Unfiltered Story #117755

I have a summer job at a reception oh a hotel in Prague centre, and our guests are mainly tourists. This is happening on July 03. We have two national public holidays coming up, one on July 05 and second on July 06. Neither is really celebrated unless it’s an anniversary year.

The guests are clearly Americans, one of them has an American flag around his suitcase. There are four guys in total, somewhere from 30 to 40 years old if I had to guess. But they are generally pleasant and cooperate during the check-in.

Me: Hello, welcome to our hotel. (The usually if they have a reservation, under which name etc.) All right, you are all set. Can I help you with anything else? Any places you would like to visit and need directions for?

Guest with the American flag on his suitcase: Where are the celebrations? What is a good spot to watch the fireworks?

Me: Oh, the holidays are on July 05 and July 06, unfortunately, there won’t be any festivities. Only some places might be closed, and other might have different opening hours. But definitely nothing major.

Guest with the American flag on his suitcase: What! (Which surprises me because he was really nice up to that moment, however, he starts to raise his voice.)

Another guest from the group: The Fourth of July.

Me: Oh, you mean the American Independence day?

Guest with the American flag on his suitcase: YES!

Me: I’m terribly sorry, but I’m afraid that here in the Czech Republic we do not celebrate the American holiday.

Guest with the American flag on his suitcase: But we came here to celebrate it!

After that, the manager came down to the reception and dealt with them. All four guys seemed to be genuinely perplexed that there won’t be any festivities to mark American Independence day in the middle of Europe.
However, my manager was quick on his feet and suggested them to look for some FB group for Expats living in Prague that there might be some Americans living in Prague that will be celebrating. When I asked about the idea, it turned out they were not the first one to ask about it.

I also saw two of the guys this noon (July 05), both seemed hangover with bloodshot eyes but in better mood than when I told them that we don’t celebrate the Fourth of July.