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Post by Travelling Kai on Dec 30, 2007 3:46:36 GMT -7
Kai, what type of food does your family eat for Christmas? We were visiting for two days John's (my husband) family in Texas. Some of them are of Czech origin, also Urbans, but from a different branch, not related. Ah, here I am relaxing in Stara Lubovna, perhaps with a ski trip to Vysny Ruzbachy scheduled for the afternoon. I have been tying up the family computer for a few hours catching up on things, so will not stay on line long now. The Christmas dinner writeup will have to await my return whenI can dedicate time to it and not disrupt my hosts too much. I tried to take good notes, as it seems to be a popular topic and I must write it up for ssme others as well. The family and traditions up here on the Polish border are Rusyn, not Slovak. North of the Poprad you would call me Lemko. I spent the first day (eve) fo Christmas in Stara Lubovna and second and third days in the village on the border. There is talk of building a foot bridge across the Poprad to Poland, connecting the Zegiestow area with the Sulin water spring and the Slovak hiking trails. The village family did mention that the town family does not include the kapusta course in the Christmas dinner. It does seem that tehre is a sufficient supply of domov or white lightning to keep everyone happy. It is also VERY, VERY good! We should have kept the tradition in America. On the 1st of January three of us head off toward Bratislava and an appoinltment with the US embassy about visiting in Alaska. I hope all goes well, I would love to show off our great land! After that the kids (20 & 18) head home & I head to Germany to finish with visiting friends. It is great to visit here, but with my improving but poor command of Slovak it takes a bit of work. Fortunately the family and I all find it worthwhile. Kai Happy New Year to all!
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Post by valpomike on Dec 30, 2007 10:37:33 GMT -7
Kai,
Thanks for the update, and you and yours, Have a Happy New Year also.
Michael Dabrowski
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Post by Kai Traveling on Dec 31, 2007 11:07:21 GMT -7
Expect to have a short night tonight & be up to catch the bus to Banska Bystrica & Zvolen tomorrow to start some tourism with the two I am inviting to visit the US. On the 2nd we arrive in Bratislava and the 2rd meet the embassy ... On the 4th they will head home & I will head out of this fine land of Slovakia for the last few days visiting friends in German Land.
Had a good day skiing with three of the cousins, one for his third day & his brother & sister reluctantly started their first day - on snowboards. They ended the day sorry that the day ended so quickly, so it was a complete success.
Happy New year, All!
Kai
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Post by rdywenur on Dec 31, 2007 11:27:57 GMT -7
Happy New Year Kai....yipee yi ay Kiaya....Enjoy your trip. Those steins will be flowing tonight.
Chris
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Post by kai traveler on Jan 2, 2008 12:45:12 GMT -7
hi all -
am now in bratislava at an internet connection for a quick note. tested our teamwork coming into town with two natives and one traveler discovering how things work in the big city. we passed the test and team is being built.
tomorrow is the big day at the embassy. they blew off my request for me to talkwith them, so it all depends on the young peope's interviews. the girl isnervous.
we took a bus from the polish border to Zvolen in the middle of the country for a day's tourism and bombed out because everything was closed for new years day. came to b'lava today. for a goodby dinner we went to a slovak restaurant at my request as tourist, passing on the kids request for pizza. tonight we three tourists had pizza in part to build spirits and in part because we are now 3 and not one, discovering the city together. if they get their visas this early team practice will pay off during their visit to \alaksa.
\oh, poles have a bad reputation in slovakia. after about 3 or 4 incidences of loud, boystrous, litering and sleep distrubing poles, \i have to say they leave a bad image as vacationers. well, tomorrow we will see how the us embassy stacks up and then how we do as a mixed bag of tourists in the big city.
kai
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Post by kai the traveler on Jan 2, 2008 12:52:22 GMT -7
well, new years was spepctacular in stara lubovna. by the way, it was a part of the polish holdings at some early dates as shown by secular and church disputes on who had authority. the church decided on hungary over poland. then again the spis spisz was pawned to poland from about 1412 to 1770 or so, and it was a most prosperous time for the town.
we had no short celebration. we headed into downtown and the pedestrain way just off the town square. my cousin picked it right, as we were about 30 m from where they set off the spectacular fireworks - by a profi pyrotechniker. had a great street party, lots of personal bottles of champagne and some good cabbage / saurkraut soup to buy, live music and spntaneous dancing. just about teh very best new years \i have cleebrated. \i got to bed just before one and fell asleep to the sounds of continuiing fireworks. it beat the heck out of other celebrations \i have shared!
well, off to get ready for tomorrow.
kai
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Post by kai the traveller on Jan 5, 2008 1:39:53 GMT -7
had quite an adventure getting the two visas. allowed an extra 24 hours at the embassy for complications, and complications arose. Completed both visas with a number of magic tricks and well coordinated family effort - and used the full 24 extra hours minus 7 minutes.
Basically one visa was approved, the other cousin being 17 needed a parent on hand, so dad come in on hte night train and we re-submtted with him there the next morning. Waiting and multiple steps cost time ... and departure trains for us were at 10:10 and 10:50.
Approval was recieved with enough time for us to run to get the brother with the baggage, run to the tram, and then watch the clock tick on to 10 and after 10.... We said our goodbyes on the tram and the family ran off to their train with 7 minutes to make the run....
so I am now in germany and relaxing and about to get on the phone and work up visits with frineds. Will pobably next post again from home.
Ah, that it worked at all seemed to be due to one very professional woman at the visa section. Whoever you are, thank you very much. The close family effort was the other critical element that led to success. If they were watching us they saw a team that knew each other well and worked well and closely together, assuring that the kids do intend on returning to Slovakia as we say.
All in all a suecessful trip.
Kai
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Post by Jaga on Jan 5, 2008 10:52:28 GMT -7
+++The family and traditions up here on the Polish border are Rusyn, not Slovak. North of the Poprad you would call me Lemko. +++
I should know it but being in America make me less sensitive to different ethnic issues in Europe :0
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Post by kaima on Jan 10, 2008 15:21:43 GMT -7
Well, the trip was a great success, it held some pretty good challenges and a few adventures, but it was a very good and full month. I took my little book on Cracow for the second time, and again never put it to use. There is simply so much to do where ever I am .... I do expect future trips to be different again. THis was a bit like writing a chapter I have bee building up to for a long time, and it is now time to change direction and keep the story going.
The flight back was very long and mostly to be survived or endured rather than to be enjoyed. Perhaps next time I will check into the cost of spending a night or two in the cities I pass through to broaden the vacation.
Kai
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Post by rdywenur on Jan 10, 2008 16:04:16 GMT -7
Welcome home weary Happy traveler. Rest up then come back and fill us in...you did take fotos I hope. Give Pawian a run for his money ;D
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Post by bescheid on Jan 10, 2008 16:33:05 GMT -7
Welcome back! The primary thing is you have safely returned. Your timely dispatches were of great interest and fun to read.
As time allows, it will be of great pleasure to hear {read} of your adventures in your travels.
Again, a very heartfelt welcome back to you!!
Charles
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Post by valpomike on Jan 11, 2008 17:36:57 GMT -7
Kai,
As my children and grandchildren say, upon my return from any trip, What did you bring me? Did you have a great time? When do we see your photo's? When do you go back? I am glad you are home, and I will bet you are too.
Michael Dabrowski
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Post by kaima on Jan 12, 2008 0:01:33 GMT -7
Kai, As my children and grandchildren say, upon my return from any trip, What did you bring me? Did you have a great time? When do we see your photo's? When do you go back? I am glad you are home, and I will bet you are too. Michael Dabrowski Michael, I certainly didn't mean to neglect you or anyone else! Yes, I brought back some treats, some great chocolate bars for which Europe is so famous. I stuck them in my old fashioned scanner/fax machine to send off to the forum and ... the darned things melted! The machine is all gummed up and I have a burned tongue from trying to save the delicious chocolate while it was still liquid. Lesson learned! Good thing I did not try to fax the alcoholic filled chocolates, last thing I needed was a fire. Now I know enough to fax M & M's to European friends instead of Hershey chocolate. M & M doesn't melt like normal chocolate. I will try to keep the fax machine as cool as possible as well. So technology has some needed advancements to make. Most all photos are family photos and nothing of the scenic type or quality that others post here. Besides, it is winter, the sun is low, and lighting is soft with the heavy grey skies. Next trip has to be in the summer. Oh, I do have some good stories but believe I have outlined them on this forum first. I have to write them up to share with others soon ...
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Post by bescheid on Jan 12, 2008 8:01:03 GMT -7
Kai, As my children and grandchildren say, upon my return from any trip, What did you bring me? Did you have a great time? When do we see your photo's? When do you go back? I am glad you are home, and I will bet you are too. Michael Dabrowski Michael, I certainly didn't mean to neglect you or anyone else! Yes, I brought back some treats, some great chocolate bars for which Europe is so famous. I stuck them in my old fashioned scanner/fax machine to send off to the forum and ... the darned things melted! The machine is all gummed up and I have a burned tongue from trying to save the delicious chocolate while it was still liquid. Lesson learned! Good thing I did not try to fax the alcoholic filled chocolates, last thing I needed was a fire. Now I know enough to fax M & M's to European friends instead of Hershey chocolate. M & M doesn't melt like normal chocolate. I will try to keep the fax machine as cool as possible as well. So technology has some needed advancements to make. Most all photos are family photos and nothing of the scenic type or quality that others post here. Besides, it is winter, the sun is low, and lighting is soft with the heavy grey skies. Next trip has to be in the summer. Oh, I do have some good stories but believe I have outlined them on this forum first. I have to write them up to share with others soon ... I think perhaps you have broached upon a situational mistake most folks make with their travel photographing. They feel they must concentrate on scenic views in as much to a travel brochure of advertisement for the tourist industry. It is people that make the presentation interesting. With the back ground as the scenic views of course, but a view of the family intermixed with non-family has a tendency to be very interesting with the people factor. It is fun to share the joy of other's with photos of family, them selves and friends. Well, this a view from my window of that I have a feeling is not very well shared. I will now shut my blabbery mouth and return to my room with a view to watch further, the rain drops as they merrily do what rain drops do upon the window. Charles
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Post by valpomike on Jan 12, 2008 8:13:45 GMT -7
Kai,
What Charles is trying to say, is he wants to see photo's of your family. Many of this group would like to see them also, I am sure. If you want to share. Again, glad you are back, and get some rest.
Michael Dabrowski
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