After a week of mourning the death of the former President of the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia, V\u00e1clav Havel, the \u201clast pilgrimage\u201d was held on Saturday 31st December, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.<\/p>\n
The pilgrimage was a boat loaded with floral gifts that public officials and the public brought to the coffin bearing the remains of President V\u00e1clav Havel during the course of the week of mourning. The Lu\u017enice boat and tow boat with flowers set sail from the ferry stop at the National Theatre \u2013 Hollar, on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and cruised along the Vltava River all the way to its first stop in M\u011bln\u00edk.<\/p>\n
On New Year\u2019s Day it continued on its journey through \u0160t\u011bt\u00ed, Roudnice, Litom\u011b\u0159ice all the way to its second stop in \u00dast\u00ed nad Labem. Hundreds of people, who brought flowers and lit candles, were waiting on the banks of the Elbe River for the arrival of the Lu\u017enice.<\/p>\n
The funeral convoy set off for its final sail from \u00dast\u00ed\u2019s \u2013 Va\u0148ova to D\u011b\u010d\u00edn on Monday 2nd January, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. Approximately 1500 people were waiting on bridges and river banks for the boat\u2019s arrival at the port in D\u011b\u010d\u00edn. The majority of them also waited for the beginning of throwing all of the flowers into the Elbe River. Other than the crew, dozens of people also sailed on the boat to D\u011b\u010d\u00edn, who boarded in \u00dast\u00ed nad Labem in order to symbolically say farewell to President V\u00e1clav Havel.<\/p>\n
We sincerely thank all volunteers, participants, onlookers and the captain of the boat for helping us part with the memory of the president with due dignity.<\/p>\n
Photo: Jana Pert\u00e1kov\u00e1<\/p>\n