The Baroque Library

Going to Prague was one of the best travel experiences so far. Prague had a certain magic in the air that captivated my friends and I and didn’t let go. The city itself was gorgeous with different colored buildings, red roofs, and many bell towers, and not to mention, one of the most gorgeous libraries in the world.

The baroque library in Czechia is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world and has captivated everyone that has gone through the doors. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves…

Waking up at 2:30am set the scene for my roommates and I and started our travel to Prague (and later, Budapest). Our flight was easy and short, curtesy of Ryanair, and we were excited to land in this new city and country.

Getting ready in the bathroom in the airport after we landed was definitely a ‘girly’ moment. The bathroom had amazing lighting, and girls lined the mirrors putting on makeup, touching up their hair, and getting ready to hit the city of Prague. Of course, me and my friends joined the masses and started getting ready, but soon we were out of the airport, in an uber, and going to our Airbnb.

Waiting til we could check into our Airbnb, we strolled around looking for a cafe to wait in and have some breakfast, to which we found “Waf Waf” which was a crepe house! This was very interesting, because when looking at the menu (which was all in Czech) I found myself recognizing a lot of words that I know in Bosnian — because they’re both in the Slavic language tree! It was exciting being able to translate some words and menu items to English and translate for my friends. Nevertheless, we sat down and had our crepes and waffles while we waited to check into the Airbnb.

Soon enough, we were on the way into the city and heading towards our scenic spots of the trip. We passed by bell towers, churches, little shops and more as we headed towards the Astronomical Clock (the only one that works in the world!) a staple of Prague. Truth be told, most of our trip was walking around and exploring the city such as the Prague castle (or as Bri called it ‘Hogwarts’), walking across the Charles Bridge (and recreating Depeche modes famous photo from 1988), as well as exploring and going in cathedrals, clock towers, and more.

After the clock, we headed towards the library. The Baroque library in Czechia, or the Klementinum library. My favorite part!!! My whole life, I’ve been captivated by the beauty of old libraries, books, history and the arts, and seeing this library just added to my obsession and interest. It was a guided tour, and one couldn’t go actually within the library and look around (for good reason), but we could look at it through one of the double doors. While it was a lot smaller than the Austrian National Library (another one of the most beautiful libraries in the world that I’ve gone to) it was beautiful. I would have loved to just sit there and read all day.

Books lined the walls, with beautifully twisted columns holding the upper platform. Beautiful globes lined the middle of the room, with clocks between them and old dark wooden tables. The lights were turned down and dim to preserve the antique books and give the room an old, historic feeling. The ceiling was beautifully painted with intricate designs and pictures of angels and academics.

After admiring it, I took photos and videos to preserve it in my memory and (of course) to show friends at home. While people went in and out taking photos and looking around shortly, I stayed pretty much the whole time we were allowed just looking at the beautiful library and imagining what it could have been like to truly study and learn there, and what it was like when it was in full operation.

After the library, they took us up an astronomical tower, and at the top it had a gorgeous view of the city! Perfect for photo opportunities! My friends and I were quick to find the perfect views/spots and take photos, as well as laughing about how high we were and telling each-other not to drop our phones. This tour was by far my favorite part of the trip.

After the library, we headed to Sweet Dreams, where we tried chimney cakes! They’re a Prague staple, and Nicole and I were excited to try them together and make a vlog. Laughing about how hard it was to eat; we made a vlog together in front of Charles bridge and had amazing chimney cakes. I got chocolate and strawberry, and it’s a MUST to try it if you’re in Prague. There are shops basically on every corner.

Lastly, one of the greatest memories of this trip was walking across Charles bridge and the bell tower. the sun was starting to go down and there were a lot of people on the bridge walking, talking, laughing, and enjoying Prague. Street musicians lined the sides of the bridge, played fun music, and created an amazing atmosphere that I loved to experience. My friends and I had also stumbled across a bell tower that also provided another great view of the city, but we also were up there when the bell had gone off, providing its own beautiful music to the city. The only thing we could hear were the bells of our tower, as well as the many others in the city. It was a gorgeous view and sound. The perfect ending to our trip.

Slowly but surely, we got back to our Airbnb after some dinner, and we all took naps and ‘brain breaks.’ We had a very eventful day and definitely needed some naps/sleep after waking up at 2am for our flight. After our nap, we did see the nightlife of Prague and went to Duplex club, which honestly was one of the best clubs I’ve ever been too. But soon enough, we had to leave and get ready for our other flight the next morning, heading to Budapest!

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Parents!

My parents came to visit me this past week! They both took time off work to meet me in Vienna, and from there we traveled back to Prague for a few days. Not only did we get to explore a new city together, but I also got to show them where I’ve been living for the past two months.

Our hotel was right in the heart of Vienna, just outside St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Unsurprisingly, this was the busiest area in the city—day and night, it was filled with horse-drawn carriages, food vendors, and pedestrians. This constant activity was exciting but also encouraged us to venture beyond the main square to explore quieter streets and neighborhoods. We saw a performance of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, ate at an amazing Lebanese restaurant, and played a funny game involving some mustard on the ground. But the best part of the trip was simply being with my parents. I’ve loved gaining independence while living on my own, but it also means I miss my family more, and I try to cherish the times I get to see them. I would have loved for both of my siblings to be there, too—there’s nothing like having the whole family together. Even four out of five doesn’t quite feel the same, but this past week was something special.

After we’d explored Vienna, my parents took a train, and I hopped on a bus to meet them back in Prague. I’ll admit, I still hadn’t done a lot of the typical tourist activities in Prague. I’d been to Charles Bridge once but hadn’t walked across because it was so crowded. The same went for the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Astronomical Clock, and Prague Castle. So we took the time to do it all—we walked the Charles Bridge twice, visited the other main sights, and enjoyed some delicious meals. They got to see some of the places where I go skating, meet my roommates, and experience the city’s atmosphere, from a foggy day downtown to the best view of the city: on top of Letná Hill, looking across the spires and bridges through an illuminated Czech haze. They’re flying back today and might even read this post when it’s up.

If you’re reading this, thank you both so much for coming out. I love you both tons! See you in a month!