WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

This is just one of the fun songs we sing and things we do while we're in the mountains--the Tatras in Slovakia. Actually, we're in a valley between the High and Low Tatras in a village called Huty. We drive together--DM, LG, KF, and me--first to Liptovsky Mikulas in the Liptov Region of Slovakia, arriving at dinner time on Tuesday. DM's eaten here before and enjoys good food, so he recommends we have dinner at Atlas.

The food's very good, and the presentation lovely. I enjoy the wide noodle pasta with cream sauce and asparagus, while the little girls have chicken soup with angel hair pasta and then some risotto. DM asks the waitress for a recommendation and very much enjoys the pork, chicken, and beef steak with grilled vegetables and buttered boiled potatoes.

Our hostess, Anna

MK has called ahead and arranged for us to stay at a familiar penzion in Huty--Penzion Rohacan. They've been here twice before, and CA and I stayed here in July of 2007. The family that owns this penzion is always welcoming, and you can't beat the prices. DM calls the penzion when we reach Liptovsky Mikulas to say we'll drive the final 30 minutes after dinner.

At dinner DM decides to enjoy a regional beer with his hungry man dinner, so he nominates me to drive the final distance--up and over and through the mountains. It's very dark in the mountains at 8:00pm in the early spring, but I persevere and enjoy the challenge.

When we arrive, we're quickly settled into our toasty warm rooms. Grandma (that's me!) claims a room of her own, while DM wrangles the two little girls into fleece jammies and under their duvets. Their room has three single beds, all three of which KF samples. She has no qualms about bumping DM or LG out of bed throughout the night.

The last day before my trip began I made a quick stop at Office Depot and while there purchased three small metal flashlights--magenta, blue, and red. Each little girl got to choose her special flashlight and we made sure to bring them along on this adventure. At some point during the trip, DM and I begin talking about "going on a bear hunt" and singing the bits of lyric that we remember. The little girls are enthralled.

Both girls sleep with their flashlights, and somehow in the midnight bed hopping, LG's disappears. DM and I turn the room upside down before breakfast on Wednesday, and no flashlight! It has to be there! We give up for awhile and head downstairs for breakfast.

The proprietress fixes a traditional Slovak breakfast of cold meats, cheese, peppers, tomatoes, and a variety of bread. She serves us warm chai and offers cereal for the little girls. DM and I remember espresso from earlier visits, so we immediately ask for some! Ah-h-h-h...

After breakfast, we toss the room again looking for that magenta flashlight, and finally find it in the last place... One bed is positioned against the wall and while we'd looked under it thoroughly, we finally realize that it can be pulled away from the wall. Voilá! There it is.

In addition to enjoying the mountain views, we have a mission. MK's parent's cottage renovation is ready for light fixtures and DM has been asked to make the selection. This requires meeting the contractor in Liptovsky Mikulas in early afternoon.

DM has planned our morning--we'll drive to Hradok near Dovalovo (home of the cottage) and enjoy the amenities of the reconstructed castle. We've eaten lunch there previously and it's a wonderful location with gourmet food. 

We arrive bit early for the restaurant to be open, but they're welcoming none-the-less. We enjoy lattes and hot chocolate, and wander the grounds taking pictures and playing hide-and-seek. After a bit we drive the five minutes to the cottage and hike up the hill to the scenic overlook. We're all delighted to see purple crocus peaking through the winter grass. (Didn't realize it at the time, but they are a protected wildflower...) The little girls run freely while DM and I soak in the magificent scenery--snow-capped peaks, terracotta-tiled rooftops, pine trees, blue sky and low hanging clouds. We continue our walk around and down past the church and through the village. It's a gorgeous spring day with sunshine and mild temperatures. My heart is full to overflowing. This is MK's favorite place in all the world, and today I can understand.

Around noon we head back to Hradok and are delighted to be able to sit in the sunshine on the patio of the castle restaurant for a leisurely lunch. DM and I both order the mixed green salad with warm brie, green apple slices, toasted walnuts, and a balsamic glaze, while the girls have tomato soup with croutons. Next DM and the girls share mushroom risotto (these little girls REALLY love rice) while I dig into something called ballroom balls! Pretty much it's two pierogi stuffed with smoked ham bits on a bed of fried onions and sauerkraut. I eat one (hearty, but good) and give DM the second. A beautiful and tasty meal.

 

We think we have to rush to meet the contractor. DM has agreed to meet at the Hypernova (grocery super-store) in L. Mikulas. We've arrived ahead of the contractor after all, so it gives LG and I a chance to buy some bottled water, flashlight batteries, and colored pencils. Oh, and some Kinder chocolate eggs... 

We eventually meet up with the contractor and his wife, and follow their car to the lighting fixture store. The two of them have grand ideas, while DM and I are more into the simple fixtures. It's clear that we'll have to bring in reinforcements, so DM calls MK for a consult. After some confusing back-and-forth, light fixtures are chosen. DM has done a good job, and the contractor(s) have acquiesced, because after all $$ does matter.

This contractor is very conscientious and is doing a spectacular job on the cottage. In the past two years the structure has gone from just a two-room cottage to a 2-1/2 story vacation home with two full bathrooms and plenty of storage. It's beautiful and functional; the Krupa family will continue their love of Dovalovo for generations to come in this beautiful family cottage.

The contractor is also very, very particular. A great trait, but we're all beginning to wonder if the cottage will be done for the end of June move-in date. DM and MK are planning to move all their household belongings from Chorvatsky Grob (Bratislava) to Dovalovo when they give possession of their home to their new buyers on June 30th. There's lots of finishing work to be done, and just two months to do it. 

We thoroughly enjoy touring the cottage, climbing the steep ladder to reach the second story, and taking photos of the progress. There's lots of construction dust and we take turns sneezing and digging for Kleenex.

Eventually we're on our way back to Huty for an afternoon rest... KF falls asleep in the car and when we arrive at the penzion, I stay in the car with her for 20 minutes or so. As often, she wakes up crabby, but calms down in a few minutes. DM is the only one who gets to rest! He's exhausted from the negotiating over the light fixtures. I can understand. Negotiating in your second language is exhausting, especially when you're charged with making decisions for someone else. While he snoozes, the girls quietly watch videos in my room, asking often to go outside to play, but it's lightly raining.

When DM surfaces from his nap, we drive to the next village, Zuberec, hoping our favorite wood-burning oven pizza shop is open. It is! Pizzeria Uno! Excellent pizza in a surprising location. The little girls are determined to have their favorite--Hawaii pizza. DM chooses another hungry man entree--a Roma pizza with tomato sauce, cheese, ham, bacon, salami, corn, champignons (mushrooms), hot peppers, and garlic. I'm a bit more timid, deciding on the Pugliese: tomato sauce, cheese, ham, onion (lots of onion), garlic, with a fried egg in the center. YUM! Even the little girls get Pepsi tonight. DM wondering whether it will keep them awake?!

Upon returning to Penzion Rohacan, we find warmer coats for the little girls, and then head out on our bear hunt, with great trepidation... It's very dark as we climb the hillside above the playground. We've got two small flashlights and two little girls quaking with fear... DM teases while I hold KF's small hand. We laugh and squeal and shine the flashlights into the forest (hoping not to see bears!).

The bear hunt is a success. Everyone has fun and we don't see any bears. Can it get any better?!

Tomorrow we'll eat breakfast at 7:30am and immediately drive back to Bratislava. DM is teaching English at a Bratislava high school in the afternoon, and Marielle is planning a solo adventure.