ahhhhhhh! There is just so much for me to write about! I guess I'll just dive right in and see what comes out.....
As you should know I am now in Germany (I think I informed you of that almost every post for the past month or so....sorry about that but I was really rather excited)! I am getting to be quite the expert little traveler. Sometimes it kind of feels as though all I ever do is pack up my things. So I did manage to get all the way from Slovakia to Germany in one piece glitch free. I took a train from Zilina to Bratislava and then got onto another train which took me to Vienna. The whole trip totaled 3 and half hours and so was not bad at all considering I went all the way through Slovakia and into another country! My cousin, Katherina, met me in Vienna at the train station and took me out for the day. And boy what a day it was! She took me all around Vienna so I really got a good look at it. It is truly an amazing city with stunningly beautiful architecture. I just love how much history and beauty Europe seems to have packed away over here, it's almost like it is never ending. Vienna is full of these really big, old, apartment style buildings. They line the streets and are truly magnificent. The centre of the city is FULL of people from ALL over the place. You can hear so many different languages being spoken at any given time. It was actually really cool. But confusing for my poor brain. You see I have now been programmed to speak Slovak in response to another language I hear and so when people were talking to me I would automatically answer in my very broken, heavy accented Slovak and then they would just look at me like huhhhh? And then I remember that I can speak English again..... So I'm having to work to turn my Slovak off because no one here understands it! But that was, what I would say, the only draw back of Vienna, that it was swarming with tourists. And for me that kind of takes away from the magic of the whole city but it was still gull darn magnificent. I saw the Stephen's Cathedral again which is stunning, Schonbron Palace and the even more fantastic garden behind it, The university, town hall, and a whole lot of other important buildings I can't quite remember. We went for lunch in a little cafe in one of the back streets and were able to sit out in the sunshine which was wonderful. I had schnitzel which was delicious! and a green salad for the first time in seven months! Then after a day of sight seeing, we went back to katherina's house to see her father, and younger brother and sister. With them I went out for dinner to a winery just down from their house and we had a really nice chat. It was so good to see them again after almost three years! Then it was off again to the airport for my 920 pm flight to Hamburg. And so here I am in Germany which really is only a hop, skip, and a jump from Slovakia.
It's actually really quite interesting being in yet another country after you have become accustomed to a home away from home. Now I find myself comparing everything to not only Canada but Slovakia as well. It really is like I have two homes. And the more I talk to people about things the more I realize how unreal these past seven months have been to me. It's almost as if this past year didn't happen. It feels like I paused everything in canada and my life beforehand and then came and kept on living in Slovakia and then I will go back and unpause it again. But I do know that isn't how it actually happened, and I'm sure lots of things have changed, but that's how it feels. strange. but cool.
I hate to say it but I have been terribly deprived for the past seven months. Deprived of fashion trends, of fresh vegetables, of big houses, shiny fast cars, brand names, good shopping, and the one most worth noting; beautiful dark boys! I had no idea how much I have gone without while in Slovakia until now. If anyone tries to tell you there isn't a difference between East and Western Europe they are so so SO wrong. There most definitely is and I am seeing it. NOW I understand why people say Slovakia is a hard country to go to. Because it really IS. So yes, Slovakia is a developed nation and it has all the comforts of home that we have in Canada but it is still missing a lot of what the "western world" has. It's kind of hard to put into words but it is kind of like Slovakia is under a rock. Now I see just how closed Slovakia is to the rest of the world and although it is changing it isn't changing at near the rate other countries are. Really when it comes down to it, everything in the "west" is bigger, shinier, and newer and I don't know if that is necessarily a good thing but I do know that it makes me very very happy. I didn't realize just how much I miss having access to all of those things. Being able to go shopping in a huge mall, with H&M and Tommy Hilfiger and, seeing big cars again, and oggling at beautiful chocolate boys on the street, eating fresh vegetables and seeing substantial sized houses, standing up in a real shower; all of it is a nice reminder of home. And you may think this would make me wish I hadn't ended up in Slovakia but in fact it doesn't. It's quite the opposite really. I'm very pleased I had the chance to experience and really get to know something so different. That I was pushed to adapt to something so far from my comforts of home and I got (and will continue to) spend ten months in a country I would have never otherwise discovered. And all of that is awesome.
So it's been really cool comparing and sharing what I know about Slovakia and Canada with my family here in Germany. I'm really getting a feel for yet another part of the world and think it's really eye opening to have seen how much a way of life can differ from one country to the next even if they are only a couple hundred kms apart.
Up until now I haven't done anything too exciting. I have done a LOT of walking and am thinking I should invest in a pair of decent walking shoes as my feet are killing me at the moment. I have blisters and don't even want to think about putting my shoes on again tomorrow but we'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I have taken quite a few pictures of the centre of Hamburg which I will post here as well as the pictures of Vienna. I hope to be able to take more pictures and as I do I will add them to my online album for you to look at. I did some wonderful shopping today with a girl my age I met through my Aunt Karin and bought two very cute colored cardigans for summer. Not too sure what is on the agenda for tomorrow but we shall see. I am just going to go with the flow as I'm very very good at that now....
night night! or shall I say Guten nacht!
p
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Velkanocny - Windows Live
Velkanocny - Windows Live
So here are my pics of easter and some pretty ones I took on Easter morning when I went for a walk in the woods (my new favorite activity)
So here are my pics of easter and some pretty ones I took on Easter morning when I went for a walk in the woods (my new favorite activity)
Easter/Velka Noc
What an original way of celebrating the Slovak's have. I really couldn't have imagined anything much stranger. First they get a lot of school off for Easter which I'm not complaining about. No school thurs all the way until wed the next week and it's not even the spring break! So that was nice. I did a lot of trips with my host family visiting friends and family but the real thing went down Sunday and Monday morning. We went out to the apartment on the ski hill again, as is usual for the weekend, but this time we didn't ski. The weather wasn't great and there's almost no snow left on the hill (and there is no snow anywhere else) but they have lots of friends there from the ski club and things so that's where they seem to go for every holiday. Since it was nice outside we had a sort of outdoor barbeque going. There was a shelter with a big stone fire thing and lots of wooden and benches and things. Very typical Slovak. Sunday afternoon was when the celebrating took place and boy was it great. There was egg decorating with the kids (which of course I participated in) and a chocolate cake (which I also participated in) and lots of socializing. The kids were free to do as they wished and the adults did a lot of talking and of course drinking. There was also a LOT of food. And so I was happy. We had a late lunch as the main meal. It consisted of hunks of meat roasted over the open fire which we ate with our hands, bread, and fresh veggies. It was delightful. And I was soon very full. Then there were cookies and sweets and cheese too! After lunch I got to make my very own beating stick too which is as strange as it sounds. There these traditional sticks woven from twigs that the boys use to hit the girls on Monday morning, but more of that later. One of the men showed me how to make it (even though only the boys are supposed to) and so that was really cool. You pretty much weave eight sticks together to form the main shaft and then it spits into two at the top. Then you are supposed to tie ribbons to the end to make it look festive.
It wasn't until later in the evening though, that the party really got started. You see, the Slovaks are smart people I think. They start drinking early in the afternoon so that by the time 8 rolls around everyone is already enjoying themselves. This is when the music started. You can't have a celebration without the accordion blaring and some good old fashioned folk songs being bellowed out by the men. There was some dancing and some more talking and just an all around good time. I had some really delicious ginger tea which is a specialty at this time of the year AND some raw beef. Yup sounds wonderful doesn't it? Well it really wasn't that bad. They brought it out as snack later on and all the men were very excited. It's a special treat here because it's made from the backside of the cow which is high quality meat as I'm told. Pretty much what it was though, was mashed meat, not cooked, with some spices. They toasted some bread over the fire, doused it in butter, then rubbed it with a garlic clove, and smeared on some meaty goodness. It wasn't all that bad though, as horrific as it sounds. I realize it goes against all we've ever been taught in America, and it didn't help that they then told me that children can't eat it because it's not good for their stomachs, but they assured me it wouldn't make me sick. And I might add, it tasted pretty darn good. I would actually eat again if the opportunity arose.
Now onto the good stuff, Monday morning. First you must know that we are staying in a place which is laid out something like a hotel so there are several rooms on one floor. But what happens is, first thing in the morning, all the boys get out of bed, fetch their beating sticks, and buckets of water and douse and hit the girls. I know I couldn't believe it either but it's true! The boys all went door to door spraying the girls with water and perfume while dancing around them hitting them and singing this crazy little song. And then get this! The girls are expected to give chocolate, eggs, and money to the boys who hit them! It really doesn't make sense to me but it was still fun. Kind of like a giant water fight. I guess way back in the day they believed that beating the girls with the sticks from spring would give them health and long life and the water was to act as a sort of blessing. And it just kind of evolved from there I guess.
And I have to add while I was writing this, my first host fam (where paul is currently living) came for a visit and so I was soaked once again. But it was in good fun and I hit Paul back. Then they stayed for a short visit which was really nice. It was so good to see them again! I haven't seen them for so long! I never really realized how much I miss them until I saw them again! Even though this family is great, I went through so much with my first fam so it was really great to get to catch up.
And that is Easter Slovak style. Strange but fantastic all the same!
It wasn't until later in the evening though, that the party really got started. You see, the Slovaks are smart people I think. They start drinking early in the afternoon so that by the time 8 rolls around everyone is already enjoying themselves. This is when the music started. You can't have a celebration without the accordion blaring and some good old fashioned folk songs being bellowed out by the men. There was some dancing and some more talking and just an all around good time. I had some really delicious ginger tea which is a specialty at this time of the year AND some raw beef. Yup sounds wonderful doesn't it? Well it really wasn't that bad. They brought it out as snack later on and all the men were very excited. It's a special treat here because it's made from the backside of the cow which is high quality meat as I'm told. Pretty much what it was though, was mashed meat, not cooked, with some spices. They toasted some bread over the fire, doused it in butter, then rubbed it with a garlic clove, and smeared on some meaty goodness. It wasn't all that bad though, as horrific as it sounds. I realize it goes against all we've ever been taught in America, and it didn't help that they then told me that children can't eat it because it's not good for their stomachs, but they assured me it wouldn't make me sick. And I might add, it tasted pretty darn good. I would actually eat again if the opportunity arose.
Now onto the good stuff, Monday morning. First you must know that we are staying in a place which is laid out something like a hotel so there are several rooms on one floor. But what happens is, first thing in the morning, all the boys get out of bed, fetch their beating sticks, and buckets of water and douse and hit the girls. I know I couldn't believe it either but it's true! The boys all went door to door spraying the girls with water and perfume while dancing around them hitting them and singing this crazy little song. And then get this! The girls are expected to give chocolate, eggs, and money to the boys who hit them! It really doesn't make sense to me but it was still fun. Kind of like a giant water fight. I guess way back in the day they believed that beating the girls with the sticks from spring would give them health and long life and the water was to act as a sort of blessing. And it just kind of evolved from there I guess.
And I have to add while I was writing this, my first host fam (where paul is currently living) came for a visit and so I was soaked once again. But it was in good fun and I hit Paul back. Then they stayed for a short visit which was really nice. It was so good to see them again! I haven't seen them for so long! I never really realized how much I miss them until I saw them again! Even though this family is great, I went through so much with my first fam so it was really great to get to catch up.
And that is Easter Slovak style. Strange but fantastic all the same!
Salt Mines
And I'm back again with more stories to tell! I don't know if they will ever end.
First Poland. It was quite a lengthy road trip to get to where we were going, which was "Kopalnia Soli Wieliczka" or The Salt Mines and some crazy polish name. It was only one hour to the Polish border and then another three once we were in Poland. Now I realize four hours of driving is like nothing in Canada, heck that doesn't even get you to the next province, but you must remember now I am in Europe. And in Europe they think two hours is FOREVER to drive and I've been spoiled now for seven months, and feel like 30 minutes in the car is a long time. To think I used to drive that each and every day. Anyhow. Poland was really beautiful! At least what I saw of it. We didn't stop or anything and I might have slept the majority of the way (due to my tendency to get carsick) BUT what I did see was wonderful. There were big rolling hills falling into deep valleys with the mountains fading into the distance. And the snow is freshly melted here so there was color too! The architecture and lay out of the country was very similar to Slovakia. Pockets of villages tucked in the valleys, tons of small cabin like homes scattered on the hillsides, and the oldschool roofing and siding styles. I don't really know how to describe it but once you've been here for as long as I've been you really get a feel for what it's like. All in all beautiful. Then we got to our destination and I was blown away by how cool it was (although it was very touristy)! Pretty much it's this giant salt mine that was started way back in the thirteenth century or something ridiculous like that and somewhere along the way the miners decided to make a carving out of the salt stone. And I guess the idea caught on and throughout the centuries more and more creations started turning up until eventually it was full of them. It was a functioning salt mine until sometime in the 1900's I think and then it's operation was seized and it was deemed a UNESCO site. Now over a million tourists visit it each year and it really is a site to be seen. When we got there we had to descend down 384 steps which took us 100 and some meters below the surface (the mine itself goes all the way down to 360m below I think) needless to say it was a long way down. Once we were down there there were countless tunnels and passages leading to all kinds of displays. It was really neat and I tried to take as many pictures as possible but many didn't turn out well because of the lack of lighting. But I did post the ones that seemed to be ok. Everything you see is made of rock salt! The floor, walls, and all the statues. There was a huge hall too where even the chandelier stones were carved from salt. People actually had weddings down there! Now you may be having a hard time believing me that all of it was salt and I did too in the beginning but I assure it is. I actually, might have, licked the wall, and boy was it salty! So there you have it....it's made of salt! After a two hour tour of the place you all pile into the giant elevator which is just a little scary. Especially to me, the one with a small fear of them in the first place. 36 people can fit on this thing and it gets you back up to the surface in 30 seconds which, in case you were wondering, is incredibly fast considering how far down you are. And to add to the fear it didn't actually have walls, it was a sheet of metal with a billion little holes in it so as you went up you could feel the air swooshing all around you. So not fun. But a WHOLE lot easier than taking the 384 steps back up!
After the mines we stopped for lunch and then it was back in the car and homeward bound. So really it was just a short trip but a memorable one. And I just love the fact that I can say "I went to Poland today". It's funny because now that just seems so normal but I know before I would have been amazed if someone told me they were visiting another country for the day. Sometimes I realize just how lucky I am to have been able to see all that I have. Thanks Rotary!
So above this I'll post a link to the pictures if you want to take a look and then I'm going to do another post on Easter. I think it deserves to be all on it's own, it was that special!
First Poland. It was quite a lengthy road trip to get to where we were going, which was "Kopalnia Soli Wieliczka" or The Salt Mines and some crazy polish name. It was only one hour to the Polish border and then another three once we were in Poland. Now I realize four hours of driving is like nothing in Canada, heck that doesn't even get you to the next province, but you must remember now I am in Europe. And in Europe they think two hours is FOREVER to drive and I've been spoiled now for seven months, and feel like 30 minutes in the car is a long time. To think I used to drive that each and every day. Anyhow. Poland was really beautiful! At least what I saw of it. We didn't stop or anything and I might have slept the majority of the way (due to my tendency to get carsick) BUT what I did see was wonderful. There were big rolling hills falling into deep valleys with the mountains fading into the distance. And the snow is freshly melted here so there was color too! The architecture and lay out of the country was very similar to Slovakia. Pockets of villages tucked in the valleys, tons of small cabin like homes scattered on the hillsides, and the oldschool roofing and siding styles. I don't really know how to describe it but once you've been here for as long as I've been you really get a feel for what it's like. All in all beautiful. Then we got to our destination and I was blown away by how cool it was (although it was very touristy)! Pretty much it's this giant salt mine that was started way back in the thirteenth century or something ridiculous like that and somewhere along the way the miners decided to make a carving out of the salt stone. And I guess the idea caught on and throughout the centuries more and more creations started turning up until eventually it was full of them. It was a functioning salt mine until sometime in the 1900's I think and then it's operation was seized and it was deemed a UNESCO site. Now over a million tourists visit it each year and it really is a site to be seen. When we got there we had to descend down 384 steps which took us 100 and some meters below the surface (the mine itself goes all the way down to 360m below I think) needless to say it was a long way down. Once we were down there there were countless tunnels and passages leading to all kinds of displays. It was really neat and I tried to take as many pictures as possible but many didn't turn out well because of the lack of lighting. But I did post the ones that seemed to be ok. Everything you see is made of rock salt! The floor, walls, and all the statues. There was a huge hall too where even the chandelier stones were carved from salt. People actually had weddings down there! Now you may be having a hard time believing me that all of it was salt and I did too in the beginning but I assure it is. I actually, might have, licked the wall, and boy was it salty! So there you have it....it's made of salt! After a two hour tour of the place you all pile into the giant elevator which is just a little scary. Especially to me, the one with a small fear of them in the first place. 36 people can fit on this thing and it gets you back up to the surface in 30 seconds which, in case you were wondering, is incredibly fast considering how far down you are. And to add to the fear it didn't actually have walls, it was a sheet of metal with a billion little holes in it so as you went up you could feel the air swooshing all around you. So not fun. But a WHOLE lot easier than taking the 384 steps back up!
After the mines we stopped for lunch and then it was back in the car and homeward bound. So really it was just a short trip but a memorable one. And I just love the fact that I can say "I went to Poland today". It's funny because now that just seems so normal but I know before I would have been amazed if someone told me they were visiting another country for the day. Sometimes I realize just how lucky I am to have been able to see all that I have. Thanks Rotary!
So above this I'll post a link to the pictures if you want to take a look and then I'm going to do another post on Easter. I think it deserves to be all on it's own, it was that special!
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