MY FALL 1999 TRIP TO SLOVAKIA

PART TWO

Thursday, October 21st at 4:00 PM the celebrations started at the

INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL CARE FOR ADULTS

The director of the institute is my friend PhDr. Jan Skott. For me it was very emotional as I was quietly thanking the God for the lives and good health of my wife and our children Julia and Mathew and my own. Jsn Skott greeted every body and thank them for their attendance at this great day and the performance started by Jurko Strmiska playing harmonica and my friend Drahos Dalos playing the whistle. Then their folk ensemble Javorcek together with folk ensemble Lipa had a short and very emotional performance. At 5:00 PM Pavol Selecky the conductor of the Bratislava's Slovak National Theater started to play on the piano accompanied by by Robert Gaspar on the violin. Robert Gaspar is a deputy concert master at the Slovak National Theater. What a performance they put on playing Ave Maria by Charles Gounod, Meditation by Massenet Jules Emile, Waltz from Disney film Snow white and seven dwarfs by Frank Churchil, On the Blue Danube by Johann Strauss. Then to the tunes played by Mrs. Duna Gaspar the Formal Dance club danced Waltz and the dancers invited parents to dance with them and what followed was unbelievable. Real formal dancing. The formal dancing was later replaced by disco and we all danced till late that night. There was a raffle as well, with 40 prices. The cancellation price was given by the director to all that had no luck and it was roasted suckling pig. I can't describe my emotions throughout the evening and I was really happy that I was here. To see the smiling and happy faces of the clients of the institute and everybody was so exited to be there. What I noticed also was the abundance of clay works decorating the walls throughout the institute and the work was fantastic as you can see from the pictures. I also met my long time lost friend, who I haven't seen since 1987, PhDr. Vierka Andreanska who also works part time at the institute as a psychologist, who was really surprised to see me from all the people here. Unbelievable she said, she didn't expect to see me here at all. Well, Vladimir does show up many times unexpectedly at many different and unbelievable locations in Slovakia. One of the greatest current Slovak poets Milan Rufus, whose daughter is also client of the institute, send his greetings and said that: The work with these children is not a job, it is apostolate and that is a mission:

My God, your face is secretly whispering to me,

that to live as a renter at angel's place is a gift,

forgive us the forbidden, mostly it was body,

body will remain. Where it will sprout with hurt,

it will sound, the unknown, it is trying, 

from all our body what hurts most is our soul,

give us the smarts to be and take the secret

and to have some with what to pay the high rent.

Jan Skott said that he is cheering to health of the great poet Milan Rufus, who is respected by the Slovak nation and the cultural world. He cheered to his health, because he understood the meaning of existence of these children, that in humbleness he accepted this call and gift. In Milan Rufus he cheered to health of all parents of these children, who as he understand that there is nothing more than human love. He cheered to health of those that daily unnoticed, but more heroically live and work with these children and as they do not want any material rewards. But more, if they realize it or not, they are from day to day richer in their soul and spirit. I cheer to all those that are making their efforts easier and in different ways are helping them to fulfill their human mission and that is why I am cheering all the people present here. It was truly emotional end to this great day celebrating the 30th anniversary of the institute.

Their bank: NBS 35-25827-012/0720

Domov socialnych sluzieb pre deti a dospelych
Javorinska 7a
811 030 Bratislava
Slovakia

Friday October 22 was the 20th anniversary of folklore group Hajicek from Chrenovec-Brusno in Handlova with gala program "Used to be funny" (when they started to sing in Chrenovec). This was an enjoyable program of traditional folk culture from village Chrenovec and another villages in Handlova valley.

Next day I went to Presov to see the world bestseller musical Dracula. I seen the musical first time this summer in Bratislava and ever since I fell in love with the music and the lyrics, just fantastic and I know all the songs by heart. To see it again and in Presov was fantastic. I enjoyed this performance even more as one of my friends, a great dancer and soloist from folklore group Sarisan, Jozef Karahuta alias Cipisek was performing. He dances and sings and even had a small solo song. It was so nice to see him on the grand stage next to the big stars. Congratulations Cipisek. Dracula is a Czech musical that was first premiered October 3, 1995 and by 1996 they got Gold Record and 200000th spectator. By fall of 1996 every 20th person in the Czech republic had seen the musical DRACULA and they welcomed 500000th spectator. The music from DRACULA on tapes and CD's is the most sold album in the Czech Republic and becomes Platinum. Spring 1997, 750000th spectator and the album becomes double Platinum. Just unbelievable success. New album sees the light, double CD-Dracula Complete. In fall 1997 the dream becomes reality and Dracula is visited by the 1000000th spectator and double album becomes Gold. In Spring of 1999 Dracula comes to Bratislava and in September of this year arrives in Presov.

Following the performance we drove to Bardejov and then on to Komarov near by, where my friend PhDr. Martin Messa had another party for family, celebrating his 50th birthday.

I returned to my hideaway in Liptovska Teplicka again and next day I went photographing and filming Gothic Altars and frescoes in Roman Catholic Churches in Ganovce, Svabovce, Lubica, Strazky and Lendak and Lutherean Articular wooden church in Kezmarok. The articular church in Kezmarok was built in 1717 with a floor plan of a cross, without a foundation and without iron nails. They were allowed to use only wooden pegs. I was really happy doing what I do best and love to do, photographing Gothic Altars and frescoes. It is my passion. Next day I photographed the altars in Velky Slavkov and frescoes in Liptovsky Ondrej and I stopped in Smrecany, but I couldn't get the key to the church, so I will return at some later day. Funny I only need one picture to take of a fresco of Madonna the mother of God with children. I continued on to visit my friend PhDr. Martin Messa again in Martin. Here we went to the theater as there was a Theater Harvest Festival of amateur theatrical groups. I seen a really good performance by a group from Levice that was performing a play by Tennesee Williams "Summer and Smoke" and later on I seen "Marriage" a comedy by N.V. Gogol, by theatrical group from Bystricka near Martin. Next day I went to Prostejov in the Czech Republic to do a Genealogical research. I returned to Slovakia the same day in the evening and on Thursday I went to Detva and visited our correspondent Dana Hodulova-Trstenska, who is now a happy mother as her daughter Tamara was born July 6 of this year. From Detva I went to Hrinova and Cierny Balog to Brezno and then continued through upper Hron villages Benus, Polomka, Zavadka nad Hronom, Helpa, that just celebrated 450th anniversary of its first mention and Pohorela. Took a left turn to Sumiac and continued all the way again to the mount Kralova Hola. The weather was just unbelievable. Sunny, blue skies, no wind. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty; the views and the weather were so nice that I only took pictures and completely forgot to video tape the beauty. High Tatras were in their splendor and I could clearly see Liptovska Teplicka, Strba, Svit, Poprad and many other villages and towns. I realized my forgetfulness when I was far away near Dobsinna Ice Caves on the way to Vernar and Poprad, too late for return trip as I was rushing to Presov for The Bridges of Friendship-Evening of Nations and Nationalities. Performance by Presov's folklore groups Sarisan and Puls and Hungarian group Budapest.

Next day I photographed Gothic Altar in the roman Catholic Church in Hermanovce near Presov and returned again to Liptovska Teplicka, just for one night. The late afternoon sun was so beautiful and I couldn't resist not taking pictures of Liptovska Teplicka. In the morning as the weather seemed really good I took one look at Kralova Hola and decided right away to return. So I went through the mountains to Telgart and Sumiac and up the hill to Kralova Hola. It was really windy there, some clouds and the High Tatra Mountains were not as clear as when I was here last time. So I will return again when passing by. I went on to Bratislava where I arrived in the evening on Halloween. Following day I stayed in Bratislava, the weather was great so I took lots of pictures of the medieval part of the town. Tuesday early morning I went to Malzenice near Trnava where I had some genealogical research to do. I was searching records at the village hall and the church and late in the evening I arrived again in Liptovska Teplicka. Here I stayed until Friday morning writing this issue of Slovak Heritage Live, as I knew I would be really tired and pressed for time upon my return to Vancouver on November 9. Friday afternoon I went to Presov to photograph the performance of Dracula and on Saturday I made a video of Dracula. Saturday's performance was unbelievable. I returned to Bratislava on Sunday afternoon. Monday I made my family visits and in the evening just prior to my departure I went to the Slovak National Theater Opera to see Gioacchino Rossini's "Barber from Seville" and at midnight I was on the way to Munich Germany from where I flew to London and on to Calgary and Vancouver, Beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

GO BACK TO TRAVEL

Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 7, No. 4, Winter 1999
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1999 
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.