The Prague Kiss

September 2016. A moment of spontaneity, a lingering question, in a city that stole my heart.

I had just wrapped up the DNA22 conference in Munich, where I had been immersed in discussions on nanoscale science, computation, and engineering. After the conference my parents arrived and we took a train to Prague—a destination I had insisted upon. Friends had raved about its beauty, and my grad school twin was Czech, so my anticipation was sky-high.

Eager to explore I set out alone in the early morning from our Airbnb along the Charles River, weaving my way through the city. There were large pieces of art scattered throughout the city—in parks, on buildings and the walls of hidden alleyways. The art was edgy and thought-provoking. The energy intoxicating. The Charles Bridge alive with movement and expression. I felt as if I were floating through the city rather than walking.

As I moved along the river, a group of four approached me—two men and two women. I smiled. One of the men said something in an Eastern European language I didn’t recognize. I cringed, smiled, and asked, "English?"

He looked surprised, then grinned. "You are so nice. We would like to kiss your cheeks."

I laughed, startled by the request, and felt a surge of electricity. "Okay, but I want a picture!" We agreed that one of their companions would take the photo.

One of the women took my phone and positioned us with the Prague Castle and bridge in the background. The two men moved beside me, one on each side, leaning in for the promised kisses. As they did, I said "I can’t believe this is happening!"

The man in blue—the one who had spoken first—chuckled and said, "Oh, it’s happening."

After the photo was taken, we all laughed together, uncertain of what came next. They seemed to be two couples, so I simply smiled and said goodbye. As I walked away, I turned back—he was staring after me. I smiled again but I really didn't know who they all were, nor their relationships statuses and I was on a mission to explore as much of this incredible city as I could. Also, I was overcome by shyness, so I just kept walking through the city.

Later, a realization struck me—I should have asked for his name, his contact information, something. But the moment had passed.

The next morning, I returned to the same spot at the same time, hoping to correct my hesitation. But he wasn’t there. The city still buzzed, still wrapped me in its energy, but the moment was gone.

Sometimes, life gifts us fleeting magic—brief encounters that leave an imprint, but don't last. And that’s okay. That memory, that spontaneous, unexpected joy, will always belong to me, with the help of this photo: