The highlight of my day was definitely the cooking class. The dishes we made had so much depth of flavor and so fun to cook. Becca and I got named the most photogenic couple by Jana, so you know it was official. The dumplings in particular highlight the resourcefulness of Czech cuisine, using stale hard bread with other basic ingredients to make it. I also loved the first soup we made, and the combination of sweet, sour, and tanginess.
The coolest thing about the Prague Castle is the mix of so many architectural styles. It was mainly gothic but mixed in Baroque, and Romanesque. I especially loved the gargoyles that resembled hounds, which I thought was interesting since I associate hounds with hell, but they are protecting a church. I also noticed these styles in a lot of architecture during our walking tour. So many times I looked around and uttered “Why couldn’t they design Pittsburgh to be this beautiful”. It really seems like every building in this city was designed with meticulous care and is so ornate in style. Also, the blend of this older style with the modern conveniences like the tram system built into the old cobblestone. It shows how the city balances preservation with progress.
Swanson School of Engineering 