Many people who love travelling around the world would always want to experience the best of what the country has to offer. These range from the famous tourist spots to the best tasting food. But if you’re a traveler who wants to enjoy Europe at its finest, then the Czech Republic is definitely where you’d want to be at. With a high standard of living, a country almost entirely surrounded by the mountains and a reputation for their great number of breweries for beer, you’d really want to make yourself at home here. This isn’t even half of what the Czech Republic has to offer. Also, before you’d want to enjoy the best of what the Czech Republic has to offer, you should also be aware of how to be at your best when in the country.
Typically, when travelling to a country you’ve never been to before, you would want to ask questions like: “How do I act decently here?” or “What should I avoid doing so I won’t offend anyone?” Don’t worry; in the Czech Republic, showing proper public behavior is most of the time just common sense and proper courtesy, however, you might confuse what is right and wrong from one culture to another.
Here are some basic dos and don’ts that you might want to be aware of before you go strutting your stuff in the country.
Giving Tips in Restaurants
Giving tips isn’t really a requirement, but if you’re a tourist in Prague, it is often expected that you should give at least 10% of tip to the person who served you. Of course, tipping would depend on the kind of service they provided, so you could actually have a reason whether or not to give a 10% of a tip.
In the Czech Republic, the waiters in restaurants or pubs are more different than how they typically are. For one thing, they don’t keep a smiling face while serving you or go to your table and ask you from time to time if you enjoyed your meal or something, but for more classy and high-end restaurants, you can definitely expect good service. The way they provide you with service could be a good basis for whether you should give a tip or not.
To make it simpler, if you thought that the service was good, a tip of at least 10% would be enough. If it wasn’t, it’s ok for you not to leave anything. Also, if you think the service deserves more than the usual 10%, you’re more than welcome to give more.
Shouting
In the Czech Republic, shouting or talking loudly in public while other people are around is generally considered rude. This is something you really shouldn’t do while in cafés or in a train. It is good to just speak in a modulated voice.
It is actually common sense to know that you’re disturbing other people when you talk loudly enough for them to hear you. If you want to enjoy music quietly or talk with a friend on the phone, you should always bring some earphones with you. This way, you’d be able to listen to your iPod while in the train or when you’re phoning a friend.
Queuing
What’s so great about the Czech Republic and their high standard of living is that there is still a system of some sort even if it wasn’t intended. Take queuing for example. People would want to make things as orderly as possible on who goes first by making lines. This is actually a common practice in most countries.
If you’re in the Czech Republic and see a line, always make sure to ask the last person what the line is for. This way, you could be sure to get your place in line; otherwise you may find yourself cutting in front of everyone else.
Touching Food in Stores
In stores like the supermarket or a bakeshop, you are not supposed to touch the food with your bare hands. You could never be too sure if your hands are completely clean, so it is advisable that you ask for assistance from the salesperson. This only applies to fresh meat and pastries, though, so fruits and vegetables are an exception to this rule.
As what was mentioned earlier, most of the dos and don’ts that apply in the Czech Republic are just common sense and general proper courtesy. Other than that, there’s nothing else you should be worrying about. Always remember that you could only have the best when you’re at your best.