Terrific Weekend

Sunday was beautiful: sunshine, warm weather, flowers and fields blossoming with life. One of my university students invited me to her village for church and dinner with her family.

The town is Rajac. Worship at the Catholic church was standing room only.The priest was young--maybe 40. I saw more families at this church than any church I've visited in Slovakia. There were three baptisms.

After church we returned to her house where her sister and brother and their families arrived. Mom made dinner: pigeon and beef soup, chicken and duck with dumplings and red cabbage gravy. After dinner we went outside past her family garden and chickens, ducks, pigeons and two pigs, and gathered inside the wood patio with desert and  drinks. Surrounded by blossoming fruit trees we relaxed and visited and doted over the infant. It was a wonderful Slovak day with a special family. Thanks for the wonderful memory and delicious meal.

Slovensky Bethlehem

Slovensky Bethlehem is a labor of love carved out of soft wood by a single man in the small village of Rajecka Lesna. I visited it today with a student, her boyfriend and sister. It was amazing. Dozens of moving parts--maybe 24--as scenes from the town and rural life of Slovakia are portrayed across a 45' display. Castles and monuments along the top travel across the country of Slovak from west to east and below are the images of town and rural life including men, women, children, animals, trades, guilds, worship and culture. It was simply wonderful. Thank you Ivana, Michal, and Katka for taking me to see this folk gem. 

Castle Maiden

While visiting the Chateau Bojnice in Slovakia I met the young maiden Lucina, and vowed my protection against all who might wish ill will upon her. No doubt, as the picture attests, she was comforted by my nobility.

Habibi Cafe - Martin, Slovakia

Next door to where I live and work is a small cafe. The name  is Habibi and means "my dear one."

I've become a regular. I eat my grilled panini sandwich with tomatoes and cucumber salad, and white wine  here three or four nights a week. The staff knows me by name. Marie has introduced me to her two daughters and Sylvia stopped by on her roller blades tonight to join me at dusk and visit as I finished my meal.

I've really like living here. I'll be sad to leave in a week. Life in Slovakia is different than America and the pace, and by that I mean the pedestrian pace, of life slows you down to see your surroundings. A small neighborhood and town square becomes your piece of geography.You learn it well when you review it step by step every day. I've come to recognize the folks who come and go. The children, the teachers,  the students walking hand in hand, even some of the parents. They greet me with the typical Slovak word "ahoy," and I wave and greet them back.

Slovak Train Station Wine Shop

Martin, Slovakia has everything. I mean "everything!"

 This afternoon after lunch I walked to the train station and arrived about an hour early. To my surprise, I discovered the most beautiful little wine shop just three doors down from the train station. Tucked into the building and taking up all of 300 square feet rests a "find!"

I had never seen it before today--really! It was warm. The sun was out. Plants and empty wine bottles delightfully lined the three steps up to the shop next to the small blackboard sign with specials. And, of course, greeting me at the top of the steps,standing shyly near the door was  was the lady wine merchant. She looked my age. She had character.  I just had to go inside. I couldn't walk away and ignore her welcome. So, I was that polite American. I stopped walking. I turned around went back to the steps of her shop and greeted her in Slovak. After all, she had the warmest smile--nuanced just like the wine.

I walked up the steps and inside I found a delight.Wine by the glass--a full glass mind you--for .27 euro--that's about 40cents!!!! Well, I had time. The train eventually arrived late. So I bought a cool glass of Slovak wine and set myself down on the steps next to the plants and blackboard sign. It was meant to be. I was part of the ambiance. I was a symbol of the European life that takes time to savor the grape, the sun, and the beauty of the day. In fact, I did myself a favor and savored three glasses of wine and still made my train on time!

Thomas the Train

This little boy became my friend as we shared the train ride today. It was lots of fun because in 58 minutes we went through  flat farm fields, then up into the hills, and then under a great mountain. In fact, in about half an hour we passed through 23 tunnels. Yep, I counted them on a piece of paper and the longest tunnel was 5 minutes at about 40 miles per hour.  The trip was beautiful with wonderful Douglas Fir forests, mountain creeks and rivers, tall sandstone cliffs with climbers on their sharp edged sides. Slovakia is beautiful and reminds me so much of my home state of Oregon that even I get a bit homesick.

Slovak Labor Day Celebration

Labor Day Celebration in the town square of Banska Bystrica was a colorful day of singing and dancing in the warm sunshine. These girls allowed me to photograph them but not before considering if they really wanted me to or not. Thanks to an older sister or dancer they agreed. They are delightful!

The event raised a large pole tree in the town with the top 15 feet decorated. Then the Prime Minister of Slovakia--their president--spoke and the people, many enjoying the shade and refreshments of a dozen outdoor cafes around the town square looked on and kept talking. Enjoy the photos and imagine the songs as young girls and boys celebrate their national history.

Tuesday is Castle Day

Tuesday, May 1, is a holiday in Slovakia and I will visit the Bojnice Chateau--a romantic castle is situated on the western edge of the town of Bojnice. The place is home to some of the collections of the Slovak National Museum and boasts a huge park and forest nearby with a popular zoological garden. The weather in Slovak is just like the image in this picture, sunny, warm with a few wispy clouds in the sky.

Castle Church - Wittenberg

Castle Church steeple in Wittenberg, Germany is the church  that Martin Luther reportedly  hammered his 95 Thesis on the wooden door on Reformation Day,  in 1517.

While it's beautiful inside the tower has 3' high or 1 meter letters with the words " A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."

Fatra Gliding

Thanks to my pilot Brano, with 26 years of experience, I was a guest aboard a German built Discus Duo sailplane. In nine minutes we went from land to soaring in the air. We circled to gain altitude up to 2000 meters and kept flying as we crossed the highest point in the Small Fatra mountain range several times. People were standing on the summit peak below us and waving as we passed over them.

The air turbulence and motion caused me to be queasy. Sudden altitude change and banking motions played  havoc with my sense of equilibrium. However, the beauty of this motor less aircraft combined with the geography of he Fatra and Tatra mountain ranges in Slovakia account for more than 26 sailplane and gliding clubs in the country. Apart from a brief episode of air sickness the whole experience was marvelous--greater than I had imagined! I look forward to lessons this summer when I return from sabbatical to Wisconsin.

Bible Olympics

 Bible Olympiad in Martin resulted in more than 145 students taking a 100 question examination and responding to facts and stories in the Old and New Testaments.  Six youth qualified to continue on in the regional competition and are headed to Bratislava for the next round of activities. Congratulations to all who participated and joy to those who will continue.

Rest In Peace

Roman Catholic cemeteries are different in Slovakia and Poland. The headstones are quite large and families bring flowers, oil lamps, plant gardens on top of grave yard, and leave liquor and gifts.

At this cemetery a historic church stands. A testimony to the several hundred years of Christian community and its saints.  A new sanctuary has been built in town, but on the hill, diligently cared for is this wooden kirche.

Enjoy the photographs of the headstones. I've provided several different styles.

Glider Flight

Next Saturday, weather permitting, I will be flying over Slovakia in a tandem glider.  I was at the Martin Gliding Club this afternoon and the plans are in place. So next Saturday I'll soar in the air without an engine. These planes go 52 feet forward for each foot they fall. They usually soar between 4,000 to 5,000 feet in altitude and you can fly several hundred miles on a good day. I'm excited!

Prom Night

Saturday was Prom Night in Stoughton, Wisconsin and thanks to electronic mail and the web one of the father's mailed me this photograph.  Four of the five sophomore girls in this picture were confirmed by my wife and I. One of these girls is our daughter. Time does move on! May their memories of this night be as beautiful as they are this afternoon!.

Concordia College Grads

Andrew and Kristina are elementary teachers in Martin, Slovakia at the Center for Christian Education. These two Lutherans hail from Minnesota and Wisconsin, respectively, and spent their first year after college graduation as missionaries from Mount Carmel, Alexandria, Minnesota.

Teaching's a bit of stretch for Andrew. He graduated in Business Administration with a Management major. However, it takes some pretty special skills to traffic a classroom of  3rd and 4th graders. Kristina's in her element. An education major with emphasis in Physical Education she's benefited from those practical classes and student teaching before she arrived in Martin. However, what school could not teach them,  and what Andrew and Kristina's families did teach them, was how to love and seek for others what is best and wholesome.

Train Station

German train stations are enjoyable places to visit, pass through, or make travel arrangements. In larger cities they are filled with natural light and terrific architecture. Many, like the Dresden Hauptbahnhoff in these photographs, incorporate both old and new archtexture. Transfers are easy and for the most part on time. I've only missed one train in 2 months of travel due to a late arrival-and that was a small town in Poland.

Neue Muhle - Water Mill

Erfurt was a city of water mills. In fact, my guide book reports that at one time there were more than 50 mils driven by the Gera river.  As one might expect, one of the last remaining mills is of course named, the "new mill" and it houses a museum inside for visitors to come and learn about their importance in the country's history. On this sight, a mill has been standing since 1225, and while this building looks in great shape and pretty "new" it was first built in 1826.  Thanks to a glass panel one can see the huge water wheel move endlessly and because it's illuminated at dark the show is really special at night.

Merchants Bridge - Erfurt

In the town of Erfurt stands a simple bridge over the shallow Gera  river where the cobblestones that carry passengers and carts. What's special about this bridge, what in fact is one-of-a-kind in all of Germany is that the merchants stores are under the merchants houses, built up on the very bridge.

This town one of my favorites in all the travels. I'm going back at the end of the month and ride my bicycle all over, stopping at every place I missed the first time through. In this town I made up my mind that I was coming back to Germany and Lutherland and bringing some of the folks from Christ Lutheran Church in Stoughton, Wisconsin along with me.

What A Find!

 It was Sunday afternoon about 4 pm and I had just left my room at the Augustinerkloster. The weather was over cast and sprinkling lightly so I dashed up the cobblestone street looking for a cup of coffee. I turned left, then left again after the river bridge and found this small cobblestone ally about 6 feet wide.     I followed the path and ran into the Old Synagogue Erfurt--the construction of which began in 1100.  Beginning in the 12 century Jews and Christians co-existed pretty well in this town. But in 1349, after the Black Plague, and after many more gentiles died than Jews, the people reacted in rage and a pogrom of anger pushed the Jewish citizens into a ghetto.

The synagogue was converted into a store house, then later, into a dance hall during the 19th century--one in which Nazi officers danced and partied unaware that below them was in fact the remains and treasure of a wealthy Jewish family. Discovered in 1998, it created quite the stir and the marvelous museum was constructed in the site.Amazingly, it had not been recognized by the Third Reich and was undamaged. Years later, when the treasure was discovered--almost 66 pounds in total, and consisting of 3142 silver coins, and 700 examples of gold smith workmanship, including tableware, broaches, rings, garments and  attire of the 13 and 14 century--the marvelous museum was reconstructed and the synagogue space once again identified. This wedding ring is the premier item as the couple would exchange and place it on the finger of their betrothed.

A New Friend in Wittenberg

I had just finished my meal. I ordered another Whit special dark from the Frau at the Wittenberg Hotel and Brauhaus when a gentleman stopped to say hello.  He wanted to greet the American guest and welcome me to the city of his birth.

His name is Karl Seeger. He lives in Leipzig but graduated from school in Wittenberg. He was in town for a reunion. He is 73 years old.

I invited him to take up a seat and ordered another beer for my guest. We visited for nearly 90 minutes. His English was good enough that between a pen and paper we communicated pretty well.

He graduated from college and was an industrial engineer. He's married and raised two children, a son and daughter. He was baptized and confirmed his faith in a Lutheran congregation on Palm Sunday sixty-years ago. He has lived in Leipzig for his entire adult life. He is kind and gracious, and he made my first wonderful day in Wittenberg seem even better. We exchanged addresses and I promised to mail him the picture but I will share it with all of you, first!

Dresden, Germany

The Elbe river divides the town between Old Town and New Town. What they don't tell you is that Dresden's "New" Town is a hundred years old.

Sadly, most Americans recall the name of this city from Kurt Vonnegut's novel, Slaughterhouse-Five. He was a POW in Dresden during the firebombing of World War II in which 75% of this city was destroyed. Until 1989, much of the war rubble of  bombed buildings was left untouched by the government.

The Soviet's demanded that East Germany pay back Soviet's for their war expenses as well as pay for the whole of Germany--even the west.

Today, as you can see, the infrastructure of Dresden is greatly improved. Modernization along with Dresden's grand architectural history is once again turning heads of tourists and this city's residents--some 500,000.  I took time to leave the train station and walk into Old Town, visit the Elbe River, and enjoy just a taste of what this city promises. It won't be my last visit, because I am headed back in a just a few weeks when I'll have more time to rent a bicycle and explore this new and old place.

Easter Day Surprise -Tatra Mountains

Yikes! Electric Bikes

 Electric bicycles were on sale at the sportshop grand opening. You can purchase one for a comfortable price of $1,500-$3,000 dollars.

Just to put this in perspective, my parents purchased a new 1965 VW Beetle auto for $1,450 about 45 years ago! With your pedaling and electrical engine you can travel about 80 miles on a charge and at speeds of 20-30 mph. They come in all kinds of models from rugged urban to sports, to road and even mountain trekking.

Two Wheels Is Wunderbar

Bicycles are common sights in Germany. The level terrain and abundant bike lanes makes cycling a wonderful means of transportation. I rented a bike in Wittenberg for a few days and pedaled my way all around Old Town and along the Elbe river.

My bike came with fenders, lights both front and back, two locks, a basket, a wide comfortable seat, and suspension forks to make the ride ever-so-smooth. Suffice to say I glided my way through the beautiful town and I found a new bike shop grand-opening.