In their heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Prague's elegant kavárny (cafes) rivaled Vienna's as places to be seen and perhaps have a carefree afternoon chat. But the Bohemian intellectuals, much like the Parisian Left Bank philosophers of the 1920s, laid claim to many of the local cafes, turning them into smoky parlors for pondering and debating the anxieties of the day.
Today, most of Prague's cafes have lost the indigenous charm of the Jazz Age or, strangely enough, the Communist era. During the Cold War, the venerable Café Slavia, across from the National Theater, became a de facto clubhouse in which dissidents passed the time, often within listening range of the not-so-secret police. It's here that Václav Havel and the arts community often gathered to keep a flicker of the Civic Society alive.
The eighth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution marked the rebirth of an old friend. For on that day, the remodeled Kavárna (Cafe) Slavia opened again, raised from the dead after a half-decade's absence prolonged by a Boston real estate speculator who apparently was sitting on the property until she could extract a better price. Then-President Havel intervened to plead the cafe's case. After a long legal battle, his wish was granted. "A small victory for reason over stupidity," he said in a proclamation read at the gala opening.
New Bohemian haunts have also popped up, now serving better exotic blends of espresso and cappuccino. The gorgeous Kavárna Obecní dum has been returned to its pristine splendor. Cafe life may return to Prague yet again.
Meanwhile, as post-Communist Prague seeks to keep up with the new times, a swath of Internet cafes has also opened.
Internet Cafes--A great place to surf the Internet for 1.50Kc (6¢) per minute and have a good cup of coffee in a pleasant atmosphere is Globe, the bookstore and cafe. Also offering Internet connections for 1.80Kc (7¢) per minute is Bohemia Bagel. Check your e-mail and surf at the very centrally located new Internet cafe Inetpoint.cz, Jungmannova 32, Praha 1 (tel. 296-245-962). It's open daily 10am to 10pm and the connection charge is 25Kc ($1.05) per 15 minutes. Another place to get on the Internet is Cyber Cafe-Jáma at V jáme 7, Praha 1 (tel. 224-222-383).
