Kutna Hora Trip

Just chillin at our favorite tearoom in Praha working on some lessons and studies for next week.

We've gotten into a busy groove managing everything that comes with expat life, but there was still a little time for some fun this week. Yesterday, we hopped on a train and traveled Hogwarts Express style through the Czech countryside to Kutna Hora. It looked to me a lot like the arctic tundra, but my token Canadian bff informed me that that is not the case. It was pretty and barren and white though.

We arrived in this tiny town that's often featured in travel books and lists of things to see before you die, but the six of us were the only human life it seemed for miles. After consulting our map, we headed to the famous Bone Church. In the warmer months, it's a major tourist attraction but we got to experience it extremely intimately. The church was erected in a graveyard that's been there since 995, when a member of the royal family scattered dust from Golgatha on the site.

The really incredible thing about this church however, is the interior and the decor formed from the bones of 40,000 humans; victims of the Black Plague in the 14th century. The Schwartzenburg royal family crest is present, there's a monstrance, a chandelier, and tons of religious imagery--all made out of bones. The architect's intent was to show the transiency of human life, inevitability of death and the ultimate power of God. It really wasn't as creepy as it sounds--pretty unique thing to see.

We spent the afternoon in Kutna Hora in awe of the snow covered cathedrals just planted in the middle of a tiny country town. Many dumplings and a Pilsner or two graced our table in a standard Czech pub, and we hit the rail back to Praha. This time, we had a new friend in our cabin. His mannerisms were maniacal, and he  never took his eyes off of us the whole time. It's certainly not taboo in Czech culture to stare at someone like it is in the US, but this was rather odd. Just before we pulled back into the station, he stood up abruptly, grabbed two samurai swords from the luggage rack, and left us in a fit of confused laughter. Never a dull moment.