Blogs from Liptovský Mikulás, Zilina Region, Slovakia, Europe

I'm standing in front of a tiny 4-table restaurant. The peeled log walls are candy-glazed with amber shellac. A civil defense loudspeaker, loosely screwed onto a corner of the roof, cranks out silly Slovakian Polka music that sounds like a Benny Hill soundtrack. In front of the cabin is a chicken-wire aviary. A couple of peacocks stretch their fans. On the ground inside the cage are a dozen flop-eared bunnies. They are all the same pepper-grey color. Huddled tightly together like trembling Tribbles under a withering Polka assault. Looks like a cake pan of furry biscuits ready for the oven. They're not here for show. Slovakians love bunny casserole. In the back, next to a churning, granite-clogged river are a few cable-spool tables. Chairs chain-sawed out of thick logs. Seats covered with wet AstroTurf. Two of ... read more

I love travelling by train right, but trying to sit on a 4 hour train journey having just got up at 5:30 and being as excited as I was was not something I would recommend for anyone who is prone to fits or fainting. After crawling out of Holešovice station under a newly risen sun, Style of Eye's essential mix gave me sustenance through Kolín, Pardubice and Třebova while Laidback Luke's threw me through Brno and Břeclav and across the Slovak border to Kúty, bringing my total number of countries visited up another one. Then, we finally pulled into Bratislava and I was on my way to the airport to meet Charlie. After finally soaking up the reality that we were both now with each other again and on holiday, we made our way back to ... read more