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Friday, May 16, today a little different program, we will do our lunch at home and then leave because we are a little tired the last few days. The menu tapeworms in tomato sauce, all canned (spaghetti with tomato canned) ... is ... original. It is far from a restaurant dish, even basic, but with a price of less than one euro ... it fills at least a little stomach.

Today's program is the John Lennon wall, museum special effects, the Charles Bridge and the Museum of torture. By tram, I took a photo of a different advertising posters on some trams (it's been a while since I tried to take this picture!). This is an ad for a concert Lindsey Stirling, a talented violinist I like (for the curious, his YouTube channel is here ).

Our first stop of the day, the Lennon Wall (in tribute to John Lennon, Bob Lennon not ...), the Lennon Wall in Prague (Lennonova Zed). John Lennon (1940 - 1980) was a singer, songwriter and musician of legendary band The Beatles (also composed of Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr). He was also a leading figure in the Peace & Love movement. At his death in 1980, first registration (a drawing) in honor of John Lennon is written on the wall. Within days, the wall became a symbol of peace and their rebellion against the war and the dictatorship (mainly communist) for students of Prague.
Since the first registration, people come up phrases on the wall, whether young or Prague tourists.


There a portrait of John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono on the wall in a corner, like they were watching the wall and inscriptions.

I take heart in mirror fragments to a small self-portrait (the only one of the story, take the opportunity to rinse the eye... ).

Just opposite the Lennon Wall is the Embassy of France in Prague and the Lennon Wall is the south wall of the garden of the church of the Knights of the Order of Malta (Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and Malta). This is an order that is humanitarian, mainly oriented poverty. The order is also very active in the fight against leprosy and overall medical care. In addition, we note the existence of specific missions of emergency during natural disasters or humanitarian assistance to refugees in armed conflict aid, which currently holds its presence in more than 120 countries worldwide. It is this last church that we will see a little peek through the entrance gate (decidedly, between that, the Illuminati, the Templars and the Freemasons, we met here):

On the facade of a house, a monument dedicated to Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827, German composer known):

We headed to the Charles Bridge, passing under a watchtower.

At the entrance of the bridge, i pointed out the Karel Zeman museum (Museum of special effects in movies) and thoughtful after 2 minutes, we decide to go.
Karel Zeman (1910 - 1989) was a designer and producer of Czech animated film. Considered the spiritual descendant of Georges Méliès (the famous film director and principal designer of the first film special effects), this museum is dedicated to him and tells his accomplishments, his life and different tricks he has done.
After finishing his studies in advertising in Marseille, he released his first short film animation: Vanocni sen (Christmas Dream).

He realized quickly after a short animated film with characters only glass, a classical dance.

He also made ​​a series of nine short films about Mr. Prokouk a puppet having various adventures in their daily occupations.

In 1955, he produced an educational feature film entitled Travel in prehistory (Cesta do pravěku). Telling the story of four teenagers, reading a book and after visiting the Natural History Museum, down a river in a canoe and go back in time with this. They meet, among other dinosaurs. To make multiple scenes, Karel Zeman film with smartphone displaced orbits several shots to give the illusion of a 3D landscape.

In 1958, a tribute to Jules Verne realizes that with his feature film composed of half and half models of real actors: Vynález zkázy (The fabulous adventures of Jules Verne).

In 1961, he attacked the Baron Munchausen with his film Prasil Baron (Baron Crac)

Leaving the museum, we finally cross the famous Charles Bridge (Karlův most). Built between 1357 and 1380 by the architects and Oto Petr Parler, it will remain the only bridge over the Vltava until 1741. One of the main symbols of Prague Castle and the Astronomical Clock, the Charles bridge is 515.76m long and 10m wide. It takes its name from King Charles IV greatly embellished the city of Prague. It is composed of 15 cells, each with two statues (one north side and south side).
Old Town to Mala Strana (North / - / South):

- Our Lady and St. Bernard / - / Saint Yves.
- Our Lady and the Saints Dominic and Thomas Aquinas / - / Holy Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth.
- Golgotha ​​/ - / Pietà.
- Sainte Anne / - / Saint Joseph and the baby Jesus.
- Saints Cyril and Methodius / - / Saint Francis Xavier.
- St. John the Baptist / - / Saint Christophe.
- Saints Norbert, Wenceslas and Sigismund / - / Saint Francis Borgia.
- Saint John of Nepomuk / - / St. Ludmila with St. Wenceslas child.
- Saint Anthony of Padua / - / Saint Francis of Assisi.
- Saint Jude / - / Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius Sázava.
- Saint Augustine / - / Saint Nicolas de Tolentino.
- Saint Cajetan / - / vision holy Lutgarde.
- St. Philip Benizi / - / Saint Adalbert of Prague.
- Saint Guy / - / Saint John of Matha, St. Felix of Valois and St. Ivan.
- Saints Cosmas and Damian with Christ / - / Saint Wenceslas.


Malá Strana side, south on an old bridge pier, the knight of legend, Bruncvik, his golden throne with sword. It seems (I did not see myself, but I could have), the base of the statue is adorned with several symbols Francs-Masonic, Illuminati, Templars. Prague is packed with symbols of the same kind as the Freemasons have created the first lodge in 1740 by the French soldiers (some were Freemasons). In 1789, Freemasonry is banned until 1918 for the Emperor Francis II thought it was their fault that the French revolution broke out. Then, until 1951, the Masons continued but were infiltrated by communists and they decided to go to sleep. But the remaining 28 Freemasons continued to maintain the lodge discreetly for 40 years.
In 1990, Freemasonry Masonic Lodge Prague returning'' openly'' and celebrated his 24th birthday this year.

On the Charles Bridge, the statue of St. John of Nepomuk would luck to those who touch the dog or queen on the engravings on the pedestal (This is, moreover, the prints are worn.)

Finishing crossing the bridge, we arrive at the place next to the old town. Here, there is little beggars, but each has its own neighborhood and if one of them tries to encroach on the territory of another, they yell at, insult and probably end up getting beaten up to address this concern for territorial expansion.

In the square there is also a statue of Charles IV, the Gothic tower lookout (like on the other side of the bridge), the Church of Saint-Sauveur (Kostel Nejsvětějšího Salvatora) and the Museum of torture of the Charles Bridge.

We will then visit the famous museum of torture. Spread over three floors, the museum hosts a sixty instruments of torture. The entrance fee is 150 CZK and we must be careful about 1H to visit in full. Photos are normally prohibited, but I was able to get permission from the museum into a small number.

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I wish to make a small digression about it ... this is simple: when a sign indicates that photos are prohibited, do not make photos, whether with a digital film camera, or a mobile phone / smartphone. For several reasons: 1) because it is the law of the museum. 2) because the flashes often used spoil the colors of paintings (among others). 3) photos often end up on the internet (mainly facebook) and museums prefer to avoid it as they followed him lose control / works they host. Especially since some of the works are still protected by copyright.
So when I see people taking pictures with a sign prohibiting photo front, I often want to make their room their device (if still people asked permission before it would get better ... but considering that they do not ...). Respect is lost ... and literacy it would seem ... but above all respect (that is every man for himself these days).
Brief interlude over, we resume the museum.

- - - - -

We begin with a spiked throne (chair interrogation) dating from the Inquisition to talk (among others) the witches:

Then we have a series of masks iron supposed to throw shame on those who wear them (including a pig ... it gruik!).

Then again a seat this time with a screw that goes into the back of the head while choking from the front:

Then, a well-known torture: the Iron Maiden, a kind of mold shaped woman with pikes were shut inside the mold and spikes pierced the tortured without killing ... death. only occurs after a long and painful time by threatening infection (sepsis).

On the wall: the cross immobilization, a mobile variant of the crucifixion:

Following the visit: tabards or robes penance with flames and heads of red goats (also, interestingly, the number of the photo is J6_66 ... it is a sign of the devil).

Then the pyramid bridge (or a name that looks like):

A kind of bed for more massage (great for lumbago) :

That's just dirty ... a saw to cut people ... in length, hung upside down:

The last photo of the museum : hoaxes neck. These are kinds of metal loops that were used to catch the fugitives.

After spending an hour in the museum, we headed to the church of Bethlehem (Betlémská kaple) with a kind of contemporary art sculpture ...

We also see a hanging man ... this is the man hanged Viselec, from the artist David Černý (to whom we owe the baby statues along the tower Zizkov).

So we finished our day tours. We head back to the Charles Bridge to the tram and go. On the way, we see another restaurant decorated with the same characters as last time. They are taken from the satirical novel The Good Soldier Švejk unfinished (Dobrý Voják Švejk) of Jaroslav Hašek (1883-1923).

We're back on the banks of the Vltava to the tram a little further, I want to make some other small photos of Charles Bridge before heading back. The rain is back from the game and we hurry to go to the bus stop.

Next to the tram stop is a small park with a sort of large fountain / stone statue turned black because of the time:

Once the tram direction hostel to rest. Tonight we take the opportunity to do some laundry for dirty laundry accumulates.

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