With a few weeks under my belt, and several suggestions from colleagues and friends that have been to the city before, sometimes, you just need a bit of a break, but, you also don’t want to squander the beautiful country you have been so gratefully capable of coming to. So, I spent my weekend taking my time, and taking care of some things that I needed to.
I did not think while I was packing that the backpack I had planned to use for my everyday might actually be a bit too large for my non-workday adventures. Therefore, when I discovered this, I had no alternative. I asked around and
was pointed in the direction of Palladium to find something more suitable. I ended up with a sinchsack (much cheaper than I could find in the U.S.) and an experience of the shopping experience here in the Czech Republic. It 
took me a bit to find the complex I was directed to (which holds over 200 different shops, restaurants, and bars), but it is also located on a long street full of shops and smaller complexes. Taking it all in was truly an experience in and of itself. I also found a toy store that was three stories tall and the place of childhood dreams.
Having not made it to Prague Castle, other than walking by it, I decided this is where I would spend Sunday. I live less than a twenty minute walk from the Castle. So, like most Sundays, I walked through the rose gardens and Petrin,
toward the monastery, and continued on to the castle complex. As I know this will be a destination in another few weeks, I did not purchase tour tickets, but did take in the beauty of the castle and the feel of being surrounded by such architecture.
This weekend also allowed me to finish my second book since arriving: The Walnut Trees of Altenburgh. While my 
first book was an American history book, I didn’t want to dwell on it, but this novel was suggested by my mentor. It is based during the World War I time period, written by a Frenchman who has ties to France and Germany, and really highlights how the war progressed in the eyes of a soldier. Though the narrator is not that particular soldier (he is telling the story of his father), he also has those connections to war. It was haunting in so many ways, but also highlighted a style of writing often lost. So many people can truly capture life and all of its glory, but it is rare for an author to be able to so thoroughly illustrate death. I spent my week sitting at cafes and pubs after work just taking in this work while enjoying the atmosphere. I can’t wait to continue to do that with some of the other works I have had suggested to me.
Raven K 