Private Revelations 12:1

Private Revelations 12:1

Slovakia 2008

Saturday 16 August 2008

Two strange things happened on this morning.

The taxi which Gabi had ordered the previous evening from Middlehaven Taxis did not arrive at 08.30 as planned. So we were beginning to panic, as we stood on the side of the road with our suitcases and the buses we might have caught, sailed passed us after I’d stuck out my hand. Then Gabi suddenly spotted a taxi sitting in a space on the other side of the road about 50 m away. She thought it was our taxi. This was very unusual. I ran over to the driver who was listening to his music on the car radio and told him our predicament. He was a driver for AA Taxis and he immediately agreed to take us. I was amazed because I assumed he was waiting for another fare in the house opposite. We were there in no time and I gave him an extra tip to show my gratitude. Our angels were certainly looking after us.

Then the most surprising thing happened at Middlesbrough Railway Station. I met an old colleague Stephen Rabone and his wife Frances (who taught Simon and Chris in our Primary school) travelling on the same train to Manchester. I hadn’t spoken to them for 30 years. I racked my brain trying to remember their names for ages until his first name cropped up in the conversation. We chatted enjoyably all the time, exchanging information and stories, and didn’t notice the railway stops – but Stephen – an inveterate train spotter – kept writing numbers in a little notebook as we approached each station. I knew he was a model railway fanatic but I thought train spotting had faded into oblivion. How wrong I was. A strange hobby – collecting numbers. I tried to explain it to Gabi later but still find it more suited to a character from a Midsomer Murders episode.

The flight to Bratislava was calm and took about 2 hours and Marta and Pavel – Gabi’s parents, were there to greet us and take us to Dubnica as soon as we arrived. We arrived at the house at about 19.30.

A tasty bowl of soup greeted us and after sorting ourselves out, I went to bed early in Tibor’s room whilst he stayed in his new apartment somewhere in the town. How kind of him. We celebrated our arrival with a glass of old Scottish Sobranie whisky.

Sunday ( Nederla) 17th August 2008

We ate a delightful breakfast and lovely lunch about 1pm.

Later we attended Mass at St Jacob’s (only 2 minutes away) at 6 pm and as Gabi left to speak to Vierka whom she had spotted at Mass, I met Andrej in church who told me that baby Tereska had been born recently by caesarean two weeks early than the planned date of arrival in order to avoid any complications.

So Andrej invited us both to the hospital to see Peta and the baby that night – however after consulting Peta the plan was changed because she was very tired. So Gaby was quite pleased and dashed home to see if her Aunt Vierka was there.

So we went home and I met the lovely Vierka, younger sister to Marta, who was visiting her sister.

She suffers with an ear problem similar to mine and with lots of sign language we shared our experiences. She has two children, one boy, who is on holiday with his father in China at present and a tall blonde daughter, who is just recovering from a head injury caused by a fall. We talked about Peta’s baby girl Tereska - born recently and meeting Andrej with his new car – VW Polo. He’s in a new job with a new car which pays him petrol money - so he’s happier.

Monday (Pondelok ) 18th August 2008:

Middlesbrough Football Club are 6th in Premier League according to SME newspaper after one game. Dobre!

Breakfast is: ham, home-grown tomatoes and peppers cheese, boiled egg. I sit in a special place and am served like a king. Tibor goes to work.


About 09.00 we set off for the High Tatras on a very busy highway and stop to visit a WW2 partisan burial cemetery near Martin.

Orava Castle from 13.00 to 15.15 is very interesting and I take many photographs and we stop to eat and drink.

Gabi is inspired by the fashionable dresses she sees in one of the castle rooms and suggests we get make a postcard outside the castle on the way down. I am the one in the ball.

A view from the top

17.30 we arrive at the Hutnik Hotel in the High Tatras region - very tired. It is surprising how tired you can get just sitting in the back seat while someone else does the driving.
They sell postcards at the hotel and we buy a few. I discover my camera battery is signalling low after only a day or two and I forgot to pack my battery-charger. I will have to go steady.

Tuesday ( Uterok) 19 August 2008

I rose about 06.30 and after a shave and shower watched the young people exercising on the play area below, prayed the Peace Rosary, read a story from Sherlock Holmes and wrote 3 postcards to Fr Dan, Fr Chris and Anita. We plan to sit in a ski lift today so we ate breakfast at 08.30. There was cereal, tea, buns, (which make lots of crumbs) cheese, ham, peppers etc etc etc.

Vysoke Tatras was jam packed with visitors and after waiting a while to see how fast the long queue moved; we decided to catch a train with thousands of other tourists, to another ski lift area which was just a wooden bench in mid-air WAH WAH!! It stopped!! I clung to the rail in front and pretended to be calm but inside I was praying for it to move. Eventually it did and the journey continued. The scenery was fantastic UZASNE!! My words have improved. But the best part was getting off the moving bench at the arrival point up the mountain. The bench keeps moving and you have to slip the bar up in unison and jump off whilst it is still moving. It’s quite funny to see everyone run away from the moving bench after sitting still for so long.

We had quite a wait before we returned in the ski lift bench because a young family needed to stop the lift in order to ensure their child was positioned safely before the journey.
But the ski lift is obviously temperamental and does not like to be stopped. In fact it hates to be stopped and it took a few men many journeys up and down ladders to ensure it moved at all.
After many stops and starts, it finally began to move. When our turn came to sit on the bench, we thought we knew how to do it without any panic but the movement away from the platform into the air is so sudden, and the need to bring the raised iron bar down as a barrier is so necessary, that it is impossible not to feel anxious and we let out whoops as we soared into the sky. Mama mia!

The weather was kind to us all day and after viewing and strolling around the beautiful lake below, we called into a supermarket after the train journey and walked home to Hutnik 2 and on the way to the hotel we passed the memorial stone to the famous writer Franz Kafka.



During the evening meal I swapped part of my chicken with Gabi to avoid eating the mayonnaise sauce - then we watched the Olympics Divers on TV.

Wednesday ( Streda) August 18th 2008

After a long drive where we were diverted south because of a traffic jam caused by wood falling from a trailer (we discovered later) and we stopped to fill up on petrol after waiting for a tanker to empty its contents first.

Then we set off to enjoy rafting along a river running between Poland and Slovakia. Our guide was particularly experienced, relaxed and friendly with a wonderful turn of phrase which had our raft laughing and replying with humorous banter along the whole stretch of the river.

All of these jokes however, sailed over my head.

You have no idea how much of an outcast you feel when all around you are enjoying themselves. You actually become depressed. It must be a group psychology thing: Amid beautiful scenery, laughing companions warmed by vodka passed from friend to friend, relative to relative sat a miserable, poker-faced Englishman surrounded by a babble of meaningless words interspersed with outbreaks of uproarious laughter. A case of paranoia.?

But the scenery was Uzasne ! Spectacular ! Pekne! Which made up for the lack of understanding, felt momentarily as we gently paddled along.

Uzasne !!

A photographer stood on a bank towards the end of our journey and snapped us in our raft and we were able to buy copies of these later when we landed from a boy on roller blades. How’s that for today’s digital technology??

In the small resort of Pieniny, I thrilled to sight and sounds of horses and traps taking visitors around and to the sound of a small musical group belting out folk melodies which older people sang to as they drank refreshments.

Folk Group performing in café

But the day was not over yet. After stopping at a viewpoint overlooking two beautiful valleys, we continued on to Lubovna Open air Museum and Castle whose grounds contained a village of old wooden buildings with fascinating interiors crammed with furniture, artefacts and tools of various trades and crafts – all genuine cottages transported from various regions in Slovakia.
Uzasne!!!


The small church dedicated to St Michael



The interior of the church

Cottage interior


A typical cottage of the period with a sunflower garden

Wedding table - one bowl+4 spoons Death in the cottage

But we had more to come. Ahead, lay the magnificent castle.


Marta guarding the cannon

Wooden baby chair + Penny farthing bike Superbly decorated cabinet

St Michael’s Chapel Mysterious Well

Thursday ( Vyrstok) 19 August 2008

Breakfast at 08.55 of toast, butter, jam and cereal + coffees and we head for Spisky hrad and Levoca. I learn the words posta, dobre, ovce = sheep.

Spis castle was unguided and all the better for me. There were many stairs and steps and lovely young families with well-behaved babies and toddlers, who show intelligent interest in objects around them. We watched a female potter at work and bought two mugs later for about 270 skk.

Onward to Levoca !!



Levoca Town Hall

I found Levoca lovely. I loved the buildings and the small square. I loved the shops also. There we entered a lovely, unique church which is used regularly and the altars displayed are magnificent. The main altar is the tallest in Europe. I saw a young couple listening to an English recorded description of the church and began to chat with them – but they were not English – as I suspected – they were Dutch and came from Middleburg in Holland. I told them of my niece Jane and her Dutch husband Arno who lived in Haarlem and now have three kids.

English people are certainly in short supply in Slovakia – but that’s not a bad thing really. I met an Australian in the Vysoke Tatry region who was desperate to talk his own language and made me listen for ages as he told me a corny joke about the Sound of Music film. I’ve forgotten the joke already. I’m lucky I have Gabi.

As we left the town and prepared to leave in the car after having an ice cream in an outdoor café, a young girl approached the open rear doors of the car and said 5sk. We were able to post 12 postcards in Levoca for 23sk each. I bought a lotto ticket as well which is to be drawn on Sunday and a small pot angel from the local religious shop for Ann.

What a nice day this was.

Friday ( Piatok) 22 August 2008

We journeyed to the Ice Cave region with thousands of other tourists. We wrapped up well to face the cold underground caves and were amazed at the beauty and grandeur of the place. There were lots of steps again and narrow crevices as we listened to the guide describing the different areas with their unique features. My camera’s battery was flat completely now so I used the Blasko family camera whilst they listened.



Many of the stalactites and stalagmites reminded me of Alien 1, 2, 3 and 4. It takes many years for a rock to grow 1 mm. So you can imagine how many years old the caves are – only a million.

Marta and I pause for a picture near a giant frozen jelly


UZASNE!!!

Friday was our final day at the hotel but we had not finished yet.

On the way back home it was decided to call at Rajecka Lesna – a pilgrimage town which displays a magnificent wooden Bethlehem with lots of moving figures built by Jozef Pekara . It took 15 years to complete.
It is open all year round. I was so impressed I bought a DVD for only 60 sk.



These pictures fail to do this magnificent wooden masterpiece true justice.
It has to be seen and experienced. We popped into the nearby church afterwards and then started home to Dubnica. A wonderful trip. UZASNE!!

At home in Dubnica I met Mirka for the first time – a lovely girl with lovely blue eyes which showed interest and anything I said. She is a financial advisor and is working hard to build her portfolio. She loves it and seems very capable.

Saturday, ( Sobota) 23 August 2008

As we strolled around Dubnica, Gaby’s father, Pavel arrived on his bike. He had just been to nearby Ilava where there was an annual market in town and lots to see. He said he’d pick us up in the car to enjoy the final stages. I was surprised to see Mirka driving and in no time we had arrived to enjoy the spectacle. Lots of stalls filled the square and streets around and I was anxious to buy CD of Slovak songs which I’d witnessed at the café near the rafting station resort. They called them folklore. We eventually spotted two stalls selling CD’s – one sold Peruvian music – which I love - and the other sold folklore music – which I bought after they played it for me. It was not exactly what I’d seen earlier that week but I bought it anyway – in hope. Pavel introduced me to a large flat doughnut-type delicacy which they call Langose.

Gabika, Mirka and Tato eating Langose

A lively folk group plays and dancers swirl around in Ilava

The oldest prison in the world? – 400 years old and still used.

For a short while I watch Liverpool v Middlesbrough in Gabi’s room on a silver ball. Later I join Pavel and although Boro were obviously the better team we lost 2-1 by a fluke goal in the 94th minute.

I am so disappointed; I race to Mass with Gabi and try to forget. Afterwards we prayed the Rosary in the cemetery and return to toast and tea. We watch Bambi and the Wooden Bethlehem DVD - which is excellent – then she plays a game on the PC until 01.00. I fall asleep.

Sunday ( Nederla) 23 rd August 2008

At 06.30, I hear footsteps leaving the house. I suspect it might be Mirka off to early Mass. I hear them returning again at 07.30 and peep out of the window to see. I was right.

I notice that I am beginning to develop a tight chest and cough as I write my diary. Was this the pain in my chest as I walked the steep steps to the castles and caves? Or was it my heart?

Slovakians who bike so readily and walk in the hills and mountains must be fitter than the car drivers of the U.K.
Gabi and I went to 11.00 Mass after my 9.00 breakfast. She wore a dress today and worried it might open because it was only tied with a belt. It was fine.

After Mass we met Peta, Andrej and the new baby Tereska - only 10 days old- who is awake all night and sleeps all day. She was asleep in a very modern pram. But Peta looked tired after her caesarean.

Mass was filled with smart, clean, presentable young families who behaved impeccably. The young, dress fashionably in modern clothes but retain their modesty too.

Confession is heard during Mass and those who haven’t had time to receive Holy Communion, go afterwards. I saw a young boy about 9 years old, standing waiting outside the Confessional box with a small printed slip of paper which looked like a prayer card of some kind. I wondered for a moment if it was his list of sins. He came out smiling.

I suppose the frequent interruptions to concentration when people leave their seats to stand near the Confessional box during a homily, are to be accepted if this is the current practice. But everyone sees who goes to Confession and no-one is fazed by it.

After Mass there was exposition of the Blessed Sacrament all day until 6 pm.

At home, I played the Peruvian Music and Gabi made me tea with two Earl Grey teabags because it tastes better.

.....and the corn is as high as an elephant's eye O what a beautiful morning O what a......

We then decided to go biking despite the grey sky and enjoyed the birds gathering on the telephone wires and the smallholding just outside Dubnica with its assorted collection of pigs, goats, geese and an ostrich – of all things!

We enjoyed their antics enormously – especially when their owner arrived to open his shed. It was feeding time and large loaves were thrown at the delighted, snorting, and squealing animals, anxious to grab the stale husks and run away with them to a private area. Most animals respected each other’s find – and young ones waited for the crumbs.

After returning with the bikes, we popped in to Adoration for half an hour and left about 5.45 pm. After Mass, Vierka came again and wished me well before she left for home.

Mirka left for Bratislava tonight and we said our goodbyes with a hug. I was surprised at how soon we had become friends – a lovely girl.

Monday ( Pondelok) 25th August 2008

Grandmother Gitka

Another fine day and we biked to the post office to post the last 3 cards. Then we biked to Prejta to see if Gitka (Gabi’s Gran) was at home. She was not. But Gabi suggested we try the large field across the main road where she thought she might be.


So we set off, amused by the antics of 3 large white turkeys on the way – as they wandered around a beautifully lawned front garden with flower beds. They will be there until Christmas I suspect.

We arrived at the large field and could see a number of women working on their patch.

In the distance, Gabi recognised her Gran and we carefully walked through the large cabbage and potato patch until finally reaching a stooped old lady wearing a headscarf, picking beans near the ground. She grabbed Gabi with delight and hugged her to her face as I took a snap.



She had three bags of beans in total – all placed at convenient points so that they could be collected and placed all in one larger cloth bag, which was then placed carefully and ingeniously around the bell of the handlebars before mounting her bike to ride home. She is 8O yrs old. She followed at a leisurely pace on her bike- crossing the busy main road to reach her home and was greeted excitedly by her very large white friendly dog, Caesar. She chased him outside and led us into her home - curtains drawn - and fed us with crisps, chocolates and tea. She laughed as I chased the flies from the bread and cheese.

Grandmother Stephania


We parked our bikes against the fence and Gaby rang the bell. The house with a beautiful well stocked garden of flowers, pumpkins, and chilli-peppers faces the main road and receives the sun. She was so sweet and happy to see Gabi and me. She is the mother of 3 daughters Marta, (Gabi’s mum) Jarka and Vierka – and a son whose name I’ve forgotten. She is so nice, always worried about the family and she prays anxiously for them all. Her eyes fill with tears as she speaks and Gabi listens attentively. I feel so at home. She showed us her pumpkins and large marrows grown in another area outside her garden which is shared by the community. One of the pumpkins is growing in the shadow of a broken-down van with no wheels. A strange sight. Stephania gave us juice and biscuits and chocolates and showed us around the large house which she has lived in for many years. It was very homely.

We biked back to Dubnica, garaged the bikes, put the canary on the porch and fed him dandelion leaves. Then we shopped in town where I bought two maps of Slovakia and Gaby bought a new Agatha Christie book among other things and we returned to a lovely meal of chicken and rice.

We went to Mass at 6 pm and met Andrej who had spare time to take us to the Railway Station where there was no attendant to sell us tickets for tomorrow’s train to Bratislava and after dropping off Gaby at her home took me to Tesco to buy flowers and chocolates for Gaby’s parents. He gave me his new email address and we said our Goodbyes at the door.

Jarka, another Aunt of Gaby’s was chatting to her sister Marta and Pavel as I arrived with the chocolates and the orchid type plant. They were enjoying a glass of sparkling wine called Hubert. We joined them too and in no time at all, I’d drank so much, I couldn’t care less what language was spoken. Jarka was as sparkling as the wine and I almost understood her conversation. I was talking to myself and enjoying every moment. It was dobre, uzasne. I staggered to bed very tired after saying our goodbyes, fell into bed and slept like a log

Slovakia 2006

SLOVAKIA 2006

Thursday, 10th August
Manchester Airport

By a strange coincidence, we stood directly behind Jill, mother-in-law of my nephew Ian , who works in the British Embassy in Bratislava, as we queued to book our flight and baggage at Manchester Airport. After introducing myself and Gaby, we spent the next few hours sitting and chatting with Jill en route to Bratislava and she kindly bought us tea and cakes in the lounge.

Ian happened to be picking up Jill in Bratislava and got the shock of his life when he saw me. He arranged to meet up with us later in the week.

Friday, 11th August 2006

I cannot believe that I am sitting here in Slovakia where everyone has flexiglass fitted to their tables and desks but perhaps just the Blasko family apparently.

I saw an enormous basement this morning fitted out with cupboards, equipment of all sorts, much stored food such as mushrooms and dried fruit and bikes of all shapes and sizes.


I was invited to choose whichever bike I wanted before my biking trip to nearby Nemsova where there was a wonderful open market which seemed to stretch through the whole town. We were entertained by a group of accomplished singers who sang and played Slovak music in a cafe where we had parked the bikes. A strange and wonderful example of Slovakian culture where the sunny weather set the scene for a lovely day.



We met the local parish priest from Dubnica as we were looking at the goats and pigs and geese on a smallholding filled with rubbish, who recognized Gabika and chatted to me about Glasgow Rangers. He thought it was Catholic. I had to put him wise.





The Parish Church of St James or St Jacobi

The town is like Medjugorje in many ways and the people attend Mass in droves.

The Church of St James ( St Jacobi) was packed last night for Mass and Adoration until 8pm.

We met Peta ( Gabriela's friend-also an English teacher in a nearby town) and her husband-to-be Andrej-a computer designer and his friend Majo who is setting up a lighting shop in the town.

The town is filled with trees of all kinds.

Where there is a space, people plant trees and the occasional supermarket.

Plants proliferate. Spaces in town sometimes look as though no one is working on them and a half finished roundabout litters the main road.


A narrow metal bridge crosses the river Vah at one point alongside the railway bridge­– and cars, bikes and pedestrians have to compete with each other to get to the other side – everyone is polite except for the occasional car driver who never acknowledges those who give way.

Yesterday we met Zuzka at the local Chemists – a beautiful friend of Gaby´s – still unmarried. So get yourself over here everyone!

Saturday 12th August 2006

The Wedding of Peta and Andrej

The Wedding of Peta and Andrej took place today in St James Church (St Jacob) at 1 pm and all morning we were preoccupied with ensuring that we looked OK for the occasion. So Gaby spent ages turning up my trousers by cutting and sewing the hem and she wore a lovely pink dress with a belt made from beads and sandal type orange high heeled shoes.

She looked lovely and chatted amiably and confidently to all her friends in the square outside the church as the local band played Slovakian music of the oompa oompa type

It was a well planned affair with beautiful Peta weeping on cue at the sentimental moments and smiling engagingly at all and sundry in her wonderful pale pink Lord of The Rings dress.

The music from Braveheart opened and closed the delightful ceremony in a wonderful old church dating back to the 17th Century.

Afterwards the wedding guests family had a meal and church guests drifted off home. No pub drinking session here. We had a beautiful fish and potato dinner made by Marta Blasková, mother and cook in this friendly home in Dubnica.

Visit to Granny Gitka

Rain fell after lunch but we decided to walk to a nearby village Prejta to see Gabys grandmother babka Margrita (Gitka) who plied us with crisps, popcorn and chocolate as she chatted to Gabika.
Her dog Caesar lunged and leapt all over us as he saw us and her pig kept next door scoffed his supper as we watched.

Below is a picture hanging in the small room which says
Peace to this House.

But perhaps the most surprising thing about the walk was the discovery of lovely roofed cottages sitting in beautifully tended allotment gardens along the way: where we in the UK have sheds - often with tin roofs - they have real cottages as if made from gingerbread – as though from a book of fairy tales.



Then we came upon a wonderfully set of wooden Stations of the Cross of a pill box type which dotted the hill where pilgrims and parishioners pray during Lent and September. I thought of Medjugorge again and was convinced that Our Lady could have chosen to appear here if she so desired.




It rained more heavily as we walked back and our feet were soaked from the puddles – lying in holes made by tanks from World War 2 which lined the worn track to the village. Gitka's small village Lieskovec was demolished by the Germans in 1941 to make way for a large ammunition factory and a monument was erected as a memorial to its sad fate.

The journey back was lightened by our songs from musicals Seven Brides and Joseph as we waved umbrellas and danced in rhythm – and when the words failed us, we hummed instead. Even the Grand Old Duke Of York was chanted. We surprised a couple of cyclists with our noise and I was amazed at the dexterity of those bikers who were able to balance a brolly and ride effectively at the same time. Cycling is common here – by young and old alike – and many have roller blades to shorten journeys on the flat lanes around the town – also used by motor vehicles.

Sunday 13th August 2006

Pruske - Castle - Restaurant - Nova Dubnica

Mass 9:30 – Lunch of chicken and rice + arguments about castles and the church's age and where to go for visits etc .

This house is very well-planned and I found that Mr Pavel Blasko built it himself with others and it took just over 5 years. He is a great planner and shows great foresight with original ideas in the construction of walls, shelves and cupboards - although his wife Marta claims it was her idea to design the shelves around the kitchen. He has a large book of the town history and we discovered the origins of the church to be early 12th C with the main structure to be 17th C. The richer landlords were predominant in the construction and preservation of the building and the statue of Our Lady which sits high above the altar has miracles attached to it. Gaby now has the idea of doing a website about it - featuring its predominant statues and history. It would be nice.

We set off in the family Skoda today – with our extremely fit guide for the day - Mr Pavel Blasko (Tato) who was determined to show us everything by driving to the nearby mountains in slight drizzle and climbing the steep, slippery rocks attached to a local castle.



Pavel was way ahead of us as we paused (for breath) to view the magnificent valley below. An incomplete hotel lies near the castle and a very well-built one supplied us with beer and fruit +cream sundae. But there were few tourists here – although it looked ideally suited to German or Czechs.




We also viewed a local church in Pruske which was closed but inside could be viewed from behind a metal gate and was truly impressive - sporting large statues, paintings and elaborate columns and frescoes.





We later walked around a Russian type town square in Nova Dubnica, where Gaby teaches, and saw an old aeroplane restaurant sitting in the square. Trees lined the square and people walked underneath the covered walkways to view the shops and some sat in bar areas and chatted.

Standing at the bus stop that Gaby has to catch every evening from school - sometimes quite late.

Reading Pravda at breakfast table just to prove I am here.

We also saw a new church about a year old, which was built in the round modern style with the lovely polished benches around the altar -no sign of baroque paintings and frescoes here -it reminded me of the Cathedral in Middlesbrough.


We thought that the oompa oompa band was due to play in the castle area of Dubnica later in the evening but found that it had been cancelled without any apologies to the general public.
We walked around the park before returning to 22/47. Then we fell asleep like babies

Monday 14th August

Trencin

We decided to visit Trencin castle today and caught the crowded bus in the centre of town. The people do not queue here – they crowd around like bees to a honeypot – and it is every man for himself. People press against you and cough in your face without apology. Then when the bus appears to be completely full – more people arrive to ensure that everyone is squashed up against each other so that those standing have to be very skilful to be able to operate their mobile phones – which are very predominant here also.



We reached Trencin in 15 minutes - glad to escape from the throng – checked the train times back to Dubnica – Gaby is as thorough as her father - sat on a park bench and then walked to the castle which dominates the town.

The view is magnificent from the top (330m above sea level) and the river Vah can be seen running through the valley - and the railway, roads, houses and buildings look so small as to be unreal.

A new football ground seems spectacularly green and sits near a sports complex with open air swimming pools. It is truly a magnificent sight for many miles around.


Some of the paintings on display – children painted with parent’s faces

Hungry, we returned in a baking train to Dubnica and enjoyed a lovely meal of chicken and and potatoes with herbs and cakes and tea (I brought teabags).

Biking to Prejta

We rested before cycling to nearby Prejta to see an anxious parent called Ludmila who wants her son Simon to receive extra English lessons before his new term begins. She was reassured by Gaby, who was extremely professional and showed her gentle, friendly, warm nature with Simon, who even gave me a small zladopany axe pencil as a souvenir of the occasion.The house appeared to be new with smooth granite steps to the upstairs quarters and I was politely received by the grandparents who lived there also - who were attending to their garden - as so many did. I had seen a very old lady stooping in her garden earlier and could tell that she'd done this all her life.

Biking is very common here because the roads are not really as congested perhaps and I marvel at the expert way that some can balance bags and brandish umbrellas whilst pedalling in the pouring rain.

Mass at St Jacob's

We returned to attend Mass at St Jacob and afterwards prayed the rosary, peace rosary, and Divine Mercy Chaplet in the cemetery. I suggested beans on toast for supper and enjoyed Marta's cakes as well. I flicked through TV channels and ended up watching an animal rescue programe from USA called SPCA. We soon became tired and went to bed.

Tuesday 15th August

Teplice

We set off to catch the train from Dubnica Station where the waiting room reminded me of an old Eastern European film and where many people gather knowing they have a long wait for connections. The train steps are quite high compared to ours and it requires considerable skill to negotiate them entering and leaving the carriage. The train took us to another station where we waited another half hour before meandering through lovely countryside to Trencianske Teplice. The strange thing about the journey was the way the train crossed a main road without a barrier as though it was a local tram on tram lines.

Teplice is a pretty spa town–filled with older tourists and a lovely park where we sat watching the ducks in the rain on the only available dry bench.

The Meal

So we decided to look for a meal and found a lovely restaurant in the village which supplied us with a meal – wine, meal for two and desserts for about 15 pounds or 820 sk (crowns) 55 sk = 1 pound ( Gaby looks nice in pink.)

We looked into the local church before catching the train home – reversing our earlier journey and got to Mass at 6.30 and afterwards sat in the cemetery and said a few prayers before watching TV.

Karaoke Stars - (A Stars in their Eyes - copy)

Stars on karaoke – where I voted for Ivanka who sang first - easily the best voice and prettiest performer. We had tea, I think , and biscuits. I wonder if she made it to the final.

Wednesday 16th August

Gaby hates going out here and had to force herself go for food today. But she does like shopping she says. The temperature has dropped a little and the hot summer seems to be fading. She does tidy up the place well and thumps the pillows and duvets as she makes each bed each day without a murmur. In fact she seems to enjoy work. She loves order in her life – although she doesn't have it yet – but is also willing to be spontaneous in her choice of activity. She looks natural on her bike and has a lovely way with people. The words I know to date :

Dobry den...dobru noc...dobry vecer...pokoj domu tomuto...dovidenia...ahoj...ako

She says it is quite warm outside today but she said that yesterday. 11.23. She likes earrings and tried an enormous dangly pair which I made no comment about - so I think she will change them - just for me. She is going to make me a copy of the oompa oompa music so that I can use it on the slideshow.

Shopping at Billa ..

..was pleasant and the weather is actually quite warm. We brought bread, buns, beans mushrooms, tuna, prawns etc and brought back two bags full. We checked for rice in the well-stocked and well designed cupboards of the kitchen and although they do not have a wok – the large pan seems adequate for tomorrows meal, which I hope to prepare.

The sun is out and we are going biking – somewhere different I said. I am listening to slovak pop music as I write this. We may go to Gaby‘s school later and the church in Nova Dubnica.

If I was to attempt to explain the differences between our lives and theirs, I would be tempted to say that the people here work harder – tending to their vegetable gardens and fruit - that they do not appear to be on benefit or behave in a yobbish manner. They are essentially reserved and polite – greeeting each other in a neighbourly fashion and keeping to their own areas until it's time for harvesting where many neighbours help each other to collect in all the produce farmed.

The Scouting and Camping Book

I photographed an old childrens book – packed with scouting and camping advice - from the communist era and was fascinated by the faces of Lenin and Stalin included as part of the foreword of the book.

We later looked for a camera and Gaby bought me a watch strap because my camera appears to have stopped focussing properly after I fell on the stairs going up to use it on the book.

Biking to Bolesov

It was quite sunny after 6.30 Mass and we rode quite a distance to Bolesov and to a small airport where parachutists practise at weekends and people enjoy the spectacle. I sang there and back and frightened all the workers in the cornfield. I saw a bunch of lads playing hockey outside.

When we came back I insisted on cocoa and ate toast I think. We then watched Microcosmos a French Film production – with magnified moving pictures of ants, beetles, moths, caterpillars, plants, wasps and fell asleep.



Thursday 17th August

The Castle in Dubnica

Every morning the town is awakened by church bells and at 8 and 9 o clock a musical box melody resounds across the town like the village from the TV cult drama series The Prisoner, which Patrick McGoohan starred in in the fifties. Strange indeed. I thought it was a relic from the communist era but apparently it began in the year 2000 and comes from the castle or manor house nearby.

School in Nova Dubnica

We rode to Gaby‘s school in Nova Dubnica and stayed to sort out the text books which had been ordered earlier last term. Afterwards we put up curtains and rode home to cook Chinese stir-fry. The rice was too wet and it was too hot for some. Tibor was not pleased.

A Reluctant Pupil

Mass was at 6.30 and afterwards we prayed in Adoration until 8 – we strolled home and read the Teachers Book Little Bugs Two. It made things clear.


Friday 18th August

We cycled to school today quite early-facing a strong headwind and Gaby cleaned chairs whilst I mounted posters. It is a nice school where the Head Teacher's husband makes the desks and she paints the walls – amazing really. A private school with paying pupils aged from 6-11 who follow a complete curriculum of Maths, Science, Slovak, English, History, Geography, P.E., Music and School Clubs with voluntary German. I was invited to teach English there any time in the future for a few weeks. Afterwards we biked home in the heat and rested before Mass at 6.30 - cemetery for just one prayer.

Tesco

We set off for Billa but met Rado, Peta and Andrej s friend - who took us to Tesco in his 36 year old Lada and told us he was off to the Tatras to go mushrooming. He is an ideal person for Gaby – tall, funny and a friend of all. Tesco was enormous and I bought the Economist and looked at the digital cameras – one Olympus was £127 and I think it was 5 mgpxl.

Afterwards we sat on the kerb outside because Gaby had spotted the family Skoda parked in the car park area and it was obvious that her brother Tibor was inside. She phoned him to warn him. He arrived a few minutes later with his girlfriend and dropped us off at the football ground. We walked home and met Tibor surprisingly at the door of the house after having dropped off his girl.


Saturday 19th August:

Washing day!

In the morning Gaby washed in the basement and rode the machine like a true cowgirl.

What a carry-on !

The small machine stands in a large washroom below the house and when it spins, because it stands on a sloping floor designed to drain the water into the centre – its vibrations move it along the floor and the rubber hosepipes are in danger of being pulled away from the wall. So Gaby had to sit on it to stop it from moving. It was quite a sight – because she decided at first to lie on it face down. The noise and the kicking legs combined to make it a rather funny scene. I couldn‘t resist taking a picture.

Piestany Spa Town

Today we spent an afternoon in Piestany with nephew Ian; and Allie and mother Jill, and kids, Annabel and William - where we ate a delicious meal in a restaurant overlooking a paddling pool for very hot visitors – very impressive.


We took a train home and baked again for an hour as we stared at the scenery. Actually we were so tired that Gaby fell asleep facing two handsome Slovak boys who would have gone to war in the past she said. I read a US newspaper – The Herald and Tribune – well written.

Doors Bar in Dubnica

We were later invited to Peta + Andrej‘s flat in the high flats area. They have a top floor view of the sky and hills. Before that we drank in the only pub that looks English – A theme pub called Doors. We had beer and very hot chocolate. Andrej chatted about his computer job as industrial designer as Peta mingled with friends. He promised to send me a picture of the enormous mushroom which Rado found in the Tatras on my email.

Sunday 20 August

Songs in Square

The musical box is driving me mad - every bloody hour – it wakes everyone up at eight and repeats itself every hour like a incessant metronome. It invades ones privacy - determined to rule every tourist. – and make them get up. I have decided that it really is a relic of communist brainwashing designed to brainwash people into happiness .

Gaby's parents came home from their trip to the Benelux countries and we were told about a musical performance which we saw in the square where a lady and man entertained a large crowd with songs from the past. We took a small movie of it.

Slideshow of the Benelux Countries

After a superb meal of chicken and rice and salad we watched the slideshow of the trip to the Benelux countries by Pavel and Marta – the European mini town looked impressive and the large spherical museums in Brussels. Gaby made me cocoa as I am writing this.

I think we visited Zuzka this day in the evening because it was her name day – a special day for Eastern Europeans - and Gaby took her a small gift and card and made me sign it. She lives in a downstairs flat which she is leaving soon to go to another, which is nearer her place of work. She actually comes from Bratislava, is devoted to her family and is very knowledgeable about healthcare in England.

Monday 21 August

Bratislava - Flight Home to UK

Fortunately, Pavel – Gaby’s father – was free to take us to the Railway Station and an Express train on a line direct to Bratislava 100 miles away . Gaby even bought first class tickets for the journey which were three times the price of the normal train – at – wait for it - £3.50. We enjoyed the air-conditioning and arrived early for the bus to the Airport. We then scoffed buns and food made by Marta her mother – a lovely gentle woman with very attractive eyes. I hated leaving and insisted on Gaby giving me a hug before I left and she stood at the perimeter fence and waited for my plane to lift off before she left for home. I hope I return.

Bratislava Airport

The End