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Wednesday, May 14, I woke up, I hear to sniff. Amandine is with a cold, the rain of yesterday has not arranged! Moreover, today's time is still gray and the wind always present. Whatever, today we will continue our visits. Program: Letna Park (Letenské sady) and Prague Castle (Pražský hrad).

To start the day, we take the tram 12 towards Malostranská and we go down to the stop Korunovační. So here we are at Letna Park: 52 acres of grass and trees, crisscrossed by dozens of paths for walking, cycling or rollerblading. For those interested, there is the National Technical Museum which houses an important collection of train, aircraft and other vehicles of all kinds.

One of the places to see in this park, it is obviously the Metronome. Top ten meters, this giant metronome, built in 1991 by artist Karl Vratislav Novák, replaces the megalomaniac statue of Stalin (built between 1949 and 1955 and destroyed in 1962, it was the largest statue of group europe with 15.5m high and 22m long. Representative Stalin and behind him were eight people, four people were the Soviet and four Czechoslovak people).

A cable from the metronome to go on a power pole serves as'' medium'' exposure to a string of pairs of shoes.

At the foot of the metronome is a fresco depicting key moments from 1967 to 1989 (the communist era in Prague).

Since the metronome, we can see a good part of Prague with Vltava flowing down and several bridges (Čechův most, Mánesův most, Karlův most)


Continuing in the park towards the castle, we miss the Hanavsky pavilion features a restaurant.

A little further on what looks like a sculpture is actually ventilation pipes.

To exit from Letna Park and go to Prague Castle, we must cross a bridge over the road (always with the famous old trams) ...

... and through the castle gardens (Chotkovy sady and Královská zahrada (royal garden)). In the first park (Chotkovy Sady) is a swing hanging from a tree, expecting a child ...

Royal garden we can see the Malostranská with, stop again and again the famous trams:

The same place, we can see the lower part of the castle and St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrála Víta Sv). While on a park bench, amandine made ​​a break watching the birds in the area (as common as pigeons (and a mix of pigeon and crow ...)) which are Eurasia Jackdaw :

In Chotkovy Sady Park is a monument with statues and a small dedicated Julius Zeyer (1841 - 1901) garden was a poet and a writer Prague. (With at the foot, a little hidden. Frog)

Marking the separation between the royal garden (Královská zahrada) and Chotkovy Park, the Belvedere of Queen Anne (Anny Letohrádok kráľovnej) stands in front of his lawn. Also called Palais royal summer (Královský Letohrádek) gazebo was built in 1537 in the purest style of the architecture of the Italian Renaissance in Central Europe, Jagiellonian Anne, Queen of Bohemia and wife of Ferdinand I of the Holy Roman Empire.

Following Královská obora, a street between the Deer Pit and along the royal garden. All along, we can see closer the cathedral and the north of the castle entrance. On this street also is the small hall of the tennis court of Prague Castle (Míčovna Pražského hradu) with its so particular wall decorations.

Leaving the gardens, we arrived in front of the Prague Castle (Jazdiareň Pražského hradu) Equestrian center:

We headed to the castle entrance. Crossing the bridge, I want to make a nice little photo of us below (Deer Pit), and a pretty little butterfly (Argus blue) on the fence:

The castle entrance is guarded, as in England, by soldiers in uniform (without the hat-wig this time) and completely unflappable in their small huts.

Where Prague Castle is an oppidum is used since the Neolithic. The castle itself began its construction in 885 by a pagan altar (by Cosmas of Prague, a monk writing the Chronica Boemorum). Then the Duke Wenceslas I of Bohemia (the good King Wenceslas became the patron saint of the Czech Republic, brewers, Poland, prisoners and children choirs)) built a church (which then evolved into a cathedral (the st-Guy)) to house the relics of St. Vit (sv Vitus).

The castle is divided into several parts: 4 courses, 1, and 2 major streets all extending over 570m long and 130m wide, making it the largest castle in the world. And we enter the second courtyard to take tickets for visits to different parts of the castle.

Tickets (and authorization photos for me) in the pocket, we're not going to visit right away, but rather ... eat! It is past 11am and we famished. Amandine coughing badly and looked tired, we decided that tonight we will go 2-3 quick errands and take the opportunity to take cough syrup.
For lunch this afternoon, we wanted to go in a small restaurant in the castle ... but not finding it, we end up going in the coffee palace Rosenberg (Rožmberský palác). We take each one handmade panini just before. Even being a basic meal (with beer, of course) it was very good. For my part, I had a panini and curry chicken breast, with a herb sauce. Amandine, she took on a panini with ham accompanied by a garlic sauce.

Immediately after the meal, we decided to start by visiting the bottom of the castle ... with just the door.

For not much, the door having nothing very sensational. Looking on the left of the door, we see a small sign indicating that it is here a toy museum. Neither one nor two, we decided to go take a look.

The Toy Museum in Prague is a museum dedicated to toys ... (not the doilies cross stitch as we could we doubt). The oldest dating from ancient Greece, the main toys are spread over a period of 150 years, beginning in 1800 until the early electric Train Märklin around 1970 when switching to HO. Located in the halls of the palace of the Grand Burgrave (highest dignitary of the castle) for many years, it is the second largest museum in the world devoted to toys. Largely due to the very considerable contribution to the collection of toys from Czech filmmaker and cartoonist Ivan Steiger. It is thanks to him that was created this museum.

On arrival we were greeted by 4 ''toys'' full size: Darth Vader, Jar Jar Binks, Superman and another that we have not seen immediately and thus move to the next round when we repasserons before going up to upstairs.

We thought before entering here in half an hour we'd emerged ... we stayed 3am! And you'll quickly understand why, already because of the amount of toys, but also because some interest us more, we spend time ... there was a lot of mechanical toys in the first room, usually metal, mechanical winder.

Some toy soldiers ... here an Indian scalping a pale face in blue dress (you said violence?)

We are in a passage dedicated to doll houses, often wooden utensils are also often made of wood and fabric. The interiors are rather in the imperial and noble style of the aristocracy years 1850-1920 (hmmm mustache). In the last photo, a herd of sheep vaguely psychotic ...

We come now to the mechanical vapor portion. Machines here all operate with tiny steam engines (one of the first pictures is also the most powerful steam engine toy in the world). While players cards are animated by the movements of the machine, the steam locomotive is also fully functional like a real one with small pads to burn coal. The last photo shows a slightly more complex system that causes one side of the animated characters and the other a turbine to electricity and a character who pump. All this being said ''technical'' toys small boy had a lot of fun for curious and trying to understand the operation.

In the hallway that leads to the next room, the'' small'' soldiers lead of about fifteen centimeters high are exposed:

The next room is dedicated to model trains with old Hornby, Märklin and some Jouef.

In this room also is a tree food ... if only it were true ... hmmm yum, a tree steaks ...

An army of toy soldiers wage war while a woman a bouquet in hand, talks with her ​​lover of the hare (or rabbit?) He just hunt (probably they discuss how they will eat it).

New hall, new showcase: robots (now) almost caricatured so they are ... (squares resembling what was before kitsch??)

A mechanical grandmother / witch, an angel flying lead and a Meccano train nearly 1 meter, the variety of toys is really great, not to mention lint, card games and everything else ...

A new piece dedicated solely to doll houses and dolls (between those of porcelain, wood, fabric or dried prunes headed psychopath (yes!) and houses and utensils for dolls, there many choices to play the dinette (among others).
I still want to greet artisans aimed at achieving much if small accessories and often made ​​by hand only!

In the next room, seagrass, a miniature typewriter (but functional!), Rhymes and songs (old partition Walt Disney Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with songs dwarves in the mine), books children (including Lucinka, a kind ofthe Czech ''Martine'' : loving do tricks, devil horns, an alien head for his brother, a mischievous smile, the voodoo dolls and turkey... you go-account? a turkey! ...... it's really for kids this stuff ?) and shortly after, a mechanical car with Donald Duck in (thank you Carl Barks for have invented (as Scrooge and others) and Don Rosa to continue the adventures of Donald, Scrooge and company).

A quick pass with 3 windows about ships (large enough, as Viktoria 60cm or smaller like tiny boats and aircraft on the 2 more pictures, measuring just a few millimeters!)

A hinged wooden snake closing the last piece here, there remains a corridor before going upstairs.

Very strange dolls adorn the last corridor, they are animated dolls (with batteries): the boss-aristocrat alcoholic bartender (! Cuckoo Nanasse), the exhibitionist Frankenstein (with his pants on the ankle while a girl frankly ladle pretends to dance side) or a pig cook (that's for me ... between the koala and the pig, it will become a menagerie in my head ... GRUIK!). While opposite, wiser, pads wood construction represent a small town.

We're back at the entrance it has been over an hour and a half we are in the museum, so the direction indicated by the upper floor 4th doll size and theme of this 2nd floor: Barbie!

Barbie, whose real name is Barbara Millicent Roberts Caylah is a fashion doll 29cm high created by Ruth Handler (wife of one of the two founders of Mattel) in 1959, inspired many a German doll 50s: Bild Lilli (daughter of Ruth (Barbara) brought a Bild Lilli doll in his luggage and Ruth copied it to make Barbie In 1963 the creator of Bild Lilli doll discovers her under another name... Bild Lilli appears that Barbie and copies are almost consistent with each other. Rolf Hausser, the creator wanting to sue for plagiarism could lead to end the idea because of the difference in money between Mattel and its own society despite the primacy of the idea.).
At European origin with black hair, she quickly takes its characteristics as we know it: the European Blands hair and blue eyes. But in 1967, are in addition to other ethnic Barbie, and, in 1980, almost all ethnic groups of the land have a version of Barbie.

But Barbie is not only a long and Ken (her boyfriend in 1961 and her husband) joined her with her little sister Skipper (1964), Skooter and Ricky (1965) and many others. At first, in order to stick to the standards of the time, his gaze is directed slightly downward and to the right, leaning his head gently, it gives the look and teasing women falsely submitted time. But Barbie and company follow fashion and trends, and in 1971, Barbie has its own cabriollet and looks ahead, showing she says (and without making fun feminists).
It must be said that its unreal body, several associations have complained (and still complain) to show a bad example to girls (an anorexic busty body, absolute blonditude and be completely superficial). Some people think that if a girl becomes anorexic, the environment plays no role, but the parents are solely responsible (absurdity, helloooooo !).

Barbie model in the world since 1980 ... I think that there is still a fair amount of caricature ... no?

While Ken is a sailor on a ship, barbie continues his exploration of the mode (you said kitch no ? wait a little longer.)

In parallel, in 1964, created an articulated doll 30cm for boys: GI Joe, resumed in 1966 under the name Action Man. Where Barbie is all pink and everything else, Action Man makes medicine with a flag of the red cross and white saw ... obviously, we are doctor or we are not (if my doctorcome to see me with a white saw with instead of a scalpel, I fled quickly and I change doctors!).

Back to Barbie, but a little later this time, always in the years 70-80, kitsch is, watch the eyes!

One fifth of the expo on Barbie was devoted to special Barbies (a small fortune every time ...) barbie-cookie-oreo:

The wife of Roger Rabbit in the movie / cartoon ''who wants Framed Roger Rabbit'' : Jessica Rabbit

Barbie Barbie white balls and decorated coats-meshes:

Barbie rebel trash:

Barbie octopus, slices of carrot Barbie, Barbie tuft of grass, shade Barbie and Barbie mc-hammer:

A throngs of Barbies with figures of famous people :

Barbie Marilyn Monroe :

Barbie rock with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts singing ''I love Rock'n Roll'' :

Barbie in The Birds, from Hitchcock (while clinging birds all over it):

Barbie in the presidential team of President Truman:

Barbie Christian Dior :

The same version Karl Lagerfeld (in bear form):

Barbie is ready for the holiday season with his mother christmas costume:

A particular thing, I guess, few people know: Barbie in a unit of Marines:

But it will not color him, suddenly, she wears a dress quickly new luxurious gala:

The evening with a little degenerate, here in SM mode (thus hiding the eyes of children ...) huuu no ... Catwoman (sorry):

Barbie waitress at Coca-Cola:

Again known characters (the Wizard of Oz, Cinderella, The King Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe (again), Michael Jackson ...)

Special Barbie for the 40th anniversary of its creation:

Barbie punk / trash:

Barbie Kitch (full pink eyes!)

Barbie glaucous (ha unforgiveness is Barbie gives birth to twins ... but it's so weird that it had to give children nightmares for a long time ...):

A procession of married Barbies around a very special Barbie ... Barbie Einstein (getting worse ... poor Einstein):

And finally, the last day of the Barbies: Furry Barbies !

Last part of the Toy Museum: superheroes and super-villains as well as some characters (or not):

There is also a collection (roughly well done) dolls U.S. presidents (Lincoln (was he Vampire Slayer ?), It seems to be left Washington in blue, Bush and others).

Here we left the museum and ... it is 14:30! 3 hours we were there, the sun was missing ... even though we had almost none. We continue the visit by the Rosenberg Palace (Rožmberský palác), where we had eaten all the time.
Built in the thirteenth century, the Palace originally served as an institute for noble women to give them an education suitable for young noblewomen and aristocracy.
We begin our visit at the chapel of the Trinity and the immaculate conception of the virgin mary with magnificent trompe l'oeil mural:

Then we visit the rooms where the environment is recreated at the time with the furniture, tapestries, paintings (mechanical tables even!) And beautiful (and huge) picture of the Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria-Teschen (1825 - 1912) painted in 1845 by the Austrian court painter: Anton Einsle. In the background we can see a view of the north-east of Prague Castle with St. Vitus Cathedral over yet. I find this really beautiful table (this is probably why and because of the virtual absence of information about him that I am a small paragraph).

Following the visit shows various gargoyles of the cathedral, some are really ugly (but that was the goal). (No dirty jokes, thank you.)

The final piece was a large living room decorated with tapestries and large sofas in red velvet. Then we're back outside, and always so windy here ... We decide to continue visits here quite known street: Golden Lane (Zlata ulička). This consists of small houses glued together. Originally they were used to house the castle archers, but legend has it that it was here that were housed alchemists of Emperor Rudolf II. Later they entertained artisans and officials. Today they are mostly small shops (each his specialty).
House number 22 was, at one time, the sister of writer Franz Kafka. Sister who housed him from 1916 to 1917.

Towards the beginning of the Golden Lane there is a small museum (free) armor (and its evolution over time). There is very little light because we are in the wall directly. This small museum while length (and very narrow) has a lot of suits of armor, shields and weapons and some more specific helmets (including a Roman helmet, a Gallic helmet (Astééééérix?) And a helmet ... weird (Hannibal Lecter ?)) and a children's armor.

Leaving the museum, I take a plate engineered sewer to take a picture of the coat of arms of Prague:

Leaving the Golden Lane, we go back to the castle instead St George (U sv Jiří náměstí) via Jiřská street, also passing a bas-relief of the Basilica of St George (Bazilika sv. Jiří) representing st George and the dragon, in which we will shortly thereafter. On the square is also found the back of the St Vitus Cathedral, access to the Powder Tower (with the museum guards the castle), access to the former royal palace, the wing and the Teresian cloister Basilica (and a restaurant).

The Basilica of Saint George (Bazilika sv. Jiří), built in 925, is destroyed by fire XIIèem century and rebuilt in 1142. Baroque facade has it been added in the seventeenth century. The interior of the building is rather simple (but with beautiful paintings), mainly due to the whiteness of the limestone. He finds the graves of the Přemyslid well as the tomb of the grandmother of St Vancesclas (Ludmila of Bohemia) and the remains of two Spanish saints.

Leaving the basilica, we pause on a parapet between the cathedral and the former royal palace. We talked for a lady approaches the stairs to go down to visit the ancient palace and stops in front ... for farting! With the construction of the place, there was a huge Raisonnance effect, suddenly several people have returned (even on the other side of the square) and the lady went back nonchalantly, as if she was not responsible for this unnecessary. We have a good laugh for a while so the situation was absurd.
Once the break is complete, we will visit the Powder Tower (Prašná věž (Mihulka)) with its museum guards the castle. 27.4m high, 4-storey tower, as its name suggests was used to store but also to manufacture gunpowder. After several fires (1541, 1649) and at least as many reconstructions, the tower opened in 2004 as a museum guards Prague Castle with the evolution of their equipment and their history.

On the first floor, we see some medals and models wearing the uniforms of the guards first. On the second floor, other models, the period of the Second World War with the first suit in 1938 (for the mobilization in September 1938, armed with a MK26 light machine gun 7.92mm caliber) the second in 1945 when Prague uprising against the Nazis (it is equipped with the well-known anti-tank weapons: the Panzerfaust).

At the next stage, it is required newer guards (the first from 1952 to 1962 based on the Russian secret police, the NKVD. And the second outfit, which came into staffing from 1968 until entry into force of the current holding) as well as keeping camouflaged guards. We can also see some of their latest equipment and regalia.

Leaving the museum, we met Benjamin Gates (probably still looking for a treasure) currently observing a sculpture (the Templars, Freemasons, all that all that ... and the conspiracy theory!) :

We turn right onto rue Vikářská to enter the cathedral. Some arched windows have special decorations ... animals! Insects, lizards, snake, amphibians ... only animals that do not normally find on a religious monument.

Cathedral of St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert (Katedrála svatého Víta, Václav has Vojtěcha), abbreviated St. Vitus is the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. Largest and most important cathedral of the country, construction began in 925 with a rotunda in which is a relic of St. Vit, offered by Henry the Duke Wenceslas I fowler. Before that, there was a pagan altar worshiping Siwa, the goddess of life in Slavic mythology. What may seem unimportant, except knowing that ''Vitus'' refers to ''vita'' which means ''life'' There is a good chance that the name of the place to go was greatly influenced this former altar.
In 973, Prague is chosen as bishop and it is this rather than roundhouse Basilica of St. George (which is one of the dukes of Bohemia), which favors the bishop to put his episcopal throne. in 1060, the rotunda evolves Romanesque basilica with 3 naves and then, in 1344, a few months after that Prague has obtained the status of an archbishopric, the decision was made to build a metropolitan cathedral there. And construction began in September 1344 under the orders of the architect Matthew of Arras and will continue under several architects to be completed in 1929 (almost 600 years to build !).

Some representatives stained history of Cyril and Methodius summers made ​​by the painter and poster artist Alfons Mucha (1860 - 1939) in his own modern art.

In the ambulatory behind the apse there is a painting overlooking various tombs (those of Bedřich among others):

In the ambulatory is also the tomb of St. John of Nepomuk (1340 - 1393), 2 tons of solid silver (it makes money ...). St. John was at the end of his life the confessor of Queen Sophie, wife of Wenceslas IV. This last was calculating that his wife was cheating on him and forced John to tell him what had confessed the queen. Refusing to betray his oath he was tortured and thrown into the Vltava (Moldau at this time).

Still, there is a stele in the wall dedicated to George Popel of Lobkowicz.

Just before leaving, we find the chapel of St. Wenceslas I, with a richly decorated chapel, decorated with semi-precious stones all over the bottom of the piece and the tomb of the saint on the right (on the photo).

Once out of the church, blue sky greeting us. A glance at the 3rd courtyard of the castle towards the small obelisk ...

... one last look at the cathedral, to review one of the gates with their decorations ...

... and a look on the right where a house with a tower in the decoration a bit special caught my eye.

We come out of the castle by the second courtyard, as we arrived this morning, this time, it's sunny, but a bit windy again:

We take the tram and go quickly to a pharmacy in Staroměstská to take the syrup for the Amandine's cough. Then we returned, tired but happy to have a better and visits we have made time.

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