Czech Christmas Carp

I imagine that anyone who is in Prague (or I guess any part of the Czech Republic) during Christmas knows about the carp. Carp is the traditional Christmas Eve meal for Czechs. Of course, these days, you don't go catch your own but you buy one from one of various carp stands that pop up around the city a few days before the holiday, like this one at Staroměstské náměstí.

You can buy the fish alive – let it swim around in your bathtub for a few days until it's time to cook it – or you can have the carp sellers kill and gut it for you.

Since I didn't buy a carp, I don't have much to share other than my pictures of other people buying them. However, I did enjoy the protest.

My translation of the sign is: Carp suffocate, are afraid of hunger and pain, don't sleep. The organization is Vánoce bez nasilí (Christmas without violence). The website is in Czech, English, Polish and Slovakian, because those are the 3 countries where this tradition takes place. As with most animal rights group, they have their experts and propaganda. That's nice. And I'm not trying to get political here. I just love that there are protesters.

And, what makes it even better is that the butchers, take a break sitting right in front of the protesters with their sign and bullhorn.

Gotta love freedom of speech in Eastern Europe!

PS. If you think this includes a bloody picture, wait until I finally put together my zabíjačka photos!