Slovakia
10 to 22 September
We decided to go the "healing route"....that is
the mineral thermal waters. We stopped at the ruins of a castle (mind you this
country is covered by castles!) on a mountain.
The view from the top
overlooking the green pastures and the village is special. When we walk in this
places, it is easy to go back and image the life of the people here.
Our first stop is Bardejov and as usual we are amazed by the
beautiful piazza.
This one has been preserved in original condition (plus colourful
painting!) and it has the town hall and the church as a frame.
It is here where we start our thermal spa
visits
The emotional surprise was the visit to the synagogue. The
only one that survived the Nazis and after the communist government...there were 3
around here. It is a small one, but is has a library of more than 700 books
barricaded in a bookcase... half burned.. This synagogue is the best preserved
one in Slovakia and it is thanks to a man (protestant) who have dedicated his
life to the memory of the temple and Jews who left or made to leave. He showed
us the Torah, a shofar and different antiques.
We took a detour to
visit a wooden church; there are a few scattered around. Dark, solid wood, a
stream running on the side. It definitely look like a medieval movie!
And after so many old cities, we are back to nature! Staying
outside in the carpark of a 5 star hotel in the ski field at the High Tatras,
we walk first around the lake (of glacial formation) and then hike up on what
is a ski run. The fresh air and the trees!
Our second hot spring at Rajecke Teplice - a spa resort....
pure luxury!. Swimming pools (inside and out) of thermal waters up to 41°, in a
"roman like" decoration. Plenty of statues and pillars and even a
fake facade of the pantheon. Soft lights and the smoke...It could have been easily
so tacky and yet they pull it off! It is stylish, elegant and romantic.
Slovakia has struck me so far as being very nature like.
There are plenty of national parks and rivers and lakes. The villages and
houses are simple - outside the "old towns" who are always
magnificent!. The people very rarely speak English- at least in the
countryside- but they are very polite. It is hard to tell as it has been
difficult to communicate with them. We feel safe travelling and sleeping. What is upsetting is to see the amount of
factories/buildings/houses that are abandoned.
Third spa, "the cave" in Sklene Teplice on the
scenic hills of Stiavnicke vrchy. It come as a huge relief. 42 degrees of
sulphate and magnesium waters after a gruelling 7h 36m of mountain bike- BMX
style! It was such a challenge, probably the most difficult ride we have ever
done....on the edge of a cliff, so rocky, plenty of branches and muddy, oh yes,
real mud everywhere! We finished exhausted and happy.
Fourth spa: mud treatment at Piestany. After 2 days, I can
still smell sulphate all over my body!
We also spent the weekend at Jana and Peter's home. We met them just as
we were entering Slovakia, a few words on the street, outside a cheese shop.
They invited us to their home and we stayed in touch by email until we met them
again. A big country house, they cooked authentic goulash on the open fire, homemade
bread and gorgeous wine! What followed was a lengthy and intense conversation
about politics....Once again, we are so moved by people's generosity and
hospitality.
Bratislava is our last stop in Slovakia. The city, which is the capital, has a mixture of old and new. What impressed us is the amount of cars and parking on the streets. Once again, lots of monoblocks, a big new shopping centre, and a new complex (mix residential-commercial) on the Danube, "the old town", as we have become accustomed in Europe, is such a pretty place. The church, the town hall, the museum, castle, synagogue and the livelihood of pubs, coffee shops and restaurants.
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| Bratislava |
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