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Saturday, May 17, standing communist comrade! Today, we salute the dear comrade Lenin ... the museum of communism. (Before people jump on me, I want to clarify that I do not talk politics on my site, it's just a joke and start for the main business of the day.)
So I said, the menu of smilley psychopaths, Cubism, a perverse fountain, Wenceslas Square and the Museum of Communism.

How does the smilley psychopaths? Well... of breakfast cereal that resemble smiley faces but in a bowl, it's really weird... the proof in photo:

We take tram 24 and go to the stop Národní třída. Then, towards the Wenceslas Square (in fact, next to the stop Mustek - B). Our first stop will be on the path to go to Cubist lamppost. A small break to head tracking allows me to take two photos, two statues, one that monitors a little piece of ... salads! The other statue is a child who was not very fresh.

In fact, we were right ... argh ... well ... Built in 1913 by architect Emil Králíček (1877-1930), in crystal form, like all Prague Cubist art. Indeed, the first symbol Prague Cubist art, this is also the only Cubist lamppost in the world, the first building in this style and so what threw in the city (several buildings are modeled on this type of cubism crystal. Amandine loving art (among other cubism) the opportunity to pose in front of the lamp (while a pigeon does not want to let go and follows her like a puppy).

Behind the lamp is the church of Our Lady of the Snows (Kostel Panny Marie Sněžné), built in 1347 at the request of Charles IV the day after her coronation, she now measuring 34m in height, making it the tallest church in Prague. Built on the plans of the Cathedral of Reims, the garden entrance is topped by a sculpture of King Charles IV with his first wife Blanche of Valois.
On the walls of the church are carved into the stone marks left by guards Prague to sharpen their weapons because they were fighting day and night against the mercenary garrisons Zikmund during the Hussite Wars (1420-1433).

As we give way to Wenceslas Square, 20m from streetlight cubist, a fountain appearance very special eye-catcher...

Always on the path to Wenceslas Square and the Museum of Communism, a hotel facade decorated with a beehive (honey is good for health, acacia flowers and all, to choose from!)

Here we go again on the famous Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí). 750m long and 60m wide, it is now more than an avenue instead. In the Middle Ages it was called the market place for horses (Kǒnský trh), and had already enormous dimensions for the time (45'000m ²!). Considered the Champs Élysées in Prague, it takes its name from Wenceslas Square in 1848.

Today, no horses (well. .. we have not seen ... but we could) but quite a Segway (a type of vehicle 2 wheel gyro) and énoooormes bubbles in front of the Hotel Koruna!

At the bottom of Wenceslas Square: the Národní třída street with a building in the very soviet style (especially the statues) I mentioned a few days earlier.

As I reflect on where we could eat, Amandine noticed a plush matching her well: a weasel itself holds a cookie jar, it's a sign, we need to eat!

After eating (unsurprisingly ... bread and Laughing Cow! (Overdose Never!)) And capitalized the bubble maker for the show, we seek entrance to the museum of communism. Bad indications, we will turn around during 20 minutes and eventually find it. Meanwhile, we have a little capitalized (again!) the particular architecture of Prague.

Again Národní třída in the right direction this time, we see a stall selling bricks ...?? In fact, it is for humanitarian aid, people buy a brick and paint can then give to the association and continue editing their small construction and money to help children.

A little further, a building that seems new soviet, I thought it was the museum ... râté! Next, a bust in honor of the writer Bozena Nemcova (1820 - 1862), it is known for its collections of stories Národní báchorky has povesti (Stories and legends of the nation) and has Slovenské pohádky povesti (Slovak Tales and legends) but his most famous work is the novel Grandmother (Babička, 1855), known to all Czechs. Anecdotally, it has its effigy on ticket 500 CZK.

We've gone too far, turn around and ... Enfinnnn! Poster Museum of Communism (Muzeum Komunismu)! We'll lose a few minutes to find the right entry (it's really ill-advised, it is unfortunate, it is in the lobby of a hotel next to a casino, go upstairs). Their display is a little scary.

The museum entrance is more expensive than that provided in the guide (190 CZK) and Amandine not liking the subject too, so I visit the only museum. And the tour begins with a statue of Lenin (real name Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, born in 1870, died in 1924) into a Soviet flag.

In the next room, dedicated to the origins of communism, two new statues of Lenin still (but larger) and Karl Heinrich Marx (1818-1883, it is the origin of the class struggle and gave birth with its ideology, communism).

Next room dedicated to the dream of communism, bronze statues, objects created by the dream communism, posters Tesla (like the coils in C & C Red Alert), a worker workshop, classroom and statues person simportantes poru the Soviets.

The following two parts:'' reality'' and'' nightmare'' show what is really happening under the communist regime: the prohibition to think for oneself, to exercised a religion or believe in something else that the communist regime, the rich had nothing great and the poor nothing more, as the party recovering the majority of resources'' to redistribute a share equal to everyone'' but in fact kept virtually everything for him ... Getting There also add party meetings that were mandatory, untimely imprisonment, duty to report practices contrary to the soviet ideology, the KGB was admitted almost everything wanted when someone fell into his clutches. You should also know that those who shouted the loudest they supported the party in fact those who were least in the communist ideal (share all their resources in equal parts) were. False industries to other countries to believe that communism was very productive, when in fact it was close to zero.

Part of the section'' nightmare'' is dedicated to propaganda art (and weapons just after), interspersed with other socialist realism and a large painting of a Russian patrol, a combination of protective chemical warfare. The gun pictured is a Samopal 24 (a mix between a UZI, a Sten MK II and a Kalashnikov).

Then, a cross between the projection room, the interrogation room, the room where we come from and the sequence (and end) of the expo), a quote from Stalin ''one death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic.''

Saw that there was a guided tour, I could not see the projection room, but I have fun in the offices of the NKVD, the interrogation room with a phone ringing (atmosphere guaranteed!)

Next part about the cult of personality in the party. And last part of the Velvet Revolution (Sametová Revoluce). This revolution, from November 16 to December 29, 1989, was remarkable because of the little bloodshed. This revolution signed the end of communism in the Czech Republic, these last becoming aware of their power to overthrow the government in power. Here, some of the tracks of a Russian tank IS who had been sent to the crackdown on protesters:

At the end of the expo, a reproduction of the Berlin Wall (November 9, 1989 fell) separates us from the entrance, with a footprint of hand making the V for victory:

Just at the end of the visit, before the museum shop, a sign of the USSR (CCCP):

End of the visit, I found Amandine and we set off again for the end of the day, we want to go see the statue of Wenceslas top of the site since the last time we were in the rain. But ... habits die hard: it's raining! Rhâââ! suddenly, I want to take some pictures while poru Amandine is back to the shelter. Good King Wenceslas takes the pose again.


On the square in front of the statue of Wenceslas is a stele for 2 people: Jan Palach (1948 - 1969 history student who immolated himself in protest against the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact forces) and January Zajíc (1959 - 1969, another student (technical school) is sacrificed a little over a month after the suicide of Jan Palach in protest against the normalization of the country by the communists) :

We decide to go the same place as last time ... again in the rain. We take tram 24 and returned quietly, rain will stop before we go. Back in the room, head for the shower and a meal ... while the rain falls again much stronger (good big series of showers for the evening).
After a while, we hear scratching in wardrobes, one with food ... Upon opening the door, we find the koala ... drunk with half beer bottles emptied! He boozed like a koala this damn hole... luckily we still had a bottle for us!

After capturing the koala and have enclosed in the bag-to-back, we eat sausages (with plastic protection for each of them ... no comment on the fact that sausages have condoms! ) with smoked cheese and Fajitas. Yum ! Another busy day (and a little rain ...) tomorrow we will go to second Prague Castle (Vysehrad Castle).

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