Asked to Go Dancing!

Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014--Bardejov to Kosice

There are supposed to be 9 buses a day between Bardejov and Kosice, the second largest city in Slovakia, so I checked out of my hotel at 9:30 and headed to the bus station in the light drizzle that was falling expecting a bus within a fairly short period of time.  It looked on the schedule posted at the station as if there was a bus at 10:30 and another at 10:57, although the information made me think maybe the one at 10:30 wouldn't run on Sunday (due to a 6 probably indicating six days a week). 

Both 10:30 and 10:57 arrived without buses coming.  I went inside the station and asked.  The next bus wouldn't be until 13:45!!!  All I could do was wait.  I read a magazine I had packed from home and started reading one of the novels I had brought.  Slowly, but surely, the time passed.

I had made reservations at two places here--one for tonight at the Horse Inn because the other place had a vacancy only for tomorrow and Tuesday.  I walked from the station in a light rain and had no problem finding the place.  It is modern, quiet, and nice.  Maybe I should have stayed here all three nights, but the other place is about 30% cheaper and includes a small kitchen.

By the time I was settled in the room, the clouds were breaking up and I went out to explore the town.  Kosice is so nice.  It puts the capital of Bratislava to shame.  My hotel is on the edge of the Old Town, and I can be on he main street within 2 blocks.  Instead of a square, that main street widens to have a linear park in the middle along with a church, a performance hall, and other impressive structures. 

Exploring that main street, I found a poster telling of a concert today at 17:00 in a park 3 blocks from my hotel and about 5 blocks from where I was reading the poster.  I rushed there to find Slovak Tango playing on a small gazebo-style bandstand.  They are great.  They were playing peppy music when I arrived, but they also play somewhat nostalgic sounding slow pieces.  The crowd especially liked this one (click on link) which may be the song that gave them their name.  They are a very talented group.

As the concert was ending, a woman walked up and started talking to me in the Slovac language.  I said I was sorry, but I speak only English.  She knew some words in English and continued talking.  She's the one who told me the name of the band.  Then she asked if I was interested in going dancing.  I guess she had noticed me moving to the music (partially because their songs had a good beat and partially because I was getting cold and trying to stay warm as the sun was setting).  I might have been a good experience to go out with her, but I was too tired to commit myself to something that might go late into the evening.  I excused myself and returned to the hotel for the night.

As I entered the hotel, the receptionist approached me.  Apparently she had been thinking about my plans to go to Ukraine since she helped me look up bus schedules.  She said, "I wish you wouldn't go to Ukraine.  I don't think it's safe."  How sweet of her.  I told her I wasn't going anywhere near where the problems are occurring--that I was staying in cities in the western part of the country.