Getting The First Thing Right

The biggest news is the completion of my bike. It seems that this is the one thing going right so far. It has been an incredible struggle to get all of my documents up to par for the agencies involved in granting my visa. I once calculated that it would have cost me nearly $3,000 dollars to attain the visa from the US. In one way or another I have spent that in time, and aggravation. Were it not for my landlord, “semi-legal consel”, and good friend it would not happen and my dream of living in Slovakia would be quashed. I am in debt to Terry Vaidik, a complete stranger with whom I was connected through a former contact at George Roll. Terry has been the driving force in attaining a letter of recommendation from the Slovak Club of Merrillville (Indiana); he has been eager, accommodating, and indispensable… I am sure he will be mentioned again. I will revisit this subject in detail after it is affirmed that I have the visa and I can stay.

I picked up my bike yesterday June 28th from the bike shop, where Tician (the Slovak form of the Italian Renaissance painter) re-assembled it from the shipping box, and lovingly restored it to its original form. We added a couple updates. It rides like the first time I was on it in 1979. I went directly to the Danube Trail and pedalled easily westward into the sun for a half-hour. It was an exhilarating sense of release to have the physical exercise, and the movement. Bratislava is a “bike town” and I am looking forward to exploring even greater distances than can be reached on foot, and hoping someday soon to be able to make the ride to Vienna. As it is now, I will have to get my bottom used to sitting on the seat, and it is not happy this morning; a little at a time. I returned to Stary Mesto and dismounted to walk my bike as I headed to Dolnozemska krcma for a celebratory cup of coffee. It is one of favorite places to sit in the Old Town. I am in the second block from St. Martins Cathedral on Palace Row. As I may have explained in a previous blog, this is where the nobility and upper gentry lived in Bratislava – especially during the period 1563 to 1830 when just down the row was St. Martin’s Cathedral. In this nearly 270-year span, the cathedral was the coronation site for the Kingdom of Hungary. The most important in ranking lived in the first block next to the cathedral…and so forth.

I was digging the looks I was getting from the other cyclists as I walked to the krcma (pronounced: “kerch-ma” for tavern or pub…sorry, no diacriticals on my keyboard). While I was sitting having my cup of coffee, a cyclist in full regalia came up and asked if it was mine. I replied that it was, and he marvelled at it constantly saying “this is a classic!”. I humbly thanked him and he rode away shaking his head. I walk my bike while in the crowded lanes of the Old Town; seeing people tear through on bike and e-scooters makes my heart race. There is rarely a time without people strolling obvious to their surroundings, many times stopping right in front of me while I am behind them, and me reacting like a football player to make a deke move to get by without running into them. There are also families with little kids running loose in every direction. I would never forgive myself if I hit one of them.

My ride back to my apartment was cut in a third of the time it takes to walk from the Old Town. Normally a 15/20 minute walk, I was home before I knew it. It will be a perfect 25C (77F) here today and I plan on getting out to at least ride a bit of the trail along the Danube, stopping at times to give my ass a rest. Our days have been very nice with low humidity, although we had a spell of 33C (91F) days last week, a nice fast-moving thunder storm blew it all out. Summer isn’t over yet, by a long shot, and we will have our share of hot days. So, I have fulfilled one dream, to ride my 1979 Raleigh Super Course on the streets of Europe. Now I face the daunting task of getting my visa to remain here in land of my ancestors, and to complete the larger dream.

THE HISTORY CORNER

The turn of the 9th century reveals the Hungarians already having launched several raids into Great Moravia and Nitra. There is a great deal of conjecture regarding Nitra. Historians have long been at odds over its existence as a separate entity from Svatopluk’s Great Moravia, or a Duchy of Mojmir II (Svatopluk’s son and heir) following the death of Svatopluk “The King of Slavs”. The area that encompassed Great Moravia (and Nitra – whatever its status by historians) was staggering. From modern-day Czech Republic, to Slovakia and Hungary, Austria, Germany, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and the Ukraine. Only Samo’s empire in Central Europe covered any significant territory. It should be noted that Samo ruled over more of a “union of tribes” than an actual empire.

Occurring prior and amid this time, interwoven in this story is the gathering strength of the Hungarians. In the early 890’s Arnulf of Franconia invaded unsuccessfully against Svatopluk, and was rebuffed twice (890 &892). What is significant is that the Hungarians were supporting Arnulf, and it illustrates their growing power as not only a military force, but as a political entity as well. An even greater indicator for me of the future of my beloved Slovaks is the loss of the influence of Methodius; an Archbishop prior to his passing in 885. The Frankish clergy still opposed the growing culture of the Glagolitic liturgy, and succeeded in convincing Pope Stephen V to restrict the use of Old Church Slavonic in liturgy. Bishop Wiching was the nemesis of Cyril and Methodius, as well as counsel to Svatopluk, and it is he who led the denial of Methodius. Wiching was more power-hungry than ecclesastic, switching allegiance from Svatopluk to Arnulf and the Franks as it suited his quest for power. Upon the death of Methodius, Wiching persuaded Svatopluk to expel the disciples of Methodius fro Moravia. Thus in one vindictive act, the entire future of any cultural or literary growth was gone. It would be nearly 1,000 years before the Slovaks would develop a literary language of their own.

One of my many beliefs is that “history is recorded as the annal of the action or inaction of men”. As we travel on through the Slovak past, I will raise this specter often. The instance with Bishop Wiching is merely one in a thousand examples of men influencing future history by an act of self-interest. It may reflect the resolve of Svatopluk at the time, too busy spinning plates to contemplate the outcome of his inaction. Let us just set the lack of forward thinking aside for the time being…this is the Middle Ages after all. Any short discourse on how to look at history as I see it will wait. The 10th century will dawn in the next “History Corner” and we shall see the Slovaks enter the next millenium.

I am grateful to those who take the time to read these short missives from Central Europe. Thank you to those who are following in email, were directed by an inquiry, and anyone interested in my travel and travail away from family and friends. I appreciate any comments. Until we meet again, please take care yourselves, and take care of each other