A One-Week Romance

One OK Bus Praha, a 15 hour ride, and three countries in six days. Such was the compensation NYU in Prague offered its students for yanking them off the cobble-lined streets of Prague during the most exciting event that happened in the Czech Republic since the Velvet Revolution.

NYU decided to take its students on a one-week excursion on the strong recommendation of American Ambassador John Shattuck to avoid possible dangers of anticipated protests during the upcoming International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings. On September 23, 40 NYU in Prague students waved goodbye prior to the arrival of IMF officials and protestors and eagerly welcomed the promises of fun, food, and adventures in the three cities laying along the banks of the Danube River – Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Budapest, Hungary.

Sure enough, as students stepped off the cramped bus and stretched their legs, appealing thoughts of protests, shattered windows of McDonald’s, and tear gas slowly faded. Replacing them instead were the exciting prospects of sightseeing and filling hungry stomachs with authentic European cuisine.

One cannot help but catch the cosmopolitan fever ripping through the aristocratic streets of Vienna. The Ring, the cultural heart of the city, is comparable to SOHO of New York City with its designer stores and lavish restaurants and cafes. Students toured the beautiful Schonbrunn palace and luxurious gardens, set eyes on the Gustav Klimt paintings at the Belvedere, and caught a glimpse of the Habsburg crown jewels. Some dare devils even defied the heights by bungee jumping and riding the world’s largest Ferris wheel in the Amusement Park, and hard core partiers were found dancing in the Bohemia Triangle.

Viennese cuisine is as rich as its culture. Students enjoyed steaming cups of the famous Viennese hot chocolate and Viennese coffee that lived up to their delectable reputation. Some picked up a bratwurst served with bread roll from one of the many foodstands spotting the streets in the heart of the Ring. The bratwurst was a meat lover’s dream, but careful of eating too much - the creamy cheese filling and the grease makes it a heart attack on a plate. Many enjoyed strum, a fruit wine, during the Multi-Cultural Fair held on grounds by the Hofburg, where live salsa bands played the night away. One can hardly leave Vienna without having a tender slice of Wienerschnitzel, a deep-fried breaded veal cutlet. For those who have a palate for Oriental exotics, Vienna had Japanese restaurants where sushi was simply worth dying for.

Bratislava...Tesco...Hhmm. For a moment there we were duped into thinking that we never actually left Prague. It’s a good thing that students gave Bratislava a second chance to make an impression because the plain streets, cloudy skies, and Tesco (a chain grocery store) made it seem like a trip to Bratislava was a waste of time. Parts of Stare Mesto, or Old Town, that were preserved proved to be quite charming. Unfortunately, the miles and miles of Communist blocs left a sad reminder of the Soviet oppression and made for a not-so-pretty view from above the Bratislava castle. However, the hike up the ruins of the Devin Castle made for a great workout and a picturesque view of the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers. The excellent Slovak wine more than made up for the unsightly view. Slovak wine, with its sweet light taste, has been known to cure illnesses, according to legends. If not for anything else, it makes for a great party!

The final stop and culmination of the trip was in Budapest, Hungary. The capital, which was formerly divided into Buda and Pest, is joined by the Danube River and connected by nine bridges. Budapest is riddled with extraordinarily beautiful architecture such as the Castle and the grand Parliament building. Students dipped in the famous hot spas, padded across the walkways of Margaret Island, visited an awesome Jewish Synagogue and museum, and took a three-hour bus tour of the entire capital.

Students and staff alike experienced Fatal, one of the most popular eateries of Budapest. Hungarian meals should be reserved for those with big appetites, and it is very highly suggested that you should come to the table hungry. The Hungarian portion for one could have fed at least two persons! The menu consists of various types of meat with a spicy sauce and Hungarian noodles, and very doughy pastries. If presentation is key, Hungarians really know how to impress! Meals were served in huge steaming skillets or in very large platters with literally a foot high of stacked meat! Accompanied by bottles of wine, the meal proved to be an appetizing success!

A few students opted to stay at Budapest to attend Rosh Hashanah services, while others were eager to get back to Prague, which has been amiably labeled as "home."

Was it worth missing out on all the IMF fun? Perhaps some students felt it was unfair to be prevented from exercising their rights, and the IMF protests would have been an opportunity of a lifetime. However, because most of the protests happened in the dorm area, there’s a mutual feeling of “better safe than sorry.” NYU in Prague’s one-week trip is the first ever in the program's history, and students agree that it was an amazing experience and a tremendous success.