It was team building day at Tále, a holiday resort located at the lower Tatras, 250 km east of Bratislava. It was a new experience going east, passing stretches upon stretches of country side, the way dotted with water towers, which the driver described as bombs waiting to be detonated at times of invasion by a foreign enemy. For a moment, I nearly believed him.
In the evening, we went next door to the restaurant for some solid Slovakian buffet - roast pig (which tasted almost like gammon), roast duck, washed down by pear brandy Hruškovica, a deadly fiery liquid at least 49% if not more. Dessert was pirohy - dumplings filled with fruit compote and eaten with a generous dusting of poppy seeds mixed with icing sugar. There was of course the ubiquitous bryndzové halušky, small dumplings made of potato dough with sheep cheese and topped with scrambled bacon. This favourite national dish was definitely an acquired taste. The dining room was big, with a mezzanine area above the ground floor restaurant. It was cooking on an industrial scale. I noticed that others were drinking white wine produced in Slovakia, and a local pilsner called Zlaty Bazant (Golden Pheasant).
The next day we went to Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov (Cave of Dead Bats) in the mountains Nízke Tatry; the cave acquired its name following the finds of a great amount of bat bones about 6000 years old. To reach the cave, it was a long hike up (2200m) on a rocky path. There were two speleological (cave) guides, one to accompany visitors down the cave, the other to receive signals from underground that all is well. It was an eerie experience, slipping over wet ground and continuously bumping the hard hat over the rocks above head. In some parts of the cave, the calcium deposits were impressive.
The hotel looked like a chalet, with a cavernous dining hall, by far the largest I have seen as a traveller. Upstairs, in the private quarters, the bath cubicle was decidedly dainty, with hardly enough room to swing a leg, let alone a cat. This was compensated by a view of the mountains, unusual for a city girl like me.
In the evening, we went next door to the restaurant for some solid Slovakian buffet - roast pig (which tasted almost like gammon), roast duck, washed down by pear brandy Hruškovica, a deadly fiery liquid at least 49% if not more. Dessert was pirohy - dumplings filled with fruit compote and eaten with a generous dusting of poppy seeds mixed with icing sugar. There was of course the ubiquitous bryndzové halušky, small dumplings made of potato dough with sheep cheese and topped with scrambled bacon. This favourite national dish was definitely an acquired taste. The dining room was big, with a mezzanine area above the ground floor restaurant. It was cooking on an industrial scale. I noticed that others were drinking white wine produced in Slovakia, and a local pilsner called Zlaty Bazant (Golden Pheasant). 
The next day we went to Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov (Cave of Dead Bats) in the mountains Nízke Tatry; the cave acquired its name following the finds of a great amount of bat bones about 6000 years old. To reach the cave, it was a long hike up (2200m) on a rocky path. There were two speleological (cave) guides, one to accompany visitors down the cave, the other to receive signals from underground that all is well. It was an eerie experience, slipping over wet ground and continuously bumping the hard hat over the rocks above head. In some parts of the cave, the calcium deposits were impressive.It whetted my appetite for finding out more about this small country with a big heart.
