Friends trip à la Slovakia - english version

Our trip started on Thursday, 15th of January 2015. Why on Thursday? Because on Wednesday there was a Goodbye party which we couldn´t miss. It was 5 o´clock in the morning when we lied down into our beds. The alarm clock was totally confused about information that it should start to ring in an hour but not more than we who were really supposed to get up at six. With God´s help we came to the station where we caught a train to Leopoldov. There was planned one change for another train going directly to Košice. We have never thought that something could happen. Unfortunately it did. On an important spot a train crashed  into the car and so the railway had to be closed. We realized something was going on and the train had stopped for one and half hour a bit late (forasmuch as we were sleeping). Only a screaming ticket collector announced us this funny news. She told us that there had been ordered buses which we could get to Rimavská Sobota with, and there we could catch another train to Košice. In Rimavská Sobota we were periodically listening that our express had been delayed. When we finally entered that train we realized that it is not such a good idea to send two full trains of people into to the one. So we had stood in the narrow aisle for approximately one hour until we sat on the stairs. According to ticket the next stop after the Vrútky should had been Košice. But I was not really sure about it so I asked the ticket collector how many stops till Košice are left. She started to count with a smile on her face but I stopped her while counting the seventh one. The ticket was bluffing. There was not enough space on it so there was not the full list of stops. Nevermind, fortunately we found a free seats to sit/lie on for the rest of our way. The weather was guite good until we came to Spišská Nová Ves. From there a fog set in and we could not see anything. So we had to rely on final stop where someone would send us out of train for sure. Forasmuch as we had eaten portion of croisant only, we passed the Dome of St. Alžbeta in Košice without any interest and visited first restaurant we found. We were very grateful to Megy, member of a ESN Košice who showed us the way how to get where we wanted to and then we had the tasting a Water from the Hron river all together. Jorge and José reacted with shriek „friends“? on Megy´s question whether this is an ESN event and my answer „no, it is a friends trip only“. And this was the end of the first phase of Survive in Košice quest. The second time when we succesfully found a way from our dorm to the town centre Jorge „lost“ his travel ticket. As we found out later on, the ticket was with me all the time. We found a bar without a name whatsoever. I must admit the leading door to our cellar is in better condition than this one. On the other hand, the atmosphere inside was very surprising. As it goes, we missed the last bus to our dormitory, so we supported a taxicab economy. But it is hard to say a taxi driver where to go when you do have no idea about the address. On the next morning we saw such a strange things as a barbed wire around the dormitory where we had stayed. It did not take a long time to understand why. The bus station near our accomodation was called Luník VIII and we had the best view on Slovakian atraction named Luník IX. Our next journey to see the Spiš castle was quite fast. But when we got off from the bus, something was wrong. Last time when I got off, I was impressed by the castle. Hmmm. Last time when I got off in Spišské Podhradie, I was impressed by the castle. But because we were in Spišská Nová Ves and no in Spišské Podhradie, there was no castle which would impress us. A small mistake happened. They have too similar names. On the other hand we would never visit the highest church tower in Slovakia if this didnt happened. As the whole time till this moment, also the rest of the trip was planned perfectly and our arrive to Levoča should been in time to catch the last entrance hour into the St. Jakub´s Temple. There is a famous altar of master Paul from Levoča. As we passed the main station which I hadn´t noticed at all, left the town and turned back from the other side, I started to be suspicious. I was trying to persuade myself (and don´t listen to two Portugueses) that the bus must come back to the main square. Well, it didn´t and we enjoyed a way back to Spišská Nová Ves. Two journeys in one. It was a bargain. On the second attempt we made it – we successfuly left the bus in Levoča. But a bit later I realized I had left my cap in the bus (just bought in RESERVED). The nice owner of the hotel, where we stayed, asked us whether we would like to visit a mass in St. Jacob´s Temple. So we saw an altar of master Paul from Levoča for free and also had a chance to enjoy an atmosphere of children´s mass. Mainly José and Jorge enjoyed it for sure, forasmuch as they hadn´t understood anything apart of „amen“ and „haleluja“. After a snowball fighting under the city walls we felt into beds and the alarm clock set at 5 am seemed to be a nightmare. But we had to wake up in case we wanted to buy a breakfast. Who would guess everything was closed and they open at 8 am only? Our bus was leaving at 6.25 so we bought two Horalkas in the local pub. As typical students we paid in one a two cents. And now, Poprad - Tatry direction. High Tatras were gorgeous as always. From the Starý Smokovec we took a cable to Hrebienok and found a frozen waterfalls after a short hiking. We couldn´t forget the snow fighting, topless photoshooting and handstands in snow half a meter deep and then Štrbské Pleso serving as skating track was waiting for us. Shortly before the train leaving we visited also the Lakes of love where the guys had tried an art of snowman building for the first time. I have to say that they had done an excellent job. Full of enthusiasmus and pastry with cheese we headed to Lomnický Peak. As many times during our trip we forgot to get off to change a train and so we went to Poprad. At least, we could find an accomodation and I could realize that except of my cap I had forgotten my beloved tooth brush at the hotel in Levoča. The hotel where we stayed was unique. We got only one key which was from the main door. When I asked about a key from our room, the receptionist said nobody has ones and there should be no worries about it. There was nothing else to do, I had to believe her. My worries came true when we had two unexpected midnight visits. Some group leaded by hungarian woman entered our room, obviously while looking for theirs. The lady suprisingly stared at Jorge who was sleeping nearest the door and left. But it was probably not enough for her because she returned back again. Maybe to verify what she had just seen. Fortunately she hadn´t come back for third time. In the second day we wanted to wake up earlier to be on Lomničák in time. But with the first glance out of window we realized something is not ok. It was foggy day again. Nevertheless we tried it. We went to the Tatranská Lomnica station where we saw absolutely nothing although we were standing under the Tatras. So we decided to go back to town to make a little sightseeing. This little town was like after the war. No one around, not even a McDonald for hungry students feeding. Fortunately (or unfortunately) we found one opened fastfood near the station. I don´t know whether it was a original fastfood because our meal preparation took nearly an hour and we almost missed the train to Banská Bystrica because of that. I think we made a world´s record in speed eating, what a shame, without an evidence. The last moments of our journey to Banská Bystrica went smoothly, no backsets anymore. So we visited a shopping center Europa, had an ice cream, then saw a town square and museum of SNP. On the next day we welcomed our Pyramid on the Zobor hill with a happiness in our eyes. The best planned trip ever had become unforgettable adventure, we had never known what might happen. To sum up at the end: wherever you are, whatever you do, the most important is who you are with.       

Slovak text: Fredi

Translate: Michaela Niklová