Traveling by Train

Trains have surpassed cars on my mental list “Favorite Modes of Transportation”.  Don’t get me wrong, I miss driving already and nothing beats scream-singing “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind with maximum volume.  But traveling by train opens the door to copious new possibilities.  The convenient public transportation in Prague quickly became something I appreciate and now this whole national train system has me completely won over.

A couple of friends and I bought last minute tickets to Kutná Hora, a little Czech city about an hour outside of Prague.  We were able to go for about 6 hours since none of us had Thursday classes and we quickly decided we are in favor of returning.  One of the most notable sites is Sedlec Ossuary commonly referred to as “The Bone Church”.  I knew some of its history prior to the visit including the fact that the bones of over 40,000 people are located there.

The eerily beautiful arrangements left me in greater awe than I had anticipated.  Hearing about a church that is decorate with human bones sounds kind of creepy, maybe a bit intriguing, and surely this is accurate.However, it was the brilliant artistry that turned up unexpectedly.  Each methodical placement drew me in and left me wondering about the story connected to each individual whose physical remnants were used to create such a masterpiece.

The splendor continued at St. Barbara’s Cathedral which flaunts large flying buttresses and vibrant stained glass.  The church demands attention as its striking enormity transcends the entire town.  I could have stood there for hours gazing up at the colors that filtered through the windows.  Each angle allowed the light to cascade through differently.  Be skeptical if you wish, but the church photos you see remain unedited.  We walked down the street to find more picturesque spots.  Each café had something valuable to offer such as pancakes or vinyl records.  With too much left unexplored, I plan on buying the $7.50 round trip ticket again.