It’s Valentine’s Day, and I realized I never really shared the full story about my time in Prague with Andy. In case you don’t know how Andy and I met, you can read about our twitter love story here. Prague was a city I wanted to visit for a few years, and I booked myself a trip there over Thanksgiving weekend a few years ago, before Andy and I ever knew each other. When that weekend finally arrived, I was a ball of nerves and excitement because it wasn’t just a trip to Prague. It was the beginning of something great, and I knew it, even if I didn’t have a clue what was coming next.
I spent a day in London in order to avoid an annoying layover in a boring airport, and I arrived at my hotel in Prague around 10PM. Andy was on a night train set to arrive in the morning. I think being awake for a day and a half was the only reason I got any sleep at all that night.
The next morning, the guy at the front desk showed me on a map how to get from the hotel to the train station. It should’ve been a simple 15 minute walk, but throw in a wacky intersection where street names change and suddenly I was panicked. What if his train arrived before I figured out where I was going? I frantically texted Andy to let him know I was a bit lost, but on my way.
Finally I got going the right way with the help of a passer-by and made it to the train station with plenty of time. I shivered on the platform, waiting anxiously. And then there he was, after four months of only seeing each other through photos and Skype calls, right in front of me, smiling, taller than I expected. But then, I am pretty short.
After the initial few minutes of weirdness wore off, it felt so normal to be there with him, to finally be able to hold his hand. I thought it would take much longer to get used to seeing him in person, but it was really the most natural thing in the world.
Since I had never been to Prague but Andy had, he started playing tour guide and showed me around. The Astronomical Clock, the nearby square where the Christmas market was going on, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, the statue of two men peeing into a pool the shape of the Czech Republic, and we spent a lot of time just aimless wandering through the windy streets.
It was the end of November, and snowed twice while we were there, so I was miserably cold, but beyond happy to be there with Andy. I’m also thankful he wasn’t scared off by my inability to deal with cold weather. We just tried to balance sightseeing with sitting in warm cafes.
The weekend came to an end all too quickly, and suddenly we were at the airport waiting for our flights home. Having to leave each other was hard enough, but the snow coming down made us both a little more apprehensive about boarding our planes. I gave Andy a huge hug good-bye, somehow fearing I’d never see him again while at the same time knowing for sure that I would. Luckily we only had another month to wait before I visited him in Freiburg for New Years Eve.
Prague will always have a special place in my heart since it’s the city where Andy and I finally met in person after so many months of getting to know each other online. It’s where everything became real. But I had no idea that less than two months after that trip to Prague I would be engaged and preparing to move to Germany to start a new life.
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This post is supported by HostelBookers.com, who supply chic hotels and hostels around the City of Prague.
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Tags: love, peeing statues, Prague, travel addiction, Twitter
Yay! As another gal who met someone, fell in love, and was engaged within 6 months or so, you know I truly love your story
Sometimes I feel my brain is still trying to catch up with how quickly life has changed, but I’m so happy for it.
And, congrats again on passing your German exam!
Aw thanks Heather! I know what you mean, Andy and I have been together for about 2 1/2 years now, and I still have moments where all I can think is, wow did this really happen? It’s crazy, but so wonderful!
Thanks! I’m so glad to have that class behind me now.
Sweet story! Happy Valentine’s Day to you both!
Jennifer recently posted..Dining Under the Sea at Anantara Kihavah Sea Restaurant
Thanks Jennifer!
What a beautiful story! Perfect for VDay
I love the photos too. Prague has always been on our list; hopefully we can make it there soon!
Suitcase Stories – Nicole recently posted..Why I left my successful career for a life of travel
Thanks Nicole! Prague is a really gorgeous city, I hope you get there soon too. Just maybe don’t go in winter, it’s really cold!
Still one of my all time favorite love stories. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Gillian @OneGiantStep recently posted..Bangkok to Chiang Mai Day Train
Thanks Gillian! I hope your Valentine’s Day was great too!
Wow what a whirlwind romance! I guess it has to work that way when you are from different countries! We got engaged after only a few months as well and now I am in the process of applying for Australian residency. I think it is more complicated with Germany though.
Well, Andy and I are both US citizens, but we met through Twitter a couple years after he moved to Germany. Since we got married in the US before I moved here, getting residency wasn’t a problem for me. I think if I moved before we got married, I would’ve just gotten a student visa and enrolled in a language class earlier. Good luck with your application, I’m sure it will go smoothly!
Aw, that’s so sweet! Travel love is the best =)
Andrea recently posted..Taste Testing New York City’s Trendy Restaurants (Part 2)
Thanks Andrea! Agreed!
What a great place for the culmination of your Twitter love story. Prague has been on our list for some time, and hopefully we can make that happen soon…
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..Surfing Under the Golden Gate Bridge – Pic of the Week
Thanks DJ! You’ll love Prague, it’s a wonderful city, nice mix of old and new. I hope you can make it work!
Going to Prague in less than 2 weeks – so excited. Thanks for your post and wonderful photos!
Lance recently posted..Ephesus and Pamukkale, Turkey
Thanks Lance! I hope you have a great trip, Prague is a beautiful city!
Great, great story, Ali. It’s an amazing city and your story makes it vibrant for all of your readers. What a sweet narrative!
Erik recently posted..New Zealand- Chapter Twenty-Six: Cape Reinga & The Spirits of the North (pt.1)
Thanks Erik! Prague will always hold a special place in my heart because of meeting Andy there.
I like to spy on people’s Youtube videos so I know what they sound like ahead of time. Sneaky sneaky. Always fun to hear a heartwarming story.
OCDemon recently posted..Why Hostel is the stupidest travel movie of all time
Ha! Luckily we had months of talking on Skype. Thanks!