being pretty lame.  There were about 200 people on the pub crawl and we went to a bunch of clubs and not bars.  It was a complete waste of time and money, but we did our best to enjoy it anyway. 

Today we started off the day by going to a cafe in which we had delicious crepes.  The cafe was very authentic and was not in a touristy location at all which made us feel like we really experiences some Czech culture.  We then headed to the Lennon wall, which is a wall covered in grafitti meant to be a tribute to John Lennon.  At 5pm our entire group met up at the clock tower in the city center and we walked around the old town and did some solvunier shopping.  We then headed to a famous cafe for dinner where we spent about 4 hours eating and chatting as the service was slow and it is part of Czech culture to sit around and relax in cafes and restaurants for hours at a time.  Overall today was a very slow and relaxed day, which I enjoyed very much.  Tomorrow morning I head to the airport for my second leg of my trip, in which I will be heading to Rome.

Overall Prague was one of my favorite citites in Europe.  It both cheap and filled with beautiful buildings and friendly people.  The only negative was that it is absolutly freezing and I have to dress in about four layers to stay outside for more than a few minutes.  The thing that amazes me most about Prague and the Czech Republic is that before 1988 is was a communist country.  Today, the Czech Republic is a thriving city in the European Union and it is amazing to see what a democrazy can do for a country in only about twenty years.  It comes as no suprise that Prague is the fourth most visited European city.  I will do my best to update from Rome in a few days.
-Rees

Czech money makes me feel rich. 

Wenceslas Square

Prague Castle

Charles Bridge

St. Vitus Cathedral.

Charles Bridge

Changing of the guard at Prague Castle.

AKPsi! (It is a co-ed fraternity, I swear).

Lennon Wall.

Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge

            On Sunday I went on a day trip to Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor.  I woke up at 6:30 and headed over to Kings Cross where I met up with the tour bus.  Only about 25 minutes after leaving central London we arrived in the town of Windsor.  Windsor is a small, very wealthy and beautiful town and is most famous for being the home of Windsor Castle.  Windsor Castle is an official residence for the Royal Family and the Queen usually stays there on the weekends.  It is the largest castle in the world and it is the oldest continuously inhabited castle.  Anyone who goes to England should try to make a trip out to Windsor castle as it in one of the most impressive places I have ever been.  It is truly absolutely gigantic and beautiful and one can spend the entire day inside the castle without seeing everything it has to offer.  After walking around the castle, we then proceeded on a walking tour of the town.

The Long Walk- Windsor Castle

The crooked house of Windsor. 

            The coach then proceeded to the city of Bath, which is about t two hours away from Windsor.  When we got to Bath I went on a tour of the ancient Roman Baths where rainwater moved through limestone aquifers at a depth of about 10,000 feet blow the surface of the earth where it is heated and sent back up the surface at a temperature between 150-200 degrees.  The audio guide at the Roman Baths was very informative and well put together.  After the tour I went to the impressive Bath Abby, which had some of the most magnificent stained glass windows I have ever seen and monuments all over the church.  The rest of my time at Bath was spent walking around the city, watching street performers and having lunch.  Bath was a very old, historic and beautiful city, which I hope to go back to at some point.

Inside the Roman Baths

Inside Bath Abbey.

Impressive.

            The third and final stop of our trip was to the mysterious Stonehenge.  Since a kid I remember reading about and seeing pictures of the famous site.  The actual site of the Stonehenge is pretty much in the middle of nowhere and there is nothing in sight except for huge green fields and sheep.  Although the rocks were not as large as I thought they would be and overall the site is pretty boring and underwhelming, I must admit it is fascinating and provokes many questions.  All that is known about the Stonehenge is that it was built around 5,000 years ago and the stones were taken from mountain bases in Wales.  However no one knows how the massive rocks were transported from Wales before machinery and transport systems and it is still unclear as to why the rocks were built.  Some say it has to do with astronomy, while others argue it is for a calendar or has religious significance.  The only fact about the site is that it will remain a mystery forever, as there is no way of proving how it was built or why it was built.  Stonehenge was a pretty cool place to see overall and I can now cross it off my bucket list.    

Rocks

I used iphone to try to make them interesting.

            Overall the day trip was a great break for all the work I have to do back here in London and it was cool to see so many famous sights in a matter of a few hours.  I had my marketing group presentation today and all I have left to do is my 8-page paper for my EU class before Spring Break on Thursday.  I will update my blog in about a week and a half after my adventures in Prague, Rome and Copenhagen.  Talk to everyone soon!

- Rees

This one if for you, Harry Potter nerds. 

Internship Interview and Houses of Parliament Tour.

           Thursday afternoon I got all dressed up in my suit and headed over to East Putney to talk to my internship supervisor about the job.  I am working for two companies at once, Datography (a digital marketing company) and Webdadi (a software and ITEC company).  Both companies work together, are owned by the same man and are in the same office building.  Im excited because I get to work on my two specializations (Marketing and ITEC) both at the same time.

            Everyone at the office was very nice and they all seemed excited to have an intern.  I will be working on a marketing project for both of the companies and will be given actual work to do as they are both small companies.  At least I am not sitting around and getting people coffee and tea all day.  Overall I am very happy with my placement and Im excited to start on March 9^th.

            Friday morning I went on a tour of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.  After going through airport like security I made my way into Westminster Hall, which has an original wooden ceiling that dates back to the 1300’s, quite impressive.  Photos were not allowed on the tour, except for in Westminster Hall (so I will steal some photos from the internet for the blog).  The tour guide brought us through some of the magnificent rooms I have ever been in including St. Stephens Hall, the central lobby and of course the House of Lords and House of Commons rooms.  Overall the Parliament building was one of the most ornately decorated and beautiful buildings I have ever been in.

            After the tour I walked around the area and stopped at Westminister Abbey across the street, the venue for the upcoming Royal Wedding.  The Abbey is the oldest (built in 1050) and most important church in England and is the site where coronations of the monarchy are held and is the final resting place of many famous people.  

            Today my day has been spent doing homework and finishing up final papers as my global marketing and EU class end this week.  Its pretty much the first time that I have ever done any work since coming to London, oh well.  Tomorrow I am going on a day trip to Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor castle….Ill update on Monday probably.  

Big Ben

Westminster Hall- Original wood ceiling from 1300's.

This and the next three I took off Wikipedia of the inside of Westminster.

House of Commons

Westminster Abbey

Side Entrance

Internship Placement, Things Europeans Love

            Today I received my internship placement for the semester.  I am going to be a marketing and business development intern for a digital and internet marketing and software company here in London starting in a few weeks!  The name of the company is Webdadi, and I am happy with the internship because the company is involved with both marketing and ITEC, which are my two specializations.  For more info on the company check out their website, http://www.webdadi.com/

          Since I don't have much else to talk about, here are I few things that I noticed that Europeans love:

1. The song "Barbara Streisand" by Duck Sauce- They literally play it EVERYWHERE in EVERY country. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu_zwdmz0hE
2. The song "We no speak Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool- Same deal, they play it everywhere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3S4dBk4E1g
3. Pringles- I havent been to a store or a vending machine that doesn't sell Pringles.  London, Amsterdam, Madrid, Nice- all obsessed with Pringles.  You can go to a hole in the wall corner store where no one speaks a word of English in Madrid, but Pringles are still a huge seller. 
4. Sitting outside- Europeans are always sitting and eating on the tables outside a restaurant instead of inside.  Even when it is pretty freezing in London, I can still find people sitting outside and drinking. 
5. Long lunches and relaxing- Life is at a slower pace all over Europe.  It is common for the French to spend about 2-3 hours at lunch and for the Spanish to take a nap "a siesta" for a few hours in the middle of the day.  Restaurant do not rush customers out in Europe and many people decide to stay in a restaurant for hours at a time just talking and hanging out with friends.  

           I also forgot to update my country count for a while...as I stated before my goal for the semester is 10 countries and I am quickly getting close to my goal.

----Current Country Count---

1. England
2. Wales
3. Belgium
4. Netherlands
5. France
6. Monaco
7. Scotland
8. Spain

          Last week I booked my spring break which I am really excited for.  I will be flying to Prague, Czech Republic and meeting up with a bunch of my friends for three nights.  From there I am heading down to Rome, Italy for four nights where I will be staying with my old roommate Greg, which is sure to be crazy.  After Rome I go north to Copenhagen, Denmark where I will be staying with my AKPsi friend Seth.

         Thats all for now, I miss everyone back at home...Happy Valentines Day!
- Rees

PS- This blog officially has hot over 500 views (not including my own views)! Whoa, a lot of people must have no lives.

Madrid, Espana.

           Well you already know how this works every weekend…wake up really early on Thursday morning, take the train to Gatwick airport and then jump on a plane to wherever I’m going.  This weekend, I went with Chelsea and Shayna to Madrid, Spain.  Madrid is the largest city and the capital of Spain and it is pretty much in the middle of the country.   After taking the metro to our hostel we took a quick nap since we were all pretty much dead.  When we woke up we meet up with Chelsea’s friend Brianna and we walked around and grabbed a few drinks at a pub near Plaza de Sol.  We headed back to the hostel relatively early so we can wake up and enjoy the city all day on Friday. 

            On Friday morning we went on a 3.5 hour long free walking tour of the entire city.  Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and extremely informal which made the tour absolutely great.  We saw all of the key tourist attractions of the city and he brought us to some less well-known places that the locals hang out.  We saw Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Sol, the Royal Palace and the Madrid Cathedral.  Overall the tour was a great introduction to the city and was a good balance of touristy sights and local hangouts.  After the tour we were starving so we went to an authentic Spanish restaurant.  For only 10 Euros we received a three-course meal along with a drink!  In London that would have easily cost about 20-30 pounds!   As many of you know I can be a bit of a picky eater, but I ordered and ate everything in the restaurant even though I had no idea what I originally ordered (not a single waitress spoke a word of English).  Yay for stepping out of my comfort zone.  After lunch I spent the afternoon at the second largest art museum in the world, the Prado.  A definite must see should you ever find yourself in Madrid.

            After heading back to the hostel for a little while we went to meet up with Brianna and our AKPsi friends Emily and Sam who are studying in Madrid for the semester.  The bar we went to “El Tigre” was one of the most crowded bars that I have ever been too, you literally couldn’t walk as everyone was there to snatch up a drink and a plate of tapas for only 3.5 Euros.  After going to El Tigre we decided to live la vida loca and go on a pub-crawl.  For only 12 euros we went to 5 different bars  (a free drink at each place!) and to a club to end the night.  To make things more interesting, the first pub had a power hour with free unlimited Sangria and beer for an hour.  We ended up getting back to the hostel at about 4am and needless to say we all slept in on Sunday.

            On Sunday afternoon we walked around the city and stopped at an open-air street market where all the locals were out to buy cheap clothing, jewelry and shoes.  All the vendors were screaming out to customers (“Zappatos tres Euros” “Camisas cinco Euros”) about their deals and prices and I thought it was a pretty interesting place.  Chelsea and I walked around the city for a bit longer and headed to a famous Madrid bakery while Shayna went back to the hostel to rest.  A few hours later we were back on Ryanair for our flight back to Gatwick.

View from our balcony.

A bear eating a tree- the symbol of Madrid.

Plaza del Sol.

The Royal Palace

Madrid Cathedral

This is how all the street signs are in Madrid, pretty cool.

Plaza Mayor.

Grand Via.

The Prado. 

This is a hotel, yep.

AKPsi

            Overall I absolutely loved the city of Madrid.  I thought that the buildings and the architecture were beautiful, the people were extremely friendly (take that France!) and I loved the culture that exists in Spain.  Whenever I looked slightly lost, within seconds someone was trying to help me out with directions, even when they did not speak a word of English.  Spanish people seem to love tourists and are very proud of their country and the city of Madrid.  Unlike some other countries (cough France cough cough) the locals try to ensure that tourists fall in love with the city and come back soon.  The Spanish culture is pretty nuts also.  In Spain it is common eat dinner at about 10pm and then go out until about 5-7am.  Although that is not typically my lifestyle, I do enjoy their culture, as it is way different from anything that I have experienced so far.  To my surprise, basically no one except for the people who worked in the hostel spoke any English!  Luckily for me I was able to actually talk to people and get my point across in most situations using the Spanish I learned in school over the years.  I also loved the bright blue sky and 65 degree weather we enjoyed in Spain all weekend.  The other major benefit of Madrid is that it is way cheaper than anywhere else I have been in Europe.  Supermarkets sell the same things that would be selling in London for about a quarter to a half the price that it would cost in London.  Bring in Madrid for the weekend makes me really want to go and see Barcelona now.  Only issue with Madrid: Pickpocketers.  If you go there, seriously beware.

            Last night I did my laundry and accidently put my cellphone through the wash and the dryer, oops.   I got a new phone for only 4 pounds this morning though, so no big deal.  Anyway I have some actual work to do in London this week and I should be finding out where I will be interning very soon, I’ll keep you updated. 

-Rees