PragVue: Travel, Food, and People

Before I delve into my journey to Prague, let me elaborate how I got there. In March 2024, Konstantin reached out to me on X, inviting me to speak at a new Vue conference in Prague.

After gathering more details, I eagerly accepted the invitation. Even though I accepted promptly, I was slightly nervous as it would be my first time presenting in English at a conference. But everything requires a first attempt, so I decided to embrace the opportunity.

En Route to Prague ​

On Saturday, September 14, I flew from Paris to Prague. The conference was scheduled for the 17th, but I opted to arrive a few days early to explore the city.

I reached my hotel, centrally located in Prague, at 22:30. With heavy rain outside and feeling exhausted, I opted to rest. Luckily, I have two days to explore before the conference.

Exploring the City ​

The following day, Sunday, the weather remained as dismal as the previous day, with strong winds and rain. Nonetheless, I was determined to explore, so I had breakfast before heading out.

Without a concrete plan, I decided to visit a few notable spots. I began at the Old Town Square, a stunning yet tourist-heavy location. My exploration led me to the Astronomical Clock, followed by crossing the Charles Bridge over the Vltava River.

Upon crossing the bridge, I noticed a tower atop a hill. Curious, I headed there and discovered the mini Eiffel Tower, the Petrin Tower. It's possible to ascend, so I did. The panoramic view from the top was breathtaking.

Despite the storm causing the tower to sway, it was a thrilling experience for the amazing view.

With the rain intensifying, I sought out a nearby restaurant. I found one and enjoyed a traditional goulash paired with a local beer. The meal was delightful and warmed me up considerably.

Even after dining, the rain persisted, leaving me quite drenched, so I returned to the hotel. I rehearsed my talk for several hours, hoping the weather would improve later.

By late afternoon, the rain ceased, allowing me to resume exploring. I wandered to Letná Park and continued to Stromovka Park. It was a pleasant and tranquil stroll, offering a more natural perspective of the city, away from the typical tourist spots.

Prague is adorned with vibrant buildings, making city walks quite enjoyable.

For dinner, I found an authentic local restaurant where I savored Svíčková with another local beer. Again! The beer in Prague is excellent and even more affordable than water.

After this scrumptious meal, it was time to head back to the hotel for a restful night's sleep.

By Monday morning, the weather hadn't improved, still characterized by substantial rain and wind. The day's goal was to be at the conference hotel by 14:00 to meet fellow speakers and prepare before the speaker dinner at 19:00.

This hotel was a one-hour walk from my accommodation. I opted to walk, seizing the opportunity to see more of the city. I didn't have specific plans aside from wandering aimlessly. Serendipitously, I stumbled upon the Museum of Bricks, the world's largest private LEGO collection. As a die-hard LEGO enthusiast, I couldn't pass up the chance to visit. This museum, one of five in the Czech Republic, spans an area of 420m² and boasts 3,000 unique models made from over a million bricks. It was nostalgic to see some LEGO from my childhood.

This visit was wonderful, marking the start of my journey to the conference hotel. Time to stroll again and avoid any delays.

After the long walk, I arrived at the hotel. I met the speakers and attended the dinner. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet everyone and establish rapport before the conference.

PragVue ​

PragVue is a new conference in Prague, Czech Republic, focused on Vue.js and its ecosystem. It's a single-day event featuring 8 speakers from the European Vue.js community.

It's the main event day, the conference day. I was slightly nervous but fully prepared. I had meticulously prepared my talk and knew my content well. As an anecdote, many speakers finished their slides the day before or even on the morning of the conference. But I won’t name any names. 🤫

The conference took place at the Eviden company with the following agenda:

• Vue App in 15 mins by Alois Seckár
• What's New in Nuxt 4 by Daniel Roe
• Fullstack Application with Nuxt by Estéban Soubiran
• Vue Practical Tips and Tricks by Alexander Lichter
• Plants vs Thieves: Automated Tests in the World of Web Security by Ramona Schwering
• Playing with Vue in 3D by Thorsten Seyschab
• Implementing Nuxt frontend in real projects by Alois Seckár
• Ship Vuejs across 5+ platforms by Konstantin Bifert
• Vue Realtime with Firebase by Juan Andrés Núñez

All the presentations were captivating, with the audience engrossed to catch every detail.

My session revolved around Nuxt's full-stack capabilities, where I showcased Nitro and the NuxtHub project. These tools empower developers to create and deploy full-stack applications using Nuxt on the Cloudflare platform. Everything unfolded seamlessly, and I felt immense joy presenting this project. This experience was truly rewarding, and I hope to replicate it in the future.

After the conference, we celebrated the conclusion of PragVue's first edition at a bar. It was a delightful opportunity to converse with the speakers and attendees.

Bouldering Before Departure ​

On Wednesday, the day after the conference, most participants had already departed. Along with Konstantin and Daniel, we went to a bouldering gym. It had been years since my last climb, and I relished reconnecting with the activity. It was an excellent way to strengthen connections, have fun, and conclude the trip on a high note. Thank you, Daniel, for the suggestion.

Returning to Paris ​

This adventure in Prague has been a remarkable journey. I met wonderful people, finally in person, rather than just profile pictures on GitHub or X, savored local cuisine, and explored the city. I also delivered my fist English talk at a conference. These four days were intense yet timeless. 💜

Knowing that all of this is credited to open-source and the tech industry is astounding. I'm grateful for all the opportunities, and I hope to continue meeting people, traveling, and sharing my insights.

See you at the next adventure!