Austria, Slovakia, and The Czech Republic

Breaking borders, shifting alliances. But if borders are only political to begin with, is anything ever really broken? One could suppose that depends on perspective.

It had been eight years since I last had been on the continent. Continents shift too, albeit more slowly. It was unplanned, insofar as I could see, though according to my perspective, everything is predetermined, at least to the extent that the present is comprised solely of reactions that already have been determined by past events and carry forward to a future that is contingent on a present we can’t control. Therefore, I no longer believe in “free will,” because no one thing is fully independent of anything else, but this is not to say there isn’t will. There is will.

The occasion lasted for the better part of the summer. Based in Vienna, the days were characterized by a considerable degree of inertia, which is an accomplishment in itself in a world that is continually changing. The sluggishness matched the season, particularly as the days became warmer. In “The City of Pools,” as I would call it if I were ever in a position to coin a quoted phrase under its name on a roadside sign, the Laaerbergbad provided reprieve from this inertia, and came to be a constant in my life. Complete with diving boards, a wave pool, and a mushroom, as well as a large park, a cafe, and various food vendors, going there was a vacation in its own right. Immaculately maintained, as is nearly everything in this pristine country, it serves as a reminder of what we can accomplish together.

Further to the East, I was welcomed as a guest in Turčianske Teplice, where I would spend five nights with a family that lives like more should. With a home adjacent to a garden filled with red currants and gooseberries, and watched over by gnomes, I never had seen such fresh abundance. On a day trip to Banská Štiavnica, the morning was spent at a “tajchy,” or one of the remaining manmade lakes constructed for a historical mine, and now used for recreation, and the afternoon at an outdoor museum dedicated to the memory of those mines, followed by pizza and “kofola,” or Slovak cola, and a stroll around the city center. On the way back to Turčianske Teplice, a visit was made to the Hronsek Wooden Church. Upon unlocking the doors of the entrance and entering, the stairs collapsed under the weight of the elderly attendant; fortunately, she was a sturdy woman and unharmed, made her way into the church all the same, giving a tour. A final stop was then made in Banská Bystrica, where a visit was paid to Vilo’s place.

Once back in “The City of Pools,” a spontaneous day trip was taken to Brno. Following the advice of an Internet acquaintance, it was begun with a delicious lunch at U Caipla before an afternoon of exploration. A few days later I finally made it to the Grüner See, which was breathtaking. Emerald in color and true to its name, it was the most beautiful lake I have seen. Sometimes I wonder if the world’s beauty merely serves as a mask to hide its horrible nature and distracted by the former, we have evolved to overlook the latter. Or is it vice versa?

Over the course of my last two weeks in Vienna, I reconnected with an old friend, as well as made a new one. While the old one is still young, and the new one is already old, and both have lived vastly different lives, we all had something in common. I also made a couple of furry friends along the way, one of whom convinced me to reconsider cats. My last weekend was spent along the Danube just outside of the city. During this time, I sampled the best grapes I have tasted, enjoyed one of the best meals I have had, and learned something new about myself. Though fall was still awhile away, I found myself changing anyway. People say people don’t change but oh, we do.

And we don’t take as long as continents.