Exit Prague

This? Best. New. Year's. Ever.

I went to bed at 8 this morning - 3 is the earliest I've tucked in the whole time I've been here. I absofuckinlutely love the place and I've had a blast every evening. The staff here are some truly wonderful people, and yesterday a bunch of their friends were here too, in addition there were lots of great guests. I must have talked to people from a dozen nations and finally pimped out the last of my Norwegian chocolate (I've been actively and successfully cultivating the nickname "Candyman").

Around 11 my Ukrainian friends came up for the party and just before midnight about 30 of us went out to Letna Park, where we had an incredible view of the whole Prague skyline. Tons of fireworks all over the skies, illuminating the numerous beautiful houses, churches and towers of this amazing city. Pure bliss.

Afterwards I went back to the hostel bar where there was music, singing and talking into the wee hours. After helping to clean tables and such several times during the night (people are pigs), I was told my money was no longer good here, and that from now on I could drink Diet Coke for free for the rest of my days. I had some great conversations with about half a dozen young scientists who all knew each other from study programs at CERN (one was still there, doing his PhD) and they all loved my two sweaters. One of them, a French-Moroccan acted as DJ and although he played some new stuff I hated, it was mostly good old rock and even a lot of 50s and 60s tunes. I managed to really impress some Ukrainians with my singing, to the point where one of them was practically giving me a lap dance to get me up on the dance floor (no, it didn't work).

I'm sad to have to go home later today. The idiots in charge have called a planning meeting Friday, otherwise I would have stayed for the weekend. Still, I'm definitely coming back; maybe as early as February, maybe I'll wait till Easter. This is one of the friendliest places I've ever been to and I meet more interesting people here in a day than I do in a year back home.