MY FALL 1999 TRIP TO SLOVAKIA

I left Vancouver on October 5 via Canadian Airlines International to London and after six ours lay over in London I continued to Munich. So I thought. We ended up stranded on the runway due to air traffic congestion another half an hour. I was told by my agent Sandy from Pacific Sun Hollidays in Vancouver that the Sixt rental car company closes at 11 PM. There was no way I could get to Munich by that time. Funny there was a space available on earlier flight, however only for paying passengers and since my ticket this time was free, I couldn't get on that flight. So I arrived in Munich past 11PM and immediately after I claimed my two huge suitcases and put them on the dolly I rushed to Sixt rent a car. To my disbelief they were still open and I found out that they stay open until midnight every day. I was offered Volkswagen station wagon, however it didn't have cover for the trunk area so I refused it as I have lots of money in video and photographic equipment and can’t leave it laying around uncovered all the time.

So they offered me Renault, Audi and finally I settled for Opel Astra Diesel. The car had 450 Km on the tachometer. Just to make sure, since they were closing in few minutes I asked them for a blank insurance green card, in case the green card, used for proof of insurance in Europe was missing. When I checked the glove compartment, the green card wasn't there. It is very wise when renting a car in Europe to check not only the rental contract, but also the technical papers and the green card for insurance. Soon I was sailing the German Autobahn again. This time I was slow at 100 to 120 Km per hour and arrived with few stops in Bratislava after 6 AM. I called my friend Izabela Pazitkova at the Slovak National Theater to find out if I had ticket for the upcoming premiere of Verdi's Nabucco the next day. Of course I had and I went to the opera the next day. What a performance, what a stage... I felt great and thankful to my friend Izabela. Next day on the way to visit my long time friend and the director of the Slovak National Museum in Martin, PhDr. Martin Messa, I made a stop in Vysehradne near Nitrianske Pravno and visited my friend and Master potter Rastislav Haronik, who told me that in few hours there will be a 15th anniversary grand performance in near by village Poluvsie of the folklore group Lubena. I called Martin and we decided to pick him up in Martin and drive back to Poluvsie for the performance. Lubena was started by the late Jozef Srtrecansky who wanted to bring back folklore to Poluvsie, who belonged here for generations as the creek Lubena, that runs through the village. Lubena consists of four groups: women and men's singing group, children's group and musicians. What a performance. Lubena put up a great show for the invited guests. Fantastic dinner followed the show. We went to Martin later on. Next day I went to my favorite place in Slovakia-Liptovska Teplicka and the pension Dolinka to recuperate from my jet lag and also to deliver the pictures and video tapes from the festival to my friend the Mayor Jozef Mezovsky. As you all know I seldom stay put for any length of time and the next morning I went to Telgart and stopped to deliver a donation from our member Margaret Abbott, 212 W. Hollister St., Romeo, MI 48065 USA at The Institute for Physicaly and Mentaly Handicapped Children in Cervena Skala and continued to visit my journalist friend Mgr. Alena Kosturikova in Banska Bystrica. Alena is editor in chief of Enviromagazine. I had several pictures published in the magazine last year. The greatest was the front Cover with the fresco "Tree of Life" from the Church of Holy Spirit in Zehra. This time I have title page with picture from Ochtinna Aragonite  Cave, together with Spis's Castle, Vlkolinec and Domica cave all World Heritage Sites. I returned to Liptovska Teplicka in the evening and the next morning I went to do genealogical research in Jablonov, just a stone throw from Spis's Castle. Then I continued to do ancestral village video in Hrabkov and Udol and early evening I arrived at my friend's place in Presov. Jaroslav Biros is the director of Folk ensemble Dubrava in Presov as I was delivering to him pictures from summer festivals and the video of their gala program in Presov and their performance at the festival in Raslavice. Jaroslav made a fantastic Chinese dinner for me.

Next morning I took Jaroslav with me to do some video taping in Topolany and research in Nizny Hrabovec and Zdana and went back to my hideaway in Liptovska Teplicka. I made a trip to Detva and Zvolen, delivering pictures and CD’s from Detva's festival.

Friday, October 15th was the start of the Fifth year of Echoes of the old Slavic Language under Kralova Hola with morning performance in Polomka. Saturday morning I went to pick up my friend and cameraperson Iveta Vanova in Prievidza and we rushed to Telgart and made it to the Hron's spring on time. The festival continued Saturday morning with greetings at the Hron's spring and glass of vodka, followed by great goulash. Several expositions were opened at the culture house. Early afternoon there was a procession of all 450 participants through Telgart on the way to the church and later on in the presence of the Greek Catholic Bishop Mons. Jan Hirka the first part of the songs of temples started. Groups performing were: Hajicek from Chrenovec-Brusno, Chryzostomos from Vranov nad Toplou, Sumiac, Kojsov, Bravacovo, Helpa, Zavadka, Cierny Balog, Vazec, Vernar, Mr. Lunter and his grandchildren from Telgart, Detva, Dobra Niva, Margecany, Strba, Liptovska Teplicka, Marina from Zvolen, Porac, and Kamienka. Second part was at the Culture house with same groups performing, but this time they were "Songs of Nature." Fantastic Gala program followed after 8:00 PM with all the groups participating. Next morning at 8:00 AM there was a Greek Catholic Mass celebrated by most reverend Bishop Mons. Jan Hirka from Presov. Following the mass we all went to the mount Kralova Hola. It was really cold and windy there and the soil was covered with snow. Next few days I spent in Bratislava and I also went to Nitra and Lehota by Nitra to visit my friend musical instrument maker Drahos Dalos. He told me about upcoming 30th anniversary celebration at the Institute of Social Care for Adults in Bratislava . So I decided to go there. However first I had to attend the 50th birthday party for a friend of mine in Martin, the director of the Slovak National Museum PhDr. Martin Messa. It was a great party attended by many of my friends from different museums throughout Slovakia.

CONTINUE TO PART TWO

Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 7, No. 4, Winter 1999
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1999 
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The above article may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.