Charles Bridge w/o the crowds

The tips I get in the guidebooks pay off sometimes. I left the hostel at 7:30 this morning when everyone else was still sleeping off the "fun" they had the night before. Instead of wall to wall people and vendors, I saw 20 people. The light was nice.

Most of the the statues date from the late 1600s and early 1700s. Today half of them are replicas-the originals are in museums, out of the polluted air.

"According to A 17th century legend, the king wanted to know his wife's secrets, but Father John dutifully refused to tell. He was tortured and eventually killed by being tossed off the bridge. When he hit the water, four stars appeared. The shiny plaque at the base of the statue depicts the heave-ho. Devout pilgrims-from Mexico and Moravia alike-touch the engraving to make a wish come true. You get only one chance in this life for this wish, so think carefully before you touch the saint." Rick Steve's PRAGUE & The Czech Republic 2007

I haven't made my wish, yet.

Touching the dog means bad luck or being fertile, so I think I'll keep my hands off.

The current construction on the bridge involves removing the old, weathered, loose concrete block railing and replacing it. The Charles Bridge may look old, but some of it is brand new with Mape-Antique http://www.mapei.it/referenze/Multimedia/2005_GB.pdf used to prevent future water damage.