Jubilee Year

A Jubilee Year is a special year declared by the Pope, which usually happens every 25 years. It is a time, when Catholics are encouraged to reflect, go to confession, receive communion and pray for the Pope. Doing these things with the right intentions allows the believers to receive an unconditional indulgence - basically a spiritual reset. And as a part of this tradition is walking through the so-called "Holy Doors".

Well, I am not a Catholic, but receiving at least a piece of indulgence by walking through the "Holy Doors" could be a good opportunity for me, because it is 2025 and I am in Rome.

There are four Holy Doors in Rome, which are opening only in Jubilee Years. And one of them is in St. Peters Basilica.

I am staying in the very center of Rome, so the way to Vatican on foot would take only 30 minutes.

Surprisingly, there is no long queue at this time on the square. So, I was quite fast near the church.

The camera is on, and I am ready to record the moment, when all my sins are forgiven immediately (or some of them).

So, I successfully passed through the Holy Door, left behind sin and entered a renewed life of grace.

It is Sunday, and there is a special mess at this time, where cardinals take part, but there is no Pope here.

The Pope is going to pray at 12 pm, from a window in the Apostolic Palace (second window from the right on the top floor). Typically it lasts around 15–20 minutes and includes the pope’s message, the Marian prayer, the blessing and sometimes a short greeting to pilgrims. Of course, I could not miss this chance to hear the voice of the Pope Leo XIV.

After Vatican I am going back to the Rome city centre. With visiting all remarkable places there. Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Monument to Victor Emmanuel II and Pantheon.

Finally, back home. It is the right time to relax a bit after such a long walking and drink some coffee!

The most iconic method of brewing coffee in Italian homes is undoubtedly with using a Moka pot. Of course, I have it in my rented apartment.

And here is a short instruction how to make perfect coffee:

1. Add water. Fill the bottom chamber of the Moka pot with cold water up to the safety valve.
2. Add coffee. Fill the filter basket with ground coffee; level it off but don’t press it down.
3. Assemble the Moka pot. Screw the top and bottom parts together tightly.
4. Heat it up. Place the Moka pot on medium heat; leave the lid open at first so you can watch the coffee rise.
5. Wait for the magic.The water in the bottom will heat up, creating pressure that pushes the water through the coffee grounds and into the top chamber.
6. Listen carefully. When you hear a gurgling sound, the coffee is almost done; remove it from heat right away to avoid burning it.
7. Cool the Moka. Cool a bit the bottom of the Moka with the cold water from the faucet.
8. Stir and serve. Stir the coffee in the top chamber with a spoon for even flavor; then pour into small cups.

Still, there is some time for evening strolling around Rome. It is only 30 degrees outside, so it must be a good evening.

I hope, I would not need to wait for another 25 years to visit Rome again.

Pardubice, Horse Racing

The Great Pardubice Steeplechase was first held in 1874. Since then, it has become one of the oldest and most prestigious steeplechase horse races in Europe. The race covers a distance of around 6.9 kilometers, and it demands both stamina and jumping ability from the participating horses.

So, I came to this event quite unexpectedly. My colleague had a spare ticket there. It was a unique chance to obtain a new experience for me.

People are coming here not only to watch horses, but also to earn money on betting. I do not know how others were choosing their favourites, but I paid attention to the horses' names and numbers :-) I had many bets and sometimes my strategy worked, but at the end I was in minus.

While watching horse races I felt a range of emotions, including excitement, anticipation, adrenaline, because I could witness the competition and the speed of the horses, and I also felt sorry for them, when they fall down or did not finish.

It is absolutely thrilling to have a bet and to see if your horse finished the first. To be more relaxed about losing money I would recommend to drink beer and eat some sausages.

Before the main race you can watch the participants one more time and decide for yourself, who might become a winner. My favourite was number 4, Lodgian Whistle. He was one of the leaders during the race, but unfortunately, the last 100 metres before finish he got tired and took only the 6th place.

Horse racing in Pardubice turned out to be the amazing experience for me, I have lost money on betting (all in all, around 500 crowns), but I was extremely excited. Next year I would love to repeat it.

Prague, Around the city

It has been raining all night and the whole morning. It is true, that I wanted some relief during my hot staying in Prague, but obviously not like this one and not on the final day. Nevertheless, the rain has stopped, and I set off for my regular morning coffee.

At this time I have stayed at Coffeepark near the Riegrovy sady. Croissant and cappuccino cost me 69 crowns here.

After having refreshed I stopped at the Riegrovy Sady enjoying a splendid view from the hill and thinking about my next plans.

Actually, I want to see as much of Prague as possible today, because tomorrow I have a return flight. So, it might become the busiest day of the whole trip.

I think, almost every tour starts from the Vaclavske Namesti, which in fact is one of the busiest place in Prague. I also have been an often visitor of this place. However, I am not impressed by this area at all, and I consider it as a convenient transport hub only. I hope, very soon they will modernize this square and will present the more attractive space.

Oasis of calm in Prague can be found on some of the numerous islands on Vltava river. One of these islands is Strelecky ostrov, a romantic place hidden among the branchy trees under the Bridge of the Legions.

Another great place for relaxation is the artificial island Kampa. It is not only a place for the picnics, but also a place, where various festivities and external exhibitions are frequently held. The today's examples of modern art include Babies from David Cerny and Yellow Penguins by the Cracking Art Group.

Of course, I could not miss opportunity to visit again the Charles Bridge, which actually starts above the northern tip of the island Kampa.

This is such a good start of the day and the rest will be not less interesting.

After a short break at home I headed for the Letninske Sady to spend there the rest of the day.

Notably, at the edge of the Letna park you will find the gigantic Metronome monument. Previously, a gigantic monument to Joseph Stalin overlooked the city from this spot, but it was demolished in 1962.

I have already mentioned, that Letna park is extremely popular among the tourists thanks to the picturesque view of the city, but it is also popular among the roller skates and runners. Moreover, this place is often chosen for holding some festivals and performances.

It was a good completion of my trip, and I am absolutely satisfied with all things I have seen and experienced during these days. I want to hope, that my next trip to the Czech Republic will occur less than in seven years. There are so many unexplored sites awaiting for me here. And I am looking forward to discovering them all.