MARCH 2, 2007

Today we left Bratislava and stopped at another castle on our way to Presov.

Denisa made arrangements for us to have a tour of the Bojnice (pronounced boy NEET ze) Castle with a guide that spoke English.

Dianne and I went up and down many stairs. My pedometer was very happy.

Denisa and Theodore used the Autoatlas to make sure we didn’t get lost.

Slovakia is a beautiful country. Its mountains are part of its natural beauty.

This is the first moment when we opened the door and met the Miklus family entering their home in Presov.

Lance gives Janka a Slovak kiss. First Lance kisses Janka on her left cheek (as shown), then on her right cheek. This is the Slovak way of greeting your family.

Janka brought us to their dinner table for food and refreshments. Dianne holds a few of the gifts we brought from Vermont.

Silvia, Denisa’s sister, opens her gift which is a small Vermont cow bell that might be useful in her office at her business.

The little brown bear Lance is holding is the get well bear Theodore and Tilly-Bear sent to Dusan in September 2006, after his back surgery.

So Theodore and Tilly-Bear had a Slovak friend to visit as well. On the little bears shirt it says, “Somebody in Essex Junction, VT Loves You”.

Left to right is Janka (Denisa’s mother), Dusan (Denisa’s father), Dianne (Lance’s wife), Lance (Denisa’s third cousin), Denisa, and Silvia (Denisa’s sister).

Dusan poured each of us a glass of white wine and Lance proposed a toast, “To the family, together again for the first time in 49 years”.