Every year Prague opens its doors to 20 million visitors.
But not this year.
I arrived back to the city on Friday, after 23 months away.
My first stop was the old town to check into my Airbnb apartment.
But instead of the usual crowds of tourists, I saw empty streets, closed shops, and restaurants only open for takeout.
The city was quiet.
It felt peaceful.
And I’d say about 80% of the people on the street wore masks, and 100% inside shops and on the metro.
As I reunited with friends, their first question was always, How did you get in?
The Czech Republic is closed to travellers.
Gone are the picture takers, the drunk Brits on holiday, and the greedy merchants selling over-priced food and souvenirs.
Even leaving your home for non-essential reasons is no longer allowed.
Am I the last tourist in Europe…?
The Next Chapter
If you’re new to Vitamin V, here’s the story so far:
I lived in Prague for many, many years.
I taught English in schools, then in companies, then only private students in my apartment.
In 2018 I returned to the US to try something different — a real job.
I discovered I don’t like real jobs and I prefer teaching.
But a funny thing happened on my way back to Europe — a Chinese virus decided to do some travelling of its own.
So I stayed in the US for an extra ten months.
But now I’m back, just as the city prepares for a long winter of fearful headlines and government restrictions.
Perfect timing!
But I’m not actually a tourist.
I live here.
I work here.
And I’ll be writing you lessons and stories every day.
Sound good?