“Wherever there is cold there are people who work themselves to the bone and when they produce young they preach the gospel of work – which is nothing, at bottom, but the doctrine of inertia.”
Henry Miller
We wake to grey skies and cold weather.
Breakfast is by the restaurant, which turns out to have a Michelin star.
All the breads are baked on-site and there is the most delicious horseradish butter that seems to go with everything. The coffee is not bad and the eggs are scrambled with truffle.
“In the name of Bacon will you chicken me up that egg.
Samuel Beckett
Shall I swallow cave-phantoms?”
We don’t want to leave and there are slight regrets about our booking in Bytča.
We head out for a walk after breakfast and it becomes apparent Poprad has one picturesque historical street, and we are staying there.
We checked out, but not before I hit my head on the ceiling making coffee, and spill it all over the expensive carpet.
Bitča bound, with a detour to a castle.
As we leave Poprad, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, I reflect on the last few weeks of term and how negative my mindset has become about Dubai. Sometimes you need to reframe your thinking, without the opportunities we have in Dubai, this holiday would not happen.
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
Epicurus
Our drive follows the Váh River. We wind our way between vast, forested mountains the entire journey. I look out the window and cannot see the tops of these giant peaks.
It is stunning countryside.
It is an uphill affair to get to the castle.
Worth it. Views forever.
Castle Strečno was built in the 14th century to collect tolls for passing the Váh River.
Paying to cross a river. Bureaucracy over 500 years ago. We were doomed from the start.
It is a short trip to our place at Bitča. It was always going to be hard for this place to measure against Doma, but it was disappointing to pull into a building right on the main road at the entrance of an industrial area.
“Life is a long preparation for something that never happens.”
W.B. Yeats
Fortunately, the accommodation surpasses its location and the restaurant looks very good.
We settle in, open a bottle of Kovács Nimród 777 Pinot Noir (notes here), and wait for dinner.
We head down for dinner. The restaurant is heavily timbered and has a solid feel.
It is an extensive menu, in the end, for starters, we choose the cured prírodný and the sheep milk cheeses, both made in-house.
For mains the chicken supreme with pumpkin risotto and blue cheese and the slow-cooked pork ribs with pickled vegetables.
“I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them.”
Oscar Wilde
These might not have the finesse of Doma, but the chef here at Koliba na Vršku has access to some incredible produce and does much of his work in-house.
Another delicious meal.
We head back to our rooms to start planning the next day.
Tomorrow, we head for Austria.
Or Czechia.
It’s a very fluid plan.
“No matter what the work you are doing, be always ready to drop it. And plan it, so as to be able to leave it.”
Leo Tolstoy
Just wow. Everything looks so beautiful including my daughter. Her eyes are alive again – I am so happy this trip is helping your mind set. A good balance between saving and living your life will keep you strong in the hard weeks of not being in your preferred environment. Love you both xx
You’ll know which road or turn to take when you get to it!