There are many reasons to travel from understanding different cultures, learning about history, seeing the natural beauty of the world, to many more. One of the more selfish reasons for traveling and going to new places around the world is that it just makes you feel good. Once you get over the stress of travel itself and actually are spending time in a new location, there is a sense of awe and enjoyment that can’t help but make you smile. When you smile, your body releases endorphins that make you feel good, which is why travel can become so addictive. In the same way that an adrenaline junky can’t get enough travel because of the endorphins that get released when doing risky activities, the same things occur to people who truly enjoy traveling.
At the Colosseum in RomeAfternoon in PragueAt a Volcano in EcuadorPlaza in Old Town Strasbourg
When we look back at photographs of ourselves from our travels, there is no doubting as to whether it makes us happy. We usually have broad smiles on our faces and a general look of contentment. There is no doubt that we have conditioned ourselves to traveling and most definitely have the travel bug. Oddly enough, when we look at our selfies, which we don’t always take, it is almost as if we have the exact same poses and faces in every single one of them. Because we travel over the winter quite frequently, we also have the same coats and scarves on in many of them as well. Do you look the same in your travel photos or do you do random poses?
Sunny Day at the Acropolis in AthensCold Day in IcelandOn a Bridge in NurembergThe Canals of Amsterdam
We, like many of you, spend a lot of our time thinking about and planning our next trip. Unfortunately, here in the United States, it isn’t as easy to get to places as it is in some other parts of the world. It is even worse when you live in the middle of the country as we do because we can’t even jump in a car and head to another state without it taking at least eight hours. It certainly isn’t the same as our time living in Frankfurt when we could decide to go someplace on Wednesday and spend three or four days visiting another country with a short two or three hour train or plane ride. As we finalize arrangement for our next trip, it is likely that we will spend around twenty hours in the air before we reach our destination. Taking that amount of time just to reach a destination makes it hard to explore as much as we would like. Obviously, just being in Europe doesn’t mean that suddenly you can go wherever you want, whenever you want, but it does make it a little easier. We have been reminiscing a lot lately about our time in Frankfurt and there are days when we miss it terribly.
Looking down the River Main in FrankfurtThe Roof of the Old Opera HouseBuildings in Old Town along the RiverStatue in FrankfurtOld Town Plaza in FrankfurtChurch in FrankfurtApartment Buildings on Our Street in FrankfurtUnique Entrance to a BuildingRatskeller in Old Town
One of the most amazing places we visited during our time in Europe was the Prague Castle Complex. There are many beautiful castles throughout Europe, but the sheer size and number of structures on the grounds of Prague Castle made it one of the most fascinating. Dating back to the 9th century with new additions being added throughout its history, the complex has the castle fortress, palaces, gardens, cathedrals and churches, a monastery, as well as several defense towers. This is definitely one of those places that you could visit several times and still see something new every time.
Standing in Front of the PalaceSt. Vitus CathedralView from the Castle Complex
Seeing the castle complex from Charles Bridge is one of the most iconic sights that you will ever see while traveling around Europe. Once you cross the bridge, you enter a city of its own that surrounds the castle. We were on a walking tour, so we didn’t get to go inside of the Royal Palace, the St. Vitus Cathedral, or St. George’s Basilica, but there is so much to see just walking around the grounds. We were there during the off-season and the crowds were still very large and the lines to enter the palace were several hours long and the cathedral was closed during our visit. If you have the time and are willing to wait in the long lines, based on what we have heard, it is worth it to see the luxurious grandeur that awaits you when you enter.
Waiting in LineSt. Vitus Cathedral and the Prague Castle Complex, Czech RepublicBeautiful Building on the Complex Grounds
Walking through the complex, the spires of the St. Vitus Cathedral dominate the skyline and it is a wonderful example of a gothic cathedral. And yet, somehow, it felt unique compared to many of the other gothic cathedrals that we have seen in Europe. There are so many incredible details on the exterior of the cathedral that you are treated to something new around every corner. The colorful fresco above the doors of the cathedral was one of the more interesting features that we saw as we toured around the complex.
Artwork Above the DoorsClassic Gothic Style of St. Vitus CathedralGothic Details
The views from the castle complex are amazing and you are treated to an incredible cityscape that overlooks the ancient red roofs with the modern city of Prague off in the distance. After leaving the palace and cathedral, you walk through the narrow streets of the Golden Lane as well as streets lined with shops and restaurants. Everywhere you look, your eyes are greeted with the fascinating architecture of Prague. There is so much to see in this wonderful city, but visiting the Prague Castle Complex is certainly one of the highlights of any visit. If you want to capture the memory forever, stop at the stand of one of the many artists that are on Charles Bridge and purchase an original piece of art at a reasonable price that captures the sights of Prague.
Old World Prague with Modern Prague in the DistanceWalking the Narrow StreetsBeautiful Architecture Walking Down from the Castle Complex
