Pilzen

Hey all! Time to fill you in on my weekend!

So this weekend I stayed in the Czech Republic. I went out with friends Friday and Saturday night and had a lot of fun at two new bars! Saturday day Ryan and I spent the ENTIRE afternoon planning our 18 day trip after our semesters end. I hate planning trips because it just takes so long! But we finally have everything figured out now! We are going to Munich (Germany), Geneva (Switzerland), Venice, Florence, Cirque Terre, Pisa, a town in Tuscany that Marco (an Italian friend) recommended, Rome, Pompeii, Krakow and then home! I cannot wait!

Sunday I went to Pilzen with my entire program, well those who were in Prague this weekend anyway. Pilzen is a city about an hour west (and a little south) of Prague in the Czech Republic and it's actually the most populated city in the Czech Republic (300,000). It is famous because it's where all the Pilsner Urquell and Gambrinus is brewed! So yes we went on a brewery tour at 11:00 a.m. and drank beer for breakfast...and continued drinking beer at lunch. Our program leader, Radka, was raised in Pilzen so she acted as our tour guide for the rest of the afternoon.

She took us to a famous monument in Pilzen called the American Liberation Monument. This is the FIRST monument I have seen in Europe that actually thanks America for their help in WWII! It's kind of funny because the monument literally says THANK YOU AMERICA in all Caps, bold gold letters. On May 6, 1945 Plzen was liberated from Nazi Germany by the 16th Armored Division of General Patton's third Army (with help from the 97th and 2nd Infantry Divisions too). This was actually America's last offensive of the war! Once the American soldiers came, there was a huge party on the main street of Pilzen, now called Amerkia, where everyone was hugging and kissing like crazy! Radka remembers her grandmother, who was 15 at the time, telling her about how good looking all the American soldiers were...maybe that's why there was so much kissing!

Then we went to see the second biggest Synagogue in Europe. It was really cool because we got our own private, personal tour. Then we had free time. James, Brian and I did our traditional tower climb together--we have climbed every church tower possible together on our CEA excursions--at St. Bartholomew Cathedral. Then we met up with the rest of the crew in Radka's favorite cafe to warm up with some hot chocolate. It was rather chilly on Sunday.

So yeah that's about it for my weekend! Overall a very nice one with mostly nice weather. It's supposed to stay in the 50's until the first week of December! I am fully taking advantage of the nice weather by running outside as much as possible! I really enjoy running along the river. How many of you can say you run past a 13th century church and 9th century castle everyday? :)