Mostecka street seen from the west end of the Charles bridge (Karluv Most), viewed through the tower arches, July 8, 2004, 6 pm

I can't read the inscriptions, but I can recognize a damned sinner in hell when I see him.

Karluv Most, Praha, July 9, 2004.

The Charles bridge at 8:40 am, before tourists and vendors and buskers have packed it. It's lined on both sides with statues, and has a stone tower at each end. Very nice.

July 9, 2004

Some of the statues and emblems on the Charles bridge are clearly iconic. For example, here you can see the wear on the brass plaques from worshippers touching them.

Karluv Most, Praha, July 9, 2004; 8:40 am

Mostecka Street from under the west tower of Karluv Most. It's early morning -- the serving area of the restaurant at right is covered with a tarp, the few pedestrians are all on the sidewalk. In the distance is a tower of St. Mikulas

This is the July 9th performance of this group, who appear to have regular jobs here.

Karluv Most, Prague, 11:20 am

Karluv Most (bridge), from its west tower, looking east toward the old town. This is an afternoon photo, and the bridge is full of tourists.

The composition isn't thrilling, but here we see the entire Charles Bridge (Karluv Most).
Bottom left is the 3 Ostriches Hotel. The bridge is about 2 blocks long before it reaches the main part of the Vltava, in the upper distance. Meanwhile it vaults over a couple of streets and the canal which demarcates Kampa island. Just above center is a dark blue car parked along the edge of this canal, and across it an outdoor restaurant. The old town, Stare Mesto, is across the river. The Jewish Quarter is out of the image, to the left, across the river. The new town, Nove Mesto,is out of the image, to the right, across the river.

July 8, 2004.

The east tower of the Charles Bridge, Prague.

July 9, 2004; 5:20pm (check the clock on the tower)

East tower, Charles Bridge, Prague.

July 9, 2004, 5:30 pm

The west end of the Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) from the 4th floor of the Three Ostriches Hotel.

July 9, 2004; 6 pm. Prague

The west end of the Charles Bridge -- Karluv Most -- with St. Mikulas cathetral between its towers. Just to the right of the towers, partly obscured by the statue, is the Hotel of the Three Ostriches, where we encamped.

July 10, 2004; 9 am. The tourists are still asleep, mostly. Not to mention the buskers and vendors.

West end of Karluv Most, Hradcany castle and St. VItus cathedral at the right, St. Mikulas cathedral between the tower.

July 10, 2004; 9 am

Mala Strana, looking west from the Karluv Most. At the left are the towers of St. Mikulas cathedral; just to its right the whitely lit bridge-gate tower. Hradcany castle is a thin horizontal building stretching almost across the image at the top of the hill; surmounting this is St. Vitus cathedral.

Prague, July 10, 2004; 10:15 pm
Focal length : 12.5mm (35mm equivalent: 48mm)
Exposure time: 1.000 s
Aperture : f/3.5
ISO equiv. : 100

Karluv Most --Charles Bridge -- from the Mala Strana tower, looking northeast.
July 12, 2004, 4:30 pm.

Focal length : 50.7mm (35mm equivalent: 200mm)
Exposure time: 0.0040 s (1/250)
Aperture : f/5.6
ISO equiv. : 64

Tourists are continuallystreaming across the bridge from about 11 am to about 11 pm, then it tapers off into the wee hours, sometimes with loud shouts and singing then.
July 13, 2004, 3 pm

Buskers and vendors start filling the bridge in late morning, and fill the bridge by early afternoon so that there's hardly room to walk sometimes. The buskers seem to stay a few hours and then move or leave, and the evening shift seems younger. July 13, 2004, 3 pm, Karluv Most, looking west toward the castle.

The towers of St. Mikulas cathedral from Karluv Most.
July 13, 3pm

The east end of Karluv Most, evening. July 14, 2004

Canal under West end of Karluv Most