I Love my Country, but I Think We Should See Other People: Czech Business Cards

In the middle of June, two of my best friends from Colorado - Kinsey and Ben, affectionately known as "Binsey" - hopped the pond to visit Mike and me. After a weekend spent showing them the sights and the many "rom kerts," or ruin-garden bars, in Budapest, Binsey and I went to Prague. I always will have a fondness for Prague, because it's where my sister studied abroad, and it's the first European city I ever visited back in 2002. I didn't think I remembered much of about it, but once I was there, everything became familiar again - from the beautiful Vltava river that splits the city, to the verdant hills and fairy tale-like city center. However, the city seemed even more gorgeous than last time, because in 2002, it was recovering from a devastating flood. And even though our recent trip was incessantly rainy, at least there was no flooding.

During the three-day stay, we hit Prague's major highlights, like the city center, castle district and many great pubs. I'd say the highlight was a three-hour tour we took of the Jewish Quarter - which I didn't see last time, because it was recovering from the floods. Our tour guide, Roman (a man who constantly encouraged us to visit his friends' businesses, where his business card could garner a discount) was extremely knowledgable. He took us throughout Prague's Jewish ghetto, its stunning synagogues and eerie cemeteries - where at some, the bodies were stacked as much as 10 bodies high. Here are some photographic highlights of the trip:

In the Jewish Quarter. This building is on the perimeter of the cemetery and is where bodies used to be prepared before burial. Traditionally, one aspect of this sacred ritual included shaving the entire body (aside from head hair), so people were laid to rest in the same fashion that they entered the world. Today, the building serves a museum:

A Jewish clock- it is a rare sight, as the hands move in the opposite way of most Western clocks, just like how Hebrew is read opposite of English, from right to left. But, as Roman told us "it does not make you grow younger."

A view of the interior of St. Vitus Cathedral, the towering, Gothic structure at the castle. I adore this church, especially its stained glass. One of the windows was designed by Czech, Art Noveau artist Mucha - whom I adore. Kinsey and I also visited his museum too.