# What's cool from the Czech Republic? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 9, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215 "2015-02-09T14:12:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/21 "2015-02-09T22:17:11Z")
> [@bardos](#): > > Thanks folks. But no one has mentioned anything I might be into. Well, there’s mail-order brides and donor eggs… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/22 "2015-02-09T22:26:21Z")
They have a local firewater called [Becherovka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becherovka). To me it had a strong taste of cloves. Impress your friends with something different. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/23 "2015-02-09T23:04:27Z")
> [@Orwell](#): > > That pistol is actually made in Croatia. As for the Czech Republic, I was going to mention CZ firearms. Well made and a good value. That doesn’t help much with bringing a gift to the US, but my CZ firearms are about the only think I can think of that I own from the Czech Republic. You’re correct! I’m confused. And I own three of them too. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/24 "2015-02-09T23:22:58Z")
> [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](#): > > In the Czech Republic they love pork. Have you ever tried their sausages? I actually am mildly interested to know what [these guys](https://www.google.com/search?q=kostelecke+uzeniny)’s sausage tastes like – in a manner of speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/25 "2015-02-10T01:27:40Z")
**What’s cool from the Czech Republic?** There’s [Adam Ondra](http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2014/adam-ondra/) - he’d get a lot of votes as the best sport climber in the world right now. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/26 "2015-02-10T01:30:27Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > For such a small country they have a phenomenal hockey culture. > > I’d be looking for a Czech Republic jersey for sure. I’d reccomend Jaromir Jagr. Dude’s a god over there, not to mention a future Hall of Famer. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/27 "2015-02-10T01:37:18Z")
FYI, you can’t legally bring meat products over from Europe in your luggage. I tried this once (from Austria) and they were confiscated at customs. I asked why and the answer was “Hoof and Mouth disease.” ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/28 "2015-02-10T02:42:49Z")
From Christmas time - FWIW > **[Prague Christmas Markets 2019 - 2020](http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/christmas-markets.html)** > > Popular Christmas markets in Prague, Czech Republic. November 20, 2019 - Jan. 6, 2020. Traditional crafts sold on Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square and elsewhere in Prague. CIA Factbook shows that auto manufacture is a biggie - hitting 1,000,000/year. Maybe a hood ornament? ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/29 "2015-02-10T04:05:25Z")
Rice Czechs, Wheat Czechs, Corn Czechs and Bad Czechs. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/30 "2015-02-10T04:16:17Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Rice Czechs, Wheat Czechs, Corn Czechs and Bad Czechs. You will, of course, take my personal Czech? ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/31 "2015-02-10T22:30:43Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > They have a local firewater called [Becherovka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becherovka). To me it had a strong taste of cloves. Impress your friends with something different. Good choice, I can second it. Though it’s actually “stateside” some now… megastores like Total Wine & Spirits might carry it. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/32 "2015-02-10T22:38:49Z")
Porn stars, but you may not be able to fit one in the overhead. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/33 "2015-02-10T23:24:16Z")
My mother used to send me soaps. You might not be into soaps, but they make some fantastic ones (even some kosher ones…). There’s this one kind of soap I really liked that was green apple, and actually smelled like apples, for real. Back in the 80s, when my mother sent it to me, you couldn’t get any kind of green apple soap here, and now there are a few shampoos and body washes, but they don’t really smell like apples. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/34 "2015-02-10T23:57:09Z")
> [@johnspartan](#): > > Good choice, I can second it. Though it’s actually “stateside” some now… megastores like Total Wine & Spirits might carry it. I remember getting shitfaced on it in about 1991. I stuck with Czech beers after that, which are outstanding. The people there at that time were just starting to flex their capitalism wings; three of us rented an apartment for a month for about $10 a night, which included them cooking breakfast for us and stocking the fridge with beer, ham and cheese. ---
**Author:** ![vomit\_comet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/73ab20/32.png) [@vomit\_comet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vomit_comet)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/35 "2015-02-11T01:48:37Z")
Don’t get pencils. I saw a pencil earlier this evening and it immediately reminded me of the cheap Czech pencils my mom used to buy when I went to school, Man (hommes) I don’t think I hated anything more than those pencils. If you’re into pork and cooking, get some of the local spice/seasoning mixes for making various types of sausage. Or maybe a little something you can hang in your bar/mancave. I don’t recommend hanging sausage or pork in your mancave. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/36 "2015-02-11T06:50:56Z")
I bought a beautiful crystal vase there, but you weren’t into that. I also saw a lot of amber, chess sets, puppets, matryoshka dolls etc. I ate my weight in pirogi and sesame bagel things, but not sure they would travel well. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/37 "2015-02-11T13:27:56Z")
Since firearms would be difficult to impossible to import without paperwork, a nice alternative would be a set of BRNO aperture sights, they have a cult following on Rimfire Central, a CZ 452/455 with BRNO aperture sights can actually rival the accuracy of a scoped rifle at 50 yards (3-9x magnification) ---
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/38 "2015-02-11T13:38:03Z")
Looks to me: If the Czech republic were a shop in an international mall, I most likely would not shop there. I have never fired a gun. Don’t know what one is, really. From my time in New York I know the word “chatchka”. All the glass baubles sound to me like the definition of that word. Problem is, at this time in my life, I am looking to throw out, not collect. Don’t drink beer. In relation to sausages and the like, I live very near the Spanish town of Jabugo. (World pig capital) So… i draw a blank. If things work out, I will hopefully visit this fair city around Easter Week vacation and will see for myself. Thanks folks. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/39 "2015-02-11T15:30:56Z")
I think you mean tchotchke. The problem is, almost any small souvenier someone brings you is almost by definition a tchotchke. What kinds of gifts from other countries have you liked? ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215/40 "2015-02-11T20:39:42Z")
A couple of mentions above… a Jaromir Jagr Czech hockey jersey would be unique, colorful, possible conversation starter… > **[Czech Republic Hockey Jerseys | Hockey Hermit](https://www.hockeyhermit.com/czech-republic-hockey-jerseys)** > > Great deals on Czech Republic Hockey Jerseys at the Hockey Jersey Superstore. Jaromir Jagr, Elias, Hemsky and Vokoun jerseys all in stock. Get yours today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-cool-from-the-czech-republic/712215.md?page=3)