The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia - Home

Google Adds the Slovak Language to Their Translate Service

2008-10-05T23:25:00Z

Have you ever been surfing the Web and come across a site in another language than your own, and wanted to understand what it was saying? Google provides an online service that can translate pieces of text or even whole Web pages. It’s called Google Translate. At first the service proved translation between a handful of languages such as German, French, Spanish, and English, but over the years, they’ve applied their machine-learning algorithm to other languages. Just in this past week or so, Google has added Slovak to its translation service.

This means that it is now possible to translate Slovak text and Websites to English and vice versa. Take a look at the Google Translate page, with a small piece of translated text:

Ok, so the translations aren’t perfect. That’s fine with me. They don’t need to be perfect, just good enough for a reader to get the gist of what the text is about. There is, however, a “Suggest a better translation” feature at the base of the translated text where a reader can add an improved translation. Google uses this information to improve the quality of machine translations by mining more data.

Here’s an example of an article in Slovak from the SME newspaper Website with the translated version in English below it. See what you think:

When your page translates, if you mouse over a sentence, a bubble pops up displaying the original sentence. For those who are studying Slovak, this is a nice feature for examining sentence structure and vocabulary. Here’s an example:

Google Translate can be a powerful tool for the person who wants to know what’s the latest headlines and stories being written about in Slovakia. It can also be used as a learning tool, allowing a reader to be able to compare sentences or articles for learning the language.

Just as a test I thought of pasting a Slovak recipe in the translator to see what I could get.

Not bad. Food words were probably the first set of vocabulary I learned in Slovak because I like to cook and bake. Google Translate could be a great way to increase familiarity of a particular interest of yours. The sky is the limit with something like this.

Common Slovak Expressions

2008-09-15T20:51:00Z

Since I learned Slovak “on the fly”, so to speak, I often learned phrases and expressions even without knowing their literal translation. Sometimes I knew what phrase to say based simply on a feeling or a situation.

Here are a couple of the phrases that I hear the most often:
(Note: For a guide on pronunciation of Slovak accent marks, see Reading and Pronouncing Slovak Diacritics

Nevadí
For years I didn’t know what this translates to but to me it always meant “It doesn’t matter”.

You order a small beer, but the waiter brings you a large one. “Nevadí”, you tell the waiter.

To je jedno
This one means to me “It’s all the same”

Some one offers you a choice of two items and you don’t care what you get. “To je jedno,” you say.

Čo ja viem
This is a slang term meaning “I don’t know”. It’s used in situations where you can’t make up your mind and your answer that follows is most likely just a guess. This expression can also be used sarcastically, in such a case it is not followed by an answer or a guess.

Two roommates are making a pizza. One asks if the dough needs more salt. “Čo ja viem,”, the other says. “Maybe a dash more.”

Ježišmária!
I don’t know about you, but when I grew up, if I ever would have uttered the phrase “Jesus Christ!” in my mom’s hearing, I would have gotten my mouth washed out with a bar of soap. Therefore, I was more than just a bit taken aback when I moved to Slovakia and heard Slovaks (everyone and their grandmother) use this expression so offhandedly.

Of course this one translates to “Jesus Mary!” but is used similarly as in English when you want to show shocked surprise at something. It’s just used much more casually.

Example follows ty kokso

Ty kokso/ ty brdo
Heaven knows what these two phrases translate to. I just know when to use them: It’s an expression of awed surprise. You hear younger people use these more often, such as in the following situation:

A bunch of kids are skateboarding, learning new stunts. One skateboarder lands a complicated jump and the others exclaim, “kokso!”, as in “cool” or awesome”. Meanwhile that kid’s grandmother just rounds the corner on her way from the grocery store, sees he grandson doing this dangerous stunt and says, “ježišmária!“

Čo že?!
This is another slang term used like “whaat?!” or “I can’t believe it.”

Two physics students meet and one of them excitedly says “Scientics at CERN were able to create a black hole using LHC.” The other student’s jaw drops and says, “Čo že?!“

Fakt? – alternative to Čo že?!

Your classmate tells you he was kicked out of class for cheating. “Fakt?” You say.

Fakt!
This expression means something like “really!” or “It’s true!”.

Your mom tells you that the kid down the block that you used to play street hockey with has just been drafted by the Detroit Red Wings. You say “No way”. Mom confirms, “Fakt!”.

Do prdele!
“Do” doesn’t really translate to anything in this case, but is often used as a preposition for curses. “Prdel” is one of many ways to say butt. This curse expression is “grandma friendly” and can heard quite often.

You are running to catch a bus, but when you get to the stop you realized that it has already left. You say: “Do prdele!“

TEST
So are you ready for a short test to check your understanding?
Choose A through H for the phrase that best fits this situation (more than one answer may be appropriate). Answers are at the bottom.
A. Nevadí
B. To je jedno
C. Čo ja viem
D. Ježišmária!
E. Ty kokso/ ty brdo
F. Čo že?!
G. Fakt
H. Do prdele!

1) You leave your car running while you run back in the house to get something you forgot. When you come back out your car is gone. “—-—-?!”, you say.

2) Your friend is a huge Star Trek fan and for his birthday you managed to get him a phaser pistol from the original series. He opens the box and exclaims, “—-—-!”

3) Someone asks you where you want to meet up later and you have no preference. “—-—-”, you say.

4) You are driving down a street and you can see a green light in front of you. As you approach it, it suddenly changes to red and you have to brake hard. You say: “—-—-.”

5) You’re chatting with one of your neighbors who tells you that the old man who lives across the street is the nephew of Vladimir Lenin. “—-—-?” you ask, incredulously. “—-—-,” he answers.

6) Your roommate asks you to pick up milk on your way home. You buy 2% but she really wanted skim milk. “—-—-”, she tells you. “It’s no big deal.”

7) You’ve been super busy the past few weeks and your flat is a mess. Your mom comes over unannounced and says, “—-—-! When was the last time you cleaned around here?”

8) You’re at the pub with your friends who are debating non stop the question “What came first. The chicken or the egg?”. You’re tired of the discussion and want to move on to something else. When your friend asks you what you think came first you say, “—-—-”. And if you don’t change the subject I’m going home and sticking you with my beer tab.”

The Top 10 Castles and Ruins in Slovakia

2008-08-28T19:13:00Z

Here it is. Finally. My list of the top 10 castles in Slovakia.

It was a difficult task for me to pick what I thought were the best in Slovakia. First off, I haven’t seen every castle or ruin in the country, and secondly, opinions are subjective.

My rankings are based on a few things: some are prominent Slovak symbols (Bratislava and Devín Castles), some have significant value to Slovak history (Nitra, Devín, and Trenčín Castles), some are just plain gorgeous to look at, inside and out (Bojnice and Orava Castles), and others are popular by word of mouth (Spiš, Krásna Hôrka, and Čachtice Castles).

My thanks to those who provided feedback on my initial query on the best castles in Slovakia.

A collection of pictures is at the end of this post.

1. Bratislava Castle – Its unique box-like architecture makes it easily recognizable from other castles in Slovakia. What I think makes Bratislava Castle such an important place is that it has become one of the pervasive symbols of Bratislava, as the capital. Since the image of the castle will be on the back side of 20, 30, and 50-cent euro coins, the castle has obviously become a symbol of all of Slovakia.

Inside the castle there is usually an exhibit of some sort on display but for me, the most awesome part of a visit to Bratislava Castle is to take in the view of the Danube, Petrzalka across the river, and see into Austria that is so close by.

Also, part of the Bratislava Castle experience is finding your way up the winding streets from the Stare Mesto – the Old Town. On the several trips I’ve made my way up castle hill I’ve though about the people who must have come that same way hundreds of years before, and think about how the streets and buildings have changed over the centuries.

Bratislava Castle is currently under construction and will be so for the next several years. Don’t let that discourage you from visiting if you are in Bratislava. The views are the highlight and the most memorable, in my opinion.

2. Spiš Castle ruins– There are many words that can be used to describe this castle: majestic and awe-inspiring are just a few. But what stands out about this ruin is how incredibly massive it really is. Spiš castle is the largest ruin in all of Central Europe.

Because of its large size in covering more than 10 acres, Spiš is a standout. But there are other facts that make it interesting. The hill where Spiš castle sits has been inhabited since the 5th century BC. Archaeological finds include a very specific Celtic coin that was probably made by a mint at the castle or close by. Another interesting fact is that it’s been the location of a couple films, the most well known having been Dragonheart (1996) with Sean Connery.

From the top of Spiš you’ve got pretty amazing views of the Spiš village and surrounding countryside, and also of the Tatra Mountains. Its location close to Slovak Paradise National Park, the Tatras, and the historic towns of Kežmarok and Levoča make it a worth-while stop when visiting this region.

3. Devín Castle – Devín is located close to Bratislava, just where the Danube and the Morava River meet. You know this is one strategic location when you learn that both the Celts and Romans inhabited Devín – though not at the same time, of course. Another interesting fact is that it was destroyed by Napoleon’s army in 1809. There’s no doubt about it; this castle is located on one very calculated spot.

Devín is still a popular tourist attraction today. Maybe it’s because it’s easy to get to if you are in Bratislava. Maybe because though it’s in large part just ruins, there are sections that are still in tact, such as the Maiden Tower, and the place definitely feels castle-like. Maybe it’s the neat museum where you can see all kinds of weapons and armor. Or maybe it’s the views. The winding Danube and surrounding hills are gorgeous. On the other side of both rivers is Austria.

Devín is important to Slovaks because it has been a strong symbol of Slovak nationalism. The Great Moravian Empire used it as a base to fight against Frankish overlords in the 10th century, and it was the place of several events connected with the Slovak National Revival in the 19th century.

4. Nitra Castle – It’s difficult to get a feeling for the actual “castle” in Nitra. There are structures and walls but if you consider that the castle was built on top of what was a fortification, and then there were a series of reconstructions including a rebuilding after a fire in the 13th century, rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 15th century, rebuilt in the Renaissance style in the 16th century, and then rebuilt in the Baroque style 18th century, who knows what the original look and feel was like.

What is important, is the actual locations of Nitra Castle and the hill they occupy. It’s hallowed ground. It has never been confirmed, but Nitra is the likeliest place of where the seat of the Great Moravian Empire once was. Rastislav, the legendary Slovak prince was one of the empire’s rulers and who invited two brother, Cyril and Methodius (now patron saints of the Slavic peoples) to come spread Christianity to the Slavs in the languages local to the people.

To this day, a relic of St Cyril, the bone of his index finger, is kept in a small silver box in the old part of St. Emeram church. I’ve seen it—the box, not the finger—and I have to say the fact that it’s there is pretty awesome. Saints Cyril and Methodius have got to be some of the most significant figures, if not the most significant figures in the history of the Slavic people. To me they are beyond just legendary; these two have super-star status. A relic from one of them, along with the location’s history, makes Nitra Castle a special place indeed.

5. Bojnice Castle – With out a doubt, Bojnice Castle is the most fairy-tale looking castle in all of Slovakia. It’s a beautiful castle. It also has a romantic story that goes along to the romantic surroundings. Apparently, Count Ján Pálffy, the last famous owner and resident, had the castle reconstructed at the end of the 19th century to woo a titled lady who admired the architecture of French castles. Alas, her affection could not be won and Count Pálffy lived his life as a single man, known for his extensive collection of art, antiques, and tapestries. Who knows if that’s really true, but it sounds appropriately affecting.

Bojnice Castle is as gorgeous inside as it is outside. If you go, be sure to sign up for a tour to see the spectacular rooms and the underground below the courtyard to see some of the tombs of the Pálffy family.

A good time to go to the castle is for the Festival of Ghosts and Spirits that takes place every year in May. Additionally, Bojnice has Slovakia’s best zoo, which makes this a very family friendly location.

6. Orava Castle – There are only a few castles in Slovakia that are situated dramatically on cliffs above a flowing river. Orava Castle is one of them. The castle was first built in the 13th century and shares a common fate as other Slovak castles being that for several centuries noble families inhabited it, the castle fell into disrepair, and was then destroyed by fire and overall neglect. With this castle, however, two separate restorations over the 19th and 20th centuries has brought Orava Castle back into the gorgeous state that it is in today.

The castle is extensive, has a good museum, and offers guided tours. Another activity many visitors do is to take a trip on a raft down the Orava River. There is no wild rapid rafting here, just a gentle ride on a large flat raft, meandering slowly down the river.

In my experience, and I have heard others voice this opinion, the people in the region of Orava are the kindest and most charming in all of Slovakia. It may be because they live in such a beautifully picturesque part of the country.

7. Krásna Hôrka – I can’t say I know much about this castle. I haven’t visited it thus far. But since it got a lot of positive feedback, it should go on the list.

The castle at Krásna Hôrka is located in the Kosice region, in the south east of the country and was originally a Gothic fortress built to guard the route between the rich Spiš region and the city of Kosice. Today it’s a museum with a collection of furniture and weapons from the 16th and 17th centuries.

8. Trenčín Castle – The castle at Trenčín like Devín is another castle that was built on a strategically-based location. Trenčín was once the northern most point of settlements for the Roman Empire. An inscription on a rock below the castle tells of a Roman legion battle victory at Laugaricio, the Latin name for Trenčín, in 179AD.

Though the castle wasn’t built during Roman times, it’s possible it was founded during the Great Moravian Empire. There’s an interesting legend about the castle’s “well of love”, however. Apparently it’s about 80 meters deep and was dug by a Turkish prince named Omar in the 16th century. He dug it as a ransom to save his beloved Fatima. She had been kidnapped by the castle owner Štefan Zápoľský who needed to have access to water to be able to withstand any siege on his castle. Omar dug the well for three years and after he found water, his love Fatima was returned to him.

9. Strečno Castle ruins – I like Strečno because you can see it for miles and miles as you ride along the highway from Žilina to Martin, along the winding Váh, Slovakia’s longest river.

No one is sure as to precisely when Strečno Castle was built, but it was soon after a toll was being collected at the Váh River in Strečno in the early 14th century. It was damaged in 1698 and pretty much remained ruins after that until more recently. It was reopened in 1992 after several years of reconstruction.

The draw in visiting this castle is all about the views. There’s a parking lot below the castle and from there you walk up lots of stairs to the castle. From the top you’ve got a birds-eye view of the valley, river, and villages below.

10. Čachtice Castle ruins – Čachtice doesn’t look like much now but if walls could talk, I’d imagine they could tell some harrowing and gruesome stories about one notorious lady, Elizabeth Bathory and her exploits as “the Blood Countess”.

This ruin has become a very popular place these last several months since the film Bathory was released in July 2008. Since what is left of the castle is only a ruin, a visit to the museum in the village of Čachtice below is a must. The small museum is located in the main square of the village near the church. The entrance fee is small and the museum contains some history of the village in Medieval times. Of course it also has a display of Elizabeth Bathory’s story, along with illustrations of her, the castle, and literature written about her from around the world.

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August 1968 - When the Tanks Came Rolling In

2008-08-21T21:03:00Z

Exactly 40 years ago to the day, on August 21, 1968, Soviet tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia in a concerted effort to put down Prague Spring – a period of political liberalization. When the tanks came into Bratislava Ladislav Bielik, a newspaper photographer was there taking pictures.

Mr. Bielik’s photos are extremely important because they serve as a stark reminder of the face of aggression, past and present. I had seen one of his photographs before. It’s probably his most famous from the series—the picture of the man baring his chest to a tank gun.

When I worked at the Technical University in Bratislava our offices were in the architecture building on Nam. slobody (Freedom Square). Our department director said the building was used as barracks for the Soviet soldiers while they occupied the city. I’ll never forget how she described the building after the soldiers left and university employees were allowed back inside their building. She said they were shocked at the horrendous mess and filth that had been left behind. Not only was there a great deal of destruction of property, but they also had to remove and clean away excrement from out of desk drawers and offices. Other physical scars remain. There are still bullet holes in the chemistry building across the street.

In looking for more photos from Ladislav Bielik I found a short article on the Sme website that included a picture I hadn’t seen before: a row of tanks lined up on Obchodná Street, a street I’ve walked up and down hundreds of times. It was a shocking picture to me. Seeing that image and thinking about the situation in Georgia reminded me that things can change quickly from one day to the next. A place that seems familiar one day can be the scene of a nightmare the next.

It’s strange how there is such a coincidence that this 40th anniversary of the Czechoslovak invasion coincides with Russia’s invasion of Georgia. Though Russia is not the Soviet Union, it seems they may be going back to their old ways. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Fico has been a strong supporter of Russia in the near past and is still reluctant to condemn Russia’s actions towards Georgia. I hope on this anniversary he will see Mr. Bielik’s photos and be reminded of what Slovaks have witnessed first hand. Lest we forget, Mr. Prime Minister. Lest we forget… .

Minting the Slovak Euro

2008-08-20T01:07:00Z

This week, the state mint located in Kremnica began minting Slovak euro coins.

Slovaks are overwhelmingly pleased to be adopting the euro as it symbolizes permanence and continued integration into the EU, but I can imagine that there are those who will be a little sad to say goodbye to their current currency, the Slovak koruna, the first currency of truly independent Slovakia.

After Austria-Hungary, after the Nazis, and after Czechoslovakia came independent Slovakia. The introduction of the new national currency back in 1993 was an exciting time. Beautifully designed illustrations and a palate of vibrant colors meant that the koruna bank notes stood out not as just a currency but also as something that became part of Slovak legitimacy as a new country. Even though Slovaks didn’t have their national currency as long as, say, the Greeks (they had their drachma for 2,600 years), I can imagine there will be some who hold on to a few koruna notes for nostalgia. I know I will.

Then again, for Slovaks over the age of 16 the euro will be the third, fourth, or even fifth currency in their lifetime. After so many changes, the all but promised stability of the euro is definitely preferable.

Here’s something else Slovaks will have to get used to: a pocket full of coins. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cent coins, along with the 1 and 2 euro coin. That’s eight different coins. Goodness! If my Slovak grandma-in-law is an example of a typical tight-with-the-purse-strings shopper, I can imagine that lines at the check out are going to be a little longer come January as people sift through a handful of coins, making each one count. I’d be one of those people reaching for my debit card.

Olympics - Measuring Slovak Medals

2008-08-17T22:14:00Z

When it comes to the Olympics and tallying up medals by country, it all depends on your perspective. Is it the total number of medals won? Or the number of golds won? Or if medals were points, such as bronze one point, silver is two, and gold is three, the total point count? Or is it another method entirely?

My Slovak husband says the only way to tally metals is to look at the medals-per-capita standing – take the population of the country and divide it by the number of medals won. Apparently there are many others who tally the medal count this way. Bloggers at the LA Times are having fun bringing smaller countries, including Slovakia, to the forefront of Olympic limelight and doing their best to educate us along the way:

...Slovenia used to belong to Yugoslavia and Slovakia used to belong to Czechoslovakia, the latter easier to guess upfront. They’re both in Europe which, for any Americans reading here, is a continent on the other side of the Atlantic from the United States.

The Atlantic is an ocean.

Slovenia is on top of the medals-per-capita standing. Their 4 medals have them ranked at 501,927 people per medal. Slovakia is also doing well at 1,311,187 people per medal. This has them in 10th place as of Sunday night.

Here’s the top 10, according to the LA Times:

(country, medal tally, MPC)

1. Slovenia (4) – one medal per every 501,927
2. Armenia (5) – 593,717
3. Jamaica (4) – 701,083
4. Australia (29) – 710,374
5. New Zealand (5) – 834,692
6. Belarus (10) – 968,576
7. Trinidad & Tobago (1) – 1,047,366
8. Norway (4) – 1,161,114
9. Estonia (1) – 1,307,605
10. Slovakia (4) – 1,311,187

The US, by the way, is ranked at 40 with 4,674,225. China is at 56.

How Much Do Things Cost in Slovakia?

2008-08-11T07:06:00Z

Many people who navigate to this Website do so searching for information on what are the average costs for items in Slovakia today. The best way to find that information is to do a little shopping of course. Even though the cost of goods and services is fluid and prices change all the time, I wanted to provide this information for those who are planning to spend time in Slovakia and are curious about budgeting.

First I’ll start with prices for groceries. In the table below is a short list of this week’s specials from a Slovak grocery chain called Nitrazdroj. I don’t want to provide too extensive of a list, but simply give you an idea of the cost of basic staples:

yogurt		jogurt	125g 0,23 €
milk	mlieko	1l 0,76 €
margarine	margarin	400g 1,32 €
sliced cheese	plátky syr	100g 0,59 €
bread (loaf)	chlieb	1 €
instant soup	instantná polievka	3porcie 0,59 €
can of sardines	sardinky	125g 0,76 €
instant cofee	instantná káva	100g 3,65 €
mineral water	minerálna voda	1,5l 0,23 €
orange juice	pomarančový dzus	250ml 0,23 €
cola	cola	2l 1,09 €
beer	pivo	0,5l bottle 0,45 €
shampoo	šampón	250ml 2,65 €
tooth paste	zubná pasta	100ml 0,86 €

See my collection of images below from several grocery store insert advertisements. I collected them from the larger chain stores in Slovakia:

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I also wanted to provide a list of popular home electronic appliances, such as an electric kettle or coffee maker, but there is such a range of prices that there is no point really to pick an average. If you are curious, go to Datart, the Website for a popular home electronics chain store. Even if you don’t speak Slovak there are plenty of pictures of items with accompanying price.

The other area of pricing that people are curious about is eating out in a restaurant. Of course pricing will also vary depending on location — a restaurant in the Old Town of Bratislava will cost significantly more that a restaurant or pub in a neighborhood outside of the center — and the type of restaurant — traditional Slovak menu versus something more exotic such as Mexican or Chinese.

My compass for gaging restaurant pricing comes from better restaurants that serve basic Slovak foods such as Vyprážané šampióny – breaded mushrooms served with something like rice or potatoes, and also serve Italian-style pasta for example. The best place in Bratislava that serves great Slovak food in my opinion, and has their menu online is Slovak Pub. Their menu offering ranges from a plate of bryndzové halušky for about 100 Skk (3,50 €) to a steak with plum sauce for 390Skk (13 €).

There is the concern that there will be a jump in prices when the euro is officially adopted this coming January 2009. Even though the government is working hard to make the transfer as transparent as possible I can imagine that there will be some who take advantage of changing prices. But from my own experiences of living in Austria when the euro was adopted there, these fears are largely exaggerated. Time will tell.

President Wilson and Wilsonova Street

2008-08-03T22:01:00Z

It all started with my curiosity over a street name I saw in Nitra: Wilsonova ulica.

In the Slovak language ova is one of the suffixes added to the end of a street name. This ending is added because the word “street” is a noun and the name is the adjective form describing the street. For example, Bernolákova ulica is Bernolák Street, and in this case named after Anton Bernolák, first codifier of the Slovak language. Other examples are Einsteinova or Kopernikova streets.

When I lived in Zlate Moravce I often took the bus to Nitra to go shopping for the day. As the bus comes into Nitra, just before crossing the main street where the Tesco is located, there is a street called Wilsonova. This was strange to me. I had seen many streets with Russian names such as Gagarinova or Sputnikova but I had never seen any British/American names. “W” is not even a letter in the Slovak alphabet.

Could it be? A street named after Wilson? If so, which Wilson?

Wilsonova streets are found in many towns across Slovakia and are named after Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States. I discovered another interesting fact about President Wilson and Slovakia later on: After WWI ended and Czechoslovakia was being formed, the name Wilsonovo mesto or Wilson Town was briefly considered for naming what is now called Bratislava. Before 1918 the town was referred to by three names- Pressburg by the Germans, Pozony by the Hungarians, and Prešporok by Slovaks. Even if the name Wilsonovo mesto was only a suggestion that may have not been seriously considered, it is still a great compliment and curious that some would feel so strongly about President Wilson .

Why was President Wilson such an important person to Czechs and Slovaks? What did he do for them?

Though there were several causes for the First World War, one of the most compelling was the rise of ethnic nationalism, which culminated in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire (an empire that was comprised of many different ethnic groups including Czechs and Slovaks) in 1914.

Wilson was President when the US joined the war in 1917. In early 1918, President Wilson gave his Fourteen Points speech to the US Congress. Even though the speech was delivered to American lawmakers, it became foreign policy and became the basis for the terms of the surrender of the Central Powers.

Point 10 is what was of interest to the different ethnic groups of Austria-Hungary:

The peoples of Austria-Hungary, whose place among the nations we wish to see safeguarded and assured, should be accorded the freest opportunity to autonomous development.

With support from the Allies, including President Wilson and the US, Czechoslovakia was established on October 20, 1918. Wilson had met the future Czechoslovak President, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, in the United States and had been won over to the idea of self-determination for the Czechs and Slovaks.

To this day Czech and Slovak Ambassadors come to the Woodrow Wilson House in Washington DC to honor his vision.

Which Are the Best Castles in Slovakia?

2008-07-30T19:24:00Z

What are the best castles to visit in Slovakia? Which ones are must see? Are you going to Slovakia soon and want to know what amazing castles should you see along your trip? Or have you recently returned from Slovakia and have something to recommend? What about you native Slovaks out there? Is there a fascinating castle or ruin somewhere hidden in the countryside that most people don’t know about?

I’d love to hear from you.

I’d like to create a top 10 list of the best castles in Slovakia. This would also include ruins since ruins were at some point castles in their past. I can’t do this without your feedback, however. What places do you recommend? Which have you visited and liked? Which would you still like to visit someday? Which have you heard a good word about? Let me know in the comments section below or send me an email.

Once I have your feedback I’ll compile a list of the top 10 castles in Slovakia.

Quickly brainstorming, here’s my tentative list of cool castles (not in any particular order):

Spiš
Bratislava
Bojnice
Trenčín
Strečno
Devín

I have to admit I spent all of my 5 years living in Slovakia in the western part of the country. I haven’t seen that many castles in the east. Is there something by Košice or Prešov?

I definitely could use some input here. Which would be on your list of favorites?

Note: Pictured above is Bojnice Castle and the ruins at Spiš.

Slovak-English Vocabulary - Grocery Shopping

2008-07-28T03:32:00Z

I added a few more sets of illustrated vocabulary in the resources section: town, grocery store, and shopping, including a couple of pages with items such as fruits and vegetables.

Just so that I mention it again, these PDFs are in A4-size format, not in letter size. For those in the US who are planning to print them (what do they use in Canada? Letter or A4?), the bottom of the page may be cut off.

Slovak-English Vocabulary page

Folk Culture and Communism

2008-07-16T04:51:00Z

Back in April I had the unique opportunity to speak at the Slovak Embassy in Washington DC. I was invited by the Slovak-American Society of Washington DC to talk about my experiences in Slovakia and about my book. I thought a long time about what I wanted to talk about and in the end I gave a speech about the characteristics that I think make Slovaks unique from other European ethnicities.

The first characteristic I talked about is in my opinion is one of the most significant characteristics that separates Slovaks from other Europeans: the strong sense of folk culture. By folk culture I mean the music, dance, song, and art local to a particular region or country.

I knew Slovak folk culture was strong even before I stepped foot into Slovakia. After all, I danced for an amateur Slovak dance ensemble out of San Diego, California. If that’s not an example of the long the arm of Slovak folklorism, I don’t know what is.

Once after I was already living in Slovakia, I met a group of Germans in their 30’s who came every year to the Detva folk festival. When I asked one of them why he came he told me that “in Germany folk culture is for old people” and that he really thought the participation of young people in Slovak folk culture was amazing. That really stuck with me because I had never made that connection before and sure enough, if you are lucky enough to attend one of the summer folk festivals, you likely see a lot of young people in addition to the performers.

A very good Slovak friend of mine is an ethnologist and I asked her, how is it possible that folk culture is so strong in a country like Slovakia where in other neighboring countries like Austria or Germany, folk culture is considered “for old people”? She told me something that totally shocked me: thank the communists for it.

What?! The communists?!! What do they have to do with folk culture?

First I have to back up just a little. Folk culture was the way that predominantly rural Slovaks passed down their values and traditions from generation to generation. Since strong industrialization didn’t happen in Slovakia until the 1950s, Slovakia’s rural way of life remained unbroken for centuries and allowed for folk traditions and knowledge of these traditions to remain active.

Mirka, my ethnologist friend told me that the communists (in power from 1948 to 1989) believed folk culture was an important element of the education of, in her words, a “good socialist society”. She said the communists were afraid that, “the cosmopolitan thinking and opinions of the middle class would misorient the working class to admire the culture and art of foreign countries.” With encouraging interest in their own folk art, music, dance, etc, the attention is drawn to local and national traditions. So the communists were instrumental in organizing and shining a strong spotlight on local and national folk culture.

The government sponsored the creation of professional ensembles such as Slovenský ľudový umelecký kolektív (SL’UK) (translated as the “Slovak Folk Art Association” but they are a dance group), and Lúčnica. Both groups were established in the late 1940s and showcase Slovak folk dance at its most professional level (though not necessarily the most authentic). In addition to the professional groups, smaller groups were organized locally.

The promoting of folk dance and culture was a wonderful thing across all communist counties but the communist’s motives in part to promote their ideals diminish something. Still, it’s interesting. What else is interesting (and sneaky) is how the communists used folk-culture events to distract people from religion. What do I mean? The largest and most significant Slovak folk festival takes place at Východná. Not only do the best groups from Slovakia perform, but there is also amazing international performances as well. The festival takes place the first week in July every year and wouldn’t you know it, it takes place exactly at the same time as the most important annual Catholic pilgrimage from the town of Levoča to the Mariánska hora – the chapel on Marian Hill. Several Slovaks mentioned this to me, by the way. This is not me simply making an observation.

One last thing: I chose the photograph that is the cover of my book because it a perfect example of strong folk culture, and the photo is totally authentic. It was taken in a small village north of the Tatras, just south of Poland. Several young people got dressed up in their traditional kroj- folk costumes to celebrate the last day of fašiangy. No one asked these guys to dress up, or to play an instrument and dance, or to pose for a picture. They were participating in a cultural event that happens every year and the photographer, my friend L’ubomir just happened to take an amazing picture. That’s an image of Slovak folk culture at its finest.

Note: The photograph of the woman in the head dress was taken by Tomáš Nehera and posted from www.slovakia.travel.sk

Where's Czechoslovakia?

2008-07-14T18:42:00Z

Many people—including a lot of Americans—don’t know that Czechoslovakia has ceased to exist. Since most adults learn their basic geography in elementary school and have had little reason to revisit geography lessons after that, for my fellow Americans I would say most have a vague idea that there is a country called Czechoslovakia but don’t know how it relates to the Czech and Slovak Republics.

With all the potential confusion I thought I’d provide a few basic facts.

Czechoslovakia existed from 1918 to 1939 and then from 1945 until 1992. During WWII, the Czech lands were part of Nazi Germany and Slovakia was independent.

Though borders did change slightly over the years, the map to the right shows where Czechoslovakia was until the end in 1992.

Czechoslovakia was made up of the following regions: Bohemia and Moravia-Silesia combined to form the Czech lands in the west, and Slovakia (with Subcarpathian Rus until 1939) comprised the land in the east. Subcarpathian Rus, sometimes also referred to as Ruthenia, is now a part of Ukraine.

On January 1, 1993 the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic (also called Slovakia though not to be confused with Slovenia) declared their separate independence. The reasons for the peaceful split were numerous but in the end it wasn’t the people who decided but the politicians. At first Czechs and Slovaks were apprehensive about the split but nowadays there are relatively few who would have preferred to stay together.

To read more about Czechoslovakia including details about its history, see the Wikipedia page on Czechoslovakia.

Kde je... ? #4

2008-07-07T23:29:00Z

This picture is for all the Slovaks who tell me my selections are too easy. I’m not sure this one will be easy or not, but both the location the picture is taken from and the object in the distance are famous places.

Where are they?

Finding Gold in the Slovak Hills

2008-06-30T23:12:00Z

I read some news that I thought was pretty cool: a company mining in the Žilina region announced a little over a week ago that they’ve discovered rich deposits of gold. The company, EMED Mining has been drilling in the hills east of Žilina. This is exciting news because gold has never been found in this area around Žilina before. And not only that, but it seems that there’s a lot of gold to be found.

According to the EMED Mining press release, “The first five drill holes at Slatinske Lazy are all strongly anomalous in gold over their entire length of approximately 250m each.” Their website also mentions something about mining for diamonds in Slovakia. That also was surprising information to me.

Certainly there is a rich mining tradition in Slovakia but the towns that are famous for gold and silver mining are Banská Štiavnica, famous for its large silver ore deposits and Kremnica, for its large gold deposits found in the Kremnica Mountains close by. Both Banská Štiavnica and Kremnica are attractive towns with charming historic centers. They’re great locations for foreigners to visit.

Traveling in Slovakia: Train Schedules and Ticket Costs-UPDATED

2008-06-29T23:06:00Z

Less than a day after I finished writing my previous blog post about looking for schedule information for traveling in and around Slovakia, the main website that I recommended changed the functionality of their site. I went through the site again and updated my steps to explain how to find travel scheduling information for public transportation. The “Tariff Calculator” is no longer available on the new site but frankly, it’s not needed. The ticket cost is displayed along with the search results.

I’m providing the information in these blogs to help those who are looking for information on train schedules (mostly between any of the following cities: Vienna, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest) and also, how much tickets cost. From my own personal experience traveling through Europe I know that having this information ahead of time can be crucial to travel plans, or sometimes more importantly, for the traveler’s peace of mind.

I get all of my travel scheduling information from one website: www.cp.sk. Here’s how you find public transportation schedules (train and bus) to destinations in and out of Slovakia.

To provide and example, I’ll pretend that I want to travel from Bratislava on September 27 (a Saturday) to Poprad.

Now, to find schedules and costs, follow these steps:

1. Go to www.cp.sk. The home page for Cestovné poriadky-Travel Schedule displays.

2. On the bottom right of the page, click the British flag to switch the language to English.

3. In the Timetable field, “trains + buses” is selected by default. To change this selection to trains only, or another type of transportation, click the arrow to the right. A drop down window opens allowing you to select other options.

It is probably best to leave this selection at its “trains + buses” default because for many destinations within Slovakia, the bus travels where the train does not. Buses reach more destinations in Slovakia than trains do. Also, buses go often between Vienna and Bratislava, for example, and the travel times and/or locations of the bus stations may be more convenient.

4. Type in the appropriate locations in the From and To fields. In my case, I’m typing in Bratislava as my departure and Poprad as my destination.

5. Type in the correct departure date and approximate time you plan to travel. My date is 27.9.2008 and for time, I’ll say 08:00 since I want to see all departure times after 8am.

Note: Time is displayed in 24-hour numbering.

6. Select the Departure button to show times for when you would like to depart.

7. Click Search to get your results.

A list of results will display in order by time. Scroll down to see the longer list of schedules. Click Next -> at the bottom of the page to see additional results.

From the left to right of the screen, the data displays as follows:

From/Interchange/To – The departure and arrival locations are listed as well as the names of the train stations. This can be important if there is more than one train station in either of your locations (for example, Bratislava has more than one train station).

Below this information is the length of time the journey takes, the distance in kilometers, and the cost of the ticket (not including reservation).

Arr and Dep – Here are your arrival and departure times. Scroll down the page to see more results.

Connections – An icon of a train or bus is displayed along with the number of the train or bus that is scheduled for that particular journey (the number is more for administrative purposes and you won’t need it). The link is interactive and if you click it, it will show you the entire schedule for that train or bus. For example, it could be that your train originally began in Berlin and is continuing on to Budapest but you are only getting on and off from Prague to Bratislava. Sometimes it’s nice to print out the train’s itinerary so you know when the scheduled stops are along the way.

This Website seems to be a useful tool not only for national and international connections, but the site also provides schedules for local city/town transportation.

Play around with the site and see how else it can assist you with your travel plans.