SHOWING GRANDMA THE SITES / SIGHTS

Modry Dom - Vajnori, SK

Just a simple day at home with a short journey through the local villages and one small city. This is one of five wine regions for Slovakia. Today there is a light fog and, although it is early winter and the vines are bare, they provide an artistically, stark image with soft sunlight filtering through the Carpathian foothills on the horizon.

We start here in Chorvatsky Grob [Croatian Cemetery] and see LG's pre-school, then on to Slovensky Grob [Slovak Cemetery]. There are 22 restaurants in Slovensky Grob who specialize in roasted goose dinners. We will visit one Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving. The "cemetery" designation dates from the days when these villages were considered on the way-outskirts of Bratislava and the site[s] of local cemeteries. The Croatians came when the Turks chased them from Croatia and found safe-haven here.

The small city we walk around is Pezinok. It is a cold, sunny, slushy day as there was a bit of snowfall overnight. Great Grandma doesn't prefer long walks, so we soon head to the car to drive through Svety Jur and to Vajnori for lunch at Modry Dom [Blue House]. The food presentation is outstanding, a veritible still life--snitzels, pork or chicken, surrounded with mounds of fresh, shredded vegetables--white cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots. The rice pilaf is molded into a dome and garnished with drunken cherries and pineapple tidbits. Grandma chooses sour potato soup and then is surprised that the potatoes are sour! Always interested in trying new recipes, she had envisioned something more heartland American--possibly creamy potato soup garnished with "sour cream."

Our big plan to have mobility every day because of renting the Skoda has been hindered by the Kangoo's flashing orange light. He will be repaired tomorrow. So... we settle in with books and pastries from the Cukraren [sweet-shop] in Vajnori. Not a bad afternoon and evening--with lots of entertainment from LG and KF.

Great Grandma is a Fox-TV and CNN junkie, so she is detoxing by reading a book! She usually claims the comfortable rocking chair, as she should at 80+. I envy her since my low back has become a bit dicey.

Since DM is working late tonight, we are home-bound, but happy. MP prepares an American meatloaf and I mix up a batch of the Baker's Chocolate One-Bowl Brownies with fudge icing. Treacherously rich. Most will go to DM's English class at the university tomorrow night, but not all.