With the Vietnamese being the largest group of immigrants in the Czech Republic, it is no wonder they have quite an influence here, including the blooming asian restaurants and hardware stores nationwide. They are also the ones who introduced the wonderful asian kitchen essentials such as soy, sesame oil and rice noodles to the bohemians.
As a Asian student studying abroad, we often crave for a taste of home. Many would have their parents send over expensive parcels of goodies and risk getting a tax slip slapped across their faces. Like it or not, the customs have begun to notice the influx of mails since expats begun to flock the country.
Since I have arrived in Czech, I have only got a handful of parcels. Most of them contain stuffs I can't find here (Malaysian authentics like milo, cooking pastes and spice powders), no matter how hard I look- including in the places I am about to describe below.
That said, it is a place that could possibly bring a huge relief to our homesickness.
Introducing, the Vietnamese markets of Prague!
(the aunties should treat me better the next time I visit..)
There are two markets (located roughly on opposite ends). The bigger one is located in Pisnice (called TTTM SAPA) meanwhile the smaller is located in Malesice (called TTTM Praha).
If you have been staying abroad long enough, this place in spring would transport you right back to south east asia!
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Getting there by public transport:
★ TTTM SAPA
Take metro C (red) to Kacerov. Take the bus no. 113 and alight at the stop Sidliste Pisnice.
From there, walk across the road and enter a building across the carpark (according to the map below). The whole area inside is SAPA.
★
TTTM PRAHA
Take metro B (yellow) to Cerny Most. Take the bus no. 223 to Tiskarska.
From the stop, walk to the direction where your bus came from (uphill) and cross the main road. You'll see a sign.
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Giving directions...like a boss. Harhar.
Dunno why people fail so badly in pointing out the right way *sigh*.
Anywho, here's my experience when I previously visit the two markets. First up, TTTM Praha (yup, the smaller one).
They sell all the made in PRC/ Vietnam stuffs here. Clothes, groceries, hardware...you name it. I did not get to explore the whole place as the weather was horrible (snowing and melted puddles everywhere...urgh). I did buy quite a bunch though.
You have to realize that the place isn't exactly new, and they do not welcome cameras in the shops. The aunties might not be as friendly as your mamak uncles but do try to speak in Mandarin with them. Worked for me!
I was so psyched when I work my banana Mandarin with one of the aunties and she understood perfectly. T_T So touched. Well, actually I overheard her conversation with a what-seem-to-be-a-chinese-restaurant-owner. :P
We did not have our lunch here (though I spotted a pho & bun cha shop on the way out) since we ate our fill in Ikea earlier.
It might be small, but its easier to navigate around here. The prices are the same as that in SAPA although there are less supermarkets (but I'll explain why it doesn't matter in a bit). I spotted fresh green vege like kangkung, sawi, serai and much more! Heaven!
But it was hell for my pockets. A small bunch of lemon grass costed me 40kc (RM8), meanwhile 2 handfuls of beansprouts is about 20kc (RM4). You can also find lots of sauces: soy, oyster, hoisin, fish, chilli; all at a cheaper price compared to the local hypermarkets.
One of my favorite purchase is the glutinous rice flour. No need to courier a few kgs over!~ It's only around 20kc here. Oh, and I did see some shops selling packeted green beans and mung beans but the thought of slaving over the stove making sure they don't burn does not appeal to me. :P
...
On to TTTM SAPA (which I went on a separate day), there are relatively more varieties here. The foodstuff are very similar to that available in the smaller market. I would say this place is huge and it is certainly not easy to find a nice grocery store with everything in it.
There is a huge covered walkway in the middle of the area which reminded me of our permanent indoor
pasars back home. That is where they sell all sorts of clothing and accessories.
Either that things are not really cheap due to the shipping or the
lao pan is trying to scam my friend. He told her a bag costs 700kc. I was like "
nothing to do here"....rather crash Bershka's midseason sale okay!
But our main goal is not the wear-ables but rather the edibles.
The photos are deceiving, I tell you. I was that close to getting a bad feet gangrene after getting frostbite from waddling around with soaking wet boots in the freakin snow. Bad choice of shoes! And fuck, the girls are crazy shopping so I continued to tag. T_T
The reward to this is the welcoming warmth of a small cafe, serving the most marvelous meal you could have in a horrible weather!
My energy and mood is restored:
Pho, read as 'fa', is a rice noodle soup dish served with a variety of vege and meat/pork. In mine were fried fillets of fish.... so I wasn't even sure if its authentic
pho. :P
As you enter the shop, you order by quantity because there is only 1 dish per shop. O_O In our case, we sat down and simply ordered "three!" of whatever they have. Thankfully, the boss had a whole basket of
you tiao at the counter to be purchased as sides.
A bowl costs only 80kc.
You tiao: 10kc each.
On to the supermarkets: they have an odd system of selling in bulk! Be weary of the two prices stated on the labels. The cheaper one is if you buy in hoards. Take example, a pack of noodles is 14kc but if you buy 5, each costs only 9kc!
The idea is to go with many friends and hoard lots of the stuffs like noodles, vermicelli and...oreo? (coz each costs 25kc if you hoard) Even the utensils like bowls and chopsticks are cheaper in bundles.
All prices here are non-negotiable (as an auntie told me in between laughter) but just bring your coin purse and you are off to a fantastic bargain hunt for your kitchen necessities!
