Stephen’s Travels

In the summer of 2005, I had the unique opportunity to travel throughout Germany, Poland, and Czech Republic with a tour called the “Holocaust Remembrance Tour”. Given that I had just studied the Holocaust the previous semester, the tour was a marvelous way to experience history and tragedy in a more personal and firsthand way. The tours were very draining physically and mentally, the most heavy hitting being the memorial at Lidice. Given the serious nature of this particular location, and the trip as a whole, one might expect a high level of tact, much more so than normal. This, however, was not the case on this occasion.

As I recall, we had just taken some time walking around the memorial grounds in Lidice. After a brief walk from the memorial to the temporary visitors center, we found ourselves waiting outside for several minutes in the cool mist while the previous tour group cleared out. I don’t even remember what the next comment was regarding, but one member of our group was a bit frustrated with the circumstances and compared our tour leader (Iain, bless his heart!) to Hitler. Sigh.

Perhaps I was just extra emotional that day, but I’d say that such a comment was out of line at that time or any other time. It really bummed me out.

Right now you may be asking yourself, “…Self, what is Stephen Searer up to these days?”

If I were nearby, and you happened to say it out loud, and I happened to hear it, I would probably say something along the lines of, “Well, (insert name here) the proper question is what aren’t I up to”

When I first arrived in Prague 4 or 5 days ago (I’ve lost count) I started to see everything. I even purchased a guidebook that told me everything about everything here. It’s been wonderful and I have even found myself answering people that ask questions at certain monuments which I am familiar with. It is really a lot of fun.

In case you didn’t know, I was here last summer for several days. Specifically, I was with a group from Cal Baptist touring Holocaust sites as a supplement to the course I took the previous semester. However, it was a much different purpose than my latest one, which was to learn everything about the city. Hopefully I can convince everyone I know to go to it. After all, I think its the most beautiful city in the world.

So I’ve toured and looked at probably 10 or 15 churches, toured Prague Castle, the National Museum. Which was so much fun by the way. I am not a big fan of looking at rocks by an means, but there was an excellent mineral collection. They also had some wonderful collections of taxidermied animals (I apologize if that is spelled wrong, I meant stuffed, but that sounds likes they have kids toy collection) Anyways, it was so much fun looking at birds, snakes, bugs, fish, whales, bears, dodo’s and countless others.

Tomorrow I am planning on touring the Jewish quarter again as a tourist this time, and I will probably make it up to the Loreto near the castle. Most people that are reading have no clue what I am talking about so do a little homework on Prague by going here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague

Prague has had the most beautiful rose gardens yet. Really breathtaking. I uploaded some more pictures but only a few because it was messing up the internet cafe’s connection.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevesearer

For my favorite photos of the trip go here and click on them to make them bigger:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevesearer/tags/favorite/

Well, thats all for now, sorry about the lack of new pictures.

Stephen’s my name,

I love you all,

-Stephen

Lidice is nothing important if you know nothing about WWII or the holocaust. To us on the tour, we know that it is a city that was destroyed in retaliation for the assassination of Rudolph Heydrich. Basically all of the city’s men were killed, and the women and children were sent to concentration or extermination camps. The city was completely razed so that all that now remains are a couple foundations. Out of all the memorials so far, this one touched me the most. I think it was the monument to the children that were killed hit the deepest. It is really difficult to put into words the things I have seen, I hope a new light is shed upon WWII and especially the holocaust.

We also visited Terezinstadt, which was a camp for political prisoners as well as Jews. While this was not specifically an extermination camp, like all of the others, thousands of people perished there.

This was all on our way out of Prague to Chemnitz, Germany.

Well, on the eve on my second day in Prague, I must say it has been one of the best times in my life. I’m sorry I haven’t uploaded any pictures of Prague yet, but I am using my roommates computer and my pictures are not on it. We have been all over the city though. I am really surprised at how many tourists there are. I don’t like how many there are and I am one, I can only imagine how the actual residents feel. Needless to say, it is the most beautiful city I have ever been to.

We have gone to the Charles Bridge, all throughout the main part of town (the tourist part), Prague Castle, and Loreta. There is so much to see, I wish I could spend much more time here.

This morning we went to Krivoklat Castle, which was a hunting castle for Charles IV. It was really amazing. Basically everything that I have see is amazing because a) it was build so long ago, b) it is so beautiful, and c) nothing in the United States compares to anything here.

Even taking public trams around town instead of driving is enjoyable (and rather quick). Tomorrow we are making our way to Germany, but first we are going to stop at a city that was entirely destroyed and it’s inhabitants killed because it semi-aided in the assasination of Rudolph Heydrich.

Keep the comments coming, I am really enjoying them.