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Czech Mate
The Highlight of Eastern Europe
Determined to get to Prague on time, I left Krakow early morning headed for the Tatra mountains . After all day hiking I finally found the town where the border was supposed to be. The mountains were so beautiful and the air so crisp, I wasnt worried if I ever got there! After getting directions to the border crossing (pic), I headed across the pass but kept walking and walking and walking and walking... no border. Lots of cows and they werent friendly... I almost gave up several times and finally bedded down in a field, I woke up in the night to cows mooing at me. Got back up and started again and finally found the crossing at the end of a farm field...]They were sort of cranky at first since ( think I woke them up ), so we negotiated for awhile over where I came from until they finally believed I walked in from Poland. I thought it was because it was so daring, turns out I had wandered into Slovakia a few times and didnt know it... So then I had to find the nearest train station (looked pretty close on the map...duuuhhh) ... My thorough examination revealed I worked for the government so they bonded fast with me and sprang for an armed escort to the main town (any excuse to get excited in a town smaller than a miniature golf course) but the train station was the next town over. 4 hours later (about 2am ) I got to the train station but had no Slovakian currency!
So Close and Yet So Far...
The conductor went next door to a house and woke up his son-in-law and had him ride me on bikes to the town's only ATM (looked like an altar to me). While we ran errands his daughter made breakfast and we commenced with an hour of miming where I was going and what tickets I needed. I've been to a few countries where the people tend to be friendly, but nowhere have they been more friendly . Twilight Zone: rolling hills, mountains, snow capped peaks, castles, caves, and strangers who take you in as family. This was the highlight of my trip to Eastern Europe .
The Land of Beer , Tycho Brahe, and Mozart
After an amazing two days in The Slovak Republic, I made it to Prague , in the Czech Republic . A city worthy of its mass market tourism. Hordes of tourists but the sights are worth the crowds. Pilsner was invented here in Pilz and some say its the words finest beer. Mozart cut his teeth here, so I was able to see ''Don Giovanni'' in the theatre he originally debuted it in 1787. They even have lots of gyms... Highly sophisticated culture...
So this was it... the final days. Only Nuremburg left and a near street brawl and sobering death threat in Frankfurt [from a man who's restaurant stole a hundred euro from me] stood between me and visiting my family, the greatest adventure of all of course... ;-)
Cheers Mates,
Joe
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