Slovakia – The Tartra Mountains

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”

John Muir

A great night’s sleep.

Up early for another great breakfast.

We are heading to Botanická záhrada – Expozícia tatranskej prírody. A botanical garden high in the Tartra mountains that specialises in alpine botanicals in the village of Tatranská Lomnica.

As we climb the mountains towards Tatranská Lomnica, we notice a hiking trail that follows the winding road. We park in the gardens and decide on a hike.

We notice the bins are all enclosed to prevent bears, hungry from the winter hibernation, from entering the village and searching the bins for food.

This is the first time I have hiked with the possibility of bears.

“What on earth would I do if four bears came into my camp? Why, I would die of course. Literally shit myself lifeless.”

Bill Bryson

It is a beautiful day. The sky is a cloudless blue and the temperature is mild, around 17C. The snow-capped mountains are so close. The warm morning sun melting the snow and the streams are running fast.

As we walk, the realisation hits us both that this is what we are missing in Dubai.

“I am losing precious days. I am degenerating into a machine for making money. I am learning nothing in this trivial world of men. I must break away and get out into the mountains to learn the news”

John Muir

After a few hours, we return to the gardens, which are closed.

It was worth the trip for the hike.

We head back to Poprad and sit in the sun. We order coffee from Espresso Bar and I finish Blood Meridian.

A great novel. Violent, dark, and certainly McCarthy’s best work I have read so far. The prose draws you in, as do the characters. The nameless ‘kid’, and the ever-looming evil of Judge Holden.

“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.”

Cormac McCarthy

I have All The Pretty Horses ready to start on the Kindle. My mistake was purchasing all three books in The Border Trilogy in one complete book. Instead of reading three books, I now have one book that is over 1000 pages to tackle.

I am getting hungry. We walk to Beñovský for lunch and share a pork schnitzel.

We head back to the room, relax, and think about dinner.

It is thirsty work so I open a Château Topoľčianky to get us through.

2022 Château Topoľčianky Riesling Vlašský (Nitra, Slovakia)

Still some residual sugar present and on the sweet side for my palate. The nose is minerals and fresh herbs. There is plenty of acid on the palate to hold the fruit and sweetness together. A pleasant wine that is easy to drink. A bargain at 5 euros.

We head back to Beñovský for dinner.

Sitting in the late afternoon sun, neither mentioned we would drive back to Budapest tomorrow.

We have been on dozens of holidays since moving overseas. There is often the feeling that you don’t want the journey to end. I have never felt it more acutely than on this trip.

“What I was really hanging around for, I was trying to feel some kind of good-by. I mean I’ve left schools and places I didn’t even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don’t care if it’s a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I’m leaving it. If you don’t, you feel even worse.”

J.D Salinger

We share a krémová cesnaková polievka and some steaks.

All satisfying.

We head home.

Tomorrow, Budapest.