Trans Europa – Page 9 – Travelling reflections

D18 Trans Europa Kosice – Szilvasvarad

Another border crossing, into Hungary. It’s at the top of a hill, like the last one. Maybe there was a strategy there. Today it’s a deserted outpost just outside a Slovakian Village.

Kosice – it hosts Europes oldest marathon, first run in 1924. Today if they run in one direction they’ll see a huge new Volvo factory being built. Then a US Steel plant, where Barbara is in her element spotting what’s going on that shouldn’t. It’s a stark contrast to the now silent and shut Port Talbot blast furnaces.

As we enter Hungary we spot another patch of Japanese knotweed. Get rid of it, now!

The contrast as we enter Hungary is pretty stark. The remote villages feel poor. That’s a judgement not a criticism – I recall in the UK the poorer communities give more to charity per head than others. The kids are curious about what we’re doing. The roads are a triffle bumpy here. Water wells and pumps dot the streets.

The fields are large – mainly wheat and sunflowers.

One town has fine murals on the apartments – perhaps the chemical factory just outside makes paint. It is part of a project to revitalise the city with vibrant street art. Certainly made us stop.

Slovakia, Trans Europa

Trans Europa: Kosice

A lovely rest day exploring a grand city centre. Predates lots of old British Cities which we think are old. Feels very accessible, friendly, with a buzz and also a bit of a [welcome?] edge – first time for a while there’s graffiti in places and a few homeless/beggars. More people smoking. So not tourist sanitised.

There are enough icecream, pizzas, other food, to feed the masses with the e-numbers they crave. I enjoyed.

The main church has a tower which has to be climbed. It dates back to 14C so has no lift. It is apparently the most Easterly Western style church of its type in Europe. I wonder, before Google – how did they know this – did someone visit every place to check? Gorgeous tiled roofs.

Kosice is apparently the first European city to have a coat of arms. There is no advice if it was designed by a committee or just a local dictator/chief priest. I’m sure the general rabble at the time were delighted with this, as they looked up from building the church tower. Or down.

I looked up famous people from Kosice. A few, most of which I don’t know including influencers (which is only a few syllables away from influenza). Martina Hingis is one of them.

The star attraction for all ages is the water fountain. The water moves in time to the music playing. Mesmerising.

Tomorrow into Hungary via the steelworks. Proper tourists.

Slovakia, Trans Europa

D17 Trans Europa Bardejov – Kosice

Slovakia – from the land of the Slavs – has a population of 5.4 million. Land locked, independent since 1993 – it has a rather complex history going back to the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungary empire, WW1 carve up of Europe creating Czeckoslavakia and then the Velvet revolution post 1990 Glasnost.

Kosice is it’s 2nd City after Bratislava – it’s a steel town though the UNESCO centre is as far removed from Port Talbot’s as you can imagine. This is a Friday night and the traffic free centre is awake with locals.

Slovakia is a developed country with an advanced high-income economy. The country maintains a combination of a market economy with a comprehensive social security system, providing citizens with universal health care, free education, one of the lowest retirement age in Europe and one of the longest paid parental leaves in the OECD. Slovakia is a member of the European Union, the eurozone, the Schengen Area, the United Nations, NATO, CERN, the OECD, the WTO, the Council of Europe, the Visegrád Group, and the OSCE. Slovakia is also home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The world’s largest per-capita car producer, Slovakia manufactured a total of 1.1 million cars in 2019, representing 43% of its total industrial output.

Choices

Coffee stop

We got here via some rolling countryside, dotted with villages, churches and bins. Today must be bin day so there was a multiple array of coloured wheely bins – which change their colour by the area they are in. Like ours it is a modern way of keeping the brain active working out what is collected when and in what.

Polands colourful shrines are replaced with most austere traditional crosses. Reminds me of the Murphy’s Iron Nails story.

Tomorrow is a rest day to explore Kosice centre – and stock up on M&Ms in Lidl….

Poland, Slovakia, Trans Europa

D16 Trans Europa Glinik Zaborowski – Bardejov

There was no check as we passed into Slovakia. Think about it – might have been when it was Czechoslovakia. The post was removed when the Schengen area was formed in 2007. An area rich in history going back to the Carpathian tribes.

Where we end up is relatively new: the town hall was built in 1505. There’s a 2200kg bell – it was in continuous use from 1496 – 1990. Probably not the same bell ringer. Pretty centre of a 30000 population who I suspect use the nearby shopping malls which won’t be around as long.

In between, rolling hills dotted with churches and rich fields. Very alpine looking. The skies were either very heavy or lightening their load.

It’s easy to miss things. Early on we passed a closed off railway tunnel, open on limited occasions. Seemingly innocuous. One of three such tunnels, Nazi control centries. Hitler used it to hide his train en-route to meeting Mussolini in 1941.

There are a lot of water wells. Often the water is contaminated these days.

So from the Sloty back to the Euro. Somewhat academic at times with cashless transactions.

Poland, Trans Europa

D15 Trans Europa Sandomierz – Glinik Zaborowski

Our first proper hill as we enter the foothills of the Carpathians Mountains.

Today is our last full day in Poland. I’m not sure of what my expectations were – it’s been delightful. The GDP per head may be lower than Lithunia – it has felt richer. At least the thin slither of our route. More diverse crops. Hardly any litter nor graffitti, no matter the wealth of the place. Great roads. Development happening (with non-car infrastructure too). The drivers have been ace.

Coffee stops are thin on the ground, though there is a good number of small supermarkets to keep you caffienated should it be needed. Plenty of trees for the obligatory pee stops.

I don’t know the tourist season – places felt quiet. 99% of cars are Polish. The tractors are great – looks like they’ve been re and upcycled many times.

Poland appears very Catholic, with many large and well attended graveyards. Burial remains the most common practice, with lower cremation rates than many other Western Countries. Just as well they have a lot of space. Today’s highlight was a large wooden church. 17C. Until you read that it was rebuilt in 1979 or so. The outside inspired more than the inside.

Tomorrow into Slovakia.