On a rare sunny day here in Prague - a pleasant surprise only because we're falling slowly but surely into Autumn and colder weather - I joined a group of CEA students to visit the Strahov Monastery and Brewery. Since I didn't get the chance to research the place before visiting, I was under the impression that I'd see a bunch of monks walking around in orange robes, enjoying beers. Completely unusual and unrelated, but maybe it was a Czech thing.
It turns out that Strahov is a district within Prague, much like Beverly Hills is a city within LA County. Rather than flashy cars and famous celebrities, however, Strahov boasts a beautiful, world-famous library and delicious beers in the brewery right across from the monastery. No monks spotted.
After congregating in the CEA office, exchanging hellos and going through introductions, we began our uphill adventure toward the famous Prague Castle. As we passed by trinket shops and Trdelnik stands, fighting with the cobblestones under our feet, we passed though Strahov Hill. Redefining the term "breathtaking," the crystal clear view of the city from this location is completely unparalleled. If there's one spot you need to visit just to experience Prague in all it's beauty, this would be it.
After admiring the view open-mouthed for a good twenty minutes, we continued upwards, turning left towards the Monastery instead of the castle. After climbing up a few flights of stairs, we finally laid eyes open the gorgeous library we'd heard so much about (and only seen before in Casino Royale.) The Strahov Monastery is one of the oldest in the world, and knowing that the incredible beauty surrounding us had such a deep history added to the wow-factor.
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| The city's best view of Prague on Strahov Hill. |
After admiring the view open-mouthed for a good twenty minutes, we continued upwards, turning left towards the Monastery instead of the castle. After climbing up a few flights of stairs, we finally laid eyes open the gorgeous library we'd heard so much about (and only seen before in Casino Royale.) The Strahov Monastery is one of the oldest in the world, and knowing that the incredible beauty surrounding us had such a deep history added to the wow-factor.
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| The world famous Strahov Library, featured in the James Bond film "Casino Royale." |
We concluded our afternoon with a tour of the miniature brewery, so tiny that our entire group could fit into the room. However, the two beers we sampled were robust and rich in flavor - incredible, considering flocks of people had descended upon the brewery to try beers coming out of a single, tiny space.
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| Enjoying our complimentary beers at the Strahov Brewery. |
All in all, CEA went above and beyond as usual to ensure that we would have a memorable trip. If you're ever by the Prague Castle, be sure to take a quick 10 minute detour to treat your eyes and your tongue!
Tansu Philip is the Fall 2014 CEA MOJO in Prague, Czech Republic. She is currently a junior at Chapman University.