Arrival in Bratislava!

We’re here and finally settled in Bratislava! We spent a lovely day and a half in Budapest, did a quick tour of the city and Parliament building and left the city by train yesterday. More about Budapest later.

I’m finding that it may be difficult to write regularly. Computer access will be easy. It’s finding the time that may be the problem. If I don’t get back to it regularly, I’ll add more when we get home. Here at the business center in the [lovely] hotel, they have no slot for my camera card, so no pictures today.

Last night we met cousins Ferdinand and Augustin (Gusta). We were surprised to find our wonderful Beata with them! She had stopped by the hotel to meet us.

After a traditional Slovak greeting, which involved Slivowitz (that’s a phonetic spelling, I guess), Ferdinand and Father Augustin went to dinner with us. It was wonderfully filled with family stories and clarifying relationships. Rod, Larry, Dee, Ferdinand and Gusta are all second cousins.

Gusta invited us to Mass on Sunday, and then dinner at his house. Roast goose is served on very special occasions and this is the season (or festival time) of roast goose, so it’s to be on the menu. When I mentioned Gusta’s cooking, they laughed. Gusta will go to a certain village where they are prepared and get two to take home with him.

Today we drive with Ferdinand to a nearby castle (imagine having a nearby castle). Beata will go with us. We rented a car which comes with a GPS which speaks English.

Tomorrow we take the train to Beata’s village to have dinner with her family and see “life in the Slovak countryside. (Can’t find the close quotes on this keyboard.) Ferdinand has filled the other days with family visits: a trip to Kuty on Saturday to meet a large portion of the Valachovic family, a trip to a cathedral one day with a stop on the way to meet his daughter, and dinner with cousin Franticek’s daughter. As I said, the time in Bratislava is full.

Language has not been a problem. Many people speak English and love to use it with us. Ferdinand has a pretty good understanding, but gropes for words, which we fill in as we go. Beata denies her command of the language, but her written English is very good, and I suspect that her spoken English is also, albeit, slower than she would wish. The day we spend in her village with her family should be a test for her—no one speaks English, so she will be the interpreter.

I was a little concerned about the food—not whether I would like it or not—I knew I’d like it. I was just afraid it might lean heavily toward the carbohydrate side. I need not have worried. Everything is available and wonderful! Breakfast this morning had all of the things you’d find on any fine breakfast buffet in the United States, plus many typically Slovakian meats, breads, and vegetables; also beans in chili sauce and something that looked like sushi. Didn’t get to the sushi—too many other things to try.

The others are out in Old Town while I finish this up. Will have to catch up with them. More when I get a chance.