After the dramatic landscape and climate of the Vysoky Tarty, I was ready for a quiet week. We returned home on the Saturday, and managed to have a lazy Sunday. I slept like a log. The Saturday evening, I absolutely conked out on the sofa. I put it down to all the fresh air, and of course the blinding white light from the snow.
Sunday was to be my only day of recuperation. The following Monday brought guests, two of Kirsties friends from Prague, Felix (German) and Moira (Portuguese). That evening was to be another Crepe fantastic. This time we were more ambitious, inviting around 8 people. Pauline was our head chef. Flipping those crepes like a crepe flipping demon. It was such a nice evening. It was extra special because we knew it would be one of the last evenings we would spend with Pauline. On the Wednesday she was to fly home! This meant that on the Tuesday night, we were to have a farewell party. It was so sad to say good-bye; we have become accustomed to these grand farewells of late. The new semester has brought lots of new people, but has also lost many of the people we had grown to know last year.
Talking of new people. Apparently there are 8 new English people! I have only met two of them. They seem very friendly. You could tell a mile off they were Brits, very much of the indie dream generation, ‘dragged through a hedge backwards’ kind of look. I have discovered this is very unique to us Brits. Most of the rest of Europe like to wear clean clothes that actually fit properly, those crazy Europeans. I hope to meet the rest of the other Brits soon.
The day after the leaving party was the day I went to Prague. After weeks of excited waiting, anticipation, expectation…I was finally to go to Prague, and see Francis.
I went on the Wednesday evening so that I could catch up with some of my friends before the travelling party arrived. I had a bus at 5pm, which meant a brief meeting with my tutor, Josef, and then off I went. The Wednesday evening was lovely. I met up with Johannes and Eeva. Eeva is my Finnish friend who was to go back to Finland that Friday. I wanted to see her before she left, so with a few of her friends we all went out for dinner. YUM YUM, Maly Buddha, highly recommend this restaurant.
The evening ended in a terrible club; Mecca. I should have really been warned off by the name. The saving grace was that lots of people from my language course were there. Many of them will have now gone back to their respective countries. I fell asleep that evening wishing the night to pass as quickly as possible. Little did I know what tomorrow would actually bring.
Rolling out of bed, having breakfast, getting dressed. I knew that Francis’s flight would be arriving at 11.50am, and then Suzie and Rob flew in at 1pm. I had time. I had a quick look at my phone, oh, one message… NOOOO! Francis had text me, saying that it had snowed in London and that Flights were being cancelled all around him!!! I was in shock. I went straight onto the Internet to see his flight status. It was scheduled, not cancelled; I drew a sigh of relief. However as the morning drew on, Rob and Suzie were stuck in Gatwick, they thankfully had a departure time, Francis on the other hand was just waiting for any kind of information. Then it came, the text message I had been dreading… ‘My flight has been cancelled, I am going to see what I can do’… Nothing, I thought. I have been a student too long, and watched too much daytime TV, to know that when a flight is cancelled on ‘Airline’ the passengers go home. I was already planning what I was to do know Francis wasn’t coming. I thought about Rob and Suzie, would they want me hanging around them, they could have a romantic weekend without me there. Then I thought about the hotel we had booked. We would probably have to pay for it without staying there; cancelling now would be too late. The thoughts were racing through my head, at that very moment I just wanted to jump on a bus back to Brno. Even Rob and Suzie’s arrival was uncertain.
I went out. I had been in my friends flat running up the walls. I thought it would be good if I got some food and fresh air. I tried to distract myself. I finally got a message from Francis to say that, miracle of miracles he had actually managed to reschedule his flight! Then I received another text to say that Rob and Suzie were due to leave in the next few hours. I couldn’t believe it! I was so thankful that Francis and I had decided that he flew out with Czech Airlines, if he had been with any other airline in Stansted that day, I really don’t believe he would have got to Prague. Rob and Suzie’s flight was amazingly one of the few flights in Gatwick that wasn’t cancelled.
That evening, when we were all sat around a table, I was the happiest person in the Czech Republic. Francis was absolutely exhausted. His 10 hours in an airport were not something he wanted to talk about. But the most important thing was that he was in Prague! That we were all in Prague, the weekend of fun started at that moment, all the stress and worry of that day was forgotten.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Monday, February 05, 2007
SLOVAKIAAAAAAA
Just before I went to Olomouc we had our good friends, Pauline and Jeremy from France, around for a crepe evening. We were talking about their travelling plans, as they were about to go to Krakow. Next thing I knew we were discussing what bus we were going to get back with them from Poprad Tatry, Slovakia.
Kirstie and I decided we were going to get the train to Poprad on the Wednesday morning, as we were going to get the bus back, and we are not fans of doing the same journey twice. I got a text message whilst I was on the train from Pauline, telling me I needed to get to Stary Smokovec. It was all very exciting. On Stefan’s advice we jumped on the first very snazzy electric train straight into the Vysoky Tatry (High Tatras).
Having never experienced proper snow, I was amazed at the white landscape that surrounded us. It was endless. When we got off the train, the snow had been pushed off the paths, and was piled up above my waist. First thing we did was purchase two sleds (more a circular piece of plastic with a handle), one red (red lions) and one blue (blue frogs). The gauntlet was thrown.
Pauline and Jeremy had already arranged our accommodation. Our first night was to be spent at Bilikova chata, basically a mountain chalet. It was a log cabin and absolutely idyllic. The first evening was stunning, the sun set with all the colours of the rainbow. We sledded until we were completely wet through and could sled no more. It was the perfect beginning to a great few days.
Red sky at night...
However, over night, whilst we were sleeping, the weather changed dramatically. On waking, the beautiful view from my window that stretched far into the distance was now a sheet of white. Snow had fallen all night, and was still falling. It didn’t actually stop all day. We were determined to not let it stop what we wanted to do. So, as planned, we went to see a hidden waterfall near our chalet. A walk that really should of only taken a few minutes became quite the expedition. That day, any bit of walking was a real effort. But it was exciting too. In the evening the wind picked up, and I have never felt such a natural force. We were told that since a terrible storm two years previous, which devastated much of the wooded landscape, the weather in the region had become more and more dramatic. I think the loss of the tree’s protection has left the region much more exposed to the elements.
Kirstie and Pauline snowed under
Am I pleased I got skiing clothes for christmas!!!
Thankfully the wind blew the bad weather away over night, and again we had a new view in the morning. The sun was shining and the sky was a deep blue. The snow looked the most brilliant white. I literally jumped out of my bed, and got outside as quickly as I could.
The good weather meant that we could go up Lomnicky stit, the highest peak in the region at 2634m. Highly recommended in all the tourist guides. We had to get three cable cars up the mountain. The last one was standing room only, the steepest ascension, and just a tad terrifying. But it was all worth the effort; the views at the top were spectacular! I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
Not quite at the top.
Looking at the Polish side of the Tatry
The whole gang, me, Pauline, Kirstie and Jeremy, very very cold (-15)!!!!
I was very sad to leave Slovakia, the owners of our last accommodation at Penzion Vesna were so lovely and generous, and the breakfast was to die for. The snow was a lot of fun, and having seen so many skiers I was quite keen to give it a go. Also, just to add, that the blue frogs were the more superior sledders (or luge as they persisted on calling it). Kirstie and I, with our much-practiced English humility, were defeated with honor.
Kirstie and I decided we were going to get the train to Poprad on the Wednesday morning, as we were going to get the bus back, and we are not fans of doing the same journey twice. I got a text message whilst I was on the train from Pauline, telling me I needed to get to Stary Smokovec. It was all very exciting. On Stefan’s advice we jumped on the first very snazzy electric train straight into the Vysoky Tatry (High Tatras).
Having never experienced proper snow, I was amazed at the white landscape that surrounded us. It was endless. When we got off the train, the snow had been pushed off the paths, and was piled up above my waist. First thing we did was purchase two sleds (more a circular piece of plastic with a handle), one red (red lions) and one blue (blue frogs). The gauntlet was thrown.
Pauline and Jeremy had already arranged our accommodation. Our first night was to be spent at Bilikova chata, basically a mountain chalet. It was a log cabin and absolutely idyllic. The first evening was stunning, the sun set with all the colours of the rainbow. We sledded until we were completely wet through and could sled no more. It was the perfect beginning to a great few days.
Red sky at night...
However, over night, whilst we were sleeping, the weather changed dramatically. On waking, the beautiful view from my window that stretched far into the distance was now a sheet of white. Snow had fallen all night, and was still falling. It didn’t actually stop all day. We were determined to not let it stop what we wanted to do. So, as planned, we went to see a hidden waterfall near our chalet. A walk that really should of only taken a few minutes became quite the expedition. That day, any bit of walking was a real effort. But it was exciting too. In the evening the wind picked up, and I have never felt such a natural force. We were told that since a terrible storm two years previous, which devastated much of the wooded landscape, the weather in the region had become more and more dramatic. I think the loss of the tree’s protection has left the region much more exposed to the elements.
Kirstie and Pauline snowed under
Am I pleased I got skiing clothes for christmas!!!Thankfully the wind blew the bad weather away over night, and again we had a new view in the morning. The sun was shining and the sky was a deep blue. The snow looked the most brilliant white. I literally jumped out of my bed, and got outside as quickly as I could.
The good weather meant that we could go up Lomnicky stit, the highest peak in the region at 2634m. Highly recommended in all the tourist guides. We had to get three cable cars up the mountain. The last one was standing room only, the steepest ascension, and just a tad terrifying. But it was all worth the effort; the views at the top were spectacular! I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
Not quite at the top.
Looking at the Polish side of the Tatry
The whole gang, me, Pauline, Kirstie and Jeremy, very very cold (-15)!!!!I was very sad to leave Slovakia, the owners of our last accommodation at Penzion Vesna were so lovely and generous, and the breakfast was to die for. The snow was a lot of fun, and having seen so many skiers I was quite keen to give it a go. Also, just to add, that the blue frogs were the more superior sledders (or luge as they persisted on calling it). Kirstie and I, with our much-practiced English humility, were defeated with honor.
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