Due Vagabondi: FALL 2022 SLOVAKIA (again): Banska Bystrica & Trencin

Chilly weather and continuous rain dogs this trip, especially in Banska and a couple of places are removed from the itinerary. Seeking sunshine and warmer climes is becoming a priority.

We are happy to be back in Slovakia where the people are friendly, the food is creative, and the prices are reasonable.

BANSKA BYSTRICA

Banska Bystrica on the Hron River is surrounded by three mountain ranges. It gained considerable wealth in the 15th and 16th centuries from copper mining. Later as mining waned it became an industrial center and today tourism is its economic driver.

Copper Mining Museum

Banska Bystrica is one of the gateways to the Low Tatra Mountains which are a magnet in the winter for skiers and in the warmer months for hikers.

It is in the geographic center of Slovakia and is known throughout Europe for the pivotal role it played in starting the Slovak National Uprising (Slovenske narodne poystanie - or SNP) in the summer of 1944 against German occupiers of Slovak territories.

Today the SNP museum in Banska serves many functions in relation to the anti-fascist, liberation struggle of that time: research, documentation, education, information and archival.

Because of the foul weather, we end up not venturing too far. Just getting to the lovely SNP Square at the center of town virtually guarantees we get soaked either going or coming. There are some lovely modern shopping malls we can duck into on the way for a respite.

Many beautiful buildings surround the square and are on side streets off the square. It's a lovely place to sit in a cafe and let the world go by.

Passing by a theatre one day we saw a sign for Puppet Theater, so go in to enquire. It is near the end of the twenty-third festival which takes place every two years. UNESCO recognizes puppet theatre in both Czechia and Slovakia as not just a popular form of folk entertainment but a way of putting out a vision of the world and of teaching moral values. Much of the keeping of the tradition is by non-profit groups.

The goal of the festival is to engage children from toddlers to teens in art, imagination, discussion and play through puppetry. Daily workshops exist for various age groups. The festival has an agenda to get puppetry and theatre into the school system to become part of children's everyday education and experience.

There is an opportunity for children and parents to participate together so that parents see the value of puppetry and shows for adults that are purely entertainment. The one show left on the schedule for adults conflicts with our other plans. We were also told that it might be a bit hard for us to follow as it was in the Slovak language.

Random photos Banska Bystrica

Typical Soviet-era apartments. We stayed in a similar one across the way. Fall colours.

TRENCIN

A three-hour bus ride from Banska Bystrica delivers us to Trencin. From the bus/train station, it's a short walk through a lovely park to Centro, past a little Skoda car museum, and beyond where our apartment lies.

The vast eleventh century Trencin Castle on a cliff above the city can be seen from miles away and seems to envelop everyone in a protective hug. It takes a good day to explore its grounds and buildings. On the way down one stops at the Executioner's house museum.

The next two photos are looking down from Mathew's tower.

The castle is lovely at night.

The castle is beloved as it is prominent in several pieces of art, including in our accommodation. Below is street art depicting the castle.

We stopped at the Executioner's Home on the way down from the castle. Built in1580, it was in use in the seventeenth century as a prison on the ground floor, where people were routinely tortured, and the upper floors were where the executioner lived.

Our photos focus more on the living quarters than on the executioner's tools, of which there were many.

3-story house

It seems like a dainty bed for a man with such a cruel job

His enormous grooming kit. The phrase "dressed to kill" comes to mind.

A tiny sample of torture devices

On the way to the grocery store one day, we passed a childcare center and couldn't resist the artwork on the building.

In 1380, Louis I Great granted Trencin the right to brew its own beer, and the rest is history. One of our favourite places to stop for refreshments is the Lanius brewery right in Centro. Their restaurant serves tasty food at reasonable prices. This little place has the capacity to have ten different varieties of craft beer at one time. It prides itself on every step of the process being manual labour.

It's situated in a building from 1649 with remodelling that has stayed true to its medieval roots.

Walking from Centro to our apartment we pass a shop. Two people inside the empty building are busy painting murals on the walls. Paul couldn't resist and we went in. Luke and Catja are Slovak artists. They welcomed us and over the next three days we stopped by at some point in the day to mark their progress, chat, drink some wine and enjoy each other's company. Lovely people. Excellent artists.

We only have photos of the work in progress for the skateboard shop, having to move on before completion.

Each has his/her own FB page that can be found here: Luke and Catja. Hoping we will see at least one if not both, in Mexico one day, where street art is really appreciated.

On another day we decided to walk along the dikes of the Vah River. It would be wonderful to have a bicycle here as you can go forever. Fall colours abound, as does nature.

We are amazed at all the sports/fitness opportunities here. Everything from outdoor equipment to various courts to huge playing fields. Wonderful. In addition, there are lounging chairs placed by the river for quiet contemplation. There is an area where people have floating homes/cottages.

The beautiful Hotel Elizabeth in Centro is known for its Roman inscription done in 179/180. Walking into the hotel, the staff point us to where we needed to go. A camera doesn't pick it up well. The translation is: "To the victory of emperors, dedicated by 855 soldiers of II Legion of an army stationed in Laugaricia. Made to order of Marcus Valerieus Maximianus, a legate of the Second Auxillary legion."