A bit of Russia . . .

One day Michael and I decided to walk up a street near our apartment called Manesova.  It is a tree-lined street with colourful Art Nouveau buildings, many of which have been restored.  (Manesova is named in tribute to Josef Manes, a 19th-century Czech painter of the images of the twelve months on the Prague Astronomical Clock.)

What a surprise to find a window front with signs written in Russian.  Peeking inside I saw what looked to be a small deli.  With delight and curiosity we decided to go in and see if we might find something fun to take home and eat later on. 

Well, it was more than just a small deli.  There was also a tiny coffee shop and in a back narrow room the walls were lined with book shelves, and racks of DVD’s.  It was a lending library. . .shop for Russians on Manesova street in Prague

books in Russian in shop in Prague

 

 

Also in this hallway were stairs going down into the basement where some very delicious smells were wafting in the air!  Suddenly we felt hungry.  Following our noses, we discovered a small restaurant with about 6 tables.

 

The young waitress was very friendly and could speak some English.  She showed us the menu with items we recognized but many we had no clue about . . . so we inquired about them.  We decided to stay and asked what she would recommend for a light lunch.Menu of Russian restaurant in Vinohady, Prague

 

I chose borscht soup and Michael had a meat pie.  Both were exceptionally delicious!!Russian meat pie

Michael &Karin with Pilsner in Russian restaurant, Prague

 

 

Even though we were eating totally Russian, we still chose Pilsner Urquell, my all time favourite Czech beer!

After our meal we went into the deli section and looked at the large display of wines on offer.  There were bakery items, frozen food items and numerous other things of which we had NO clue what they were.  It was a busy deli so that must mean there is a Russian community nearby to support it.  We intended to come back for dinner or another lunch, but Prague is full of so many restaurants, we never did get back.  Its on the list for next time!

Later I researched about the Russian population in Prague.  In the June 2010 issue of the Prague Daily Monitor an article reported number of Russian-speaking inhabitants of Prague has multiplied in the past ten years, which is gradually changing the character of the Czech capital.  In 1997 there was merely one Russian shop in Prague, while at present there are dozens of  them as well as other Russian services, five branches of Russian and Ukrainian universities and at least six kindergartens. 

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Site seeing in a book store

On Paros I frequently tell guests to visit the Ekatontapyliani Church because there is Plexiglas in the floor through which you can see the ancient temple that the church is built over.

book store built on old ruinsNow in Prague I can tell people to visit the Palladium Palace book store because their is Plexiglas in the floor through which you can see parts of the ancient building that it is built over.

 

 

I discovered this by accident when I just popped into the store to see what was on special offer.  Karin and I love browsing book stores and we love studying old buildings and the life that evolved around them.  Now we can do both in one stop, not to mention it is across the aisle from a coffee shop!

 

The Palladium also demonstrates the Czech humour that we love so much.  This photo is the men’s urinals in the mall.Czech humor in the men's room

 

Technorati Tags: Ruins,book store,Plexiglas,urinals,Palladium

Asia Trade Centre – SAPA

A few months ago when we first started researching where to go in Prague we read an intriguing article about a Vietnamese “wholesale” market on the North side of the city.  It sounded exclusive, hard to find and foreign so we resolved to go.  But then we started reading even more about a larger Asian market on the South side so we went there first.  Below is Karin’s account and then some directions.

The other day Michael and I went to a Vietnamese market named after a region in Vietnam.  This market is not right in the city, but a bus trip out to the “outskirts” of Prague.  We weren’t sure where to get off, however there were several Asians on the bus, so Michael told me that when they get out, we will get out!  Which worked because right across the busy street was a huge sign “SAPA – Little Hanoi”  The welcome was in both Czech and Vietnamese.

At first we were confused, because we heard it was big (like in BIG) but from this perspective, it looked bleak and slightly worn down.  We felt we were entering an old industrial site.  Which probably is exactly what it was.  Once we entered the gate and started walking down a rather lonely street with tiny shops on both sides, we felt like we had entered a very different country.  All signs were in Vietnamese, Chinese or whatever with occasional words of Czech thrown in; the shops were tiny and actually the area became rather busy.

We rounded a corner and there in front of us was the entire “city” of shops!  Shops, shops, shops, hundreds of shops!  It is hard to describe exactly how they are laid out.  They seem to be under roofs.  Like a huge arena….with cement floors and then stalls inside.  The walls are often just heavy tarps.  Like a HUGE inside Bazaar.  These shops sell clothing, foods, household goods, toys, knickknacks.  As you wander around, you realize you are seeing a lot of the same things over and over.  I saw several items I would have liked to buy perhaps, but I am not good at bargaining and that is what you have to do.  So I just “window” shopped.  Many of the items appeared to be quality; others were like Dollar Store junk.

After we spent a great deal of time looking Michael said he needed a cup of coffee.  We noticed small huts (like fishing huts) that were restaurants; many were takeaway only.  We saw men coming out of the shops with trays loaded with food and taking them into the bazaar area for the shop owners to eat.  Here and there were larger restaurants with indoor seating.  We chose one and decided to eat lunch as well.  We had read about a dish called Pho.  It is a delicious broth with bits of meat and cut up veggies and noodles.  The bowls are large.  The soup was delicious.  The coffee was terrible!  I ordered tea and it was very nice.

We then decided to walk the perimeter for a change of pace.  Here were shops with bridal gowns, travel agents, storage units and more of the same that we saw under the big roofs.  I saw one shop that intrigued me and that was all wicker.  I don’t think you are supposed to buy 1 of anything, but I asked for a wreath form and he sold it to me for a very reasonable price! The little grocery stores were interesting…I didn’t know half of what I was seeing.  The dilemma was that they could not speak English, but could SAPA asian market in Praguespeak Czech.  We couldn’t speak Czech and for sure we could not speak Vietnamese.  But Michael did manage to purchase some sweet red chilli sauce he likes and also some fresh cilantro.

I read that on site there is a school for young Vietnamese kids to learn Czech.  Even a pagoda like temple.  We did not see that.  Michael informed me that it would be impossible to see it all.  We had the idea that maybe we could find a Mah Jong set here, but no one knew what it was.  I know I said it was a Vietnamese site, but they did have some Chinese things as well.

part of asian market in PragueWhen we left, we realized we had just experienced a journey into another culture and country!  We did see a few Czech people there, but very few.  I did wonder where the Asian people live, and what brought them to Prague.

After I came home I did some research…(better late than never) and read about the problems the Vietnamese have here.  The Czech’s are not so welcoming to them, and often the Vietnamese are picked on.  These problems still exist, but hopefully getting better because the Vietnamese have organized themselves, selected a spokes person and try to sort problems with the city in a way that they can be heard.

Sapa is most convenient by car but just a short walk from the Sidlisce Pisnice bus stop.  The official transit site (dpp.cz) says to take bus 331 from the Kacerov station of the C (Red) line, but several other buses go there as well including 113 and 333.  Upon returning we took the latter to the Budejovicka Metro station.

Technorati Tags: Prague,Asian,SAPA,shopping