Beer O'Clock in Slovakia

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We made an early start to Slovakia as Eileen had set the alarm to get through the shower early. We decided to breakfast along the way. We stopped at a small town remembering our pleasant experience in Slovenia. The local bar was open so we wandered in to find the local men having their breakfast - beer. The bar did not serve food. We noted that beer was a popular breakfast choice throughout the country – also to be enjoyed at morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and with dinner. We tried another town for breakfast and ended up buying some forgettable food at a minimarket. A little further on, we bought some delicious peaches at a road side stall.

Another thing that struck us on our first encounter with Slovakia is that the roads are flanked by apple trees everywhere. There must have been a massive roadside planting effort 20+ years ago. The apples were ripe and we saw villagers of all ages bagging apples and transporting them on hand carts. We stopped a couple of times to sample a few along the way. Some varieties are tart but others are nice and sweet – all were crisp and delicious. Eileen thought a lot of the harvest might be preserved for strudel and sour cabbage production.

We deliberately chose to take the back roads to Levoča. The roads became progressively narrower, windier and rougher until, at one stage, we were driving over a road so patched it looked like a patchwork quilt. I could see multiple patches on patches so that there was hardly any of the original road to be seen – still at least it was sealed!

We passed through Mlynky where we stopped for lunch. I had bean soup with smoked meat and Eileen had a very strong but very tasty garlic soup with cheese and croutons.

Levoča is a little gem of a town, originally a medieval walled village. It has retained most of its charm and is being renovated; a lovely spot to stop. The main square is very pretty and there are a couple of substantial churches.

We visited Spiš Castle, a 15 minute drive away. The large castle, built at the turn of the 12^th century, has had many uses and owners since its original royal owners. It is a reasonably intact ruin, despite a fire in 1780. It is worth the climb to the top for the magnificent vistas over the surrounding countryside. A tip for fellow travellers - there is a free car park on the far side of the castle that is a much shorter walk than from the adjacent town of Spišské Podhradie.

Following our exertions, we joined the locals and had a drink in the castle grounds. I enjoyed a dark beer that was mildly flavoured. Eileen ordered an orange juice and a shot of Slovakia’s national drink, Borovička. It is like flavoured vodka; an interesting taste but not one we crave to taste again.

Our delightful hotel in Levoča, Hotel Arkada, is situated in the building of the former brewers printing shop from the 15th century. Our room was like a small apartment. It had a spacious bedroom, a separate lounge with a three piece lounge suite, a huge bathroom and a kitchen. Unfortunately the kitchen was unusable because it was not equipped with any crockery, cutlery, cooking equipment, fridge or cooker. The first night we ate in the hotel restaurant, something I do not usually do, which was situated in the building’s cellar. It was a good choice and the food was great. I had a pork fillet stuffed with ham, cheese, capsicum and pickles, while Eileen had pork with wild mushrooms. Both mains were under 6 Euro each and represented excellent value.

The second night we ate at the restaurant in the city walls. It was a quaint eating place and the food was good but not as good quality as the Arkada. I enjoyed a highly spiced lamb goulash.

One thing that was a pleasant surprise in Eastern Europe is the price of food. For example, in Levoča, at the equivalent of the ‘corner dairy’, you can buy bread rolls for 10 cents, a round of brie for $1, some nice sliced ham for under $1, and a local beer (500ml bottle) for 50 cents to $1 (all NZ dollars). The cost of living appears low.

Just before we drove off, we visited a little shop next door to the hotel with a large selection of nice crockery and glassware. As we headed out the door, Eileen stopped and smiled as she spotted “Mum’s vase”; a blue and gold shaped vase which was her mother’s favourite and took pride of place displayed on the dining table. A fitting farewell!

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