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.