Free Weekend in Praha

Before leaving for Prague, we visited the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine. I thought it was remarkable that the center worked with clinics to integrate its own basic research with the research of the clinics in order to maximize results. In addition, we got to see an MRI machine, and it was very impressive in size and capability. It was truly amazing to me to see how it functions and its utility in medicine.

We then embarked on the five hour train ride to Prague. As we approached the city and immediately when we got off the train, I could tell we were moving into Eastern Europe since the city was just so destitute in comparison to Germany as you could tell it was just not nearly as developed. When we arrived at the hostel, I was thoroughly surprised by how nice it was. My only issue was that the room only had one outlet for nine people! After arriving late at night, we decided to grab some food to prepare for the next day. As we walked around, I definitely started to panic a little bit because I did not know what a single word meant. Other than the language problem, the city seemed incredibly sketchy as we walked through trying to find food. To my surprise, all the convenience stores and restaurants were closed by 11 so we just got a quick snack at a gas station.

As we started our day excursion of the city, one thing became apparent very quickly: Prague is super hilly! It was definitely a workout climbing to the top of the hills, but it was worth it for sure. The views were fantastic and you could really capture glimpses of the entire city. We tried going up to the monastery, but it was closed so we decided to make our way to the Castle. The Castle lived up to its iconic image with its marvelous architecture. We didn’t get to take a tour due to time constraints but it would have been nice to learn more about its history. After getting some amazing food, we crossed the Charles Bridge and went into the Old City to visit the Jewish Quarter. We got to see the renowned synagogue as well as a few other nearby historical sites. We then called it a day, and to get back home, we walked for what seemed to be an eternity until finally finding the tram to take us back to the hostel.

Overall, it was a very fun weekend, but I’m glad our program is based in Germany and Austria. Prague was cool to visit for a short period, but besides the touristic places, the city itself was not very impressive. With that said, I’m still glad I got to visit the eastern part of Europe and that everyone came back safely!