Beautiful Slovakia

I would be lying if I said that everyone's response was positive when I told them that Leigh and I would be going to Slovakia...
Looking back, I think that those people are quite naive and foolish. I absolutely loved Slovakia and find it a shame that more people don't take the time to go there!
We left Steven & Barbara's flat in London at 5 am to get on the tube to get to Heathrow airport. Unfortunately, Leigh was feeling very sick and was in extreme pain that continued throughout the whole day. We made it through the process of the airport, and given the situation we were in, we really lucked out for much of the day. On the flight over to Budapest, there was an empty seat on our row and the armrests were lift-able, so Leigh was able to lay down. At the Budapest airport we were met by my friend, Eve, who spent a year as an exchange student going to my high school in Peabody- small town USA. Anyways, she was awesome enough to make the 3 hour drive to pick us up and take us back to her hometown Kosice.
The drive through Hungary was absolutely stunning. I only wish Leigh wasn't writhing in pain in the back seat of Eve's car. There were beautiful sunflower fields in full bloom everywhere! I guess Hungarians are famous for their sunflower oil.
Once we got to Moldava, which is actually where Eve's house is, Leigh was in the care of Eve's wonderful mother (who didn't speak English), and Eve and I met up with some of her American friends for dinner, Teresa & Joe.  I guess it wasn't just dinner...IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING MEAL I HAVE EVER HAD! garlic soup, sheep cheese, pig knee...

The next day, Leigh was feeling better so we went out to see some of the countryside. We went to Spiš Castle, which was really beautiful. On the way, I experienced one of the most memorable images that I have acquired in Europe thus far. Slovakia has many "gypsies" living in the smaller villages out in the country. We went by a particular town in the mountains, and although I only had a split second to see this town as I turned my head, the image is there. The whole village was built up into the valley of a mountain and was made basically with sheets of tin and recycled wood. The living conditions were obviously horrendous.

 Spiš Castle was built in the 12th century and it one of the biggest European Castles in the area. It had a great view of a little village from the top and we watched a storm make its way toward us.

 That evening we met up with even more of Eve's American friends from her workplace, US Steel. Again the food was amazing. That night when we got back to Eve's house, her mother strongly encouraged us to eat more and drink all sorts of things. The tea we had was delicious, and we took a shot of something that we never were quite clear if it was medicine or alcohol or what.  That day, talks of going to Poland the next day came up, so we tried to get some sleep for another early rise and drive to Poland...

You didn't think I would leave Slovakia without getting a photo in a sunflower field did you?