TRAVEL – PRAGUE
Still in the castle, we latched on to an English speaking guide who showed us the few rooms that were open to the public.
She was particularly eager to explain defenestration, which is the practice of throwing people you don’t like for one reason or another out of windows after which they inexplicably died.
In 1618, in an argument over religious freedom, two Regents and their secretary were thrown out of a window on the third floor – 21 metres from the ground. They survived. The Catholics maintained they were caught by angels or the Virgin Mary. The Protestants said they landed in a heap of dung. These days James Bond does that all the time without a hair out of place and not a speck of dirt on his white dinner suit.
HISTORY – ISABELLA OF SPAIN
Servants are sent poste haste to Rome to get the Pope’s permission for cousins Isabella and Ferdinand to marry. Like the proverbial magician, the Archbishop of Toledo agrees to sort it all out. It is rumoured that he himself wrote out the dispensation.
Are we to believe that Isabella thought a dispensation, to and from Pope Paul II in Rome could be obtained in 4 days? Even using the autobahns it would be pushing it.
While Ferdinand realizes that he is marrying a deeply religious woman, whose devotion to duty is equally paramount, he is also convinced that she is his to command. Ferdinand the adventurer, so worldly, so much the man of action believes that this convent bred girl, a weak female will be subservient. Oh silly man, you have no idea at all have you?
AFRICA FACTS
I’m not sure how many people are aware the Africa is probably the richest continent on earth. It has many rivers, wide areas for agriculture and a wealth of precious and useful minerals deep below the ground. Many of its countries have access to the sea and deep water harbours. Trade routes east were established long before Europe was even aware just how big a land mass Africa is. It also has a workforce that, once educated and trained can meet the demands of a modern world.
Sadly, with tribal infighting, civil wars, jostling for power and man’s insatiable greed so many suffer as a result. Will it ever come right? Well for the few at the top, life is pretty good now, except how relaxed they are is anyone’s guess. Only time will tell. In the meantime, maybe life will fall apart in the Old World – who knows!
There are lots of tale about my media work in Africa in my career memoirs, Truth, Lies and Propaganda and more Truth, Lies and Propaganda which may surprise you.
mybook.to/MemTLP mybook.to/MoreTLP
Till next time, take care
Lucinda.
lucinda E Clarke 
From the snippets you’ve shared, those must be great books to read. Must catch up on them. And I imagine guides know lurid stories always get attention…;)
LikeLiked by 1 person
But I suspect they are not always accurate Olga. I had a friend who was an expert on Egyptian history and his guide nearly strangled him when he contradicted every bit of information he spouted as he dragged them round the pyramids. His wife told me it was the worst holiday she had ever been on!
LikeLike
I wonder how many others were opening the dictionary to look up defenestration before clicking on your link, Lucinda?
As for the Archbishop of Toledo getting a dispensation from Rome within 4 days… From my current experience of officialdom in Spain, she’d be lucky to get a certified residentia certificate out of the ayuntamiento (town hall) inside 4 weeks!
And for other followers here who’ve not yet read Lucinda’s TL&P books, DO DNOT HESITATE. I lived in Africa for 31 years, and can assure you Lucinda tells it exactly like it is!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Strangely Ann the moment the guide mentioned defenestration I remembered it from A Level history! I could ave sworn I took a picture of that very window but when I came to post, I couldn’t find it anywhere. I think I may have stuffed up and scheduled two of these blogs on the wrong dates, so we might be doing a bit of time travelling next week! And yes, Isabella wold have stretched her incredulity to get the paperwork, but isn’t it easier in Spain than in any other African country?
LikeLike
As always interesting facts and information. Thank you Lucinda. Especially found the facts regarding potential for Africa enlightening. If only people would take this on board and work together for the common good. But then, we see little of that in the so called ‘advanced’ west. Miss those days when patriotism and national pride were relatively common place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There was what i thought a disturbing statement from a young psychologist on the TV the other day. “Old people should not think they deserve respect from the young. They must earn it first.”
I’m not even sure how we can do that since it’s not cool any more to even talk to the old wrinklies. 😦
LikeLike