The planned route of 1200 km stretched out a bit again. By 200 km. Of that, 760 km fell on the Czech Republic and 640 km on Slovakia. Along the way, I visited 13 package-free stores, stood in front of 4 more, visited a zero waste producer of fermented goodies, a scooter manufacturer on which I whizzed around, and met lots of interesting people. I heard lots of interesting stories too... and almost at the end I was searching for my actually non-native roots.

What one won't do to visit package-free stores

Packing

This year I started packing on time. I even mounted a carrier on the scooter and tested the placement of panniers and a waterproof bag on it. The only thing that gave me some wrinkles was reducing the luggage space volume from an 80-liter backpack to 53 liters (35 l pannier + 8 l bag + 10 liter volume of sleeping mat).

The day before departure I packed. Even more minimally than last year. It turned out that I had some space left in the sides of the panniers.

Journey to the westernmost point of the republic

On Monday I rode the scooter to the train station and started feeling how the scooter behaves with a loaded front. It demanded about two seconds earlier reaction to direction changes from me. Nevertheless, I reached the station, boarded the pendolino according to plan and sat for 4 and a half hours on the train. One transfer, another half hour on a local train and I was in Aš.

In Aš I found that I couldn't replicate the original pannier attachment from the previous day. I immediately reached for the backup solution of attaching the panniers with bungee cords and set off towards the westernmost point of the Czech Republic, so I could start with Jelen's crossing of the republic.

17 package-free stores on the route

I'm not describing the journey day by day. In this article I summarize the visited package-free stores and try to point out what caught my attention in them.

Medlenka (Cheb): the westernmost of package-free stores

Bezobalofka (Rokycany)

At Bezobalofka I was struck by the vermicomposter. The assortment also includes biodegradable band-aids. Otherwise it's a "classic", nice package-free store. I was struck by the relatively wide selection of cosmetics and other decorative/useful things.

During my visit, several people passed through the package-free store. Most went for Scuk, some of them also bought something from the offered assortment.

Vojta Sedláček - Bezobaly

With Vojta we had agreed from the beginning of the trip that we could meet and see each other in person. However, I didn't know what time I would be near Příbram. In the end I slept at Vojta's. We discussed everything and I hope we didn't see each other for the last time. 🙂 And thanks again for the accommodation!

YesBez (Příbram)

I like every package-free store, each is exceptional in something. But YesBez, that was really an experience. Generous bright space, together with a vegan bistro. Absolutely the highest concentration of people I've ever seen in any package-free store.

Thanks to the combination with a bistro, you can have your shopping prepared while you eat/drink a beverage of your choice. But maybe it's a shame, because Jirka is very nice to talk to.

There was an exhibition of beautiful, soul-pleasing paintings in the shop and an offer of "spirit/esoteric" items from local artists/craftsmen.

I was also struck by the aged cheeses from a nearby dairy in the assortment. They tasted really great. Especially in the evening in a hammock with legume chips.

Jirka constantly had to run behind the counter to serve customers. "It needs an owner who knows his assortment and eats the foods he sells himself," he says. I saw on people how they let him peek into their privacy and left with a smile on their faces.

Vlašim bez Obalu

The package-free store in Vlašim is small, but packed with assortment. It struck me as a kind of "big pantry".

Books are also sold in the package-free store. If I hadn't been on a scooter, I would have bought several immediately. The titles are arranged exactly for me: self-development, ecology, inspiration. I was also struck by board games and "meaningful toys".

Dana, the owner, also runs a library of similar focus. She shares her own library with others, for free. Meaningful conversations are also held in the package-free store space.

Mr. Salatoff

After Vlašim I went over to Blaník, which I climbed... which wasn't very tactical. Although it didn't take me much time, I still got behind schedule and was late for the meeting with the family from Mr. Salatoff. I apologize once again for the delay.

Mr. Salatoff makes fermented goodies and drinks and also vegan lunches in returnable containers. They supply to selected package-free stores and have non-growth in the company's DNA. They want to make good food, inspire (zero-waste), not burden the environment and at the same time secure a comfortable financial background through business.

We talked on a meadow under Blaník, they let me taste a few pieces and I must admit that I'll still have to work hard on my kimchi. Delicious! You can find their products in Vlašim bez Obalu, or for example in Prague at Bout.

Dobroty od Vážky (Havlíčkův Brod): first of the package-free stores I didn't catch open

Bezobalík (Žďár nad Sázavou)

Although I arrived on Sunday, Alena, the owner of Bezobalík, opened the store for me. Not just the store, but also the doors of her household. I could thus get to know her family and try the culinary skills of most family members (excellent!).

Špajz plný dobrot (Kunštát)

Inside I felt really good. Like somewhere at a cottage. It was due to the wooden floor, counter and a bit of twilight. It's about half package-free. The other half is something like health food and a village shop. The shop isn't located directly in Kunštát, but in an associated village. The shop is right by a first-class road and in the short time I spent here, several people came inside.

At Špajz plný dobrot I discovered laddu (sweet treat made from chickpea flour). I hadn't heard of it until then and I like Indian cuisine.

Bez obalu v Srdci Hané (Prostějov)

Bez obalu v Srdci Hané didn't work out. I arrived on a day when it was closed, plus craftsmen came to the owner.

Mibo

Manufacturer of Czech (best!) scooters. For 7 years I had a Mastr (the scooter from last year's trip) this year Split, so I'm not complaining!

They took care of me despite not having arranged a specific time beforehand (just the day). Martin (below in the video preview), production manager, took care of me and also showed me around the production. He also let me check out other models and even let me ride the director's road bike. Pssst!

I was amazed at how five-meter "tubes" become a scooter. By visiting Mibo I confirmed why I went with this brand seven years ago. From Mibo's website:

"We produce only 2500 scooters each year. In that number is hidden our commitment to deliver everything in the best possible quality and with very personal customer service. Production volume is not a priority for us. We don't see ourselves as a constantly growing company trying to assert itself in the market through production volume.
Innovation and practicality, joy of riding, safety and community, these are our themes."

from MIBO website

Almara (Horní Bečva): first of the package-free stores that was founded without expecting profit

I have a smile on my lips. Almara, that's a world of its own. Radan, the owner, is lively, friendly and active. At the same time, it's the first store (that I've heard of) that the owner founded with the idea that it wouldn't generate profit.

Kredenc bez obalu (Frenštát pod Radhoštěm)

Kredenc bez obalu is, along with the Ostrava package-free store (after Prague's Bezobal of course), among the first package-free stores in the Czech Republic.

Beskydy bez obalu (Frýdlant nad Ostravicí)

Another smile on my face. Beskydy bez obalu you can't miss! They nicely clad the shop in wood, wood dominates inside too. The windows are large, the space is bathed in light. Besides the classic package-free assortment, there's a wide selection of cosmetics (and drugstore goods in general).

But I was attracted by the refrigerator with yogurts, cheeses and other local goodies, which I consumed right on the spot.

After Jitka, the owner, left, I had a long chat with the helper... I forgot the name. Which I regret. It was one of those conversations where both sides feel that the other is on a similar wavelength... careful probing and gradually removing the shell... deep topics... well okay, but I can't talk my way out of that name. However, the recommended novel "Adresa Naděje" I just finished. 😉 Not much happens plot-wise, yet one devours every page and can't wait to see what happens next.

Stop by this package-free store too! In Frýdlant (around 10 thousand heads) there are two package-free stores in one city. The stores are just a bit away from each other, plus interspersed with a health food store. Not much good for prosperity...

Spolu bez obalu (Frýdlant nad Ostravicí)

The space of Spolu bez obalu is airy, modern. Besides the classic assortment they also have ice cream!

Třinec bez obalu (big surprise: Třinec)

Třinec, that's not just ironworks (although they take up half the city), but also the store Třinec bez obalu. Besides the classic package-free assortment, sourdough bread is sold here. I bought one and accidentally stole one from another customer. When the customer started looking for it, I realized I had put bread in my pannier twice. 😀

I was also struck by Mňamis cookies, also perhaps the largest selection of spices I've seen in package-free stores. And I can't not mention the moss pictures!

The refrigerator also looked promising, but given my arrival on Friday afternoon, it didn't hide much anymore.

First package-free store in Slovakia: Do batôžka (Dolný Kubín)

I passed through Dolný Kubín on Saturday evening, so I didn't catch the opening. At the same time, since I expected a similar arrival time, I didn't push hard regarding "some" proactive communication... so at least from the outside. Inside it looked good!

The package-free store is located in front of something that resembles a bus station (or rather a more frequent stop), so the place will probably be busy.

Hrnček Var (Liptovský Mikuláš)

The first package-free store I visited in Slovakia. The location of package-free store Hrnček Var is right in the center in the pedestrian zone, the store is nicely visible from the street. The assortment is no exotic thing, lots of stuff is from our country.

The space is generous, the assortment extensive and includes many goodies. They say they're also quite popular. Which was immediately confirmed by a young lady who came to ask if the Marshmallows had arrived yet.

In the fridge I discovered "apricot" non-yogurt. It tasted good. Since I ran out of toothpaste (respectively the tablets got soggy in paper packaging), I got loose paste made only from herbs here. I hadn't seen such a thing anywhere before. There was a choice between "sweet" and salty variants.

One could talk at Hrnček Var for a long time and it's true that I got quite "stuck" here.

Košická špajza (Košice)

The shop Košická špajza is located perhaps two streets from the main train station. The space is tiny, but packed with assortment. The owner had shelves custom-made where jars are placed at an angle. The shelf levels can thus be very dense above each other and therefore a lot fits in the space.

Špajz Humenné (who would have thought - Humenné): the easternmost package-free store

I arrived in Humenné on Saturday about an hour and a half after closing time. Even so, it was a scooter performance. I originally thought I would pass through Humenné much later. I wasn't even looking for the package-free store Špajz Humenné. I wanted to get as close to Nová Sedlica as possible. Yet the package-free store found me - I happened to ride by and thus said goodbye to the last package-free store on the route.

And that day I managed 105 km. For the fact that it was blowing hard against me in the morning and occasionally hills rose against me, a decent performance, right?

Aš to Kremenec. All the way to getting wet?

On Sunday I reached Nová Sedlica. From Nová Sedlica I walked to Kremenec on foot. The path to Kremenec leads through an ancient beech primeval forest, it really wouldn't work on a scooter there. The wide path gradually disappears, until a narrow trail begins, trees across the path, roots...

And that getting wet? When a Slovak says: "Go to Liptovský Ján, you can get wet there." He doesn't understand it the same way we do. He's saying something like: "Go to Liptovský Ján, you can have a blast there."

And there were plenty of those wettings/swims along the way. I didn't scorn natural swimming pools, rivers, mountain streams, cold mineral springs and occasional showers when I slept at someone's place.

Summer is here. So I wish you in Slovak: "lots of summer wettings"!