In the morning, we open the door to our home, and what do we see? A market. Market stalls right under the windows. Not from UNES-CO, but stalls selling ceramics as part of the 50th Festivities of the Five-Petalled Rose. Right across the street they’re selling sweets – this is going to be a test of endurance for little Josef. Next to the Café is placard advertising an evening performance by the Gipsy Band – I can see it now: Věra washing the dishes while singing the lyrics that, after a month, she knows by heart: “Hey hop! Here comes Maya, here comes Maya, Maya the bee …”

The 32nd edition of the city’s historical celebrations from the Renaissance, the time of the last Rožmberk, has begun.

And again an ugly experience. The Asian visitors are small and get underfoot. They don’t follow the rules. When everybody is standing and waiting for the procession to pass, they jump out in front of the performers and join the procession, ignoring the instructions of the organizers. Normal people wait for the applause and then cross, but the Asians with their rumbling suitcases and mobile phones set on REC go wherever they like. Disgusting.

Ten minutes before the start of the Live Chess Game on the revolving stage, the organizers announce that the place is full and they won’t let us in. But the Asian tourists leave after the second turn, since after all they’ve taken their photographs. Next year, no Asians allowed!

Three days later, the kids bid farewell to the ceramic artist who occupied our UNES-CO space for three days: “You’re leaving already? See you next year.”

P.S. Greetings from Old Man Bača and his pals from across the river (photo by Petra Lewis)