After an extremely long travel day, I landed in Prague and began to explore the city. One of my favorite stops along our visit of the city was the Charles Bridge. Named after King Charles IV, it conveys a strong sense of patriotism from the Czech people. We learned that it was named this when the Czech Republic gained its independence to encourage a sense of pride in their history. It also joined the two bodies of land separated by a river, further unifying the country. Seeing this deep sense of pride in Czech history, it was inspiring to see how much symbolism a bridge could convey.
In addition to the Charles Bridge, we were introduced to other spots around the city that either had major historical significance, or were recommendations for places to shop and eat. Seeing the many “must see” spots in close proximity to our hotel made me excited for the next two weeks and all the opportunities that are available in Prague.
It was inspiring to hear our tour guide, Janna, talk about Prague. She was not only very knowledgeable about the history of her country, but also extremely proud to be from the Czech Republic. This makes me exited to see more locals and interact with them while visiting Prague.
Swanson School of Engineering 