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Worst foot forward

One Czech tradition has ties to Islam, Moses, Taoism and good old-fashioned philandering

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The opinions expressed in this discussion do not necessarily represent those of The Prague Post.

#1 Posted by

Margaret Donaldson
Unregistered user
Mar 17, 2010 1:32 pm CET

"Has Sarah Palin been Czech, she could have scribbled her notes on her slippers, socks, or even feet, and nobody would have known."

Had Sarah Palin been Czech she would at least have known that it's not possible to see Russia from Anchorage, and would probably have been able to read a newspaper.

#2 Posted by

Jiri Hubacek
Mar 17, 2010 3:07 am CET

"Take a deep breath, tap your heels together three times and repeat slowly: I will not feed the troll. I will not feed the troll. I will not feed the troll."

Is there a troll?Or is it an imagination of Pagan mind?Anyway,can you banish the trolls of any kinds?You,yourself?You do not use the spells,you said.
Out of your sight(so to speak) out of your mind.
In any case you must know that not everything I say is that bad.It certainly could be worse!!!

#3 Posted by

avitucker patocka1
Unregistered user
Mar 17, 2010 1:34 am CET

Has Sarah Palin been Czech, she could have scribbled her notes on her slippers, socks, or even feet, and nobody would have known.

#4 Posted by

Jesse Lynch
Mar 16, 2010 11:09 pm CET

Take a deep breath, tap your heels together three times and repeat slowly: I will not feed the troll. I will not feed the troll. I will not feed the troll.

#5 Posted by

John Kennedy
Unregistered user
Mar 16, 2010 3:10 pm CET

This is a nonsensical article and not what I have come to expect from the Prague Post. Disappointing but I am over it.

#6 Posted by

Jiri Hubacek
Mar 16, 2010 1:58 pm CET

"I believe The Prague Post ought to issue an apology for publishing this article."

Jesse,this article was written with "a tongue firmly planted in the cheek."
I do not take offence although this shoe habit is strongly adhered to in many countries around the globe.
And no,it has nothing to do with Sarah Palin.

#7 Posted by

Margaret Donaldson
Unregistered user
Mar 16, 2010 12:45 pm CET

"I believe The Prague Post ought to issue an apology for publishing this article."|

It looks as though we have a "Lynch" mob here!

Actually I think that this was one of their better ones.

#8 Posted by

jan fleur
Unregistered user
Mar 16, 2010 12:27 pm CET

Is there an E.U. directive on 'shoe hygiene in private property'?

#9 Posted by

Jesse Lynch
Mar 16, 2010 12:12 pm CET

I believe The Prague Post ought to issue an apology for publishing this article.

#10 Posted by

jan fleur
Unregistered user
Mar 16, 2010 12:08 pm CET

I request editorial oversight of all contributions; my own human fallibility demands I accept others judgement in good faith.

#11 Posted by

jim fassnacht
Unregistered user
Mar 15, 2010 5:21 am CET

overwritten and insensitive, a bad combo. married to a czech woman. living in boston. i wecome the custom of removing one's shoes in the house . keeps things cleaner. most of our european and asian friends do the same. what's the big deal. git over it.

#12 Posted by

Jesse Lynch
Mar 15, 2010 5:20 am CET

Thanks. I know it's a bit off-topic, but I'm pleased with The Prague Post's new system of enabling immediate publication of registered users' comments. In the past, they often refused to approve my comments when they were even slightly critical of The Prague Post, which is sad. Anyway, back to the shoes, the only places I've seen Czechs wearing them indoors other than in public places is at their cottages, if they are not there a lot and the floors are not and do not need to be kept as clean as a person's actual home. That makes sense, but I'm generally not a fan of indoor shoe-wearing. Besides, not wearing them is much more comfortable. I usually just wear socks though and am not a big fan of slippers.

#13 Posted by

Karel Bures
Mar 15, 2010 4:56 am CET

Must say, it's refreshing to read a non-Czech actually standing up for the Czechs in this forum
for a change, instead of the vomit from some which is 'contributed' on a regular basis!

Thank you Jesse Lynch of the USA!

KB of Australia.

#14 Posted by

Jesse Lynch
Mar 15, 2010 2:52 am CET

This is perhaps the most arrogant and condescending Czech-bashing editorial I have seen in The Prague Post yet. I never wear shoes at home and don't allow any of my guests to do so either. This ensures a much more sanitary household and clean floor. After having lived here for a few years in the past, when I lived in the U.S. again one thing I had difficulty getting used to was Americans' insistence on wearing their dirty shoes at home tracking dirt and who knows what else everywhere. By implying that this is a "legacy of totalitarianism" you have perhaps succeeded in insulting an entire people.

#15 Posted by

Alex Santer
Unregistered user
Mar 14, 2010 3:36 pm CET

I am sorry, but the stupidity of this article is beyond words. There is nothing interesting or funny here and the "humorous" theory about Russians raping Czech women is very offensive. I am really appaled by this piece.

#16 Posted by

Margaret Donaldson
Unregistered user
Mar 12, 2010 6:52 pm CET

The custom of taking off one's shoes is much better than some other Czech customs... such as only washing once a week, cheating people whenever possible and treating foreigners as second-class citizens.

At least Czech people don't take off their shoes in the street: if they did, they would soon get dog poo all over their socks!

#17 Posted by

P S
Unregistered user
Mar 12, 2010 1:58 pm CET

This is rubbish - there's nothing odd about taking off one's shoes before entering any home. It's a common-sense practice that I grew up with in Canada. However, I don't do the home-shoe thing. With the exception of bowling shoes, I refuse to wear them.

#18 Posted by

Nathan Mollberg
Unregistered user
Mar 12, 2010 6:10 am CET

I am an American who is married to a Czech woman. I actually wish this was a custom shared in my country. In the winter time, people will walk into the house with their shoes on and leave little puddles of water all over the floor. It is horrible to step into this mess with your socks on. I think the slippers are comfortable. In our house, musime se zouvat.

#19 Posted by

Jiri Hubacek
Mar 11, 2010 2:44 pm CET

"Of all the Czech customs, this is the only one which makes sense. I suggest that Mr Tucker buy himself some new socks if it's a problem for him."

Since when the customs needs to make a sense to foreigners,girl?
The customs are made by the culture of people over the course of long time and nobody is looking for the OK from foreigner who has no idea how they developed.
This is universal,not just for Czech Republic.

#20 Posted by

Karel Bures
Mar 11, 2010 12:46 pm CET

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. The custom of taking off one's shoes before entering one's, or someone else's, home is eminently sensible one I would have thought. The Japanese do it too. In fact, I brought the custom back with me after a visit to Japan a long time aqo. Why would one want to deposit muck of any sort accued on the sole of one's footwear onto your own, or someone else's carpet, floor tiles, polished floor boards, or whatever? This is barbaric, surely. No, the Czechs, Japanese and Muslims have got this right, at least. And "home shoes" are not necessary; one's socks, stockings, or just bare feet will do, though the Japanese do provide slippers wherever one goes.

#21 Posted by

Alexia Lincoln
Unregistered user
Mar 11, 2010 11:28 am CET

Of all the Czech customs, this is the only one which makes sense. I suggest that Mr Tucker buy himself some new socks if it's a problem for him.