We're back:) The internet was hooked up today. So its all legit, no more stealing our poor neighbors unsecured wifi.
This first picture is of the soccer stadium in Banska Bystrica, a city about 200 kilometers East of Pezinok. It is adjacent to the basketball stadium. As we were driving into the city there were so many police. There was a big soccer game the same day as the basketball game which explains the police in their riot gear in the
following picture. Yemi and I joked they look like they were suited in the GI Joe gear from the movies. That kind of security isn't really needed for the basketball games in this league but I definitely see why they need it for the soccer hooligans.
I got to ride on the bus with the team, surely a first. The scenery was nice. Country side everywhere looks pretty similar, but in Europe the juxtaposition of new factories and farm equipment with the old homes and streets is always shocking to me, in America it seems we just don't preserve things as they do here. If its old we tear it down and build something new over it, but from most of what I see Europe is not like that.
We sat close to his coach and he spoke to us a little about his experience growing up in Czechoslovakia. Up until 1989 it was impossible to get American TV or literature in this country. Almost no one was allowed to leave the border. He explained that to get any
American music or even a pair or Levi jeans was a huge deal. The government allowed him to travel to America for basketball summer league and he went to the Ohio State basketball arena in Columbus and he said it was so exciting for him to go where basketball was born. Now when he tries to explain to his 23 and 18 year old children how it used to be and they barely believe him! People in our generation will never know what it was really like to live in 'eastern europe' before the Berlin Wall fell. I feel very lucky to be experiencing Europe like this with Yemi. Through his basketball
club and the people affiliated with it I get to hear some personal stories about the history of this place first hand. Before I leave I want to create some intelligent questions to ask him if I have the opportunity. I see a lot of things here that I don't really understand yet but as I get to know more people I am sure I will figure it out.
The next picture is a picture of the original 'town fortification' or wall built in the 17th century, the picture is of a really well preserved section but there are some other parts that look fresh off a movie scene from Robin Hood, the one with Kevin Costner, yea...you know what I'm talking about;)
This last picture is the entrance of the mall here in Pezinok. Pretty modest but it has a bunch of clothing stores and eateries, not really restaurants but you can get a sandwich or have coffee. Surprising I'm finding in most places in Slovakia you cannot smoke inside. It's pretty nice, the mall; however, is not one of the places.
On another note Yemi is playing really well and the team is tied for first place with a 4-1 record. Through the US Embassy I was able to get the contact info for dentists here that speak english. I have a meeting with one in Piestany, a town about 40 minutes East of here on Friday and then one of the dentists I contacted in the capital requested my CV. I cannot wait to get into a dental office out here! I am so curious how the profession operates here in Slovakia. We have gone to Bratislava a number of times and made our first trip to Vienna yesterday. I will have more info and pics on that next time:)
