1 Paris left bank and existentialism
The scandalous fragrance of existentialism still floating in the cafes of the Left Bank . Atmosphere bobo, flooring scratched and tables in another time did not have their kind to resurrect the school of thought associated with Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Famous for advocating (and lived) free love, they defended the idea that man shapes his own destiny by the choices and commitments. Once invaded by smoke from cigarettes, coffee shops - such as individual freedoms - are now subject to more finicky laws. You will have to go out on the sidewalk for a smoke.
Luxury bobo guaranteed at Left Bank, 9, rue de l'Ancienne Comédie, in the heart of the Latin Quarter ( www.parishotelleftbank.com ).
2 Washington, peace and human rights for all
The Reflecting Pool, a deep body of water 610 m in length, only 46 cm in places, stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument , erected in honor of two of the greatest presidents of the United States . This is where Martin Luther King launched his famous "I Have a Dream" and as the setting of huge demonstrations against the war in Vietnam. Not far away is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, poignant simplicity: this long wall of polished black granite and features over 58,200 names.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has its own website, www.thewall-usa.com
3 The Highgate Cemetery (London) and Marx
Prussian by birth, and inspirer of Russian revolutionary, Karl Marx is buried in the cemeteries more English, that of Highgate in London , where celebrities are buried about 850. The western part of the cemetery, gloomy and overgrown with vegetation, including mausoleums, gothic crosses, Victorian vaults and catacombs buried in ivy. In the east stands the massive bust of Karl Marx, inscribed "Workers of all countries, unite." A program of light-years of the universe of Douglas Adams, author of the Guide to the Galaxy, buried right next door. It is also buried here that Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB agent poisoned death in 2006.
The Highgate Cemetery ( www.highgate-cemetery.org ) Is at the top of Highgate Hill, 10 minutes walk from Archway station.
4 Red Square (Moscow) and Lenin
In Russia, the giant Lenin Mausoleum on the Red Square , still reflects the uncompromising political line that has presided over the country for seven decades. Thousands of people there are still in line to file past the mummified from that launched the Bolshevik revolution and inspired many other political leaders worldwide. Another emblem of communism, the Kremlin is associated with much older beliefs, as evidenced by the icons, pine nuts and golden domes of the cathedrals of the Archangel St. Michael, the Assumption and the Annunciation.
The famous St. Basil's Cathedral is located on the Red Square. It is open every day except Tuesday. The station nearest metro Kitai Gorod is.
5 Delhi and Gandhi
Its cultural wealth are such that we quickly forget the chaos and pollution prevailing in Delhi . Winding streets, bazaars and powerful perfumes sum up the atmosphere of the old city, while New Delhi is distinguished by its broad shady avenues, interspersed with remnants of the British era. Nestled in this colonial setting, Birla House was the home of Mahatma Gandhi. The man who was the cause of Indian independence and inspired nonviolent movements around the world traveled nightly gardens. After imitated, visit his room, which displays his few belongings. It was at Birla House that the great man was assassinated in 1948.
Birla House now houses a museum depicting the life of Gandhi. It is open Tuesday to Sunday (free admission)
Gandhi statue at Memorial Rajghat, New Delhi © paul prescott - Fotolia.com
6 Brussels and the Belgian surrealism
Aptly summarized by René Magritte in his famous painting This is not a pipe, Surrealism took the wrong way all the time: anti-war, a follower of the automatic thought, this artistic movement has created works questioning the nature and the meaning of art. The surrealists honnissaient rationalism which they believe led to the First World War. The action should be guided by imagination and emotion. That gives you might want to discover the very eccentric remains Brussels Magritte or the new Magritte Museum. Look no reason to go there: go on a whim.
Magritte was buried in the cemetery at Schaerbeek, in Evere. Take the train (line 26) to the station Evere, then ask your way.
7 Prague and Kafka
Torn between love and hate for his hometown, the German-speaking Czech spent most of his life in Prague writer. Its medieval atmosphere she inspired Kafka literary immersed in imagination and the absurd? Joseph K., the hero of a victim Trial (written in 1914, published in 1925) nonsensical? The places he frequented and inhabited are almost all there, intact, from the House to the Minute, superb Renaissance Old Town building, "this little circle that contains all my life," he said, with modest house he occupied in the castle.
Franz Kafka is buried in the Jewish cemetery in Zizkov . Fans of the writer come on pilgrimage on June 3, the anniversary of his death.
8 Beijing and Mao
China today, the result of a strange alliance between communism and capitalism, has changed since the Cultural Revolution. This is especially evident in Beijing where skyscrapers, roads to 8 lanes and glittering shopping plazas side with the imposing mausoleum of Mao in Tiananmen Square ( Dongcheng ). After admiring the communist icons surrounding the embalmed body of the Great Helmsman, take a walk on the side of Wangfujing Dajie, to watch the spectacle of the meeting of Maoism and consumerism.
The nearest metro station Tiananmen is the Qianmen, the circular line. Mao's mausoleum is located on the side of Qianmen Street.
9 Vienna and Freud
Vienna is known for its monumental architecture, reflecting the taste of the Habsburgs for self-aggrandizement. Freud liked the city: the man who theorized the Oedipus complex and the desire penis traveled all afternoon Ringstrasse throughout the other. After admiring the statues that dot the area, take a seat in one of the coffeehouse, where a highbrow clientele sipping coffee and nibbling cupcakes reading the newspaper. Then jump on a tram to go to the opera. Be prepared to pay the price to get a good spot, but we can also see the show up for a handful of euros.
Guided tours of the Opera take place from Tuesday to Sunday ( € 8 , Access to the Austrian Theatre Museum included). More information on the site www.wiener-staatsoper.at .
10 Athens and Veterans
The modern world owes much to ancient Greece: democracy, mathematics and theater, among other things. Many profound thoughts were made of the time of Socrates, Aristotle and Plato: they are still engraved in capital letters on the Athenian friezes and columns. Climb to the Parthenon and let yourself be dazzled by its Doric colonnades. At a time when the crowd leaves the site, you will see the city, bustling and sprawling, dotted with temples, through the fog enveloping Vesper 2400 years of history.
The Acropolis is open from 8 am to 19:30 summer (8h to 17h winter). Learn all about the historical sites of Athens www.athensinfoguide.com .
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