Ahoj everyone! This is Brooke Stieber blogging again to tell you about the third day of our study tour. Throughout this tour, which lasted from Monday through Thursday, our group traveled throughout the countryside of the Czech Republic and saw several landmarks and farms in rural areas.

On Wednesday, we took the day to hike in the mountains of northern Moravia, in the northeastern part of the Czech Republic, close to the Polish border. We climbed all the way to the top of one mountain, which was rather challenging. At one point, we had to climb straight up a ski slope. The views from the top were amazing.

Once we made it to the top of the first mountain, we climbed back down and then proceeded to climb to the top of an even taller mountain. In fact, this mountain was the second highest peak in the Czech Republic at 5,000 feet above sea level. It was even more difficult to make it to the top of this mountain since the trails were rather rugged. However, it was all worth it once we made it to the top. From this point, we could see the mountain range for miles. We could even see as far away as a small village in Poland which was about another 20 kilometers away from us.

By the time that we returned to our hotel in the evening we were all exhausted, but we felt so accomplished with completing this hike. By the end, we had walked somewhere between 16 and 18 miles. This was definitely an adventure that none of us will forget!

Guten tag from Austria! My name is Brooke Stieber and I am a senior studying agricultural business. This weekend, Jenna, Liam, Daniel, and myself, along with two students from Missouri (Ashleigh and Renee), all took a weekend trip to Salzburg, Austria. We traveled via bus and train. The city was beautiful, nestled between several hills and mountains! Of course, Salzburg is famous because it is where the movie The Sound of Music is set. It is also the birthplace of the composer, Mozart.

While visiting, we stayed in the former home of the von Trapp family which has been transformed into a bed and breakfast. This is the family that the story of The Sound of Music is based off of. The accommodations were very nice, yet surprisingly affordable.

Throughout the weekend, we explored the city of Salzburg and visited many of the filming locations of The Sound of Music including the beautiful Mirabell Palace and Gardens. We strolled down the streets of the old town, saw Mozart’s childhood home, and did a little shopping too. We also hiked up one of the hills surrounding the city. The views from the top were breathtaking! For anyone who enjoys hiking, Austria is the country to go to!

As I write this blog post, we are on the bus back to Prague. Although I am excited to explore the Czech Republic more, I am going to miss these beautiful hills and mountains. The area around Prague is hilly, but nothing to this extent. I can’t stop staring out my window, taking in the sites! This is definitely a place I would love to return to!