Prague, Czech Republic Day #2
It had never occurred to me that zoos in different parts of the world would hold varying animals. In the United States I had been to zoos in New York and Washington D.C. and the animals they housed did not differ too much. Only when I walked into the Prague Zoo did I realize how eclectic the animal collections were in zoos throughout the world – as well as how different the set up was too!
The Prague Zoo is one of the top 10 zoos in the world. At this point in my study abroad experience, I knew there would only be a few more museums that I could muster the desire to go into. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely a museum person, but going to multiple exhibits every week can definitely be exhausting and draining – especially when there are so many cool things to explore outdoors!
I was especially ecstatic to go to the Prague Zoo because it was home to a baby elephant who had just been born a few weeks prior and anyone who knows me knows how much I adore these trumpeting creatures.
The weather managed to clear up by the time we reached the zoo, on the outskirts of the main city where we were staying, and we walked around looking for the elephants and giraffes. The elephant family was kept inside for some unknown reason, while another elephant roamed the grounds on its own. The baby elephant was so adorable, picking up sticks with its trunk and trying to talk to its parents. It was such perfect timing that we had been able to go see it as an infant.
Later in the day I tried my first “goulash,” a traditional Czech dish full of meat and potatoes. It was absolutely delicious, but super heavy, especially when combined with another mug of beer. It was certainly a carb overload but it was worth it. Dinner was followed by a trdelnik – a typical Czech dessert food made from a cinnamon sugar-coated freshly made donut filled with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. So delicious!
Later that night, with the possibility of missing our 7 a.m. bus to Budapest the next morning, Ben and I decided to make our last night in Prague a relaxed one and explored the bars in the Jewish Quarter of the city.
It wasn’t long before we stumbled across “Anonymous Bar,” a venue inspired by the “Anonymous” organization and the book V for Vendetta. The vibe of the bar was especially cool because of the quirky antique furniture as well as the dark musty lighting, accented with portraits of the “Anonymous” mask in frames on the walls throughout the room.
It reminded me of a 1920’s Gatsby party full of intellectuals and interesting characters drinking creatively mixed, lit on fire and plated cocktails. It was a really cool way to end our way-too-short few days in Prague.
Stay Classy! xx