Sunday, October 24, 2010 in Bratislava

Because I didn't realize that day light savings time ended today, I was up and ready for church extra early, and wondering why Stan was still in his PJs....his Blackberry had changed automatically.  We went to the small Slovakian branch where Slovakian, Russian, English, and German were spoken.  One of the missionaries, Elder Melling, translated for us.  Elder Melling is soon going home to CEDAR CITY and will once again be a student at SUU.  Small world; he is the nephew of Cory Huntsman Melling, Stan's cousin's daughter.  It was a wonderful meeting with talks on covenants (in English given by a woman from Sweden) and dispensations (in Russian, translated into Slovakian, and then translated into English for us.) The 5th Sunday joint meeting was a lesson on temples given by the branch president.  The church is in its infancy here, the Book of Mormon has not been translated into the Slovakian language yet.  But there was a wonderful spirit in the meeting and we were grateful to be there among the members, the missionaries, and the investigators.

There is a bridge that crosses the Danube River that has a tower and looks like a space ship.  It is called the UFO.  We walked there, and took the inclinator up to the top to enjoy the view and dine at a fine restaurant.  Of course we didn't know it was a fine restaurant until we got there and certainly were not dressed as well as we should have been  (Stan editorial comment- I told Carol to be sure not to spill on her levies), but we stayed anyway and had a lovely dinner with a view of the whole city with it's lights.  The castle looked especially beautiful as the lights came on while we watched.

In the elevator as we left for dinner we met Bill Bagatelas.  He is an American from the Chicago area who has been teaching at the university here in Bratislava for eleven years.  He was on his way to meet someone and we were on our way to the bridge and dinner but we decided to meet later, and so we did.  We met him at a pub in Old Town and had a very interesting conversation.  At first it focused on the health care problems in America, taxes, the economy, why we were here, why he was here, etc. and then religion came up and Stan was able to tell him that we are Mormon.  He lit up and told us that for about a year, in 2008, he had been studying with the missionaries as a result of going to a international folk dance performance by BYU students.  He asked us several questions about Joseph Smith, Nauvoo, Carthage, the first vision, etc.  He may go to church with us next Sunday. 

It has been a full and wonderful Sunday.  We are looking forward to our final week here in Bratislava and continue to enjoy our experience here.

UFO Tower

Bratislava Castle at night from the UFO tower

Kosice to Krasha Horka to Nitra to Bratislava

October 30 Saturday

We drove back to Bratislava from Kosice, we had intended to go through Hungary but me and the Garmin (?) ended up going through Southern Slovakia.  It turned out to be interesting.  Once again we saw castle ruins every few miles.  Near the Hungarian border we went to Krasha Horka Hrad (Castle) but it was closed.  It has an interesting history being part of the famous Andrassy (Count Andrassy of Sissi fame) family of Hungary.  It is also one of the best preserved castles because of its location, it was not destroyed by the Germans or the Soviets.

We then drove to Nitra which was for me a pleasure.  It is a city with a 6,000 year history.  It has an interesting importance to the entire European and Christian history.  In about 860 AD the King of the Land invited the Emperor of the Byzentine church to send missionaries to help teach his people.  The missionaries selected were two brothers, Cyril and Methodius.  They learned the language and wrote the gospels into the language of the people and developed the Glagolitic alphabet, which is the precedessor to the Cyrillic alphabet which is still used in Russia and other euro-asian countries.  There was a wonderful small museum in the Nitra Castle which had many old manuscripts from the work done by Cyril and Methodius. (see picture below)

KRASHA HORKA HRAD

STATUE OF CYRIL AND METHODIUS

ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT IN MUSEUM

KOSICE

October 29 Friday

We are staying at the Munz Hotel in Kosice (Ko sheets ca).  It is unusal in the sense that it has an Andy Warhol Museum as part of the Hotel.  His mother was born near Kosice and so that is a natural affinity to him.  So the Hotel is a attribute to him and his art and there are some rare prints in the museum room including a Marilyn Monroe print that has unusal lighting.  See picture below of a statue of Andy Warhol on the soup can.

Kosice is the second largest city in Slovakia on the eastern side near the Hungarian border.  It is about 250,000 people.  It has a nice and well preserved city center.  We had a unique experience, as we entered the city center main street (Hlavna) we ran into the missionaries including Elder Smith who we met in Bratislava, he had been transfered this week to Kosice.

We spent the day walking up and down the main street and went to a couple of museums which were more like a museum of a museum, they were old museums so it was like seeing what a museum would have been like in the 50s.  We did some shopping.  We actually walked 7 km (4 1/2 miles), okay Cristina we understand that it nothing compared to your marathon.  There is a major marathon in this community, see the picture of the statue,

So Carol wants me to add that the best 5 euros we have spent the entire trip was for the taxi back to the Hotel which is 3 1/2 kms uphill.  We had a nice day and have a deep appreciation for this wonderful land.  We have felt God's love for his children by providing a beautiful earth.  We have felt saddness as we have learned of man's inhumanity to one another in this land.  We have added our prayers for the missionaries and the Church.  What a marvelous story about the church being established in this land. 

Road trip to Kosice, October 28, 2010

It was suggested to us by an attorney in Bratislava, Peter Vollant, that we might enjoy traveling the northern route to Kosice from Bratislava, that the charm of the small towns and the landscape were something to behold.  Boy was he right!  Everything was especially beautiful on this sunny autumn day, breathtaking, really!  We passed by many castle ruins perched high on ledges, the snowcapped Tatra Mountians, rivers, and a lake, where we stopped at a small lodge for lunch.  Dumplings, goulash, cabbage soup, or potatoes, anyone?  Those are the sides served with nearly everything. It was a long trip because it was only freeway part of the way and driving through small towns on two lane roads' road blocks because of accidents, etc. held us back a bit;. that and Stan's excitment and need to see and take pictures from all angles of the Tatra's.  He was like a kid from Kansas; never having seen a mountain before.  We drove up close, far away, across the road, etc.  But we arrived in Kosice safely at around 6 p.m. Stan is busy planning our itinerary for tomorrow.  I am sure it will include waking up earlier than I would like.

PIESTANY

October 26 and 27

On Tuesday, October 26, 2010 Stan and I decided it was time for a road trip.  With no definite plans and no reservations we got into our little rented Mercedes and headed north and east, hoping eventually to end up in Kosice....at some point.  Stan had read a little about a town only a little ways away called Piestany, which has warm mineral baths and and someplace called 'spa island' by theVah River.  While Stan had climbing castles and ancient churches in mind for this town, I heard the word 'SPA' and headed straight there.  Stan tried to talk me into visiting other places and then perhaps coming back, but I had the power (the keys to the car) and I parked and marched into the lobby to book a room somewhere, anywhere in this complex.  I immediately made appointments for mineral baths, massages, and a pedicure.  Stan was in agreement once he found that he could golf the 9 hole course the next day.  AND we had a big bed with a feather bed cover for each of us.  Now, I told Stan, I am totally on vacation.  We went to the lounge last night after dinner where they had live music and dancing!

Wednesday October 27, 2010

We stayed an extra day in Piestany (Pee esch stan ee).  We went to breakfast which was included with the room.  Carol had quark and yogurt with her fruit.  When she asked what quark was made of, I told her wall plaster as best as I could tell, she agreed that is now it tastes, but you must say it gives the breakfast substanance.
Then I went golfing at a 9 hole course, too many trees, I hit one ball that actually struck three trees and the parking lot behind us.  Carol walked with me for exercise.  It was a beautiful day about 50 degrees and sunny.  After golf we had a nap, I fell asleep in the bath tube and Carol started calling for me and woke me up, otherwise, I could still be asleep.  We then went bowling at the Victoria lanes in Piestany.  They were actually very nice.  We did okay after we got the feeling for the ball and lanes.

Then we went back to our Hotel, the Balnea Grand, and skyped, Karen, Eric and Ashtyn.  It was fun to see them.  We then had dinner in the Prague room.  I made the mistake of going to the Warsaw room this morning, a bad mistake, waitress not too happy.  No dancing tonight, too tired.

Carol at the Golf Course

Stan making a putt after one of the few good shots

Carol at the bowling lane

Monday October 25 ?

I believe that today is October 25 either in the USA or Slovakia.  I looked at the calender so I know it is October 25, Monday.  We have power, it took the head maintance man but we apparently are not the only ones to blow all the power to a room so he knew what to do.  Next time we need to not do it on a weekend.

It was been rainy and cold all day, but we have been inside so it has not effected us.  We met and took the missionaries to lunch at the Flagship Restaurant on Postal, an Elder Wilson (Sandy Utah), Smith (Sandy) and Taylor (Brigham City).  They are enjoying their missions, they recognize that they are pioneers.  There are about 70 members 30 to 35 active, but they have a nice facitlity in the middle of the city at 4 Grosslinger.  We will meet them again at Church.

Then we met with a local attorney, Peter Bollant with Cechova & Partners.  We had a nice conversation about the comparative laws.  He suggested that we go Kosice and so we are traveling to Kosice.

We then went shopping at a new grocery store, Lidl?  Nothing special to report, maybe we are finally beginning to become natives.

Touring tomorrow- Piestany, Zilina, Proprad and Kosice then around through Hungary and back to Bratislava.  We are planning a three day trip.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Still no power...Our adventure continues with Stan waking us up bright and early to attend church.  He failed to call and confirm that church would actually be held in Bratislava today.  It turns out that there was a district conference and no local services were held.  Still no power... So we spent the day walking on the Promenade by the Danube, having a nice brunch at Hotel Devin, taking a guided tour of the old city, and driving to the Castle Devin.  Now the Castle Devin is only about 5 miles away, but becaause we failed to make the necessary left turn (it was not marked)  we made it into a 25 mile trip.  We hiked to the top of the castle and enjoyed a spectacular view of the Morova River as it merged with the Danube.  Still no power.... We had a lovely dinner at the Riviera Restaurant just up the street from where we are staying.  Still no power.....Stan called the missionaries and we are meeting them for lunch tomorrow.  Because we still have no power we went downstairs to the study center in the dorm and read and charged up the computer and phones, etc.  (No wonder we blew a fuse.)  Thankfully we did not shut down all of the lights in the study center.  We were delighted to receive a telephone call from Cristina and Mathis while we were there.  They thought it was unusual that Stan answered the phone with a whisper instead of a big HOWDY.  We explalined our electrical problem and how we were hanging out in the study hall.  It was so good to get their call and chat!  We have experienced a bit of a roll reversal.  Carol has spend years ignoring the fact that Stan wears his houseslippers out in public, everywhere.  Today, with tired feet, Carol wore here pink slippers to the study hall, while Stan looked dapper with his Dress Loafers.

Comenius University

October 23, 2010


Fianlly the day of teaching begins.  On Saturday Oct 23, 2010 we attended the last session of the Conference then in the afternoon I had my first class session. 

But in the morning when we were getting ready, my dear wife with my help blow all the electricity in the room with her blow dryer.  We tried to explain to the person at the desk but on the weekend no one seeks english at the desk and the Hotel is closed, we left the room hoping that we had communicated our dilemma so we would have power restored by the end of the day, but apparently we did not since when we returned after dark, Carol had to shower to the light of the blackberry backlight, really cool.  Then we played cards to the light of the computer.  When our batteries are exhausted I am not sure what we do, Carol says we go to real Hotel.

When we tried to leave the parking lot we were surprized to discovery that for some reason the parking lot was closed with an iron gate that had not previously been there all week.  So we had to maneuver down the ramp to the garbage dumpster and around it across the lawn.  No police so we escaped on our way to the University.

My class was marvelous, wonderful and inspiring.  If these students are the future of Slovakia then this country has a good future.  I had to teach five hours which is difficult especially when you have planned to teach in smaller segments but the students were great.  Carol took individual phots of them so we can learn their names, at least the first name.  There is a picture of the class and some of the students below.  We have been treated in a wonderful way by the University.

They were good sports are about taking their picture, there were a few who did not participate and a comment about the mug shot picture.

Friday October 22, 2010 in Bratislava

Today, the Law seminar continued at Comenius University.  Stan wanted to attend the criminal law portion as we had met a young law professor from Croatia who was presenting.  I tagged along and found it quite interesting. The Euro Union still hasn't figured out how to handle criminal cases that cross borders, among other things.
Tonight I bought tickets to Tancovali (dance) nasi vasim, SL'UK.  It was delightful folk dancing while telling the story of the wedding of a country boy to a city girl.  There was no dialogue, which was good for us, but lots of music and dancing.
We are doing well and enjoying this opportunity to be here. We have been companions 24/7 and still like each other...of course it hasn't even been 2 weeks yet. 

BRATISLAVE OCTOBER 19th, 20th and 21st

We are now residents of Bratislava, we can find our way to the Grocery store but not back, at least not easily.  (Carol loves Billas because the sign is yellow).  She was so pleased that she had figured out how to shop in Europe.  She has her bag, but just when she thought she it all figured out she learned for the second time that you must weigh your own produce.  So the line of people watch in semi-disguest as the clerk very nicely rans back and weighs our produce.  Nice but embrassing., nobody yelled at us.  Of course, at night some fellow yelled at someone on the telephone at 11:30 at night for 45 minutes, it was hard to sleep with his yelling and the college kids signing.

On Tuesday, October 20th, we met with my helper, Veronic Uzakova, a 35 year law professor, and the Assistant Dean, Maria Patakyova who set up my schedule.  Which is posted on the door of her office. (see picture below). I have 35 students.  It turns that because of the Legal conference this week and next week being a holiday, I will need to teach only three days but I will need to teach, 4 to 6 hours a day on Saturday the 25th and Friday and Saturday the 4th and 5th of November, so Carol and I now have about two weeks of open time, so we will travel some more.

Carol found a favoite place:  a European Chocolate Cafe:



We tried to book a boat trip to Vienna but we discovered that one company only goes from Vienna to Bratislava this time of year and the other company only goes from Bratislava to Vienna but they leave from different docks.  Okay maybe we did not understand but we asked several times, nobody ever explained why the boats go back empty.

On Thursday, we had the wonderful experience of attending a major European Legal Conference sponsored by Comenius University Law School for its 90th aniversity.  The Conference is entitled Law as a Unifying Factor of Europe Jurisprudence and Practice.  There are 12 different programs with many presentations from professors and professionals from Europe.  The Opening included remarks by the President of Solvakia and the President of the Court of Justice for Europe, it was held in a splendid hall in the University.  See the follwing pictures:

We attended a reception at the National Council of the Slovak Republic.  See photo of Stan with Vassilios Skouris, President of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

We had dinner with a wonderful couple from Croatia, Barbara Herceg and her friend Ivan Paksic.  She is a law professor in Croatia and he is a federal organized crime law enforcement officer.  Needless to say we had a great conversation.  It was somewhat sad because of the corruption that they feel exists in their beautiful country.

Bratislava is a beautiful City, once the capital of the Hungarian Empire including while Queen Maria Theresa of the Habsburg was in Vienna but also Queen of Hungary when Budapest was under conquest by the Turks.  The City was called Pressburg.  Bratislava has a colorful history and many beautiful buidlings.  (but also some ugly apartment and office buildings, residue from the Communist era).

 

Carol suggested that I describe how I saved us from picket pockets (sham artists).  At night while we were walking to the reception (slightly lost) a person played like he was from Greece and asked if we could tell him how to get to the Opera.   I suggested he go into the Hotel for help but he refused.  Then another man came and claimed to be hotel security and told the man he could not exchange money and asked to see his money, the man showed him his wallet and mnoney.  Then he asked to see our money, I went to get my wallet then I realized that something was fishy and I got into attorney mode and they ran away.  Carol may have a slightly different story but that is the way I remember the incident.

Looking forward to tomorrow.  Is anyone following the blog.  Add your comments.



Trip to Bratislava from Budapest, October 18, 2010

Our trip from Budapest to Bratislava was, fortunately, uneventful.....no stops by the police.  It rained a bit but the roads are good and we traveled and found our dormitory hotel room just fine.  The dormitory buildings are rather old and plain but our building is located on the street that runs parallel to the Danube River and our room is located on the 5th floor in a wing seperate from the students.  We have a view of a hill and it is very pretty with houses and buildings lit up at night. We have access to very cheap cafeteria meals located just one building over and we ate there tonight.  We took a drive and located the University, circling it several times in trying to avoid one-way streets.  We have decided that the trolley that runs right down our street will be the most efficient and safest way to travel there as parking is a big problem.  Stan is very disappointed that there is no subway.  He loves going underground.

BUDAPEST October 16th and 17th

Our travel by car from Prague to Budapest took us through beautiful forested countryside and farmland.  The soil is black, quite different from the Mojave Desert where we reside.  We drove on a well maintained freeway the whole way in our rented grey mid-size Mercedes.  We thought we fit in quite well with the European traveler..............but apparently not.  We were stopped twice by the police, once in the Czech Republic for not having purchased the sticker required to drive in their country and once on the border of Slovakia and Hungary.  We still don't know why we were stopped there, but we did produce every form of identification that we had and we DID have the proper sticker purchased so we are not in jail at this time.

Stan in Europe is like a kid in Disneyland.  We hit the ground running as soon as we checked into our Marriott hotel by taking what was supposed to be a 30 minute walk to the Chain Bridge, getting lost and arriving at the Chain Bridge which stretches across the Danube River about an hour and a half later.  It was lovely once we arrived and we strolled across the bridge, had dinner, and started back.  Stan and the Garmin again disagreed about the best way to get back to the hotel, and we were once again lost.  He had lost all sense of direction and even I knew it.  I told him that there would be a taxi ride from now on if he wouldn't listen to the GPS.  He made up for it today by taking me on a guided Parliament and City Tour.  Before we did that, however, we found our way to a chapel for Sacrament Meeting at one of the local wards.  It was high council Sunday.  The missionary there found a member who knew English to translate for me.  The message was forgiveness, having a loving heart, and missionary work.  We visited many sites today and the Hungarian Parliment Building is my favorite of all the castles and buildings I have ever visited in Europe.  It was magnificent and tasteful and practical at the same time.  Very beautiful!  We also visited Heroes Square, Mathias Church, and the Royal Castle area.  We ate stuffed cabbage, cucumber sour cream salad, crepe stuffed with paprika chicken and pork tenderloin with potatoes at an outdoor restaurant overlooking the Danube then walked back to the hotel with no wrong turns.  It did, indeed take about 30 minutes!



Vienna

Vienna

Vienna Austria was our first stop on our autumn adventure.  British Airways managed to get us and our luggage here on time, but unfortunately, the baggage handlers must have tossed our bags a little too roughly.  We discovered our camera was broken in flight, after we had climbed a really steep hill at Shoen Brunner Castle gardens to get that perfect shot of the castle with Vienna in the background. Bummer!!!  Of course we could have shot a photo with Stan's Blackberry device, but neither of us thought of that until later in the day when we were in a camera shop purchasing a new camera.  It is very bad when our 'senior moments' coinside.  Other highlights of Vienna were St. Stephen's church, the Hofburg palace, the beautiful white Lipizzaner Stallions, Belvedare Castle and art museum. 

Today, October 14, 2010, we drove from downtoen Vienna to Prague, Czech Republic.  Stan and the Garmin GPS were fighting over who was navigating, but in the end we arrived timely and in good shape. Just about half way through the trip I realized that the speed signs posted were for minimum speed on the Autobahn, not top speed limits.  (No wonder everyone was passing me!)  The second half of the trip I like to think that I was driving like a European.

Prague

PRAGUE  (Thursday and Friday)

Carol and I are now sure that Prague is another most see City when you travel to Europe.  I think that Walt Disney must have designed the City, it is enchanting.  The Czechs have been able to maintain the traditional European elegance and add the modern comfort.

We think that every couple should stroll along the Charles Bridge at night.  We went across about 9 oclock at night.  There were many others with the same idea.  You have this wonderful feeling going over the bridge with the water, the lights and the city lit up in the background.

We recommend the food but are now afraid that even though we have probably walked 10 miles in Prague, with the pork, potatoes, bread, pudding, gravey that we have eaten we are still gaining weight.  We have now resolved to order one dish of food and only eat half.

I had to stop Carol from from shopping at every store.  There was something she wanted at every store.  Of course when I pointed out that the cystal cost 5,000 ck per glass she was more restrained.

We went to the Ceske Filharmonie and watched a performance of Beethoven.  It was marvelous, the Conducter was a woman named Marin Alsop.  They also had a pianist named Rustem Hayroudinoff.  It was a lovely evening.

I have included a picture of Carol's Mercedes, not quiet the Mercedes that you dream about, but okay.

Below is the program for the concert:

15. října 2010
pátek Dvořákova síň
19:30

Cyklus D1-10 L. VAN BEETHOVEN: Leonora III., předehra op. 72
L VAN BEETHOVEN: Koncert pro klavír a orchestr č. 5 Es dur op. 73 "Císařský"
D. ŠOSTAKOVIČ: Symfonie č. 5 op. 47
Česká filharmonie
klavír Rustem Hayroudinoff
dirigent Marin Alsop

Charles Bridge (650 years old) 

Carol's Mercedes

Picture from the Bridge over the Vltava River

On the Charles Bridge at night

One of many beautiful buildings in Old Town

Tomorrow Budapest, we are sad to say NA SHLEDANOU to Prague

Trip Agenda

Here are our plans:

October 10, 2010 Leave 20:40 fly to Vienna through London arrive in Vienna October 11 at 20:00.

We will be in Vienna on Oct 11, 12, 13 and leave for Prague on Oct 14

While in Vienna we will be staying at the Renaissance Wien, it is near Schoenbrunn Schloss

If you would like a tour click below:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/viehw-renaissance-wien-hotel/

On October 14 we travel to Prague, we will be staying at Courtyard Prague Flora in downtown, we will stay in Prague the 14th, 15th and leave the 16th

   

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-photos.mi?marshaCode=prgcy&pageID=HWHOM

On October 16th Saturday we will travel to Budapest and will stay at the Courtyard Budapest City Center and will stay in Budapest the 16th and 17th and then travel to Bratislava on Oct 18th (Monday).

 
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-photos.mi?marshaCode=budcy&pageID=HWHOM

On Monday Oct 18th we will drive to Bratislava and stay at the Hotel Druzba on the Danuba, it is the offical Hotel for the University (more like a Dorm which should be fun)
  

http://bratislava.prague-hotel.org/druzba/

We will stay in Bratslava until November 5.  I will attend a European Legal Conference at Comenius University on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and start teaching at the University on Monday October 25th for two weeks.

WE FEEL BLESSED TO HAVE THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, WE WILL POST PICTURES AND COMMENTS DURING THE TRIP