1936 On the Continent

Spoleenský Klub, and the local branches of the Rotary Club and the All Peoples’ Association. Prague also has an American Club, a Golf Club and an American Institute. I would draw particular attention to the Spoleenský Klub which is the meeting place of intellectuals in Prague. Admission can be arranged by personal recommendation through the Secretary or by a member. The premises of the Klub are situated in artistic surroundings, the atmosphere of which is full of old-world charm.
For Motorists
    The motorist who is already a member of a motoring club at home will find a friendly welcome in the Czechoslovak Auto-Klub, and in the same way tennis players or devotees of golf will find no difficulty in making friendsat the lawn tennis club or the golf club. There are also a number of organisations for bridge players in Prague, but they are of quite an informal character. The bridge player will find partners in the Spoleenský Klub, the Mánes Café, and in nearly all the hotel coffee-rooms by merely introducing himself.
    Thus you will see that as far as the middle classes are concerned it is a simple matter to establish personal contacts in Prague. The Slovaks are even more easily accessible, and in a city like Bratislava, for instance, you will meet with the utmost hospitality. However, the visitor should be warned that in places where national interests are apt to vary, he will best avoid misunderstandings by not showing any marked racial preference in his choice of acquaintances. He will do best if he maintains a neutral attitude and tries to get at the truth by his own observations.
    If I have devoted much attention to Prague, it is because Czechoslovak life can be seen there in its most concentrated aspects. I would therefore recommend every visitor to make Prague the starting-point of his trip. Those who have come to Czechoslovakia for a cure in one of the northern spas, of which Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Marianské Lázn(Marienbad), and Františkovy Lazn(Franzensbad) are the most important, will probably find it beneficial, after they have left the doctor’s hands, to complete their recovery by a pleasure trip. For such a purpose Prague is the best possible starting-point.
    The visitor to Prague should first enjoy the panorama of the city from some point of vantage. The best, in my opinion, is either the beautiful Petin Hill, the top of which can be reached by a funicular, or else the terrace in front of the Hrad or Castle. From either of these spots you will see below you a wonderful vista of old roofs and a maze of twining streets. You will also see the curve of the River Vltava, which divides the city into two parts, and the bridges spanning it. The river is studded with charming green islets. Against the skyline stand out hundreds of gables, towers and turrets, as well as the heavy buttresses of cathedrals and a number of green domes which seem to float in the air. The stone bulk of the city wanes in the distance, its grey tints speckled at various heights by thegreen patches of gardens. The general lay-out of Prague is as unique in its own way as those of London, Paris and Rome are in theirs.
A Stroll Round
    After having thus surveyed Prague as a whole, you have earned the right to ramble as you will through the city itself. If you stand looking at the city from the Hradany terrace, you have behind you a set of buildings which once were the palaces of the Czech kings and are now the President’s headquarters. Pass through the iron gateway into the courtyards of the castle, which abound in objects of historical interest. An examination of the buildings in detail will show you how this castle grew through the centuries, beginning in Roman times and ending with the Empire. Many renovations have been carried out since the year 1918, when Czechoslovak independence was established. The former rulers of the country had allowed this magnificent structure to fall into a state of complete neglect, and one of the first things President Masaryk did when he took charge was to have the necessary repairs carried out. Various architectural styles are here represented, but Gothic prevails, and the visitor will notice that it is a type of Gothic not found elsewhere, and known as Vladislav Gothic in that part of the palace which takes its name from the former Czech king. The pure Gothic of St. Vitus Cathedral is also of remarkable beauty, with its abundance of external pillars, arches, balustrades, window rosettes,