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| High Tatra Mountains from the highway |
Slovak people love nature. They remind me a lot of
Oregonians in this, but it is perhaps even more deep-seated here, at the core
of their national identity. There is an abundance of natural beauty in
Slovakia, from underground caves to acres and acres of woodlands, rolling hills
and the breathtakingly impressive Tatra Mountains rising snow-covered in the
north and every bit as spectacular as the more-famous Alps.
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| Spis Castle as seen from the road |
Add to this- castles high on hilltops, lovely little brooks singing away among the trees, small villages scattered across the
countryside, and the beloved sheep on the hills, and you can see why Slovaks
live to venture beyond the sidliskos
whenever possible to spend time in these natural surroundings. It is a national
treasure and they value it with all their might. It is who they are in their hearts and their
souls.
The first time I was here was unforgettable. It was 1991 and
we had just crossed the border from Germany into then-Czechoslovakia, somewhere
near the town of Plzen (where Pilsner was, in fact, invented). The crossing
itself was an incredible moment for us. We handed our passports with sweaty
palms to the border guards patrolling down the aisle of the train. George was
white as a sheet. “Are you okay?” I asked. “They are even wearing the same
uniform,” he responded weakly, referring to the bad old days of terror of
authority.
Eventually, when we began to breathe again, I turned my
attention out the window to take in this country I had so long dreamed of
seeing. The stain of the harsh Soviet-era buildings was heavy on the
countryside, and the native buildings were crumbling- neglected and tired as
their inhabitants. But, as the train rolled past small villages, I kept
noticing groups of very small “houses” complete with vegetable gardens. There
would be many of them all in a row, very near the railroad tracks and often as
part of a village. It didn’t make sense because the houses were too small for
someone to live in. George explained that these were people’s garden cottages.
Every family that could possibly do so, whether from the
village or from a larger town or city, would own a small garden plot to visit
on the weekends. The cottage was a place to store tools and might contain a
small table and some stools on which to enjoy the picnic lunch the family would
take on their outing to the country. This important connection to the land was
a bond not easily broken and probably helped many people survive sidlisko living. It continues today,
with the same small clusters of gardens visible from the train and the roadway.
In some villages, the buildings now look better than they did in 1991, and in
some they appear to be frozen in time, but the garden plots remain as a
constant reminder of their tenders’ connection to the land.
It is sad to think that this connection might be on its way
out, as it is in so many other places. When George was growing up, the Slovak
region was quite agrarian. His dad worked as a bookkeeper on a collective farm
in a small town outside of Kosice, where payday was conducted with a cash box
every Friday. When the family needed a chicken for dinner, he could bring a
live one home on the bus for his mother to dispatch and make into the most
amazing meals! George remembers the time a chicken got loose and ran for its
life; who says chickens are dumb? Now, with the changes brought by on by the
development of the European Union, among other things, the chickens come from
Brazil and Slovakia makes cars; that is its niche, its agreed-upon place in
this economy.
While some of these changes are advantageous, those benefits
come at a cost as beautiful agricultural land lays fallow. There are still
wonderful farmers’ markets to be had, but we have been warned- for example- about
buying “farm fresh” eggs there, because they were likely purchased at the
supermarket and repurposed for sale to unsuspecting buyers. One thing that
remains consistent is the delicious sheep cheese, bryndza. There is nothing like it in the world, and provides the
basis for the national dish- bryndzove
halusky, a delicious blend of little potato-dough “dumplings” cuddled in a
creamy bryndza sauce and topped with crispy bacon bits.
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| Bankov |
Getting outdoors in Slovakia is easy. Within a 10 minute, 55
cent bus ride from Kosice, we visited Bankov and the Kosice observation tower
area in one weekend, both of which provide hiking trails and beautiful vistas
in the hills surrounding the city. A little farther afield, two especially
beautiful natural places to experience in Slovakia are The Tatra Mountains and Slovenky Raj (“Slovak Paradise”).
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| Along the trail in Bankov |
The High Tatra Mountains are an impressive sight and a joy
to experience, and this comes from an Oregon girl blessed to have grown up in
one of the most beautiful places on earth! Slovaks were devastated when, in
2004, a huge freak wind storm suddenly swept through the Tatra Mountains,
dropping thousands of trees like matchsticks. However, the beauty persists and
hiking there is a wonderful outing. Last summer, we spent the day walking on
well-maintained trails through lovely woodlands and along rivers and
waterfalls, with spectacular views of the countryside below. Scattered throughout the trails are small chatas, or mountain cabins, provided for
rest and refreshment. Along the way you are likely to see places like the one
in the picture, offering “Good Beer and Good Food”, but it does not have the
commercialized feeling that you might expect.
One of the most impressive sights we saw was a mountain- eer
whose job it was to carry supplies up to the huts, as they are only accessible
by foot trails. He was carrying a wooden frame strapped to his back, piled high
with goods such as food and beer (of course) to a height of approximately 4
feet above his head. And, lashed onto the
very top of the pile was- I kid you not- a toilet! He was walking at a steady
pace and breathing rhythmically and seemed to be very “in the zone”, as I am
sure you would have to be to accomplish such a feat. I tried to snap a picture,
but he was gone before I could reach my camera, and I didn’t have the heart to
interrupt his stride. If you want to see these guys in action, you can search for Slovakian Sherpas Race to see them for yourself. The Tatras are popular in both the summer and
winter, and I am looking forward to experiencing the latter for the first time
this year, but I will leave the procurement of supplies to the experts!  | |
| A cave in Slovensky Raj |
We recently spent a beautiful fall day visiting a second
outdoor favorite of Slovaks and visitors alike, Slovensky Raj (pronounced like “rye”), or “Slovak Paradise” in
English, is a national park which includes hiking trails, rivers and streams,
over 200 caves, and extreme climbs along rock faces and up ladders. Once we got
there, we enjoyed a tamer version of hiking than many, more extreme (or
younger?) visitors do. We watched in wonder from afar (thank goodness) while
hikers scaled ladders on the rock face across from us in order to be able to
look down at their more-timid fellow-hikers (well, okay, they were probably too
busy looking at the scenery to notice us). I was glad to find out later that we
had taken a wrong turn and that our friend had intended us to take that trail
to the ladder climb. I guess she didn’t know about my dislike of heights. If
you look very carefully in the center of this picture, you will see the ladder
going up the rock face. At the top is one climber and at the bottom is his
companion. We are far away nestled in the safety of the trees. The fall colors
were spectacular in this largely deciduous forest, and we were treated to many
beautiful sights, near and far.
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| The end of the trail |
After hiking for a few hours, we rewarded ourselves with some local epicurean treats- Hruska (a pear brandy served with a slice of pear) and lard made with pork cracklings, sprinkled with salt (which improves the taste dramatically) and slathered onto thick, hearty bread- in order to fortify ourselves to make it to a local salas for a late lunch.
A salas was originally a shepherd’s cottage
and now, in certain regions, you can find them acting as restaurants serving
traditional meals, such as brydzove
halusky and mutton. Apparently, you can also book a tour to a real,
functioning salas through local tour companies.
But, I am happy to watch the sheep, the shepherd, and his dog on the lovely
green hillside from the window of the car, full of fresh air and long-loved
traditions, as we wind our way back to the city after another memorable day
spent with great company in the absolute beauty of the Slovak countryside.
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| A fall day outside of Kosice |
