Today we visited the Kunsthalle “art collection” to learn about how it was created and to connect with Pitt Alumni at the Alumni event. The day started with a lecture from the director and architect on the history of the museum. It used to be a transformer station. It was cleaned to remove heavy metals,…
Tag: Plus3 Czech Republic
Check out all the Plus3 Czech Republic blogs below!
Bohemia & Academia
Today was mostly spent at Kunsthalle Prague, a new art space. We spent the early afternoon conversing with the lead architecture and the director about the conversion of the building and the mission of the space. It was really informative and interesting. I loved hearing from two successful women about their efforts to bridge art,…
5/15: Down to business
After finally getting the opportunity to sleep in, we were off to Kunthalle today. We first listened to a presentation about the foundation of the company from Ivana. We also heard about the architecture, which is interesting because all of the buildings in Prague are so old, so they are like a “shell” for the…
Rain Czech for Fireworks??
Today we had free time in the morning, so I thought I would get some souvenir shopping done. I got to wander around the city looking for cool things, and then it was time to return to the hotel and meet for our tour of the Kunsthalle (which is German for “hall of art” or…
Alumni from Pittsburgh to Prague
Today was a busy day at the museum. Firstly, we got up decently late as the tour didn’t start till after noon. That gave plenty of time for a decent breakfast. After the long morning, we took a quick trip on the transit to Kunsthalle Praha. This place was special because it was actually completely…
Czeching in with Pitt Alum
Today we got some time to sleep in which was well needed. We also went to Kunsthalle Praha which is an art gallery. The building was so unique. There were so many different staircases and the floor design was really interesting. There was a really cool room with hammocks and it was Jimi Hendrix themed…
Puddles and Pudding
The local custom that has most resonated with me is more so the attitude of the locals than anything specific. Based on our reading before the trip, I was expecting to encounter locals who weren’t friendly to tourists. While there have definitely been some locals who would fit that description, I have been blown away…
Day 7: Appreciating Czech Cuisine and Culture
Today we spent the day at Kutna Hora! We saw many important places while we were here, but the highlight was the Bone Church (Sedlec Ossuary). While definitely a unique and slightly creepy to see a chapel designed around the remains of thousands of people from hundreds of years ago, it was a powerful moment…
It (Bear)ly Even Rained
We took a three hour bus to Český Krumlov, a small town with 12,000 inhabitants that fills with tourists everyday. The Vltava flows around the town in a horseshoe shape. It was wonderful to wander the streets and stop into the little shops filled with toys and trinkets, souvenirs and clothing, food and drinks… We…
Český Krumlov Day Trip
Today we explored Český Krumlov, which was well worth the drive outside of Prague. It was amazing how historical this village was. There were many small shops and restaurants. The castle was so impressive. I really enjoyed touring the grounds and learning more about how it was established. The drive to the town was also…
Eighth Day Czech In – New Cultural Norms
Today was an interesting day. We got to travel to another city in the Czech Republic (Cesky Krumlov) that was about three hours away from Prague. The city has the second largest castle in all of the Czech Republic! We actually got to tour the castle and it was a surreal experience. We got to walk…
Living the Czech Tradition
Today I got up at a decent time for the two hour bus ride to Český Krumlov. On our way there, we passed through the southern part of the city limits. This area was filled with many modern office buildings, something that is pretty much everywhere in the United States. After the trip there, we…
5/14: Don’t get emotionally attached to the bears
Today we visited Český Krumlov, which was my favorite place of the trip so far. It was a 2.5 hour bus ride each way, but was worth every minute. The town built into the natural landscape with the hills and the river was absolutely amazing. Once we got there, we walked around and saw the…
Double Czech the Weather Report
Today was a slightly colder and wetter day for our trip to Cesky Krumlov. We arrived there after a slightly longer bus ride, and thought that the rain might hold off for us. We toured the town and the castle. The moat outside the castle had an unexpected surprise… BEARS! The castle was really amazing…
Local Czech Customs
My favorite Czech custom is the polite respect with which they treat each meeting. When one Czech walks into a store, greets an acquittance or in any way meets in a formal setting the person is expected to say, “Dobry den”. It is the formal way to greet someone, and it means “Good day”. The…
Raspberry Lemonade Forever
The food here has been super cool to try. However, I am already tired of Czech food and ready to get back to burgers and fries. The bread “dumplings” are interesting, to say the least, and leave me craving a real dumpling each time I see it on the menu. I have really enjoyed trying…
Czeching out a Castle!
Today we headed out of Prague again to check out the UNESCO city of Česky Krumlov. Walking into this city, you’re immediately blown away by the amazing, massive castle! Thankfully, we had a tour to see this castle. The castle dates back to the 1300s and was owned by many different wealthy families. Walking up…
Czech Customs
The Czech custom that resonates with me the most so far is greeting people when you enter/exit local businesses. I think it’s a kind gesture to greet people in general let alone when you enter their storefront. People sacrifice so much of their time and energy to create a business that it is truly their…
Czech Cuisine
When thinking about my favorite meal in the Czech Republic, one specific meal comes to kind. A few days ago we went to this beautiful restaurant that served traditional Czech food near the famous John Lenon wall. We all ordered fancy raspberry lemonades and for my meal I ordered a pork knee. While it seems…
She yearns for the mines
Prague day 6!!! And we are off to CEZ bright and early for a company visit with one of the largest company’s in the Czech Republic! CEZ is a leading energy group so getting to visit one of their many power plants was a great experience! After a long bus ride through the countryside we…