MY SUMMER 1998 TRIP TO SLOVAKIA

This is my third trip to Slovakia this year and since 1987, the year I first visited Slovakia after 17 years, by far the longest, as my visit will last nine weeks. I had given a chance to my former agent to sell me a ticket on Charter Flight by Canada 3000, however my two faxes were unanswered and when I shown up at their office I was quoted by his very arrogant employee, suggested retail price, which I knew I could do better. So I bought my ticket from Sandy at Pacific Sun Holidays in Vancouver, (604) 688-0444. She was able to give me much better price than my former agent, and she even managed to give me a discount on the car rental by Holiday House of Canada and Sixt Budget rent a car in Stuttgart. Later on while cruising the net I discovered that the tickets to Stuttgart really dropped and I managed to get Maria, my wife, a return ticket Vancouver-Stuttgart for one week stay, for $ 500.00 taxes included, just few days before my departure. So off we were to Stuttgart on June 21st.

The flight was fantastic, weather outside was great, views were excellent, service, and food superior and soon we landed at Keflavik in Island. After as short while mostly spent in the duty free shop we were on the way to Stuttgart. Stuttgart airport is currently being reconstructed, but I still think it is a small airport by German standards after seeing Frankfurt and Munich. Seven hours later we arrived in Bratislava. Friday I went to Vychodna festival, the weather wasn't great and it was second time in just as many years the folklore procession through the village didn't go on because of the weather. I guess the two golden nails of Vychodna this year were the 50th anniversary performance by the best amateur folk dance Slovak group Lucnica and program dedicated to the life jubilee of Igor Kovacovic, long time director and choreographer of the Folk dance group Partizan from Slovenska Lupca. Some of the programs had to be cancelled as well due to the weather, however the Gala program went ahead and it was directly broadcast on Slovakia TV. Performing groups were from Vychodna, Vazec, Strba, Zuberec, Kozarovce, Slovinky, Chmelnice, folk dance groups Young Hearts, Liptov, Lipa, Podpolanec, Partizan, Vranovcan, Vrsatec and Zeleziar. Right after the Sunday performance I drove to Bratislava, picked Maria, who was visiting her family in Jablonica and her sister in Bratislava and we drove through the night to Stuttgart and I returned to Bratislava. Next few days I went to visit village Cicmany, that is still full of log houses painted with geometric designs, Kosec, Sulov, Hricov, Povazsky and Lietava castles. I also visited the really nice wood carved Bethlehem in Rajecka Lesna. I spent the weekend at festival in Klenovecc, but I rushed to Levoca on Sunday to attend the annual pilgrimage at Marianska Hora. In the afternoon I made stop in Hrabusice to photograph the altar by Master Pavol from Levoca. This was my lucky day as I tried over the years at least on three occasions to get into the church. Following week I did some research at my favorite village Liptovska Teplicka, photographed the church in Dravce, visited Levoca and Spisska Kapitula. This weekend was Detva festival, so I spent the next three days there and our reporter Dana Hodulova has written report for you on the following pages. After Detva I had some serious genealogical research in Litmanova and since it was close to Stara Lubovna castle and skanzen I did visit them both again. It is always worth a return visit as the expositions in castles and open air museums-Skanzens do change frequently. Then I went to eastern Slovakia. I made my camp in Svidnik's hotel Rubin and then I was off on another research to villages of Makovce, Breznicka, Vojtovce, Bukovce, Solnik and Krislovce. Sunday I visited Cerveny Klastor-The Red Monastery and the Pieniny National Park. Monday I did more research in Breznicka and Bukovce and photographed the wooden Greek Catholic Churches in Potoky and Kozany. Next day I claimed the ruins Reviste and Somoska castles. Day I did the frescos in churches in Zolna, Cerin, Poniky and visited the picturesque Hrochotska valley. Weekend I was off to Velka nad Velickou a festival of Moravian-Slovak songs, dances and music, it was great as in previous years. Since I was getting close to my 48th day in Slovakia and my Gold Visa Card free insurance is good only for 48 days, I had to go to the nearest German town and change the contract on the car. I made it to Passau in about three hours. On the way back I was stopped by the Austrian police, got a ticket for 75 DM, as I was logged flying 175 Km per hour. So the return journey lasted over six hours at the right and allowable speed. And I learned valuable lesson, that not only high speed is dangerous to your health, but also expensive on your valet, therefore I do not speed anymore. Few days later I visited the Skanzen of Kysuce's village in Vychylovka, photographed the frescos in now closed church in Ludrova near Ruzomberok and went to another Skanzen in Zuberec and this is a museum of Orava's village. There is a wooden Lutheran church in Lestiny near Dolny Kubin that I was never able to photograph yet. It seemed for a minute that this may have been my lucky day as the church was open and I could hear some sounds coming from it. I went up the hill to the church only to find that there was a funeral service inside. So perhaps some other time I will be luckier. Next I went to visit Sratý Hrad-Old Castle that is situated high on the rock above the Vah river, near the Strecno castle. Weekend I spent at the festivals of festivals in Liptovska Teplicka. You may ask why do I like this festival so much? Everything, atmosphere, people, village, participation, location, open air mass, and I could go on and on. This festival is non-stop for two days and the last program on Sunday evening starts at nine. Most Sunday festivals in Slovakia end by five in the afternoon. You can see the groups that are really great, however not very well known from Horehronie, Liptov and Spis regions and some foreign groups. This was the third year of the festival and it takes place the first weekend in August. Monday morning I photographed the frescos at the Roman Catholic Church in Batizovce and did yet another research in Litmanova, followed next day again by research in Breznicka and Makovce and I photographed the Greek Catholic wooden churches in Dobroslava, Ladomirova, Korejovce, Lukov, Krive and the only wooden Gothic Roman Catholic Church in Slovakia in Hervatov next couple of days. From Hervatov I claimed the Zborov castle and photographed the church in Tročany. This weekend there was a festival in Kokava nad Rimavicou, so I spent the next three days in Kokava. After the festival in Kokava I made my base camp in Liptovska Teplicka's Pension Dolinka as I had to go to Poland to do some more research there. I went to Poland next three days. Saturday I went to the Liptov's days of mother in Liptovske Sliace near Ruzomberok.

Saturday I went to Hontianska Parada in Hrusov, another new and really great local festival in it's third year. Sunday I spent in Bratislava and drove to Stuttgart during the night. And my nine glorious weeks in Slovakia have come to an end.

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Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 6, No. 3, Fall 1998
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1998 
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