European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 12, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Continued from Page 9 visit and enjoy the brew As Well As the festive ambience in the Beer halts. With a bit of Luck you can have some Good meals in Prague too. Goulash Gulas and beef with Cream sauce Svic Kova a Smetana Are popular dishes usually tasty and served with the National Staple dumplings Knedlik. These plump balls of a bread and potato mixture Are tasteless. A lunch for four consisting of two shared hours d oeuvre plates with slices of delicious Prague Ham Praska Sunka covered with chopped onions and a vinegar sauce followed by a main dish each of either goulash or beef plus two Beers or cokes each totalled $9 in a Prague Beer Hall. Since this trip food prices in. Czechoslovakia have risen. Restaurant prices will reflect the increased costs after a lunch like that who needs dinner for some of us though half the fun of travelling is Savouring different foods and we re not about to skip a meal. We were prepared with lists of recommended restaurants. We had been advised that All required reservations sometimes weeks in Advance. Nonetheless we tried a few on our own Only to learn the advice was Sage. A a czech Friend suggested we try the dining room in the hotel Alcorn in downtown Prague Clad in jeans and walking shoes we entered the elegant hotel lobby and got the feeling we should immediately exit. He insisted we continue to the dining room yet More elaborate in decor tables set with the finest of China Crystal and Silver. We expected to be instantly rejected by the maitre Deven though there were plenty of empty tables. Instead we were guided to a table by a Friendly English speaking waiter. It must have been because our Friend was czech spoke the language and smoothed the Way we Felt. What followed was a Multi course Multi hour memorable dining experience in Beautiful surroundings with eager to please service. We started with an aperitif a Glass of Bech Rovka a Well known Herb Flavoured czechoslovak liqueur. Then we were served tasty hours d oeuvres fancy stuffed tomatoes and mini sandwiches from a Silver tray. The main courses of different meat and vegetable c combinations were not great but not bad. We drank the earthy red wine from Moravia Central Czechoslovakia. Dessert was a culinary sensation a crepes Suzette prepared table Side flames and All in a manner that would match the skills of any French chef. The crepes were heaven a alone Worth the trip. Our Friend explained that As it was 11 . By the time we got around to ordering the crepes the waiter had not wanted to oblige. Crepes he said Are normally served in the afternoon Only. But a Little Friendly persuasion in czech won us the privilege. We finished the meal with Coffee and russian Brandy from Georgia. Grand total for four $80. The next evening we were on our own. We tried the dining room in another one of the City s grand old hotels the Esplanade. Even without our czech connection we were seated although again we were not really dressed for the posh surroundings. The waiters were not As Friendly but the main courses were actually better. Again we had czechoslovak wine but no russian Brandy and no crepes Suzette. The Esplanade serves neither. This time the total for three people was about $35. Young people gather for singing relaxation and camaraderie on the Charles Bridge. Journalist Mituse Zatkova rents rooms to tourists. It s been six months since Czechoslovakia kicked out the communists and began to establish a democracy. The Radical change in government will bring Radical changes to the country. But for most citizens daily life in t that different. Quot i still get up and go to work every Day Quot says Miluse Zatkova a journalist in Prague. Quot my life has t really  Zatkova lives with her husband a government ecologist and their 11 year old _ son in a Small apartment House they own. Their Home about 15 minutes from Central Prague is comfortable and attractively furnished. They rent an upstairs apartment to tourists. The Day to Day routine May be no different but six months ago Zatkova did t have As much of a demand for her tourist accommodations a at least not from tourists from the West. And since the revolution there Are positive career changes for both her and her husband. Because her brother in Law is a priest she and her husband experienced troubles on the Job she says. Although she is an editor with a travel publication she was not permitted to travel outside the country on business. Her husband s career advancement was stifled. Now she is looking Forward to a business trip to Israel. Her husband has already had a promotion. Zatkova a tiny woman with a warm smile is eager to assist her visitors and answer questions about the country. She is realistic yet optimistic about her country s future. Quot the economic situation is a big problem Quot she says Quot but our situation is different than that in Poland or Hungary. Between world War i and i Czechoslovakia had big Industry. We have a lot of Good people with Good qualifications. We Don t have such big problems As Romania and  she struggles to find More words in English then apologizes. After 1968, she had to study russian and no longer had opportunities to use her English. These Days she s getting opportunities. Since the revolution visitors from Many countries have stayed in her guest rooms including Many from the United states Australia and Canada. Before the revolution the tourists were All from East bloc countries. Quot it s interesting for me now because i can speak English with them Quot she says. Quot i can Tell them about Prague about my  a . 10 stripes Magazine july 12, 1990