Prague and Dresden!

Window that lead to the crypt;
where the firehoses were positioned

       Our trip started with an early morning train ride requiring us all to be ready to go by 7:30am. To most this doesn't sound all that early, but when you don't have class until 3 Monday through Thursday, it was kind of a struggle. Our train left at 8:50am and we were all planning on sleeping on the train. However, Cara and I ended up in a small room with only one other person, and we wended up talking the entire time. Trains are rather peaceful, and they even come with free coffee! Once we arrived in Prague we checked into our hostel (there were eight of us in our room), grabbed a quick bite to eat, and gathered again to go see the Czech Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Cyril and Methodius. This cathedral is the national memorial to the heroes of the Heydrich Terror.
       I didn't know that there was a high ranking German Nazi official who was assassinated during the war, but sure enough Heydrich was the target. This particular officer was one of the main architects in the Holocaust and so the resistance put together a plan called Anthropoid to assassinate him. Before we left for Prague we watched a movie called Anthropoid which emulated the events and plans the paratroopers were to carry out. These seven men ended up hiding in the crypts of the Orthodox Cathedral andante found, held off the Nazi army for 6 hours. They withstood gunfire, grenades, and even firehoses used to try to flush them out from the crypt. It was surreal to be in the same place where they hid and fought for their lives. To see the names of all of the civilians that were killed as the Nazis took revenge on the general public after the assassination was stupefying. 

Mexican restaurant for some drinks!

       Later that afternoon were were left to our devices and because Easter is coming up, were walked around the Easter market and bought some paprika dogs for lunch! The Easter markets are really festive and filled with hot wine, yummy food, and painted eggs. We also found a really cute coffee shop called "My break" with the nicest owner who gave us pastries with all of our drinks, and freshly baked bread straight from the oven. We ended up going there a few times while in Prague. The next way we kind of had crappy weather but we walked to the Charles Bridge, John Lennon wall, and then hiked up a very steep hill to get to the Prague Castle/Cathedral. the view was beautiful as you could see over most of Prague. Late afternoon we were again given some time to explore and ended up on a carriage ride around the city center! Oh how I enjoy the clip closing of hooves on cobble stones. :) After dinner we went out for some drinks and I had my first tequila shot and an amazing Piña colada with great company!

Frauenkirche (Lutheran church) in
Dresden and Martin Luther statue 

       After a few days in Prague, we headed to Dresden Germany to visit a Lutheran Church that was burned to the ground during the air raids during WWII. The air raids created fire balls that suffocated civilians, and severely damaged the church. They rebuilt the church about 15 years ago using plans and pictures of the original church in order to rebuild and restore. The dark bricks on the outside were salvaged from the original church and the white bricks are brand new. I was so happy to finally be around a place of religion that I am familiar with, and seeing the statue of Martin Luther right outside the church filled me with joy.
       I didn't realize how much being away from home and my church has affected me, but with this past weekend being Palm Sunday, and this upcoming weekend being Easter, it has been more so on the forefront of my mind. I really struggled when we were in Dresden because while inside of Frauenkirche, it felt like there was a lack of respect. It felt like this experience wasn't being respected as much as other worship places, such as a cathedral. There was more goofing off and the atmosphere was much more fun loving, rather than  revered which is backwards from what it should be while in any church. I wanted to learn and take my time to read and listen about the history but it felt really lonely, and almost as if I was the only one who cared. I know that isn't true, but it really tested by positive attitude about being in a place that reconnects me to what I left back home and really soaking in the wonder and beauty of the church. I have really been missing having a church to go to, and even though I listen to sermons from back home, being in a place of worship that you identify with is really powerful. I just hope that in the future, regardless of personal beliefs, people are able to respect a place of worship, or at least the history.
       Away, on Sunday back in Prague, we visited the Jewish Quarters, including the oldest synagog in Europe. We walked into the Synagog and there are names printed on all of the walls in memory of the 85,000 Jewish Czechs who were killed during WWII. There is a recording that plays 24/7 reading off all eighty five thousand names of this who perished. I cannot wrap my head around that many people, and those were just the people who were killed from Czechoslovakia, not anywhere else in Europe. We also walked through the cemetery and the graves were right up next to each other in attempts to fit everyone inside the ghetto in the cemetery. The Ghetto was portrayed as a resort and showed clips of children drinking lemonade, but instead it was a designated place where all Jewish people lived and waited to be sent off to camps run by Nazis.

       I am so blessed to have this opportunity to be challenged, learn, and make new friends. I hope the next 10 weeks are filled with more of the same! This weekend we are going to Munich and Salzburg for Easter, so here is to many adventures to come. :)

Jewish Cemetery in what used to be the Jewish Ghetto

     

Beautiful view from the Prague Castle