Happy camper

I spent Thursday night with Simona and her mom in their family cottage. We took a bus for about an hour and walked 40 minutes farther to reach it. I was expecting a large tent made of bricks... I was amazed by the reality. It was a beautiful home, lacking only electricity and running water. Simona's grandfather spent ten years building it in his spare time. We played cards and relaxed in the sun. And, of course, we feasted. I slept like a rock. On the way home, we stopped at a koliba to have Kofola. It's a Slovak cola that tastes perfect on a hot day.

Today, there was a halušky competition in Turecká, a neighboring village. Teams of four made and ate huge quantities of bryndzové halušky as quickly as possible. It was hilarious. Simona and I cheered for this team.

Bryndzové halušky is the national dish of Slovakia. It consists of potato dumplings, sheep's cheese, and bacon.

Street of dreams

Thanks to Mom, Dad, Jen, Greg, Sarah, Jesse, Meg, Brent, and Jill, I am bringing a piece of Banská Bystrica home with me. They gave me a painting! When I am in Denver, I will look at it and remember my favorite part of my favorite Slovak town. I will imagine walking to the stand at the end of the road to buy dried strawberries or papaya. I will remember the sound of the clock tower, ringing seven minutes before the hour. I will think of the accordion player who set my steps to music during every season. I will remember the smiling people who climbed the little hill with ice cream cones and fancy strollers. Dolna Street is beyond charming and I am beyond grateful. My children (and yours) will grow very tired of hearing me talk about the town in the picture. Thank you.

Cultured cousins

In Lynn's final two days, we packed in plenty of fun. On Friday, we conquered Vienna. We started the day at St. Stephen's cathedral; we saw masterpieces by Monet and Picasso at the Albertina Museum; and we walked through the beautiful gardens at the Schönbrunn Palace.

Yesterday, we were ready to relax. We spent the day at Zlaté Piesky, a lake in Bratislava. We soaked up the sun. Lynn and I rented a paddle boat and discovered a nude beach on the opposite side of the lake. It was a memorable experience! I had to say goodbye to Lynn, Tara, and Nate in Bratislava yesterday. I instantly missed their wide-eyed smiles. Thanks for coming!

Royal ruins

Today, Lynn, Nate, Tara, Simona, and I traveled east to the Spiš castle. It was built in the 12th century and was recently featured in the movie The Last Legion. It is the largest castle in central Europe. Hiking around the ancient walls was enthralling but exhausting.

We also visited Levoča, home of the famous Master Pavol. He carved a 60-foot alter out of wood without using a single nail. It was beautiful. The Madonna from the alter is featured on Slovakia's 100-crown bill. Pavol was a very talented man... almost as good as our Uncle Mike.

¡Say queso!

Lynn's here! It's fun to witness her bubbly personality colliding with Europe's incredible sites. I like her. I also like her traveling companions, Tara and Nate. It's an upbeat group with plenty of energy. We toured Bratislava on Friday before heading to Spain! Barcelona was beautiful. I blame Gaudí. He's the architect behind La Segrada Família, Parc Güell, and a few other unique buildings. His designs include incredible mosaics and very curvy facades. On Sunday, we headed to the beach. The forecast called for rain, but we enjoyed several hours of pure sunshine. Heaven! We also tasted some traditional Spanish food- paella and tapas. I think it was a completely successful weekend in Spain.

Parc Güell was muy bonita. A wavy bench wrapped around an open area where tourists and pigeons mingled. Lynn (A.K.A. Lola) put her Spanish lessons to the test. ¡Ay, caramba!

Dutch bikes and dikes

I can't seem to stay away from Holland. After another fun-filled weekend in Utrecht, I have decided that there just aren't enough bikes in the rest of the world. It's amazing what the Dutch have done with bicycles. The bike paths have their own stop lights and the bikers have their own road rules and traffic jams. It's not uncommon to see parents with two or three kids attached to their bikes. Sometimes they sit in giant baskets. I joined in the peddling this weekend. I rode all over town and even about an hour outside of Utrecht for a barbecue on a lake. I introduced the international crowd to roasted marshmallows.

On Monday, Aaron took me to Afsluitdijk, a major dike in the Netherlands. It's about 20 miles long. It was strange to see the sea on both sides of the road. The breeze was salty and refreshing. And the company was nice. Aaron is a Kiwi with a talent for putting me at ease and making me laugh. I would be happy to find myself in Holland again.

Oh boy! Bojnice!

Simona and I visited the castle in Bojnice today. It's one of Slovakia's most popular tourist attractions, and it's easy to see why. This must have been Walt Disney's inspiration! It dates back to the 10th century, but the most current renovations were done to imitate French castles. It is absolutely stunning.

Take a hike

It's been a very good week. Yesterday, I didn't have classes because of Labor Day. It's interesting to hear how the celebrations have changed since the fall of communism... no more mandatory celebrations over the joys of working. Instead, Simona and I had a movie marathon at the Europa shopping center and then watched some folk dancers perform. I could have stood there for hours.

The whole town has been taking advantage of the gorgeous weather. The restaurants on the square have packed the place with outdoor seating, and ice-cream eaters run rampant. The fountain is blasting, and I'm overjoyed. Today, Simona and I took another hike near her neighborhood. Simona likes to hike like I do, relaxed and with a supply of chocolate.