Orava is Slovakia: Rozmarin Country Fest in Terchova

In Orava I've done grand, soaring castle tours and quiet village life, so now its time for the thing I do best, party!  I spent my final Orava night watching live music at 'Amfiteater na Borami' in the village of Terchova.  This village is home to Slovak folk legend, Juraj Janosik, and the amphitheater itself hosts many culture events such as, "Janosik Days," and the cooking fest "Bryndzova Halusky Terchova."  On this weekend, I experienced a bunch of Czech & Slovak rednecks playing their versions of American country music at "Country Fest Rozmarin!"

 This is Deda Mladek Illegal Band, who I saw at the festival on Saturday night. The song is, "Jozin z Bazin" which translates to something like,"Joe From The Swamp."  While they are technically not country music, they still do a fine, funny job of playing old American ragtime and swing.  The singer is clearly crazy and doesn't give a damn about being a complete fool onstage.

I don't have to understand lyrics to enjoy live music.  The bands were good, the vibe was chill and Terchova is in the middle of the Mala Fatra mountains so the surrounding countryside is beautiful.  To top it off, instead of paying 10 Euro for the entry fee, I got in free thanks to a friend who works at the event.  Typically I start out with alcohol, but they had cold Kofola on tap, and you can only find it in the former Czechoslovakian countries.  I'll take it over Coca-Cola any day. 
                                                                                             

 

Kofola only lasts so long though, and I knew I needed something stronger when I heard the singer calling for everyone to drink Hruskovica and Borovicka!  The best Slovak spirits you can get are homemade, but here I have to settle for Spis, still one of the best commercially available.  The Spis Truck (which I will own someday) was parked outside the amphitheater, and it was full of sexy Slovak Spis girls handing out shots and tattoos!!

Strong, yet still smooth and sweet.  The shot...not the girl.  

With hruska burning in my belly and the sun setting I was ready to see the last headline band.  I was expecting more American music, but instead I got Cechomor.  Just calling them traditional Czech/Slovak music is too simple an explanation.  Here they sing, "Mistecko,"  I don't have to understand the lyrics, but I know I got chills.

  Dobru Noc.

Orava is Slovakia: Dolny Kubin Village Life

We've just seen the imposing, soaring beauty of Orava Castle in Slovakia.  Now its time to focus on something much simpler, but equally beautiful in Orava.  My Slovak friend invited me to his family cottage farm outside Dolny Kubin for a day.  I wish it could have been a lifetime.  I'm too cynical and sarcastic to use words such as charming, quaint, whimsical and idyllic, but these words describe the little family cottage very well.

Most tourists in Central/Eastern Europe will never experience this kind of building.  They focus on the usual giant castles, museums and central squares of Europe.  When venturing away from the tourist areas they look in disgust at the classic "Communist" blocks, or panelka, that are quite typical in countries affiliated with the former Soviet Union.

Charming in their own way; I feel like I'm visiting Pee-Wee's Playhouse.  The irony of these "Eastern" European buildings is that their design originates from a "Western" architect from England.  I guess Stalin was just very impressed with the economical advantage of these buildings and it quickly propagated throughout the region.  If you do go to smaller villages you will see the old, rustic small cottages from the pre-Communist days.

The small cottage I found myself at is self-sustaining.  It sits on a long, thin plot of land where my friend's family grows their own fruits and vegetables.  A short walk to the backyard treats you to a variety of berries, legumes, greens and fruit trees.  On that particular day I snacked on fresh gooseberries I had plucked from a bush out back.

All of this fresh food makes for great meals.  My friend's family treated me to some homemade Slovak cooking.  I'd never thought of dill as a good way to flavor food, but it worked very well as a sauce with meatloaf and Slovak knedl'a, a soft dumpling bread that's perfect for soaking up sauce.  In addition to this I stuffed myself with korbaciky syr, a salty string cheese that's everywhere in Orava.

 It's excellent comfort food when paired with a Pilsner beer and shot of Slivovica.  If you try it in the capital of Bratislava it just won't compare.  Unfortunately most tourist don't even give Bratislava a chance, much less the rest of Slovakia.  Come out to the countryside for some simple living and discover why I like this little country.