1936 On the Continent

inferior to that of Brussels, as well as peasant dresses, kerchiefs, aprons, overalls, etc., all decorated by hand. Samples of peasant handicrafts and folk ceramics in great variety are also easily obtained, either in Prague or Slovakia.
    Here, too, should be mentioned Czech glass and glass-ware which has a world-wide reputation and which, though obtainable elsewhere, can be purchased to the best advantage in Czechoslovakia. You will find the premises of the chief dealers in the main streets of Prague and other Czechoslovak centres.
    Among other articles which are particularly worth buying in Czechoslovakia I would mention table-linen, leather goods, gloves, stockings, and footwear. With regard to the latter, the firm of Bata has a special branch in Prague, known as the “House of Service,” in which the latest models of shoes are always on view and foot treatment is available to all. The visitor can purchase any of these products with the certainty that the value which they receive will meet with their approval. I even venture to add that ladies who order their dresses in Prague will find the style and general workmanship in no way inferior to that of London or Paris.
    Intending visitors to Czechoslovakia can obtain full details, pamphlets, etc., from the Czechoslovak Travel Bureau (edok), Ltd., 21 Regent Street, London, S.W.1.

AUSTRIA
by
LOUIS BARCATA
    TABLE OF CONTENTS

AUSTRIA
I—VIENNA
Arrival in Vienna
    V IENNA has, like every large town, certain characteristics of its own which strike the stranger so soon as he reaches the railway station. The tenement houses, which unhappily flank nearly every incoming railway line, are here, as in all other towns on the Continent, but the smell and the light and, most important of all, the tempo of the daily life, are all completely different. Vienna smells naturally neither of Wiener Schnitzeln, nor of the sharp wine which grows on the hills of the Wiener Wald; it smells of nothing material: it smells free and easy, it has a clear soft light which, especially in the spring and summer evenings, lies like a mirror over the city. And then it has its famous tempo—its leisureliness, its kindliness, indicating a definite avoidance of anything disturbing or unpleasant. The individuality of the Vienna tempo will strike you as soon as you arrive at the station, when, as is usual, you call for a porter. Do not be annoyed if he is in none too much of a hurry to reach you and if he remarks that you are not the only person he has to attend to. You must rather get used to the fact that in Austria everything takes a little longer than it does with you at home, but that everything gets done just the same. You will recognise the porters by their red-striped caps which are provided with a number which you must note, then if you lose sight of the man you will know him by his number. All porters look exactly alike.
    We will take it that you arrive at Vienna’s largest station, the Westbahnhof. It is not a beautiful station, neither is it a practical one in the opinion of professional people, as the tramway lines do not go directly to it, but it must not be regarded as a typical product of Viennese taste. People have only realised in the last few years that even railway stations may be beautiful. In any case you can get to the tramway lines which go to the Inner Town in three minutes. Tramway travelling in Vienna is very easy, as there is a simple system of radialand circuit lines. In addition, at every stopping place you will find a table showing how far you may travel for 10, 20 and 30 groschen. The conductor will give you all directions in the most charming Viennese dialect: “Wissen S’, wo die Oper is? Das wissen S’ net? Na, is ja eh net notwendig. Ich rufs ja aus. Und zwei Stationen vorher steigen S’ aus.” These various pieces of information are being given out to different people, so it is as well to remind the conductor at intervals of three minutes that he is to tell you when you have to get out. As you must also take a ticket for your luggage, it is really better to hire a taxi. The taxis in Vienna are cheaper than anywhere else in the world—beware, however, because there are two kinds! Be sure to hire only those taxis which display the legend “50 Groschen,” as there are others which have an 80-groschen tariff. These go no quicker and are no better, but maybe you are aesthetically minded and prefer to hire the 80-groschen taxis. You have given the porter 2