Last weekend we found ourselves once more in Slovakia, this time in the village of Drabsko. We visited Honza, Zuzka, David, Marek and Akela, who were themselves vacationing there. Surrounded by rolling green hills, lush forests, gurgling streams, and farm animals everywhere, there was something for everyone.
On the way to the hilltop cottage where we were staying.
 |
| As luck would have it, we arrived just in time for the big annual festival in the nearby village of Sihla. |
 |
| The main attraction was the ox races. All the oxherds showed up in their colorful traditional costumes, which are distinctive to this region of Slovakia. |
 |
| Of course there were races even for the wee oxen. |
 |
| No village festival would be complete without a gypsy band - here accompanied by a very tipsy oxherd, his oxen, and a barking dog with a keen sense of rhythm (not shown) |
 |
| Or without sweets to tempt the eye, palate and heart... |
 |
| After escaping the ox races, the crowds, and the stands, we set off for a hike, passing along the way the quiet "outskirts" of the village.... |
 |
| ...somebody's dug-out wine-cellar (empty, sadly)... |
 |
| ...a herd of sleepy cows... |
 |
| ...and one quite wide-awake cow. |
 |
| Building our very own log cabin. |
 |
| There were fortunately enough logs left over for sitting on... |
 |
| ...and for making our own glockenspiel, based on our own unique 10-note scale. |
 |
Basti in the meantime was picking (and eating) blueberries and rolling in the mud
(or the other way around). |
 |
David and Basti (this time joined by Ilo) resuming the well theme.*
* see the January 27, 2011 posting, "New Years' in Prague" |
 |
| I wonder what those boys are up to. David and Basti bonded in no time, and they communicated by way of a special language consisting of one-syllable grunts and hand signals. When asked why they didn't just use their respective languages, seeing as how they couldn't be any LESS expressive than their monosyllabic noises, they asked, what's the point, if the other couldn't understand? Ah, the setting in of reason.... |
 |
The game:
Basti catches a grasshopper
The grasshopper is transferred into David's hands
David opens his hands
The grasshopper jumps out
Squeals and giggles all around |
Ilo's grasshopper
 |
| Second day: train ride and visit to the Forest Museum, where we found some interesting specimens of nature imitating art, or vice-versa |
 |
| Adrienn, always busy, at work on her own project. |
 |
| An unusual choice of a bed...but then again Basti is good at sleeping anywhere other than his own bed.... |
 |
| Marek splashing in the creek |
 |
| And back to the safety of Honza-papa |
 |
| After all that play, we should do some work! |
 |
| Another old train part...too bad this one doesn't move! |
 |
| But perhaps that's just as well. |
 |
| My life as a bug (or: what I find in my camera after Adri has taken photos with it) |
