Full Circle

As we spent our last day in Eastern Europe we came full circle.  Almost as soon as we left our hotel in Poland...and just before crossing back into Slovakia we got caught in a speed trap and Nancy was given a ticket.  She was able to convince them to lower the amount and evidently they were very excited to see a Minnesota drivers license!

We made our way to Rajecka Lesna to view the animated wooden carving which we missed on the way into the country at the beginning of our trip due to our car problems.  Then along our way back to Prague we went through the delightful village of Cicmany where the homes are uniquely painted.  They were having some type of folk demonstrations and many of the townspeople were dressed in their kroje (folk costumes).  This was an unexpected surprise for us.  We arrived a while later at the airport hotel where we spent the night.  Most of us ordered hamburgers for supper as we have overdosed on halushky, pirohy and the like.  We had several toasts and relived some of the memories of our trip.

We are off to the airport now, awaiting our flights home back to our families.  It's been a wonderful two weeks with a great group of people!  As Gary said last night..."It wasn't a trip, it wasn't a vacation...it was a journey!" 

Party Crashers

We said our fond farewells to Vlado and Dorothy as well as to Slovakia this morning as we headed up to Zdynia for the Lemko Vatra. Think Minnesota State Fair only 100 times better with the most amazing grilled food and wonderful Rusyn entertainment. Sadly we only had a short time to spend there however it was so incredible to see so many young persons there perpetuating their Rusyn heritage. We then left for Rabka Zdroj to hopefully find Janice's relatives. The scenery on the way their was some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. We found our way back to the gas station where a week earlier the owner had promised to help us. He spoke very little English and about all I can muster up is how to say thank you. Luckily his sister is here from Toronto on holiday. She met us and immmediately invited us to her mother's house across the street for some tea. It has been very cold and rainy today and we noticed many houses with fires going to keep the occupants warm. As we entered their house we became part of their mother's names day party! Out came desserts, tea and if course some traditional Polish liquer, Krupnik...a kind of vodka with honey in it. The owner then showed us his property across the street complete with swimming pool, tennis courts, a soccer field and two ponds. They then took is to Janice's family where she made a connection to a relative. After visiting a short time we headed to our last stop before returning to Prague tomorrow. The highlight of the day however was the co-ed bathroom we stopped at earlier. And no you don't take turns...everyone is in their together. You walk out of the stall to a group of urinals. Only in Poland!

Pay Dirt!

Whew!  What a day!  We started out early to Chmelova.  We tracked down Milka Dennis who seems to know about everyone in the village...what a Godsend she was! After spending time at her house we headed over to the Gary's relatives and found out that Gary and the owner of our pension are cousins.  In addition, so am I!  So many connections were made.  Afterwards we went to the Rusinak household and met with my second cousins. We were moved as we saw the place where our grandfather was born. They then called their cousin in Bardejov and they came out as well.  They brought out some wonderful kolbasi and we literally inhaled all of it!!    After an enjoyable visit we headed to Smilno to walk through the cemetery to look for Nancy's relatives. Milka also showed her where Nancy's grandmother was born.  A few of us went to our cousin Dusan and Maria's house for dinner and we tried to figure out our dual relationships...more work is needed on this.

As I am writing this  we are all gathered together in the pension reliving our past few days.  I'm not sure about the rest of the group but I know that I personally am going to be very sad to leave Stary Kraj.  It has been an awesome trip with a wonderful group of people!  Tomorrow we head for Zdynia , Poland for the Lemko Vatra and on to Rabka Zdroj to meet with Janice's family.  On Saturday we will begin the final leg of our journey back to Prague where we will spend the night before departing home.

Hopefully tomorrow I will have some great news to report about Janice and her relatives!  Until then.... 

Stormy Weather...And No I Don't Mean The Song

Yesterday we took a trip to the Bardejov Spa known for
their famous mineral treatments! On the grounds is a Skansen, or group of small buildings brought from various areas of Slovakia and set up to resble
what a village may have looked like when our grandparents lived here. Our group then split up. Some attempted to get
Spa treatments while the rest of us headed to the cemetery in Chmelova. While we were wandering amidst the tombstones
A rather large front began to move through. We made it to our cars just before the deluge hit. This was followed by extremely heavy downpours and very high winds. Several roads were blocked with debris and fallen trees. Power was knocked out in
parts of the city as well. We made it back to the pension
safely and them when the sun returned we used the time
for some last minute shopping in the square. I was able to meet up with L'ubica for a lovely dinner last evening followed by a your of some of the areas in Bardejov I had not. Seen
before including the new fountains.

Today we are back to the villages to hopefully uncover more new
relatives.

Shop 'n Tour Til You Drop

A very long day today as we headed to Presov for some crystal shopping followed by a wonderful lunch at Victoria's. Afterwards we toured the Orthodox Seminary and the Rusyn Museum where our interpreter, Maria Silvestri has an exhibit on Rusyns in America. We drove home afterwards and chose to dine on pizza in the square as we have all overdosed on Rusyn comfort food. I think I am wearing everyone out, including myself, as we were all in bed by 9:00 pm!

Tomorrow we are climbing to the ruins of the Zborov Castle followed by a trip to the Bardejov Spa and Skansen.

Stary Kraj!

Yesterday some of us spent a few hours shopping in the central square of Bardejov while we waited for our translator to arrive from Presov. Kate and I took a drive to Varadka and Ondavka to make a delivery there.  We met with the priest and he showed us the reconstructed wooden church in their village.
We ate leftovers of goulash and holubki, compliments of our friends in Tichy Potok.

Afterwards we began our trips to the villages.  First off was Stebnik.  I was saddened to learn that my second cousin, AnnaPidani, had fallen, broken her hip and now lives in a nursing home in Bardejov.  She has the most primitive wooden cabin with beautiful lace curtains.  We ran into Stephen Rusinak.  We are still trying to figure out how we are related but it must go back many generations.  We then stopped at the Tkach family house where we were treated to chlebicky (Slovak open-faced sandwiches) and many rounds of vodka.  Family connections were made with four of us.  They also showed us their old cabin furnished with many antiques, the place where we think our grandmother was born.  After bidding farewell to them we made our way back to the cars where we ran into Insa Peregrim, the proprietor of the Karcma (tavern) and she invited us in for a round.

We were scheduled to be in Becherov for Vespers followed by a dinner that the church hosted for us.  They are most wonderful and hospitable people and we truly enjoyed ourselves.  Then we drove thru the village to see the Greek Catholic church and cemetery where Gary was able to find some relatives in the cemetery.

After our return to the pension we headed to the town square for a beer and to talk about the days journey.  Today we are making our way to Presov to shop, have lunch at Viktor Krushko's restaurant and then a visit to the Seminary and Rusyn museum before an early return back to Bardejov.

Things Do Come in Three's!

This morning I felt like I was on the preacher's circuit. After a miscommunication we arrived early to church in Chmelova so we drove to Stebnik for the last part of the Liturgy. We then headed back to Chmelova where I was reunited with one of my cousins on the Rusinak side. We then poked our head into the church in Bardejov before heading back to the pension. We departed for Tichy Potok where we were treated to a wonderful meal and performance by their folk group. Prior to that we toured the village and Barb discovers quite a few long lost relatives. I was able to spend some time with our foreign exchange student's family. As always it is much too short of a visit and we said our tearful goodbyes and headed back to Bardejov. No sooner than we left the village the oil light came on in our car. Of course there were no gas stations until we returned to Bardejov an hour later. Then it was time for a beer in the town square for this driver!!! Now that we have had three incidents with our cars we figure we are done! Tomorrow we will spend in the villages in search of more relatives.

Again apologies for errors...blame it on the iPhone!