Last Day in Lavoca

June 29, 2007 Friday

Today is the last day. The conference finishes after lunch. Several of us are staying until Saturday, because the transportation is spotty. The main topic of conversation is “And how did you get here? How did it work? Not well, eh?” Some people changed airports in London and had to run for miles through a tunnel to catch the bus. One guy’s plane was late and he ended up on a 13 hour train trip because he had to take a local instead of an express. Huan’s luggage was lost for days. It went to Bratislava, because that was the only city in Slovakia that the airline had a contact with.

Anyway, I was delegated to find some tour that we could take. I talked it over with the hotel desk and we decided that the church and castle that I had already been to was the only good choice for a short afternoon’s trip. We started with 5 for sure and ended up with the 7 that was maximum for the group. The tour company reduced the price slightly because we were cutting out some of the normal trip. Instead we added another church that one of the Slovakian guys said was a must. I was really impressed with the guide (Ondrey again). He called his company. They called the priest of the church. He made arrangements with the woman who has the key and gives tours. All while we were on our way to the first church.

Here is our happy little group:

We were locked in the church again. We can’t take pictures but I convinced the guide to let me take a picture of her key.

The second church had been a drive-by the first time and I was glad that I got to see the inside.

It had been frescoed in the 12 – 14^th centuries. Then during a plague, all of the walls had been painted white as a disinfectant. It wasn’t until the 20^th century, that it was discovered that the frescoes were there. The only problem about this church was that the woman with the key needed to tell us waaaay more that we really were interested in hearing.

Then off to the castle. You really can see it from anywhere in the area.

Ondrey is a good guide and he gave a very interesting tour. Just enough information. This time I climbed the keep.

The stairs inside are worn stone and very very very narrow.

The view from the top was worth it.

You can see how empty this country is. It only has 5.5 million people. On the way back Ondrey took us through a gypsy village. He said that it is important to show people the bad things as well as the good. He explained about the problems of the gypsies – some the government’s fault, other’s the gypsies.

A group went to Barakan for dinner. I shared a greek salad with Chuck and had grilled pheasant breast with wood mushrooms and prunes and of course roasted potatoes.

Packed to leave the next morning.