Have standards changed significantly since you first began offering guidance in the areas of business protocols and etiquette, or have the standards remained the same and the execution is fallen by the wayside?

As far as the Czech Republic is concerned, the standards have definitely gone up since I first came here, but I’m not sure they haven’t been somewhat “surface”. It is rare now to see people walking around wearing sandals with socks in them, it is rare to see those unfitting purple jackets that people used to wear, but the details are still missing across the board. Being able to walk into a Hugo Boss store with a healthy credit card does not mean that you will come out looking like a gentleman. As far as behavior goes –- and the outer impression cannot be divorced from the inner self- – we may have progressed even to something a little bit worse than before. Manners are not something that are written in a book, but are something that come from within. Because manners come from the heart, they are sometimes better in a village than in Prague where people should really know better. Manners are intrinsically based on respect for others and on the desire not to offend. They are the glue that brings people together and makes them feel at ease.Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the US and my daughter´s grandfather six generations ago, once wrote that the manners and spirit of a society preserve it in vigor. No matter how strong the laws and constitution of our new country, he said, if manners failed, then our society will fail as well.

Since first impressions are so vital, what (5) etiquette faux pas would you say create the most harm to a customer/client relationship from the very beginning?

First impressions are vital. There was a poll recently taken,according to which, within the first 4 minutes when you meet somebody, that person makes his opinion of you. Their impression is based on 4 pillars, the first is general appearance and it counts 35%,the second is dress which counts 15%, the third is manners which count 10%, and the fourth is intelligence with only 5%. You maynot have a second chance at another meeting to change a bad first impression. The first impression is vital in business, in government and everywhere you work with people or try to influence them or to negotiate an agreement.5 etiquette faux pas:(1) Little or no eye contact with the person with whom you are speaking.(2) Wrinkled attire, unpolished shoes, no pleats or cuffs in the trousers,bad or “faddish” haircuts or colors, inadequate personal hygiene.(3) Being either too late for a business meeting or too early for asocial event.(4) Not getting up when a lady enters a room or when speaking to a lady.(5) Improper table manners, from not knowing how to hold silverware to putting elbows on the table, playing with hair, using tooth picks and the like.

Considering the informal nature in which business is often conducted these days, are there consequences to having a standard of etiquette that is too high?

I don’t think so. The standard provided should come from the heart and not from a textbook. It is never too high. The standard must indicate respect for the company where you work, identity with its culture and respect for colleagues and for those with whom you are meeting. You must put people at ease while keeping in mind who you are and where you are employed. It’s not just a question of the external physical appearance, but of body language, facial expression and basic good manners.

It is generally accepted that some business customs vary from culture to culture- American versus European versus Asian. Will you describe some of the differences? What are the common customs you believe should be followed throughout the business world?

There are too many differences to explain – whole books have been written on the subject. But one thing is absolutely clear: every intelligent businessman or traveler should learn about the customs and culture of the nation they visit. You don’t have to change yourself and adopt these customs, but you have to know about them, workaround them and respect them. In other words, if you go to China,you should know about chop-sticks. You don’t have to use them,but it is not a brutal insult to anybody if you really can’t eat with them. There is nothing wrong with asking for a fork. But it should be done with an apology and without arrogance. In some societies,for instance, you don’t cross your legs for fear of showing the sole of your shoe to another person, or present flowers of a certain color that is associated with mourning and death. These are things that we don’t know unless we ask and do a bit of homework. There are plenty of books on this topic. Embassies also are good sources of such information.

Do you feel a course in social and business etiquette is necessary? In other words, are there things we must be taught or do we simply need to be more aware of our behavior and be more polite and courteous?

A very small percentage of people worldwide are brought up with a full knowledge of the intricacies of correct social behavior. I tell to the young people whom I coach: You have to ask yourself daily not just once a year: “Who do I want to be?”, “What do I want to be in life?” By answering this question you determine to what extent you wish to improve yourself. Manners provide us with self control. The are the “grease” that makes social relationships work. They come from the heart. You must have a bit of humility to realize that a humble background will not keep you from rising to the top but a lack of integrity and manners may prevent you from staying there. It takes both job skills and people skills to be successful. People do come from different backgrounds, with different experiences. Manners teach us to respect one another.John Huntsman, a colleague on the White House staff, recently wrote a book called ‘Winners Never Cheat: Everyday Values We Learned as Children (But May Have Forgotten)’. He is living proof that you don’t have to come from an affluent background to navigate life with integrity, success and a social conscience. John has a very humble family background and had to struggle to the top. He built the largest chemical company in the US and gave back to the society in which he achieved his success by building one of the largest private hospitals for the treatment of cancer. John believes that there are three kinds of people in life: those who for whatever reason never achieve any success; those who achieve success but are unable to keep it; and those who are able to achieve and hold on to their success throughout their lives. The difference between them is character. Character is our most prized possession. It is the basis of all our actions and being. Those who have character are not ashamed to seek out help in learning manners, in improving themselves. A person of character is self-critical and has the humility and courage to address the areas in which he is lacking. One is never too old to improve. Life stops when we stop learning.

At home with daughter, Alexandra

What do you think the informality in business communication,and the approach taken nowadays, says about us as a society?Is our lack of etiquette a reflection of a growing lack of respect for others?

J.P. Morgan Private Bank in New York, where my daughter Alexandra used to work, is a good example of how a strong company culture and equally strong employee integrity can make a difference. Every client receives the attention and respect he or she requires. This makes a business organization much more resilient in times of crisis and recession. Generally speaking, there is recently a trend in New York toward more formality in the workplace.Women at J.P. Morgan, for instance, were asked not to wear tennis shoes to work, or to change them before entering the office building, lest they meet a client in the elevator. Bank officers were asked to address hand-written letters to clients instead of sending typed ones or communicating with them through email. A strong sense of culture results in having fewer misunderstandings with business partners and better employee teamwork. It makes things,surprisingly, more relaxed, while remaining in focus. It is a known fact that egos often stand in the way of good business relations and yield negative informality, which is also a gateway to corruption,lack of respect towards individuals and general social discord. Every aspect of professional conduct is significantly interconnected with every aspect of one’s personal behavior and also with one’s personal character.

Can you give 3 (or more) examples of commonly observed poor business etiquette on a corporate level? (i.e. not returning calls, ignoring correspondence, disrespectful behavior towards subordinates, etc.) What are the implications for further advancement? The effects on the company this person is employed by?

(1) Everybody knows that there are time limits, as far as phone calls are concerned. And it is a well-recognized fact that it can be very difficult to keep up with all of them, but we should definitely acknowledge every phone call we receive and get back as soon as possible. If we are late in doing so, we should apologize.(2) Sending thank-you notes is almost ignored by our society. It is extremely rare in the Czech Republic to receive a thank you for anything – and almost never in the form of a letter. Even if one brings flowers as a token of appreciation they should be accompanied by a brief note, since flowers wilt and disappear, but the note remains.(3) The so-called “gender issues”, which mostly come down to sexual banter at the workplace, especially men making discouraging or belittling remarks about women. This happens rather often, and is, of course, highly inappropriate, and not as likely to happen incorporate environments in the United States. Women are to blame for this, as well, since many of them dress in an overly provocative manner instead of being attractive in a business-like way. A woman working in a business environment and looking like a fashion model for an extravagant designer is not a woman who can be viewed as a business partner. Czech women are generally very pretty and should be careful to dress to impress with their minds, not their bodies.Czech men should refrain from making untoward remarks, especially about bodily parts.

Can you offer 4 examples of proper etiquette that businesspeople should follow to continue their career growth? ( The”do’s”)

(1) Do listen: show respect, listen to your interlocutor. Do not start forming the reply in your head before the other finishes his or her question. Listen, think about it, and then reply.(2) Do be appropriately dressed for any given occasion. Being familiar with and following the proper dress code is very important.The etiquette surrounding the intricacies of buttoned versus unbuttoned jackets is, unfortunately, still a mystery to many men asare pleats in trousers and polished leather shoes.(3) Do be neatly groomed, see a barber or hairdresser, if needed,and be cleanly shaved. (Richard Nixon´s afternoon shadow lost him an election).(4) When in doubt do have enough humility to seek advice. Do not hesitate to call your host in case of uncertainty in the wording of an invitation. It only shows your respect and confirms your desire not to offend. Every nation, every organization and every event has its own rules of conduct – make it a point to learn them and respect them.

What are some of the most obvious faults at the retail/service level? How do these shortcomings vary by region (Eastern vs.Western Europe, Asia, and the U.S.)? Do you believe that lower standards of customer service affect the population as a whole,or is it presumed to be “a given”?

The Golden Rule was: “Treat people as you would wish to be treated yourself.” In the 21th Century this Golden Rule has changed to read “Treat others as they would wish to be treated themselves.”We must recognize that people are all very different. If we work in a service industry, we must show respect for all the people who use our services and anticipate even their unspoken needs and wants.Please give us a memorable example of excellence you have experienced in a corporate setting, and the same in which you were a customer/client. One of the nicest things that can be said about customer-care in the Czech Republic is that people greet each other everywhere. It is a lovely habit which is missing in many other parts in the world.But this is where it stops. It is not because people don’t want to be nice, but because of their lack of experience with proper customer care. If one has not enjoyed such attention it is difficult to know how to give it. I well remember being yelled at once when I didn’t take a shopping basket in a store. I cannot count the number of times I have entered a store or office and been made to feel that I was an imposition on the personnel. These are the unpleasant remains of the Communist era. As people here experience caring behavior on their travels they will adopt it and expect it here at home.Some good basic principles are: remembering customer names,even after years have gone by since their last visit; accommodating their previously expressed preferences in drinks, food, bed making and the like. Careful attention to small details makes an immense difference. Attention to detail wasn’t possible in the Communist Era,and it is still missing in the high-end restaurants, hotels, stores and offices. If you are in a service industry, you must know about and show interest in the needs and demands of your clients, be ready to offer assistance and advice where necessary. Greeting with a smile and appropriate body language and attaching “Madam”, “Sir” or a last name to the salutation helps.No work is too unimportant to make a difference. People are sensitive to what you do. Everyone should do their job in the best way possible. The world is diverse. Some people are the finest housekeepers and some are the best bankers. They need each other and neither is any less important to the good of the whole. This is a key concept in any service business. The competition is fierce and the client can be easily lost.

Buddha once taught that suffering is an inherent part of existence; at the Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague however, this noble truth is unequivocally refuted. Upon stepping off of Prague’s cobblestone

The atmosphere of the Buddha-Bar

Hotel reaches its true state of Zen in the

rooms themselves, which are a balanced

crossroad between the ancient beauty

and tranquility of the Far East

Each room features a hand-made, dragon tiled bath tub, which is
a masterpiece in its own right.

To insure your comfort, there is a hidden television behind the mirror-wall for viewing, or an outstanding sound system that flows up from the floor, with a Buddha-Bar music library at your finger
tips

No details of comfort are overlooked, and guests enjoy such
familiar features as Bang & Olufsen televisions, personal Nespresso
coffee bars, and Sub-Zero refrigerators in every room…and yes, they always include vintage champagne chilling. . . patiently

Buddha-Bar Hotel has created a
philosophical approach to indulgence
that they call “Buddhattitude”.

The décor of the Buddha-Bar Hotel is a certainly an exotic experience, and the services offered maintain that standard. In keeping with their tradition of redefining the entire approach to
elegance and comfort, Buddha-Bar Hotel has created a philosophical approach to indulgence that they call “Buddhattitude”. Included within this intimate approach to luxury are such features as Thai massage, aromatherapy, and Swedish massage, and all of these services are
offered within the privacy and comfort of each guest’s room. There is 24-hour access to the fitness facilities, and private Jacuzzi, sauna and a hammam steam room. As with every other aspect of the property, state-of-the-art facilities are in harmony with the Zen experience at the Buddha-Bar Hotel.

The staff preserves the atmosphere of grace and harmony in the full Eastern tradition, while delivering a truly exceptional level of service. There is a natural ease and elegance shown when caring for any client requirement. Ms. Veronika Fajčíková, the Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague Director, personally oversees the hiring and training of the staff, and enjoys the rewards. The quality of service and attention to detail is reminiscent of a by-gone era, when guests enjoyed a personal relationship with the hotels they frequented. This is the mark that truly distinguishes a “grand hotel” from other five star lodgings.

Ms. Veronika Fajčíková Hotel Director

The dining selections are also fusion by design- the two restaurants are an essential part of the Buddha-Bar Hotel experience. Covering the space of two large floors, Buddha-Bar’s intimate lighting is accentuated by massive, richly decorated chandeliers and a candle-lit, 2.6m tall statue of a sitting Buddha overlooking the main dining room; as in all others, Buddha is in perfect harmony with the finely restored original details of this art nouveau property, here and throughout the hotel.The main room is surprisingly similar to the famous Buddha-Bar in Paris. Tomáš Stehlík – The Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague Chef has created the ideal menu, a perfect blend of Asian and Pacific-Rim fusion cuisine, mostly inspired by the now legendary Buddha-Bar Paris signature dishes.

The second restaurant, the Siddharta Cafe, has a “Pop Art” feel,and colorful décor that includes a wall of transparent, colorfully lit Buddhas, as well as modern paintings, rich chandeliers and turquoise chairs. Chef Stehlík has prepared a menu that is both sophisticated and contemporary, and features International Cuisine in an all-daydining restaurant. After dinner, slip upstairs from the restaurant to the mezzanine bar and lounge, with the original wrought-iron balustrade framing an intimate and trendy place to socialize, dance and enjoy the music….in a 360 degree loop. The Buddha-Bar music is a compilation of lounge, down-tempo

and world music, and is spun nightly by the best DJs in Prague. The Buddha-Bar music series, a world famous collectable since the first Buddha- Bar opened, is even more popular today than their beginnings 15 years ago. These signature discs are compilations of the very finest musical mixes from Buddha-Bars around the world. The Buddha-Bar Hotel offers truly convenient access to some of the most coveted locations in Prague: The breathtaking views of the grand gothic Týn Cathedral are outside your window, and a walk through the courtyard to Prague’s old town square; world class shopping is waiting on either Parižka or Na Přikope Streets, and both are less than a five minute walk.

There are four growing regions but vines are mainly planted at a latitude of 27 – 34 degrees South, in the Coastal Region of the Western Cape, where spectacular mountain ranges frame some of the most beautiful vineyards in the world. Well-established wine farms threaded along the coast are seldom further than 50 kilometers from the ocean. Here, the constant interaction between towering peaks, criss-crossing valleys and the meeting of the cold Atlantic and the warmer Indian Ocean, provides welcome relief from warm summer temperatures. Additionally, cool afternoon breezes keep mean temperatures during February – harvest time – around 22 degrees Celsius.

But wine-growing in South Africa was not always thus. The only vine natural to South Africa is called Rhoicissus Tomentosa (Capensis), also called African Grape or monkey rope. These woody lianas easily climb to 20 meters in the high canopy forests, providing treetop access to monkeys, baboons and other forest creatures. However, while the fruit is edible, it cannot be used for making wine. That had to wait until the seventeenth century.

The Dutch East India Company established a supply station at the Cape in 1652 to provide sustenance to the brave fleets taking on the stormy Southern oceans on their way to the alluring riches of the East. The first Dutch Governor, Jan van Riebeeck and his gardener, Hendrik Boom, established a vineyard in Green Point – now home to the impressive FIFA Soccer World Cup stadium. The pressing of the first precious drops of wine was recorded in his diary on 2 February, 1659. Last year, a number of wonderful retrospective wine tastings, wine festivals and historic vine-planting ceremonies were held around the Cape Winelands to celebrate the landmark event of 350 years of Cape Wine.

With the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and the advent of democracy sixteen years ago, a renewed creative energy caused dramatic changes to the wine industry. Forward-thinking winemakers and viticulturists embraced advances and new technology without losing the art of capturing the spirit of place in their wines. And now, the Rainbow Nation, as South Africa is fondly known, has truly discovered the treasure of its ancient soils and is captivating local as well as international markets with wines of individuality, character and integrity.

Exports have grown from fewer than 50 million litres in 1994 to 411 million litres, 53.9% of total wine production, in 2008. Recently South African wine imports into the UK surpassed those of France, placing South Africa fourth in this important market. Quality control for export is stringent. Samples of all wines for export are sent to the Wine and Spirit Board for tasting and chemical analysis. An official seal is given to each bottle which verifies that the claims made on the label are true, thereby ensuring the integrity of every bottle that leaves the shores. This year new lightweight bottles have been introduced in an effort to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

Colourful, passionate and inspirational characters abound amongst growers and winemakers, with a sprinkling of anarchy and unconventional opinion added to the mix, this provides the breeding ground for young talent to develop and forge new paths Windswept and energetic, Duncan Savage, the young winemaker of Cape Point Vineyards, encapsulates the new face of the South African wine industry. Expressing his unique terroir on the thin stretch of peninsula towards Cape Point, he is making world-class, mineral edged, Sauvignon Blanc from spectacular sea-facing vineyards planted in 1996. The wine is herbaceous in youth but develops texture and depth with maturity. Savage is constantly developing new ideas and has recently started using 600-liter clay amphorae for red and white wine making and maturation. His enthusiasm is tangible, and completely believable when he says: ‘For me South Africa is “watch this space”. The potential is huge.’ Sauvignon Blanc is planted widely and one of South Africa’s big success stories, producing herbaceous or more tropical styles with equal success.

My own passion for wine was nurtured by the generosity and shared knowledge of great characters, not only in the Cape Winelands but around the world. Living legend Spatz Sperling from Delheim, Johnny Hugel from Alsace and many others fanned the flame.

Adjacent to the Cape Point vineyards, facing False Bay, is the historic Constantia Valley, where grapes were first planted in the 17th century. Vineyards cling to the Eastern slopes of Constantia berg where the cooling ocean breezes ensure slow ripening. Here, many famous estates such as Groot Constantia, Steenberg, Buitenverwachting as well as Klein Constantia continue to produce award-winning wines of great finesse and elegance. Klein Constantia produces South Africa’s most famous unfortified sweet wine made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (Muscat de Frontignan). The varieties, Pontac, red and white Muscadel and a little Chenin Blanc were included in the historic wine that was prized in the 18th century by Europe’s aristocracy: it is even said that Napoleon asked for a glass of Constantia on his death bed.

Talented young winemaker Adam Mason, now entrusted with the wines on the estate, believes in creating the wines in the vineyard, and simple ‘hands-off’ guidance in the cellar. His wines are focused and resonate with authentic brilliance. The Vin de Constance is richly aromatic with a nose of candied orange, sun-dried peaches and sandalwood – imparting a sense of history and golden sun-filled days in every glass. Limited quantities are allocated to selected outlets in Europe where it is eagerly sought after by connoisseurs.

And the wards keep coming. A recent triumph for South Africa on the international wine stage was Danie Steytler’s Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage 2006, which won the International Trophy for Top Red Single Varietal wine in the World at the 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards in London. The wine was competing against some 10,285 entries. My tasting note on the wine reads ”The wine has deep layers of black fruit, mulberry and spiced plums with harmonious tannins giving definition to multi-layered fruit; richly textured yet elegant with the balance to age beautifully.” Danie is a true artist of the soil, to whom such accolades are nothing new: his Steytler Vision 2001 (Pinotage/Cabernet blend) was named best red blend in the world in 2004 International Wine and Spirit Competition in London. He loves to experiment with new wine styles; and his Marketing Director and wife Yngvild sometimes – if proudly – despairs at having another wine to sell! Danie is a member of the prestigious Cape Wine Makers Guild. Members are invited by their peers in recognition of at least 5 years of winemaking excellence. An annual auction of these rare limited edition, collector’s wines, is held on the first Saturday of October, attracting buyers from around the world.

Pinotage is a South African homegrown variety created in 1925 by Professor Abraham Perold. He successfully crossed Cinsaut (then known as Hermitage) and Pinot Noir to marry the reliability of the former with the nobility of the latter. At best it makes densely textured wines with great longevity and easy drinking, the fruity styles which are gaining popularity amongst younger consumers. On the cellar wall of the famous Pinotage producer, Kanonkop , the following words appear: “Pinotage is a wine made from women’s tongues and lion’s hearts: drink enough of it and you could talk forever and fight the devil!”

The versatile Chenin Blanc still comprises about 19% of plantings and is enjoying its elevation from workhorse grape to ultra-chic varietal. Precious old bush vines are given tender love and care by Chenin enthusiasts such as fellow Cape Wine Master, Irina von Holt of Old Vines Cellars. She specializes in the production of characterful Chenin – including an outstanding Methode Cape Classique sparkler! South Africa’s Chenin plantings are the largest in the world, surpassing those of its home ground in the Loire region of France. Wine styles vary from light, unwooded quaffers to seriously slick, barrique-aged numbers from cellars such as Raats, Ken Forrester and Jean Daneel. Cabernet Sauvignon is still the most planted red varietal with sensual Shiraz catching up fast. Cabernet makes characterful wines with great structure and longevity while Shiraz can produce elegant spicy/peppery wines in the cooler areas or rich, velvety wines bursting with fruit from the warmer vineyards. Some older styles can have a pungent earthiness which was once described to me as reminiscent of “farm-yard and horse stables”, whilst Shiraz with a touch of Viognier blended in can be delicious, with the floral tones of the white grape lifting the dark fruit and spice of the Shiraz.

All these vinous riches lie within the world-renowned botanical biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom. Recently declared a world heritage site, its is the smallest and richest of six such kingdoms in the world containing an abundance of rare floral species. South Africa is recognised as a world leader in sustainable winegrowing, with two encompassing initiatives to protect the environment. The Biodiversity in Wine Initiative, which began in 2004, now has 170 participants pledged to protect 118,500 hectares of the unique fynbos and renosterveld, covering 20% more land than that of the vineyard footprint. Moreover, the compulsory Integrated Production of Wine guidelines, in place since 1998, provide for environmentally sustainable practices both in the vineyards and the cellar as well as the protection of biodiversity. Exciting experiments, such as using indigenous plants as cover crops, are also in progress., and all these initiatives have now been fully integrated into an industry handbook for sustainable farming. With vintners pushing the boundaries of new vineyards to ever higher slopes and extremities, these measures will ensure that what makes us unique, will not be sacrificed on the altar of Bacchus.

A vintner once said: “I enjoy winemaking because this sublime nectar is simply incapable of lying. A bit too early a bit too late – the wine will always whisper into your mouth with complete, unabashed honesty, every time you take a sip”. With respect, vision and a quest for quality, the honest message of South African wine is being whispered into mouths across the globe.

By Elsie Pells

Praha Východ — Přezletice

This substantial villa, which was constructed in 1995, is located in a small village just 400 metres from the Prague border and yet only 20 minutes by car from the city centre. A 24 hour Tesco and a Globus are ten minutes away and the new ring road will be just a 500 metre drive, offering superb accessibility both to the airport and anywhere else within the Czech Republic A deceptively sized property, the house offers a total area of 690 m² on three levels. The ground and first floors are designed for living, and the basement for recreation and services.

Ground Floor

Enormous living room with dining area, Large, fully equipped kitchen, Dining room, Entrance hall, WC with basin, Two bedrooms (one of which is currently used as a study), with en suite bathrooms.

First Floor

Master bedroom with an equal sized dressing room and en suite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms, 2 with en suite bathrooms, One more bathroom, Large hall, 2 terraces.

Lower Floor

34 m² swimming pool with power jet, Gymnasium, Sauna, Storage rooms, Workshop, Laundry room, Boiler room, Triple garage.

Outside

4,500 m² garden, comprising lawns, flower beds, rockery, ponds and BBQs, automatic watering, lighting and security system, Electronic entry gates, Gardener’s storage and greenhouse, Ample parking spaces.

The villa is set amidst the most beautiful c. 4,500 m² landscaped garden in the Czech Republic, with floodlighting, over 100 trees and bushes, fish ponds, a bridge, a waterfall, two barbecue areas, three terraces and a pagoda.

Adjacent to the garden is an additional c. 6,500 m² of land, which has been levelled and grassed and could be kept as a meadow or include a tennis court, a second swimming pool, paddock and stables, staff accommodation or additional garaging; it alone would have a value of circa 10 million CZK if it was developed residentially.This outstanding house offers everyone the perfect opportunity to combine its proximity to Prague with all the advantages of breathing the fresh country air, the possibility to have one’s own sports and leisure complex and the benefits of peace and quiet.

Price: 29,500,000 CZK (c. 1,150,000 EUR)

To arrange a private viewing, please contact Mr. Nigel Mort +420 602 37 00 00 or nigel@capitalproperties.cz

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE FOR LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE

It seems like the worst of times for investing in anything equipped with a gas tank: Saab has filed for bankruptcy;the U.S. Big Three continue to behave like the Three Blind Mice, running wild with SUVs, corporate bonuses, and denials of global warming ; and the big Japanese manufacturers, renowned for their impeccable quality, are recalling thousands of mysteriously flawed vehicles: faulty brakes, faulty air-bags – and even cars which won’t stop accelerating. At the moment, as they say in East Texas, I wouldn’t touch a new car with a ten foot pole.

But antique cars? Well, that’s another story. Basking in the glory and romance of the olden days, these beauties of engineering represent all the proof you need that they don’t make them like they used to.

Eccentric, quirky: top hats on bicycle wheels, flowing caravans fitted with lanterns that could light up a coal mine, chrome-lined space rockets – with almost as much lift, classic cars transform the most mundane journey into a parade, and remind us that even if our past was glorious and foolish, we, like they, are still very much alive.

And the vintage car market, it seems, continues to survive despite the financial crisis. Antique cars come in three varieties: classic, vintage, and veteran, though the terms are not strictly interchangeable. The youngest generation is the Classic, whose birthday typically falls between World War II and the early ‘80s. Vintage cars, meanwhile, are those which emerged between the wars, while Veterans refer to the first gas-powered spiders ever to have scuttled on four wheels (think Ford’s groundbreaking Model T).

But quite apart from the question of mileage – which in the case of high-performance cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camero can be on a par with the fuel consumption needs of a Saturn V – the question continues to be: Are these cars a good investment?

Those in the know will tell you it’s a bit like putting your money in gold or silver. Basically, the investor gets a solid and reliable asset that can’t disappear overnight in the manner of a fragile ‘dot-com’. Rather, classic cars possess intrinsic value, and since by definition they are limited in quantity, their value follows a much steadier graph than that of the troubled stock market.

AC Cobra

For cars of this class, the critical number is fifteen. That is the age at which, typically, a car’s value stops depreciating and reverses direction, appreciating in value at a rate equal to or greater than  inflation . As late night talk show host and avid car collector Jay Leno says: “You might not make any money on it, but you probably won’t lose anything.” Well, you may not believe everything you hear on talk shows, but this sounds like good financial advice. With more than a hundred vehicles in his private collection, Leno is somewhat of an expert on the subject – the very least you can do, according to him, is break even.

Of course, the initial investment requires careful nurturing. Unlike a gold bar, a car is more vulnerable to the elements; you’ll need a safe place to store it from the rain and sun. You’ll need gas and insuranceif you decide to take it on the road and there’s always the risk of breakdown. In addition, you’ll have to maintain or buy rare spareparts, and all of this costs money.

But the consensus is that it’s well worth the initial and continuing outlay. Jay Grams, co-owner of Volo Auto Museum in Illinois, says it’s the best time for buyers in forty years. Others note how the babyboomers are rabidly scooping up the muscle cars of their youth, at prices hovering in range of scarcer veteran cars.

I pose the investment question to Pavel Lacina, owner of Bohemia Classic Cars in Prague.

It depends, Lacina says, on a number of factors: the make and model, how many were produced in a particular year, condition, whether you want the car to sit in a showroom, or whether you want to drive it regularly or just on weekends. It depends on whether it’s an original, and how heavily or not it has been restored.

For Lacina the question is not about doubling your money in five years but about enjoying the car for the bold style and performance of bygone days. He assumes you already have the money.

“In the old days,” he says, “only a few tinkering enthusiasts could enjoy these cars. Now the number of service centers stocking rare parts has increased. So now if you take out your Skoda Roadster on the weekend and it breaks down, just call us. We’ll come with the replacement part or a tow truck.”

Like automotive alchemists turning base metal into gold, his team of restorers turn forgotten relics into machines so shiny they make your eyes hurt. With a flourish, they banish rust, straighten dents into smoothness you want to lick, and flute doors in ways only thought possible on ball gowns.

Pavel shows me a restored chassis with a propeller sticking out of the engine end that I can easily spin with my little finger. The whole
frog-green frame looks strong enough to withstand bashes by a
sledgehammer and still glide. It’s hard to believe this chassis is going to ft under the rusting shell of a decomposed Buick.

He eagerly describes a Tatra 613 he hunted down in a
garage in Serbia. The communist-era car produced in Czechoslovakia in Kopřivnice had been sitting in the garage for over thirty years with a tree branch blocking the door – but the car was still perfectly intact. Pavel points to another intact original in his feet, a thin-shelled chestnut Velorex whose nose looks like an open umbrella resting
on its side. “Originals in good condition,” Pavel says, “are obviously better investments than heavily-restored vehicles.” There’s no question that an investor would do well if guided by Lucina’s expertise, but if you don’t have someone to help you along, it’s essential to ask for vehicles with solid documentation, verifable factory paperwork, and – If the car has  been restored – pictures before restoration, and certifcation from national restoration societies. On the other hand, if you want to avoid middlemen altogether and go treasure hunting yourself, like Pavel did for that Tatra, it’s perhaps more fun to search the barns of Europe and trailer parks of the U.S. Many antique car enthusiasts swear half the fun is in opening that cobweb-covered door to fnd what grandpa left behind.

Another way to start is to get in touch with your local car club, which seemingly exist for every kind of car. Looking for a 1970 Porsche 911? There’s a club for that. E-bay and auctions are also useful for checking the going rate for the model and make you want, remembering that if you buy your car a auction, a percentage commission fee is added on. Crucially, though, there’s no point in investing in an antique car unless you really love them.

And that means loving them like Radek Uhlir does. Radek certainly fts the stereotypical baby-boomer profle when it comes to cars. He is the owner of several muscle cars (including three Corvettes from 1958, 1964, 1968) but he didn’t buy them for profit. He’s simply fanatical about cars with engines that would give nightmares to the ecologists of today.

For Uhlir, love is the key. And that means lavishing money on his acquisitions – up to fve times the original price in the case of one

of his Corvettes. Where some people might check their email, he obsessively checks the images returned by the webcam hovering over two of his babies currently being restored in a dealer’s garage. Not satisfed with 24-hour images, Radek also visits the same garage three times a week to monitor in person the piece-by-piece assemblyof these very expensive Humpty Dumpties.“They restore better in the Czech Republic than in the U.S.,” he says. “Here they take care down to the last bolt.”

This man’s love for old vehicles began when he was a boy, zooming around on his grandfather’s motorcycles. He built his own at 13, and even now a pristinely-restored BMW motorcycle from

1927 stands in his office, somewhat oddly rubbing shoulders with brochures for operating theaters (Uhlir works for a company that sells medical equipment). I am eager to hear details about racing to IKEA or around the Krkonose mountains but Uhlir says he never races because he knows he’ll win every time. “I drive within the speed limit,” he says. I think immediately: ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick…’

This falcon, I suspect, is hiding his claws. But Uhlir does admit to turning his head to inspect whenever he hears a loud engine rumbling nearby. “Much more than I do for women,” he says, smiling for the frst time. Before I leave, Uhlir shows me photo after photo of his fully restored Sting Ray.

It’s like a brilliant time machine whisked of to diferent locations – to forest, bridge, or supermarket parking lot – at the touch of a button. He’s a proud man, and you know that he onlydoes it because of two essentials: unique, beautiful engineering. And love.

The Nuts and Bolts of Car Restoration

There is a lake called Skadar in the tiny southern European state of Montenegro. Surrounded by the mesmerizing natural beauty of a national park, it provides a unique bird sanctuary, the largest of its kind in Europe. Embraced by beaches of silken sand, the lake offers fishing for sports lovers and gourmets alike: carp – so popular in the region – goes deliciously with the local wines, while visitors can also admire the history of the region in the form of ancient monasteries and medieval castles. This beautiful place seems to reflect in its pure waters the whole gamut of activities in that paradise of mountains and bays that is Montenegro.

With tourism imperative to the little country’s economy, Montenegro makes good use of its natural resources, principally by maintaining its national parks. There are four of them, including Skadar. The smallest, Biogradska Gora, is especially remarkable for its rich flora and fauna, boasting a pristine forest with trees over 500 years old, and spectacular slopes perfect for skiing. Visitors can also take advantage of the mountains and resorts in the north of the country, where one can not only ski but also participate in sledge racing and other winter sports.

Another park, Durmitor, contains the largest European canyon: second only in area to the Grand Canyon in Arizona and part of an ecological resort, it’s surrounded by cascading waterfalls and breathtaking natural features. The canyon is also the largest drinking-water reservoir in the country. Picturesque and scenic, Durmitor offers a chance to explore the natural world through the energetic sport of water-rafting – a truly Montenegrin experience in its own right.

One of Montenegro’s clearest rivers, the Tara – named “The Tear of Europe” for its transparent beauty – is a must for any adventure seeker. You can also spend entire days walking and taking photos: the beauty along the way is simply breathtaking. Mountain bikes and fishing tackle for available for hire. Or take a dip in the cool waters and spend an unforgettable night by the shore, while enjoying the Adriatic sunset. Visitors might also want to take a look at the nearby towns of Kotor and Budva, each of them a combination of beautiful shorelines and remarkable architecture – the resemblance to Venice is hardly surprising given the historical ties between the two countries.

The coastal zone – one of the three major tourist regions in Montenegro – attracts visitors for a number of reasons: firstly, the sun and the sea, with beaches stretching over 70 kilometers in length. Then there are, of course, the characteristic specialties of Mediterranean cuisine, and – last but not least – a face-to-face encounter with the history of this unique culture, captured in the silhouettes of local churches and the inviting warmth of sun-caressed cobblestones in the country’s old streets and enigmatic cul-de-sacs.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the town of Budva is one of the oldest urban settlements on the coast. Influenced by both Greek and Roman civilizations, the town was constructed at the cusp of their respective powers. In the Middle Ages, it came under the rule of Serbian nobles, followed by 300 years of Venetian rule, before spending much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries changing hands between Austria, France and Russia. It was here, as part of Yugoslavia, that many lives were sacrificed for the sake of liberty in the fight against fascism during World War II, and that tragic story can still be traced in the winding streets of the town.

“Every Allied government gave me a decoration – even Montenegro, little Montenegro down on the Adriatic Sea …” F.Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

The spirit of old Europe is evident too in Kotor, one of the best preserved medieval towns on the Mediterranean. The region is dominated by its numerous churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, and specifically by the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, a Romanesque cultural monument of immense value with its 14th century frescoes, stone ornaments and gold and silver reliefs. But there is more to Kotor than just that. It is also situated next to a soothing bay, surrounded by palms and pomegranates, part of a spectacular coastline. For this reason, a trip on the ferry is the best way of enjoying Kotor’s coastal landscape.

If what you are looking for is taking a break from the gray skies of other parts of Europe, then Ulcinj is the place to go. Located on the far south of the coast – this spot was listed in January 2010 by The New York Times among ‘The Top 31 Places to Go in 2010’. It’s sunny throughout almost the entire year and has the longest sand beaches on the Adriatic; as an ideal environment for beach-volleyball tournaments, it attracts many fans of the sport every April.

Ulcinj has a range of over fifty beaches, each appealing in its own way: for family entertainment, for those seeking solitude, even – for those who enjoy it – a spot of nudist bathing – the choice is yours. The most remarkable are the beaches of the so-called Bojana-Riviera, situated on the triangular island of Ada Bojana which, thanks to is wealth of natural heritage, is often regarded as a national park all by itself. It’s also the perfect spot to windsurf or go sailing (the latter, very popular in Montenegro). Many high-profile visitors, from authors and filmmakers to businessmen, frequent Ulcinj and its environs. But Ulcinj has one further trick up its sleeve. A love affair with the sea

If you wish to add a taste of Mediterranean cuisine to your south-Montenegrin experience, there’s no question that Ulcinj will be your destination of choice. It’s the center of the Montenegrins’ love-affair with all types of sea food. Fishing is popular on Ada Bojana – famous for its wooden bungalows from where local fishermen cast their lines and nets. You can accompany them on a barge, and, if you’re lucky, get a chance to see the so-called ‘calimeras’, ancient devices specially equipped for fishing, whose design has been jealously preserved to the present day.

Of course, there are also plenty of restaurants serving fish, shrimp, and crabs, accompanied by Mediterranean vegetables. ‘Fishing Night’, a local festival celebrated in the month of August, is the culmination of all these traditions – an evening of fish, wine, folklore and dancing.

Along with fresh fish, the other staple of the local Mediterranean cuisine is the olive. Valdanos, one of the beaches of Ulcinj, is, in fact, one big olive orchard. Bar, another southern town situated opposite Italian Bari across the Adriatic, is home to the ‘House of Olives’ museum – an extraordinary project still in progress. This town also hosts a remarkable event called “Meetings under the Old Olive Tree” which promotes culture and poetry readings. The event takes place in Mirovica, a place where 2,000-year-old olive trees still stand. The last day of the Meetings features the planting of a new olive tree – a symbol of peace and friendship for all our futures.

It is a gastronomic truism that olives go hand-in-hand with wine, and Montenegro has both in abundance and variety. A bottle of red Vranac would be a good choice, but also Krstac, a white kind of wine that also goes well with different types of cheese. One very popular cheese is Pivski Kajmak, a traditional Balkan type, especially creamy and thick, and the inimitable local aftertaste. Historically, any Montenegrin cheese used to get part of its peculiar aroma from the wooden container in which it was prepared. Nowadays, however, it’s less common to prepare cheese this way, and the famous wooden tub has become more of a souvenir.

The north of the country is proud to have the highest quality of grain in south-Eastern Europe, and milk plays an important role – curdled, boiled, stirred and slightly salted – it tastes wonderful together with another domestic specialty, the polenta-based “Kacamak”.

Montenegrin cuisine has been crucially influenced by the local geography, where new recipes emerged during different historical epochs. The long domination of the Venetian Republic, for instance, resulted in the adoption of Italian bread-making, while the Ottoman reign introduced such dishes as moussaka, kebab and some Turkish sweets like baklava and tulumba. Austro-Hungarian influence can be traced to the local goulash (thick broths are very popular in Montenegro), and continental Europe projected its tastes by promoting crepes, Viennese bread, and doughnuts which – along with authentic fruit dishes like dried figs with walnuts and honey – are among Montenegro’s most popular desserts.

This brief introduction cannot hope to do justice to Montenegro’s extraordinary synthesis of exotic landscapes, sea, sports, waterfalls, sun, olives and wines (not to mention the popular pomegranate syrup and Niksicko Pivo for those who appreciate good beer). It is a neat coincidence that Montenegro – whose name literally means ‘Black Mountain’ – is something of a dark horse in southern Europe; and ironic that this tiny country provides such a spectacular kaleidoscope of vibrant color and life.

To some, extreme sports athletes are considered courageous and inspirational, while others look upon them as nothing more than a group of “adrenaline junkies”. Compared to traditional athletes, men and women who partake in extreme sports are certainly different in look, style, and in how they carry themselves, in general. But contrary to popular belief, the best extreme sports athletes are rarely reckless—upon a closer look, you will find that most are daring perfectionists and safety-conscious experts who can be said to specialize in risk assessment, or risk management.

Extreme sports, no doubt, come in all shapes and sizes and are ever growing in number. People take part in them all over the planet: on land, in the air, underwater, on the highest mountain peaks, and everywhere in between. Although it has no set definition, the general convention for any sport to be considered “extreme” is to be adrenalin-driven and have an aura of danger and risk to it, as well as, to a certain extent, the perception of it being “subversive”, or “counter-cultural”.

While dangerous sports and pastimes have been around for ages, the term “Extreme Sports” is relatively new. Only in the last two decades has the term become commonplace, which, by and large, can be attributed to the role marketing companies have played in making these types of sport more prominent. The once-held belief that extreme sports are for “adrenaline junkies”, who risk their lives in their free time, no longer applies. It is now a multi-billion dollar business, with athletes receiving endorsement deals and many companies using the “Extreme Sports” tag, or label, to attract new customers and build their brands into household names. Perhaps the best example of this is Red Bull. These days, you would be hard-pressed not to find this energy drink at an organized extreme-sports event, in one form or another.

Three very different sports that fall into the “extreme” category and are gaining popularity, by – quite literally put – leaps and bounds, include ones you can try on land, in the air, and somewhere in between: wingsuit flying, parkour, and ice climbing.

Wingsuit Flying
If mere parachuting or even BASE jumping has begun to bore you and seems a little outdated, then consider trying wingsuit flying to liven things up. This sport involves jumping from a plane, balloon, or BASE jumping in a flying-suit that makes you look like a crossover between Batman and a flying squirrel. Though you might look like a superhero or a cuddly critter, the suit allows for many advantages, compared to the simple freefall of classic skydiving or BASE jumping.

The main advantage is that it can drastically slow the freefall speed and provide a much better gliding ratio; this allows the glider to stay up in the air for much longer and to travel a much greater distance. The normal freefall speed for a skydiver ranges between 180 and 225km/h; wingsuit flights have been recorded to be 40km/h with a ratio of 3:1, meaning that every meter of vertical descent had three meters of gliding.

In skydiving or BASE jumping, a parachute, or jump-chute, is deployed at an appropriate altitude and the glider simply floats back down to earth. Wingsuit flying, however, requires much more customization, with flyers needing to be able to manipulate their bodies in such ways so as to extend their flight time and travel distance. Considering the skills and technology required, you may be surprised to find out that the first wingsuit “attempts” date back to the 1930s. It was not until the 1990s, however, that technology was advanced enough to allow Frenchman Patrick de Gayardon to be one of the first people to design and make a wingsuit that was deemed safe enough for regular use, which has thus enabled wingsuit flying to get the recognition of a sport.

Parkour
While most extreme sports won’t go easy on your budget, requiring very specific and expensive gear, parkour is one extreme sport that costs next to nothing. All that is required to practice it and become a star in this relatively new sport – apart from having loads of courage and exuberance – is a pair of comfortable sports shoes, loose trousers, and a T-shirt. It is also one sport that has no fixed environment, such as a stadium or court – it is often practiced in large cities with dense variety in urban development, providing the best and most challenging landscapes to “parkour” through.

The sport itself involves running along a given route while trying to overcome various obstacles in the most efficient way possible. The main objective of parkour is to get from point A to point B using only one’s body and the objects around. Perhaps the best known example of it can be seen in the film Casino Royal, the 2006 James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig. In one memorable chase scene, Bond and another character effortlessly negotiate, climb, slide and jump on and over a series of fences, walls, building materials, windows, cranes, and much more. The character which Bond is pursuing, you’d be wise to know, is played by none other than Frenchman Sébastien Foucan, who, alongside his countryman David Belle, is considered to be one of the founders of modern parkour.

Although started in France, today the largest parkour community is in the USA, where there are more than 65,000 registered participants. While it may all sound slightly tame: running, climbing and jumping over things, and it might not be quite as dangerous as other extreme sports, parkour will definitely get anyone’s adrenalin pumping and put their physical and mental limits to the test, just like any other sport you will find on the X-Games list.

Ice Climbing
Unlike parkour and wingsuit flying, ice climbing isn’t new on the extreme sport scene. Having been around for more than 100 years, it is one of the very few sports to be regarded as extreme and yet not have the countercultural tagline. Another interesting fact that makes this sport different from most other extreme sports is that, on average, its participants are much older than those in other “traditional” extreme sports, as experience, knowledge, and climbing skills, honed for many years, play a vital role.

Ice climbing is an offshoot of mountaineering, but as the name suggests, it mainly involves climbing up exceptionally large boulders of ice formed over the ages by frozen waterfalls, glaciers, rock slabs, and cliffs that have been covered with layers of frozen water. Back in 1908, a British climber, Oscar Eckenstein, designed a toothed kind of spur – or a spike, rather – which he attached to his boots to allow him to dig into the ice and make vertical steps. Since those early first steps, ice-climbing equipment has evolved in such a way that today’s climbers are able to climb long, slippery, frozen, and vertical cliff faces that many non-climbers would deem impossible to conquer. While until a few years ago, ice climbing was an activity mainly practiced by wind-battered mountaineers for whom it was simply a way of getting to the top of an icy mountain, in recent years, with technological advances in clothing and equipment, the sport has become accessible to people with limited climbing or mountaineering experience and, thus, has become increasingly popular. Today it is not uncommon to find people who are doctors and lawyers by day and climbers during weekends, scaling perilous icy heights, both natural and artificial.

Over the years, many sports that were once considered extreme have become much more mainstream, and some, such as snowboarding and ski aerial events, have even become Olympic sports. Today any creditable ski resort is likely to have a snowpark, which is something that very few people would have predicted 25 years ago. Back then, the “mountain kings” were skiers like Ingemar Stenmark and Franz Klammer, and snowboarding was something more akin to mere science-fiction. And who knows, perhaps in a few years’ time we may find ourselves at an Olympic event, cheering for our national team as it competes in parkour or wingsuit flying, or it may happen a little sooner, as extreme breakthroughs sometimes happen overnight.

If the idea of tottering across a field, Moet in hand, tamping down clumps of sod with your Manolos seems strange to you, then you probably aren’t familiar with the sport of polo. Known as the sport of kings–Britain’s Prince Charles and his sons are familiar faces on the field–polo is the fastest team sport in the world. An equestrian sport involving four players mounted on horseback, the object of the game is to score goals against the opposing side by hitting a ball with a wooden mallet–all whilst galloping at speed on horseback. An air of exclusivity has always surrounded the game, and its popularity has surged in recent years across Central Europe, including the Czech Republic, and around the world.

The “Sport of Kings”

The origins of polo can be traced back to at least the 6th Century BC in Central Asia, where it was originally developed as a cavalry exercise for warriors — used as practice for battles, with as many as 100 players per side, variations of the game existed from Turkey to India, Japan to Tibet. In Persia, the sport developed into a pastime for the nobility, earning it the nickname “the game of kings”.

During the 19th century, British army officers encountered the game in India and adapted it, introducing it to the UK in the mid-1860 s: the first set of standardized rules was developed in 1874, although the game appears to have been a slower version of that which we know today. From Britain, polo’s popularity spread to the US (the United States Polo Association was founded in 1890), and to South America (see sidebar ‘Viva la Argentina’), notably Brazil and Argentina, retaining its original following in the Middle East – indeed, some refer to polo as Iran’s national sport. Two of the oldest clubs in Europe are the Bratislava Polo Club opened in 1888 and Budapest Polo Club opened in 1895. Hugely popular in the early 20th century, even a Nazi ban on polo from the 1930 s did little to quash enthusiasm for the sport, polo was considered an Olympic sport from 1900 to 1936.

Polo from Berlin to Moscow

In the late 1990 s, two clubs opened in Hungary; the Polish Polo Association was founded in 2004; and several major tournaments are now staged in cities such as Prague, Warsaw and Budapest: the Slovakia Open, Austrian Open, and the Central European Polo Tour, played in those cities and culminating in Vienna.

In 2008, the Central European Polo Association (CEPA) was founded in Austria, which has a direct relationship with the Federation of International Polo (the FIP), the sport’s governing body. 2008 also saw the establishment of the Prague Polo Club, which offers polo clinics around Europe for members (see sidebar ‘Polo Comes to Prague’). The fastest growing market for the sport is currently said to lie between Berlin and Moscow, and the Czech Republic is perfectly placed to take advantage of this burgeoning interest.

Anatomy of a Game Polo is a team sport, consisting of four players mounted on horseback who ride at speed and attempt to drive a small ball (made of plastic or wood) into the opposing team’s goal using a long-handled wooden mallet. There are many rules governing the play, which are primarily aimed at protecting horse and rider. Two of the basic tenets of polo are The Line of the Ball and The Right of Way. The Line of the Ball is an imaginary line created by the ball as it travels on the field. The “Line of the Ball”changes each time the ball changes direction. The player who hit the ball has The Right of Way, and other players cannot cross the Line of the Ball in front of that player. That player may only be challenged by being ridden off, or having his stick hooked. A player riding along the Line of the Ball in the opposite direction may, if it is not dangerous, hit the ball provided he uses the same forehand or backhand as the original player. This rule can generally be compared with a dual carriageway with the central reservation being the Line of the Ball. There are strict rules governing the entry into The Right of Way and the severity of infringement determines the severity of the penalty.

Traditionally, the game has been played outdoors on grass fields 300 yards long by either 200 yards or 160 yards wide, depending on the availability of protective side boards, though modern variations include arena polo (played on a much smaller pitch indoors or on an outdoor, all-weather pitch using a team of three players), and even elephant polo (and Segway Polo). The match is divided into seven-minute periods called ‘chukkas’ (or ‘chukkers’), and, depending on the level, there will be between four and six chukkas per match. After each goal is scored, the teams change goal ends (though in arena polo, ends are changed only after each chukka.) Each of the four players has a designated position, with players One and Two acting in primarily offensive roles and players Three and Four acting more defensively, with Number Three usually acting as the team captain responsible for team strategy and tactics.

At the time of the game’s formalization in 19th century India, ponies were used as mounts: the term ‘polo pony’ is still used, though in fact full-sized horses are used in the modern game. Each player has a ‘string’ of ponies to allow the horses a rest in between chukkas, though the string may range from just one change of mount to as many as eight other mounts for professional players.

Ponies are selected for their speed, agility, calm temperament and responsiveness–they are trained to respond to leg and weight cues from the rider as well as to reined instructions: to get the right blend of required behaviors, many are thoroughbreds or thoroughbred crosses (see sidebar “Pony Up”).

Wealthy Spectators Can Play

From its glory days as the sport of kings in medieval Persia, polo has retained its cachet of exclusivity. Due to its nature as an equestrian sport, the game requires large amounts of funding, especially at the professional level, due to the teams of grooms, vets, and farriers involved in maintaining a string of ponies. Polo is unique, however, in that ‘patrons’ – or non-professionals–can pay to play on the same team as professional players, even at higher levels of the sport. Pay-to-play clubs, in which one can rent a pony and field time by the chukka, are springing up in areas such as London, as young professionals in the business and financial sectors seek to gain access to this exclusive equestrian hobby without the responsibility of maintaining a full-time string.

It is not unusual for luxury brands, such as Audi and Cartier, to sponsor polo teams and match events, as well as social events for spectators. During the ten-minute halftime of each match, spectators are invited to engage in a time-honored tradition of ‘divot stomping’, or walking across the polo field and tamping clods of earth pulled up by the horses’ hooves back into place–as much a chance to socialize as it is an important feature of grounds-keeping.

Not just a gilded pastime of the rich and famous, polo has once again been recognized by the International Olympic Committee with talks underway to re-establish its position in the next rounds of the Summer Olympics. The stage seems set to see our own Czech Republic polo team proudly representing the country in the not-too-distant future.

Pony Up

In the recent past, players tended to get their horses where they could find them. Many polo ponies are pure thoroughbreds, horses that started on the racetrack and moved to polo after failing. These horses are re-schooled, retrained and then brought into the game. The process of getting a horse to her first match usually takes a year or more, and horses are not considered finished or “made”until they have played for at least two full seasons. Some horses take to polo more quickly than others, and some never take to it at all.

Although equine superstars do emerge from the racetracks, these horses are few and far between and it can take years before polo trainers really know what they have. Even a horse that is superb at the lower levels of polo can come unraveled after making the move to high goal. Today, there are registries for polo ponies both in Argentina and in the United States, and there is a growing movement to use the latest breeding technologies to help propagate desirable bloodlines and create swifter, handier, sounder and more trainable polo ponies.

The idea of breeding specifically for polo is not new. From the time the sport arrived in the western world back in the 1860s, players have wanted to breed better polo mounts. Early British books on polo devoted many chapters to the breeding of ponies. Until World War I, of course, polo ponies were really ponies: the British enforced height limits on their polo mounts and disallowed any that could not pass under the bar. The height limits made it difficult for players to find suitable mounts, but it encouraged the breeding of ponies specifically for polo.

Polo ponies are painstakingly bred for speed, maneuverability, and responsiveness – but they must also be spirited enough to enjoy the game as much the players! As each pony can contribute around 70 percent of a player’s game, they are carefully selected as mounts, with thoroughbreds being the most popular choices. Of these, most polo ponies tend to be mares, as they are traditionally thought to play harder, with the added advantage of acting as breeding stock.

Due to the value of the horse’s contribution to the success of the player, and thus the team, each pony can be worth up to $ 100,000. The advantage of excellent bloodlines in equestrian sports is proven by the 135th Kentucky Derby in 2009, in which Mine That Bird-bred from the mare Mining My Own, who is a half-sister to champion mare Golden Sunray who in turn is related to the 1983 champion mare Ambassador of Luck–completed a spectacular 50–1 finish and amassed a $ 1,417,200 windfall from the race.

Polo Comes to Prague The Prague Polo Club, founded in 2008 by Naveed Gill, a budding Polo player, and his two friends Robert Chelberg, a former polo player and an award-winning veteran of show-jumping circles and Premek Marek, aims to develop the sport here in the heart of Central Europe. As Gill notes in the Club’s constitution, the aims of the Prague Polo Club are to “further the interests of polo in the Czech Republic”and to “train and support the national polo team of the Czech Republic”.

The Club currently offers polo clinics for members, quarterly events such as book talks, and more. For more information on the Prague Polo Club, including how to become a member, please visit www.praguepoloclub.cz.

Viva la Argentina

Despite its origins in Europe, polo has been popular in South America since its introduction there in the late 19th century and nowhere more than Argentina, widely acknowledged as the world’s top polo destination. Argentina is home to the sport’s premiere tournament, the Argentine Open and the country has also produced an ongoing series of top players, including world-renowned Adolfo “Adolfito” Cambiaso, whose horses Colibrí and Aiken Cura were equally well-known–in the world of polo where the highest handicap is +10, Aldofo Cambiaso is a +15.

Currently, nine of the top-ten players ranked by the WorldPolo Tour are Argentineans, paying tribute to the country’s love affair with the sport. The country not only outputs prized equine bloodlines, but also polo playing dynasties. Consider the Heguy family helmed by Alberto Pedro Heguy, an Argentinean polo legend who played in a record 28 Argentine Open finals, and his three sons, Eduardo, Ignacio and Alberto, all top-handicapped polo players. The Astradas and Merlos families add to the list of Argentinean giants.

The quality of the play, players and horses during the Argentine Open is such that it firmly cements Argentina’s position as the world’s top polo destination. For more information on current world rankings visit www.worldpolotour.com/ranking.php.

Everyone gets it: Our highway-loving, gas-guzzling way of life is strangling the planet. We have to wean ourselves off fossil fuels, cut greenhouse gas emission levels and reduce our carbon footprints. However, do sustainable living habits mean we have to completely give up machines that have speed and style?

With today’s breed of electric vehicles or EVs, increasingly the answer appears to be no. Look no further than the hot new trend of electric motorcycles for proof that you can get high performance, maintain your panache, and do your part to help Mother Earth.

While eco-friendly four-wheeled vehicles have been in the spotlight for years, two-wheelers are finally coming into their own and getting noticed in respected circles.

At this year’s Isle of Man TT Races, the renowned international motorcycle racing competition, a new Grand Prix race (TTXGP) was introduced for electric motorcycles.

Billed as the world’s first zero carbon, zero emission race for motorbikes, the lineup featured EV racers from solo inventors and hobbyists, entrepreneurs and well-financed startups. The winning electric motorcycle posted an average speed of 87.5 mph, with a top speed of 97.8 mph along the 37.5-mile long course.

Low speeds and touch-and-go performance issues have long plagued the electric vehicle movement, dampening uptake among consumers, but with the numbers coming from TTXGP doubting Thomases have good reason to start to reconsider their biases.

“Until now, range and performance have been a concern for electric vehicles. With the arrival of new battery and power train technologies that barrier to adoption is falling,” says Mason Cabot, co-founder of Mission Motors, a California-based company that participated in the inaugural e-Grand Prix. The company’s prototype motorcycle, the Mission One, promises a maximum speed of 150 mph, the highest in the industry.
Power sources for electric motorcycles vary, but many run on high-energy lithium ion batteries and only need to be plugged into a standard 110v/220v socket for charge power. Charge times fall in the range of two to eight hours depending on the bike make and the voltage current. Worried about the impact on your utility bill?

The cost to power an electric roadster is surprisingly minimal. A full charge of Mission One will set you back a jaw-dropping low price of USD 1.96 (EUR 1.40) if powered up in California, which ranks 11th in electricity price rate in the United States. Oregon-based Brammo, a maker of ultra efficient plug-in vehicles, boasts a charge rate of USD 0.007 (EUR 0.005) to the mile for its Enertia Power Cycle. Vectrix, another American electric motorbike maker, claims USD 0.01 (EUR 0.007) to the mile for its VX-1 model.

At these prices, is an end to fuel-powered vehicles around the bend? Not necessarily. Electric vehicles have a limited drive range. Fossil-fueled vehicles still offer better mileage for long trips. But for shorter commutes, EVs are a fuel-saving bargain. Companies like Vectrix, Mission Motors and Brammo, to name a few, are rolling out sleek, innovative two-wheeled beauties that promise clean, high performing, reliable and affordable transport. They anticipate that their market base will expand as the green movement continues to grow. The eco-conscious masses are already paying attention.

When Cabot and Mission Motors unveiled their prototype motorcycle at the TED 2009 conference in February, the response was overwhelming.

“TED provided an excellent venue to launch our company and give the world a first look at our Mission One Prototype,” says Cabot, a computer hardware engineer who spent a decade at processor-maker Intel. Mission’s website has seen over 100,000 unique visitors since the conference; race videos on their site have reported 40,000 views.
The company has scheduled a 2010 release of 300 units of Mission One: 250 Standard Editions, and 50 Premier Limited Edition that will be individually numbered and assembled with top line components (including suspension from Ohlins, Brembo brakes, and Marchesini wheels). Ultimately, the company plans to add more models at different price points to its lineup and position itself as a leader in the EV motorbike pack.

“We see ourselves at the forefront of this movement towards performance electric vehicles, proving that top performance and green are not mutually exclusive.”

The appeal of electric motorcycles cannot easily be overlooked. Low cost to power up; simple to use; easy to maintain; a quieter drive; and environment-friendly. And just simply a stylish ride for that quick commute to work or to run errands around town. To further clinch the deal: purchasing an electric motorcycle (or vehicle) comes with tax breaks in some domiciles. Do you need any more reason to plug and zoom?
As electricity storage technology advances, and manufacturers are able to deliver more power to electric motorcycles and cars, the barriers to entry for consumers will surely continue to drop. In the meantime, today’s crop of electric motorcycles gives us a nimble and striking test drive of things to come.

Prague gets greener.

Ekolo.cz, a Prague company that specializes in power-assisted bicycles, electric scooters and electric motorcycles, opened its first showroom in May 2008; to keep up with interest and demand the company plans to open additional stores in 2009. Their offering, and far more modest pricing structure, show the possibilities and applications to urban commuters, businesses and municipal service providers.

For cities, services such as postal deliveries and neighborhood police patrols can mean dramatically reduced fleet vehicle purchases, operating expenses, and emission of pollutants. If the green argument isn’t strong enough to move local governments alone, the financial incentives certainly should help.

Artisan Restaurant & Cafe

Adress: Rošických 603/4, Praha 5

Phone: +420 257 218 277

Email: artisanprague@gmail.com

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