Lighten up

This weekend, Matt and I headed for the High Tatras, Slovakia's biggest mountains. The people I've been teaching at the car dealership let me borrow a car. I've really enjoyed traveling by bus and train, but I was thrilled by the freedom of driving. We stopped for hot chocolate twice!

Our first stop was in Vlkolínec, a village with 35 inhabitants. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site, so the wooden buildings are carefully preserved. It was a colorful little place. I can't imagine living in such a small village. We also went to the castle in Orava on Friday. It teeters on the edge of a very steep mountain. It was built in 1267. Incredible. We stayed in a nice hotel near Štrbské Pleso, an alpine lake. The lake was covered in snow, so it was difficult to fully appreciate.

On Saturday, we drove through the High Tatras. We wanted to take a gondola ride to the second highest peak in Slovakia, but the winds were too high. So, we headed to our final destination early. We stayed at Bešeňová, a spa! We soaked in a variety of hot tubs, including several that had healthy, brown water. Seriously. We also took advantage of the indoor water slide. It was very relaxing.

Today, we visited a huge wooden church. I'm a big fan. The bells tolled as soon as we arrived. We also took an hour tour of The Cave of Liberty. It was massive and strangely beautiful, but I was eager to see daylight. After bryndzové halušky for lunch, Matt was pulled over by a fine member of the Slovak police force because he didn't have his lights on. Apparently, Slovaks use their lights at all times of day. After some confusion in which I exhausted my very limited vocabulary and my ever-present charm, we were let go with a warning. We love the Slovak police.