I wasn't going to write another post until we returned from our trip to Poland, but it has been quite the eventful week here in the Czech Republic! Between classes, field trips and other explorations, the time after our spring break trip has flown by.

Terezin

The city of Terezin in the Czech Republic holds the Theresienstadt concentration camp. On Saturday, we were able to take a day trip to see the camp and a couple of museums in the town. Although this was a pretty emotionally draining day, it did start out on a lighter note. On our way to the camp, our bus stopped so we could get food. I got my McDonald's breakfast, headed back to the bus, set it on the seat, and went to the bathroom. When I got back to the bus, I sat down in my seat- completely forgetting that my orange juice was there. Yes, I sat on my orange juice. After a good laugh with everyone who had witnessed my misfortune, I ran back to the bathroom. Thanks to the hand drier I didn't have to walk around with a wet back side, but my white shirt might have bit the big one. 

 The Theresienstadt concentration camp is also known as the Terezin ghetto. Although many Jews did pass away there, it was often only a stopping point before being sent on to another camp. This was known as one of the 'nicer' camps, and it is well known for its propaganda videos and the tour that the Red Cross conducted there during the war. The Nazis did their best to make the camp look nicer than it actually was. They even dressed people in regular clothes and built wash rooms that were never actually used. 

"Work makes you free". Above a door way in the camp. 

After our tour of the camp, we went into town to visit a couple of museums. This first museum we went to hit me pretty hard. There were pillars of quotes from people who had written letters. The quotes described the conditions of the camps, and it gave a little insight into what the people were going through. There were some quotes that were very hard to read. Along with the quotes, there many belongings that were saved. One display contained identification cards of Jewish people who had passed away. Their pictures on the cards struck me the most. 

Our day trip in Terezin was very sobering, but I think it helped me to prepare for our upcoming trip to Auschwitz.

Holy Hill

After successfully making pancakes on Sunday morning, a group of us decided to explore another part of Olomouc; Holy Hill. Holy Hill is a pilgrimage sight in the Czech Republic, and the story behind the church built on top of the hill is kind of neat. A man named Jan Andrysk vowed that he would build a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary if he ever became rich. When he did become rich, he forgot about his promise, but the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a dream on top of the hill. The church is called the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, and it is extremely beautiful! 

Kromeriz

On Tuesday, we took a quick trip to Kromeriz. Kromeriz is a UNESCO heritage site, and it is only an hour away from Olomouc. Our first stop was the Baroque Kromeriz Bishop's Palace. Several scenes from Amadeus were filmed there, and it used to be the place of residence for the bishops and archbishops of Olomouc. Before we could tour it, we had to put these slippers on over our shoes to protect the floors. We all thought this was pretty funny, and I entertained myself by sliding around with them on! 

The large dining hall in the palace.  

Another room in the palace. 

After our tour of the palace, we were able to go up a tower for a view of the city. After this, we had some lunch and did some shopping. Taylor and I were also able to walk through part of the well known gardens by the palace. This didn't really help the allergies I've been struggling with lately, but it was still pretty neat to see. After our lunch break, we got ready to tour the second oldest wine cellar in Moravia which is also a part of the bishop's palace we visited earlier. I've never been to a wine cellar- honestly before this trip, I didn't know a thing about wine, but I'm not sure if it was quite what I was expecting. This wine cellar was very cool, damp and moldy- this didn't help my allergies much either! After a quick tour, we were able to sample several wines before heading back to Olomouc for class.

Taylor and I overlooking Kromeriz. 

The wine cellar- this is the less moldy area. 

A wine archive in the cellar. 

America Night

There's a club in town called Belmondo, and they work with the international students to throw parties representing different countries every Wednesday. Last night was American night, and we were all pretty excited to represent the good ol' USA. Part of the planning consisted of deciding on a welcome snack and drink; we also had to plan a midnight surprise. Our group decided on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the snack and Jack Daniel's for the drink- I don't know how good of a combination that is, but they are both very American! I enjoyed watching everyone try the peanut butter and jelly, most people were a little bit unsure about it which is very strange to me because it is so common in the US. For our midnight surprise, we decided to dance to a couple of American songs after saying the pledge of allegiance. We didn't have much practice, but we made up for our lack of organization with our enthusiasm for America. 

A group of us girls with our American gear on.

Today was a bank holiday in Olomouc thanks to the first day of May. We went to the town square which was basically transformed into a craft show, concert, and food festival all in one. I was able to find some neat souvenirs, and it was fun to take in the Czech traditions all around us. We will be taking off for Poland tomorrow morning. I've gotten too used to packing at the last minute and living out of a book bag for several days! Its also hard to believe that I will be home in a month- time has flown by way too fast here!