Today was probably my favorite day so far. We started with a walking tour through Prague, exploring New Town, Old Town, and crossing the river over the Charles Bridge. One of the most fascinating things I learned was that the Prague we see today was actually built above medieval Prague because of repeated flooding. Instead of abandoning the city, engineers and planners raised parts of it to a higher level, and many buildings still have underground cellars from the original city below. It was really interesting to see how engineering innovation was used to solve a long-term environmental problem while still preserving the city’s history. Also, I had to carry Roc around all day, so he officially got to experience Prague too.
Later, we took a cooking class and made a traditional three-course Czech meal together. It ended up being one of the most fun and collaborative parts of the trip so far. We also learned more about the history of Jewish communities in Prague, which made me think more deeply about tomorrow’s visit to a concentration camp and how the experiences connect.
Swanson School of Engineering 