After a long night out at the club, I was energetic and excited to see Prague Castle up close after having only seen it from afar. While waiting at the tram stop, I noticed an emergency happening to my left. As a volunteer firefighter myself, I was thrilled to finally see a European fire vehicle, especially one responding to an active call. However, it turned out to be a false alarm, and they quickly packed up and left before the tram arrived.
Entering the castle, I saw the gates guarded by two guards—one dressed in historic attire and the other in modern military uniform and equipment. It was fascinating to see one guard seemingly stuck in time while the other represented a contemporary soldier. Once inside, I learned about a flag flying above one of the rooms in the building, which marked it as one of the president’s office spaces.
Moving further into the castle, the views were breathtaking, just as impressive as those from the outside. Inspired by Gothic architecture, the ceilings soared hundreds of feet high, with windows at the top that let in ample natural light, giving the air a golden glow. Additional light poured in through the stained-glass windows along the walls. While the colorful stained glass added various hues to the interior, the artwork itself was deeply significant, holding historical value and telling stories through its imagery.
Besides the architecture, my favorite fact about the church was that treasure was buried beneath its floors. Unfortunately, its location was revealed during the German occupation.
I then explored more buildings throughout the castle complex, including a hall that had caught fire and remains empty to this day as they search for the right furniture to fill it. The last sight I visited was a tower that offered stunning views of Prague and miles beyond. Thankfully, the sun was out during this portion of the trip, making the scenery even more picturesque. Although I missed seeing the dungeons, I enjoyed a tasty lunch at one of the cafes located in an old residential building.
The next day, the class traveled miles outside the city to Terezin, a former fortress town tragically exploited by the Germans during their occupation. On the outskirts of the town stood a fortress that the Germans turned into a concentration camp for Jews, criminals, and prisoners of war. Entering the gates, I was immediately overcome by an overwhelming feeling of despair. The silence was profound, allowing me—and hopefully others—to reflect on and grasp the significance of the land we were standing on. Experiencing the environment was surreal and meaningful to me, especially since I, like many others, had not known about this camp and ghetto before the trip, even though it holds as much importance as other, more widely recognized sites of atrocity.
One night, I went out with a group of friends to a unique and somewhat hidden bar that many tourists wouldn’t know about, making it feel niche. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary bar, but its distinctive features became clear once we stepped inside. The first floor was a typical dining area, but beyond it was a stairway leading down to another level—a small room filled with six foosball tables and two pinball machines. Descending further, we found a floor with live music and more dining space, and at the very bottom, a club-like atmosphere awaited. The food was good, and the crowd was primarily local, giving us, as foreigners, the opportunity to learn more about Czech culture and its people.
Unfortunately, I was starting to feel sick that night, so my experience wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been. However, I was surprisingly good at pinball, which made the night fun despite feeling unwell.