The first night 
my mom arrived was relaxed. I was overjoyed to see her and have a part of home with me (although it threw my mind for a loop combining the two worlds I've been living in). I was also ecstatic for her to meet my host family. And fortunately the automatically hit it off. Together we showed my Mom around Greve and strolled along the beach where Copenhagen can be seen in the distance. The next day my mom and I went to Roskilde, a town close near where my host family lives. With her my mom brought good weather to Denmark and we were lucky to see autumn in Roskilde. We visited the church where the Kings and Queens of the Danish monarchy are buried dating back to near Viking times. Of course while in Roskilde we saw the Viking Museum which houses numerous wood boats, utensils, and weaponry from the Viking Age. That night we had dinner together with my host family. The food was good as well as the company, of course. The next morning we were driven to the airport where we would depart for our European excursion.
Prague, Czechoslovakia: October 31- November 3
With the Rick Steve's Best of Europe guidebook in hand my mom and I departed for Prague, supposedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world. During our trip Rick Steve's became our travel god and we relied heavily on his guidance and suggestions concerning sights to visit, travel routes, and even where to eat. Along with our cameras and wallets, the book went everywhere with us. Hilariously enough
, it was practically a lifeline. After a bit of a hectic journey to the pension, we arrived and were able to settle in a bit before starting our excursion. Although the people of the city left something to be desired, the breathtaking view from the Charles Bridge did not. From the bridge a picturesque panoramic scene could be viewed of the city. Adding to the charm, painters and musicians lined the bridge alongside statues dated from who knows how long ago (some that were very bizarre). After the bridge we sat down for dinner at a small dimly lit restaurant situated ironically next to a TGI Friday’s restaurant where I dared to try some traditional Czechoslovakian food (dumplings, sauerkraut, and pork knee). Surprisingly the meal wasn't bad; I wouldn't necessarily order it again (I'm not a big pork fan and the idea of eating a knee kind of weirds me out). The next few days we explored Prague by foot.
We were fortunate (thanks to my mom’s planning and again Rick Steven’s guidance) that our pension was within walking distance to every attraction in Prague. On our first full day we visited the Jewish Quarter where we saw an abundant amount of Synagogues and an extremely old and crumbled Jewish cemetery. Our next stop that night was the Black Light Theater. I wish that I could explain the magnificence of this performance to a T, but unfortunately my words fall short. The performance is lit by a large black lights around the stage and the dancers wear clothes that reflect the brilliant colors. The performers literally glowed. With a few splices of a comedic ensemble thrown in, the show was very entertaining. I’d never seen anything like it and I doubt I ever will. It’s an even that is solely unique to Prague.
We trekked our tired feet across the Charles bridge again and headed uphill toward the palace the next day. Again the view from the top of the palace was stunning. While in Pragu
e we were warned by our guide book to be wary of tourist scams at restaurants and shops. I can successfully say that my mom and I were unfortunately scammed when we ate an overpriced and mediocre meal near the palace. Although it was frustrating it didn’t ruin the day at all; the palace and chapel nearby were still amazing. After touring the palace my mom and I looked over the edge as the sun hit the red thatched rooftops of the city. It was more the picturesque and I don’t believe any camera could catch what was in front of us. That night we visited the Astronomical clock and waited anxiously with many others for the clock to strike the hour. The clock towers over the city and is known for its elaborate celebration every hour. It sits in the middle of the city square where most of the shops are. I think that the imaginative and antique architecture along with the creative colors of the buildings along the cobblestone streets throughout the city is why Prague is considered to be a beautiful city if not the most beautiful.
On our few hours of the night we searched for the "Lennon Wall." Although it sounds like a myth, the story of the wall is true. The wall was a place where during the USSR's occupation of Czechoslovakia rebels against the communist regime would write "Give Peace a Chance" in graffiti along the wall. Every morning the police would be required to paint over the words. Yet 
every night the words would be written again. Now the wall stands as a unique monument to Lennon. I'd never heard of the wall before and it turns out few actually know of it. But my mom had heard about it and I was glad that we had found it. Together we looked at the wall that was covered in Lennon lyrics, quotes, and pictures. Although my mom lived through the time (yet didn't experience the oppression directly), I had never been exposed to much of the remnants of the Cold War. While looking at the wall it was difficult to imagine the oppression that the Czechs and many other suffered.
The next morning we boarded a bus towards Vienna where we would continue our journey.
