Poland for petrol

Today we drove to the village of Babin, to visit our friend Peter L. He is a close friend from Slovakia, who we got to know while he was living in San Francisco a few years back. Currently he has a job that keeps him on the Polish border. He also practices Akido.

He took us to the Oravsky Hrad. Hrad is Slovak for fortress, however a hrad is also a "castle", much nicer than just a fortress. (Zamok is the typle of castle that would have a princess, all fancy etc... Think France or Austria.) This hrad was first built in the 13th century, and was never overtaken by armed forces. It has a drawbride and windows to domp hot oil on intruders. The weapons rooms were awesome - love an old axe or mace.

Afterward we visited an old village - the opposite of the castle, where the serfs resided. It looked like Hobbiton - I loved it!

Peter then took me to me his Sensei. This may have been the highlight of the day for me. Martial Arts in the tiny towns of northern Slovakia - very cool!

We finished off the evening with halushkys, fried chees and bacon. Mmmmm bacon! Sunca!!!

I can't forget to mention... We went to Poland to purchase gas/petrol because they are not on the Euro yet and it is way cheaper in Zloty. On the way back we were pulled over by the police. WE were fine and polite, no problems. But then, after we dropped off Peter, we were pulled over again, near Zilina. This was a random drinking pull over. We have German plates so we look suspicious... Andrea was driving, because she needs practice. I also have violated the contract, allowing my car into Slovakia (not allowed to have it go into any Eastern Block counties... (I this there are some EU harmonization violations with this contract, but oh well...) We only had tea for dinner, so this was not the issue for us either. The worry was that this was the first time Andrea has ever been stopped by a police officer in any country. She played it cool - no tickets! She used my technique I had told her about, act polite and a little scared, like "I am from out of town, and a little lost etc.." This works in any country if your a cute girl. She did and it worked! (I did not want a ticket since it may give away my contract violation....and cost Euro...)

Tomorrow we leave Nova Dubnica and the family. I am sad about this. But we will start a new adventure - Off to Germany!

Meeting the Mayor

Yesterday - dateline 9/9/09:

The weather was totally aewesome - clear blue skys, around 24 C, (80 F?), swam in the pool 2x, went for a hike in the mountains, took a nap....

Andrea's father is very good friends with the Mayor of Trencin, so he and his wife came over for a casual dinner. They speak a little English, but not alot. I practiced my Slovak with everyone. I am pretty ballsy and hate being quiet so I got into the mix. We discussed the USA economic crisis and Detroit gang violence and crazy meth-heads in England.

Andrea's father has a fish farm in the back acers, so we had freshly caught and killed trout, grilled...mmmm...

Then we finished the day with home made apple slivovica and the futbol game. If you did not hear - Slovensko 2:0 N. Ireland = WOOT!!!! Slovensko is number one in their grouping for the first round of World Cup qualifiers. (If you are not following - the World Cup will be in South Afrika in 2010)

Today my 2 brothers (brat in Slovensko hahaha) arrive in Trencin. We have to pick them up. My brother Joe told me he did NOT get a haircut before the trip, so I have to take him to the salon - he needs to look metro before we go out to the bars. The girls here are very pretty, so he cannot look like a scrub.

Meso!!!

Last night Andrea and I went for vecera in Stare Mestro Bratislava, at the Rio, a brazilian resteraunt across from the American Embassy, with her aunt and cousin.

We ordered the largest meat/meso platter. Ribs, sausage, beek steak, more ribs, more beef, corn, veggies, all on a big wooden plank. It was a meat fest!! I also had 2 Jack Daniels to wash the beef down. Heaven! And all of this was on the patio, in 78 degree summer weather with a beautiful sunset.

The American Embassy is stupid. They have a very ugly stupid iron gate wall, making it all look war-like. While the French, Japanese, Greece, Canada Embassies are all friendly facing a beautiful fountain and church square. The americans wanted a big ugly brick wall but the Slovak city government refused to permit that. So the iron gate is a compromise.

Slovensko Futbol!!!!

Today the boys are supposed to get to Munich. Then take a vlak to Vienna. Then Andrea and I are going to make them take a vlak to Bratislava and Trencin to save je a ty about 5 hours of driving. It is dumb for me and her to drive all the way there and back again, for 20 year old boys. They speak english in vienna and bratislava so the boys should not have a problem. Today we relax by the pool.... all day!!! The weather is 80 degrees and sunny. Yesterday and the day before we spend the day in Bratislava, and spent time with Andrea's cousin and aunt - her father's sister. Her aunt is a dentist, her husband is a surgeon, and her cousin is a pharmasist. We discussed american healthcare. They have a nice apartment by the hospital where all 3 of them work. Andrea and I also spend the afternoon shopping - I bought a Slovensko futbol jersey - there is a big futbol game for world cup qualificaitons tonight against north irland - booo north irland!!! Yah Slovensko!!!!

Wein/Vienna

Today we take the boys to Vienna - they have to fly back to the USA and work.... sucks.... However me and Andrea are going to go visit friends in Bratislava - FUN!!!

Wedding!

Yesterday was Andrea's sister's wedding - it was awesome! We danced and drank slivovica until 3:30 am. The reception was at our hotel so we staggered only a few meters to bed. Today we just take it easy and have a family dinner in the backyard.

September 4th, the day before the wedding we also just took it easy - touring Trencin, eating pizza.

The boys (hugh and john) both fly out of Vienna on the 7th. Andrea and I will drive them there and then go visit friends in Bratislava.

Joe and Pete arrive in Vienna on the 10th via train from Munich.

A week on the road...

For the past week we have been on the road. Now we are finally in Slovensko and it feels like a homecoming. We are in Nova Dubnica, a village outside of Trencin, Andrea's hometown. The wedding of her sister is on September 5th.

August 28th we arrived in Munich, rented a car and drove to Metz, France. I posted that story, so.....The next day we drove to Normandie and had a wonderful family dinner with Isabelle's aunt, uncle, cousin and various spouses, and slept. They live in a large home in Caen. Her uncle has a beautiful fruit garden.

The next day we toured Normandie: Mont St Michel, D-Day beaches, Bayeaux (tapestry city), and a delicious dinner of duck and red wine.

My grandfather Cutts fought in WWII and stormed the beaches of Normandie, specifically Utah beach. We made a pilgrimage to the beach. He was wounded on the day he fought, but he is alive and well today, living in Hawaii!

August 30th we toured Caen, and more of Normandie, Cabourg, and the village of Deauville, an American Cinema city on the beach. It was an unusual sunny day on a warm Normandie beach. Everyone (except me cause I tan) got a sunburn. We then drove to Paris and played pin bowling with friends on the canal.

September 1 we toured all of Paris. In one day we hit the following: Eiffel Tower, Passy Cemetary, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees, McDonalds, Louvre (outside only), St. Germain Fountaine, Notre Dame, Sacred Heart and Montmartre area. We drank red wine, ate pate and foie gras, and kissed in the dark. We started and ended the day in Bry-sur-Marne, where Isabelle's parents live and where we slept. Her parents assisted the fight against communism behind the Slovak borders, and told us scary exciting stories, hiding behind bureaus, sleeping in flooded tents in the Tetras mountains, and feeding us very well.

September 2 - we drove day and night to get to Slovensko. 15 hours from Paris to Trencin.

September 3 we are in heaven! Slovensko, Slovensko, aya, aya, aya Slovensko!!!!