Christmas Carps in Czech Republic

[Vobluda]

Carp is traditional meal in the Czech Republic on the Christmas Eve. Dinner menu consist of fried carp, potato salad and fish soup.
Fish producers are selling live carps on the streets few days before Christmas. No matter how cold it is both carps (in their tubs) and vendors (in their cars) spends those few days and nights on the streets without break.
You can let vendor to kill and cut your carp for you or bring your carp home to your bathtub and do it your self on the Christmas day.
Some people are setting free their new friend on the Christmas day by releasing the carp into the nearest river.

All pictures were taken in streets of Prague between 19th and 23rd December 2009 with Olympus Mju II on Fuji Superia Xtra 400.

 

[jke]

These are the guys near Tesco? I shot a series there back when I lived in Prague. Amazing how slippery it got sometimes there! You've really captured the whole blood and guts of the place very vividly! We really enjoyed all the stories from our friends of the carp from childhood that became a pet and then had to be released safely uneaten into the Vltava before Christmas, leaving their poor father or grandfather with nothing but soup for Christmas dinner.🙂

I really need to rescan these. They are nowhere near as nicely done as yours, but you've made me nostalgic so I have to share!

That lady was happy as could be, chatting with the carp men as they cut up her fish and got pieces of carp guts all over her fur.🙂

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Good pictures, and interesting information! - reminding me that I must soon return to one of my favourite cities! thanks for posting!
Dave.

 

[Vobluda]

Hi, none of the is from near the Tesco, mostly from around Strossmayerovo namesti where I live.
They are actually now rebuilding the whole small square behind Tesco. Sadly it was the last free space in the city centre to build new buildings..

By the way my friend is a vet and he is claiming that carps released in Vltava cant survive long as they were born and raised in captivity.

These are the guys near Tesco? I shot a series there back when I lived in Prague. Amazing how slippery it got sometimes there! You've really captured the whole blood and guts of the place very vividly! We really enjoyed all the stories from our friends of the carp from childhood that became a pet and then had to be released safely uneaten into the Vltava before Christmas, leaving their poor father or grandfather with nothing but soup for Christmas dinner.🙂

I really need to rescan these. They are nowhere near as nicely done as yours, but you've made me nostalgic so I have to share!

That lady was happy as could be, chatting with the carp men as they cut up her fish and got pieces of carp guts all over her fur.🙂

 

[robert blu]

Nice pictures, both colours and B&W, interesting story which I did not know. Thanks for sharing,
robert

 

[jke]

I lived up the hill from Strossmayerovo nam. on Nad Královskou oborou. Too bad to hear about the Tesco development. I had hoped they would change the plans to something more friendly like a park. And I think your vet friend is definitely right about those carp and the Vltava!

Thanks again for the photos.

 

[mark-b]

that's cool. i like to eat fish. if you're ever in the Sacramento/Yuba/Chico area in California, check out the carp over there.....4 feet long at the most that i've seen.

 

[Stan001]

Hi Vobluda,

have a look here: http://www.janeba.cz/gal_other_06.htm

Cheers,

 

[Stan001]

You may wanna have a look here

You may wanna have a look here

Hi Vobluda,

have a look here: http://www.janeba.cz/gal_other_06.htm

Cheers,