Czech Republic & Germany

All troubles did not end with the ousting of the Communists. Tensions between Slovaks and Czechs led to the creation of two separate countries at the end of 1992. Re-elected president of the new Czech Republic, Havel served as the country’s spiritual and moral leader in the face of widespread government corruption in the mid-1990s and guided the country to NATO membership in 1999. After two terms in office, he was succeeded by Vaclav Klaus in January 2003.

After an economic downturn in the late 1990s caused by corruption and lax financial regulation, the economy improved, and foreign investment brought new life to regions of the country decimated by privatization of state-run industries. High-tech firms cropped up rapidly, turning the Czech Republic—and especially Prague—into a prime technology center. Underlying all this revitalization was the government’s push for entrance into the European Union, which became a reality in May 2004.

The foremost attractions of the Czech Republic are beautiful scenery, castles and quaint villages, skiing, health spas, limestone caves, beer gardens and beer halls, wine cellars, music festivals, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, puppet shows, churches and monasteries, and folk costumes.

Prague is one of Europe’s most enchanting cities, but don’t expect to have it to yourself. The city is very crowded during summer—if possible, visit during the off-season. If you have the time and mode of transportation, don’t let the language barrier keep you from exploring the villages and castles that dot the countryside. You’ll find them peaceful, and you will gain an understanding of the country that continues to elude those who never venture outside the capital city.

Filled with many castles and historical sites, the Czech Republic is a great place to explore European roots. Besides this, it is also home to many parks and gardens. Both indoor and outdoor sightseeing activities abound in this diverse country.

Two excellent sites not to miss are Prague Castle and Spilberk Castle. Prague Castle today is the political hub of the Czech Republic as well as a historical center and home to the Czech Crown Jewels. Additionally, six exquisite gardens surround the castle grounds. Established in the 13th century, Spilberk Castle now houses the Brno City Museum, which features various permanent and temporary cultural and historical exhibitions.

Oenophiles should visit the National Wine Centre, located in South Moravia. It has information on the wine industry in the Czech Republic, as well as tastings from such wineries as Dvoracek, located south of Brno.

The Czech Republic boasts a landscape ranging from rolling meadows to snow-covered mountains, allowing for a wide variety of recreational activities. Visitors enjoy walking through castle grounds or kayaking along river bends. Camping is available throughout the country. Hundreds of miles/kilometers of well-marked trails cover the entire country, making it an ideal location for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing.

Shop for Bohemian hand-cut crystal, garnets, antiques, jewelry, handmade tablecloths and puppets, peasant frocks, hand-knit shawls, wooden toys, embroidered clothing, hand-painted eggs, caviar, fur hats, classical music, ceramics and china. Be on the lookout for sidewalk vendors—they often have interesting collections of small antiques for sale. We recommend shopping in Prague, as nowhere else offers as much selection.

Today, Western-style department stores, boutiques and shops containing quality, name-brand products have become the norm and are taken for granted by locals. It is not uncommon nowadays for Czechs to visit the local “hypermart,” usually on the outskirts of town, and load up the car with purchases.

Especially in small towns, visitors often find it strange that in many shops, such as potraviny (small supermarkets) and drug stores, customers tell the shop assistant their order and remain at the cash register as the assistant fetches it from the shelves. The practice of counter service dates from Austro-Hungarian times. However, larger samoobsluha (self-service shops) now dominate.

Shopping Hours: Generally, smaller shops are open Monday-Friday 8 or 9 am-6 pm, Saturday 9 am-noon. Expect shops in the center of most larger towns to be open until 8 or 9 pm daily. Some hypermarts are also open 24 hours a day.

Czech food once consisted of many variations of gravy, meat and dumplings. Today, an increasing number of restaurants, especially in Prague, serve not only imaginative variations of local dishes, but also foreign delicacies—including Italian and Asian dishes. These cuisines are represented on the menus of many local restaurants, and virtually every town, large or small, offers a pizzeria or Chinese bistro. Roast pork, sauerkraut and dumplings constitute the traditional national meal—it’s served almost everywhere, in more- or less-elaborate versions. Other favorites are potatoes, beef and duck.

Sample dishes from both Moravian and Bohemian restaurants—there’s a difference. We did enjoy Prazska sunka (Prague ham, best served with cream and horseradish), gulas (the Czech version of goulash) and palacinky (dessert crepes filled with chocolate, jam or ice cream). Don’t be shy about trying the street food—the sausages with mustard on rye bread served from tiny windows along the sidewalk make a greasy but good lunch, as does smazeny syr (fried cheese). For a quick meal, a plate of cheese and salami with rye bread is available at many beer and wine bars. A standard Czech fast-food item is langos (fried dough brushed with garlic sauce or topped with ketchup).

Under the communist regime, restaurants offered meals according to the official cookbook and at the official prices (creative chefs wanting to offer their own dishes had to apply for permission). Now, restaurants frequently feature international cuisine, and the Czech offerings include a lot more wild game, with dishes such as venison with plum sauce or wild boar.

One good thing about eating local dishes is that you can wash them down with Czech beer (the locally brewed Pilsner Urquell and Budvar are among the best beers in Europe). Beer plays a major role in Czech social life, so the beer halls are good places to take in some local color. As well as the beer bars (called hospoda or pivnice), there are also vinarnas (wine bars). The better Czech wines come from Moravia. Because of the country’s location farther north than many wine-growing regions, Czech whites such as Muller-Thurgau tend to outshine the reds. Frankovka is the restaurant-standard red and quite average, though some of the region’s Modry Portugals are exceptional.

The national spirit, Becherovka, is a herbal liqueur that makes for a great before- or after-dinner drink. Although the healing atmosphere of Karlovy Vary (where it is distilled) seems the most appropriate place to sip it, it is available at restaurants and bars across the country. Strong slivovice (plum brandy) is also served frequently. Many village Moravians will proudly offer you a taste of their home blend, which is usually much smoother than the store-bought variety.

Since the country has joined the European Union, Czechs have been very receptive to free-market forces and have put them to work for their own benefit. Although some issues still distinguish the Czech Republic from countries in western Europe or North America, visitors from those areas will find many familiar customs. Within larger cities, it is easy to survive without knowing any Czech, although in smaller towns and villages, it becomes more difficult. Even there, however, sites oriented toward tourists will likely have information in English or staff members that speak the language.

Appointments—Punctuality is the norm. Appointments should be made well in advance. Be aware that many Czechs are on vacation in midsummer, so meetings are difficult to arrange at that time.

Personal Introductions—Greet everyone with a firm handshake and direct eye contact. Men and women sometimes greet each other with kisses on both cheeks, but this should be initiated by your Czech companion. Unless you’re familiar with Czech titles, use English titles (Mr., Ms.) along with the person’s last name until instructed to do otherwise. Since Czechs treat the formal mode of address as a sign of respect, do the same until you get to know your Czech associate. It’s not necessary to have your business cards translated into Czech.

Negotiating—Czechs regard small talk preceding negotiations as a part of establishing good personal relations. Although Czechs are interested in foreigners, especially Westerners, they also enjoy talking about themselves; the older generation especially likes discussing sports, vacations abroad or theirchatas (cottages). Younger people, especially those in Prague, have traveled abroad more and tend to be more pragmatic and business-driven than others in the country. A good personal relationship is very important in business dealings.

Overall, negotiations tend to move at a pace that’s slower than is common in many countries, since a lot of people may be scrutinizing the details of the deal. Get legal advice regarding the intricacies of government regulation.

Business Entertaining—Business meals have become a common part of deals. During the course of the meal, it is often a good idea to let your Czech associates be the first to broach the topic of business.

Body Language—Generally, personal space is respected, and there is little direct contact when speaking. The proper way to get someone’s attention is to say prosim (pronounced PROH-seem), which means “please.”

Gift Giving—Business associates do not expect to receive gifts, but giving presents does not create awkwardness. Giving flowers, wine or candy is always a welcome gesture if you’re invited to a home.

Conversation—In conversations with those you don’t know well, avoid discussing sensitive topics, such as your own political views, or Czech relations with other nationalities—especially Germans, Russians or Gypsies. Safer subjects include sports, vacations, cultural events, art and above all, beer—the Czechs are considered the inventors of the pilsner style of beer and also make several other tasty varieties.

The threat of violent crime in the Czech Republic is generally low. By exercising the same caution as you would in any city, you can feel safe walking the streets; however, be more cautious when venturing out to areas not frequented by foreigners or tourists.

Also be aware that petty crimes can occur, including pickpocketing, especially in Prague and the larger cities. Dial 158 for the police; dial 150 for a fire.
For the latest information, contact your country’s travel-advisory agency.

Don’t expect everyone to speak English. Many Czechs do speak English, especially younger people. In Prague, many speak it well. Those who deal with visitors regularly know enough to be helpful. The older generation will most likely speak only German or Russian as a second language. Nonetheless, most people will go out of their way to bridge the language gap.

Do learn a few words in Czech, such as prosim (pronounced PROH-seem), “please”; dekuju (pronounced DAY-koo-yoo), “thank you”; and prominte (pronounced PROH-min-tay), “excuse me.”

Don’t park in the blue zone if you have a car. It will be clamped very quickly.

Do put a beer mat down in front of you if you are in a bar or restaurant and want a beer. This small action shows exactly what you want and will likely improve your status with the bar staff from “tourist” to “in-the-know out-of-towner .”

Do expect to take your shoes off if visiting somebody in their home. They will typically provide you with a pair of slippers.

Passport/Visa Requirements: Passport required for U.S., Canadian, Australian and European Union citizens. However, citizens of the U.S., Canada, Australia and EU countries do not need a visa and may stay for up to 90 days.
Visitors are also technically required to show proof of sufficient funds for the duration of their stay, although this appears to be rarely checked. Reconfirm travel document requirements with your carrier before departure.

Population: 10,190,213.

Languages: Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Russian, German, English.

Predominant Religions: Atheist, Christian (Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox).

Time Zone: 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+1 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the end of March to the end of October.

Voltage Requirements: 220 volts. 50 Hz.
Telephone Codes: 420, country code; 2, city code for Prague;

The currency is the Czech Koruna (CZK). Exchange rates vary throughout the country, with the for-profit exchange booths located in most major and minor cities generally offering the worst rates. The best rates and lowest commissions are usually at commercial banks.

ATMs are prevalent across the country and accept major credit cards and some bank cards. Credit cards are widely accepted, but many smaller shops and restaurants only accept cash.

Tipping is not mandatory for service personnel, but it is appreciated. For good service in a restaurant and when driving with a taxi, you can tip approximately 5%-10% of the total bill. In hotels, tip bellhops about 30 CZK per piece of luggage.

The weather is best May-September, when days are warm and the nights are cool (take a sweater). Spring is preferable to summer for avoiding crowds, but summer is preferable to spring for avoiding rain (take along an umbrella). October, usually a little chilly and wet, is an excellent time to go if you’re primarily interested in museums, indoor activities or just driving around. Winters are very cold, damp, snowy and often foggy.

To dial a phone number within the Czech Republic, you must dial the area code. You can find pay phones in most of the larger cities. Although there are some that accept credit cards, most use phone cards, which can be bought attabak (newsstands), post offices, hotels and hypermarts.

Cell phone coverage is good across the country, though the thickness of walls in older buildings and the number of restaurants that are located in cellars means you might need to step outside to make calls in some cases.

The Czech mail service is reliable for sending regular letters, postcards and packages. In Prague, the main post office is located at Jindrisska 909/14. Open daily 24 hours except midnight-2 am. Phone 4202-2113-1420. http://www.cpost.cz.

The biggest disadvantage is likely to be a language barrier, so if you don’t speak Czech and have special delivery requests, you might want to use a courier such as DPD. http://www.dpd.com/cz_en.

Cedok

This tourist agency offers information on sightseeing, tours and accommodations, as well as international train, bus, plane and ship information. Tickets are also available.

Na Prikope 18, 11000 Prague, Czech Republic.

Phone 4202-2144-7242.

http://www.cedok.com