RUNNING OUT OF TIME


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March 8th 2010
Published: May 10th 2010
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So Believe it or not Catherine and I did spend most of our time in Prague. There is sooooo much to do and see and I could not believe it when we only had half a day left to visit the main square. Wenceslas Square, named after the patron saint of Bohemia is part of the historic centre of Prague, a World Heritage Site. It is a traditional setting for demonstrations, celebrations, and other public gatherings. At its centre stands the National Museum, which we rang out of time to visit, and a very large statue of Wenceslas. But what is most captivating of all is the astronomical clock hidden around the corner. It's attached to the side of the Town Hall and very hour a procession of twelve Apostles appear along with a death ringing bell until a cock crows and the show is over. Obviuosly an iconic sight wedding car, after wedding car appeared for that romantical shot in time! According to my latest research, the astronomical clock was constructed in 1410 by the clockmaker Mikulas of Kadan in collaboration with Jan Ondrejuv called Sindel, professor of mathematics and astronomy of Prague Charles University.
The astrolabe mechanisms they have built over 600 years ago are still functional. 80 years later, the legendary master Hanus rebuild the clock and as legend has it, the Councillors had him blinded, so that he would not ever manage to build another instrument greater than the Orloj in Prague.
The story also says that before he died, master Hanus deliberately damaged the clock so seriously, that nobody could ever fix it again. He also cursed the instrument, so those who tried to repair it have either gone mad or died. The figures of the 12 apostles, blessing the city at every hour were added in more recent times, during the major repair work carried out between the years 1865-1866. I think the funniest thing of all, is that on the Prague Orloj one can read almost anything BUT the time! With so much going on, movement of the sun, phases of the moon, the equinoxes, the seasons and the days and the zodiac.
I found myself looking at the watch on my wrist in anticipation for that chime. lolI don't know how the two relate in this instance but the time led me to spending money and I did my usual sinful stop in at FURLA for a small but out of my budget purchase which I now treat like a rare and precious gem!!!
We also made a stop at the very exy Jewish Museum which documents the life of Jews in post-war Czechoslovakia, the Old Jewish Cemetery which was established in the first half of the 15th century and the Old-New Synagogue. I was mostly fascinated by the oldest tombstone in the cemetry, which marks the grave of the poet and scholar Avigdor Karo, dating from the year 1439. Burials took place in the cemetery until 1787. Now it contains some 12,000 tombstones, although the number of persons buried here is much greater. The cemetery was enlarged a number of times in the past, yet spite of this the area did not suffice and earth was brought in to add further layers. It is assumed that the cemetery contains several burial layers placed on top of each other and as a result the fallen tombs fold together like a piece of art. It is a photographers dream and the snow just gave it that all more eerie feeling. To be honest I would say that if theidea of a cemetry did not send shivers of excitement down your spine I would not bother with time or money on this place. Spend your money on Terezin instead!



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