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| The High Tatras |
A Short Walk in the High Tatras
After
filming the Gypsy musical on the Old Testament story of Judith and Holofernes,
we stayed overnight at the Greek Catholic’s priest’s house. Saturday the 18th
October was another very busy day. We headed east to do a live broadcast of the
Mass celebrated by the bishop in honour of Anna Kolesárová the Second World War
martyr for chastity, see part 2 of this post for the story. As I was a guest
and not needed to take part in the production apart from a little roadie work,
I took part in the pilgrimage. After the Mass, the vans were once again loaded
and we headed back west. I was invited to stay another day in central Slovakia
and make a short walk in the High Tatras.
We were to
stay with a priest in the Stary Smokovec a lovely little town at the foot of
the highest mountains. We arrived well after midnight but the priest had waited
up for us, and after a few glasses of Slivovitsa (a very strong plum brandy) I
slept like a log. Slivovitsa is everywhere in Slovakia and is to be treated
with respect. Needless to say we did not start out the following Sunday as
early as we intended and our short hike became even shorter. Nevertheless it
was wonderful as these photos I shot show.
A mountain waterfall
The High
Tatras are a mountain range in northern Slovakia and Southern Poland. The 15
highest peaks are all situated in Slovakia with Geriachovsky stit (Geriach
Peak) being the tallest at 8,711ft. They form part of the Carpathian mountain
chain. Although beautiful and calm on the sunny autumn day I visited, they can
be traitorous, that day two people lost their lives climbing them, with prayers RIP.
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| One of the many Castles in Slovakia |
The High
Tatras have always attracted thousands of visitors from the surrounding central
European countries; St John Paul II would often visit them when he was Pope and
even before. Upon one visit he predicted that Europe who be re-evangelised from
central Europe and in particularly, Slovakia. It’s not surprising that it’s the
central European countries that have amended their constitutions to define
marriage as a union between a man and a woman, banning same-sex marriage. Perhaps
we should write to Slovakian Embassy in our various countries and thank them
for making this wonderful pro-family stand. In Western Europe only Italy is
holding out against any form of same-sex unions – but for how much longer with
the pressure in Western Europe being so pro - ‘Gay’ everything. Also
neighbouring Hungary has made a strong pro-family and pro-Life declaration at
the UN.
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Evening Mass
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| Ah well back to the Tatras, after our walk to
the waterfalls, a snack and coffee at one of the mountain huts we headed back
down the mountain to take the mountain railway for the last part to the town.
We attended the evening Mass said by our priest host in Latin. He celebrates
his evening Mass in Latin because there are so many visitors all speaking
different languages visiting these mountains.
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