Good King Wencelas
Of Christmas carol fame. No joke.
Communist Museum Poster
This was a very good museum actually.
Velvet Revolution Memorial
Astronomical Clock
Some Initial Prague Photos
View of the castle area and the cathedral from the walk to the Petrin Tower. 
Meredith by a small bridge in Prague filled with Love Padlocks.
A View of the Petrin Tower, modeled after the Eiffel Tower but with a uniqueness that is oh so Prague.
Scott, our friend/ex-pat turned tour guide was awesome enough to show us the city and teach us enough Czech to get by, all while carrying his adorable son, Davidek.
Closing Thoughts on Germany
I didn’t expect to like Germany as much as I did. I liked it a lot. They have their priorities straight. Lots of biking, lots of beer, delicious bread, good coffee, and good hiking, excellent public transit. They also like the rules. This appeals to the lawyer in me, more than I really like to admit. I’m officially a fan of Doner, the German go-to fast casual food. (It’s basically Gyros, but it’s common in Germany thanks to the Turkish immigrants.) I opted for the falafel alternative on a couple of occasions and was never disappointed.
I didn’t expect my Germans peers to be so much like me. I over-estimated the cultural divide. To be sure, there is one, but I actually think there is a bigger difference between me and my parent’s generation than between me and my German peer group. I think it’s fair for me to say this after spending a week in Dresden (and a visit to Plauen to see another German friend) with only Germans. We have the same media (music, movies, TV, internet) and we have the same struggles (finishing grad school, career advancement, committed relationships.) Other than the language, I could imagine my friends having the same discussions. Interesting
I came to appreciate the power of Man’s Day. Yep. In Germany, father’s day happens on a Thursday and it’s an excuse for any guy of drinking age (which would be 16 in Germany) to gather his man crew, BBQ, hike or ride bikes, and of course, drink beer. All hassel free. Not making it up, from Wikipedia:
“Regionally, it is also called men’s day,Männertag, or gentlemen’s day, Herrentag. It is tradition for groups of males (young and old but usually excluding pre-teenage boys) to do a hiking tour with one or more smaller wagons, Bollerwagon, pulled by manpower. In the wagons are wine or beer (according to region) and traditional regional food, Hausmannskost. Many men use this holiday as an opportunity to get drunk.”
I think we need this in America. Hear me out. Men get a day to get rowdy, pound there chests and drink beer until they drop. All the other days we can hold them to a higher standard (except perhaps during Oktober Fest – so I hear.
I really liked Germany. I don’t say that about many places, I’m quite judgmental about other countries, but I’ll definitely be back.
To my German friends and family who made the stay feel like home, Danke.
