We then followed our guide book walk of Wenceslas Square - a long wide boulevard with greenery in the middle and pedestrian walkways in middle and on sides.
The National Museum is at the top of one end, and just in front is our favourite Saint - Wenceslas - mounted this time. He's surrounded by four minor saints, each carrying a book. It is said that this is a small nation without any military power, and so Czechs' have thinkers as their national heroes, not warriors.
For us the interesting aspect of this square is as the location of historic events in the 20th century. Soviet tanks rolled in here in 1968 to crush the growing independence movement. Then in 1989 the Velvet Revolution occurred here - when thousands of people gathered here every night, jangling their keys as a signal that it was time to unlock their chains and for the communists to leave. This allowed the formation of Czechoslovakia. Later, in 1993, this split peacefully into the Czech Republic and Slovakia (the Velvet Divorce). This country is fiercely proud of its hard-won independence. We saw several young tour guides here who were passionately explaining this history to their groups.
We moved on to an Art Deco mall (1930's) to see a 1999 sculpture by a modern Czech artist who aims to promote controversy. It is called "Wenceslas Riding an Upside-Down Horse" and swings from an Art Deco glass dome.
We have noticed that there don't seem to be any traffic lights in old city. There are lots of pedestrian crosswalks, and cars and pedestrians just look out for each other. Seems to work very well.
Dinner tonight was in a nice quiet restaurant (opposite to beer hall atmosphere of a few nights ago). Wendy loved their 'wine library'.
Marion had the veal schnitzel - nicely done - with grilled carrots and potato purée. We've had schnitzel several times on this trip, and neither of us have ever been able to eat more than half of it. Ditto for tonight!
"Wenceslas Riding an Upside-Down Horse" - coolest horse statue EVER!
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