Slovakia is rural tourism
Slovakia is rural tourism. We went to Slovakia in January 2007. The first thing that struck me was the Poprad airport. We expected to see a European-level airport, but it turned out to be worse than in Kharkov. We loaded the suitcases on the bus ourselves, the driver defiantly smoked nearby. On the way to the hotel, I saw a lot of summer cottages with greenhouses, and this alerted me.
We arrived in the village of Yasna. This is not even a village, but a territory with a small number of hotels in the national style. There are no shops at all, not even grocery stores. Bars and discos only in hotels. There is no taxi, the shuttle bus is on schedule. The fare is 5 UAH.
We chose the most expensive and prestigious Grand Hotel. The cost of living for 7 days with meals / breakfast + dinner buffet / and flight from Kyiv 1000 euros per person. When we were handed the keys to the room and we went up to the 2nd floor of a 3-storey hotel, the hall looked like a good hotel from the times of the Soviet Union. The furniture in the room is 15 years old and in good condition. Pleased with the bathroom. Good plumbing, large mirror. The room itself is too small for three people. Skiing and snowboarding literally nowhere to lay down. There are no Ukrainian and Russian channels. And the level of television in Slovakia lagged behind Russia by five years.
The food was ok, we especially liked the meat dishes. For breakfast, you could drink tea or coffee for free, but during dinner, any drink - tea, coffee, not to mention alcohol and beer, had to be bought for money. We didn't get fruit, sweets were represented by puddings, some ugly buns. So, for those who have visited Turkey, such food will seem scarce.
There was no snow this year on January 1st. Only one White way worked. This is a slide with an old lift for beginners. the myth that in Slovakia the tracks communicate with each other was dispelled immediately. Theoretically, yes, but in practice, maintenance personnel always have some reason to close one or more tracks. Wind, heavy snow, severe frost, icing, lack of snow / in our case / allows you to close the lifts. Interestingly, the workers work from 8 am to 4 pm, just when the skiers are skiing. At night, all work freezes.
A trip to the water park and the city.
To get acquainted with the life of this country, we went to the nearest city by bus. /40 min. / I was shocked by the shops, Everything reminded the USSR. Even such trifles as blinds on the windows, plastic windows and doors that are familiar to our eyes, you simply will not see. There are no stalls with cigarettes and chocolates. One market where all the inhabitants of the town come for shopping. Prices are almost the same with Ukrainian ones. Fruit is much cheaper. Clothes and footwear are only domestic. Children's shoes are excellent to say frankly / 50-60 dollars /, and knitwear and other clothes - hug and cry. There is no Turkey and China at all, everything is gloomy, terrible.
I advise everyone to go to the water park. It uses water from thermal springs. An unforgettable experience. Several pools with a gradual increase in temperature. There are slides, jacuzzi, water volleyball. Very good.
That's what really pleasantly strikes in Slovakia is the beauty of nature. I advise everyone to go to Zahradky and take the lift to the top. It is mesmerizing, you involuntarily fall silent and feel like the ruler of the whole earth. Probably for such a feeling it is worth paying 1000 euros.
We almost didn't manage to go skiing because of the lack of snow. This country is suitable for those who love silence, peace, walking with skis, enjoying nature along the way. This country seemed too provincial to us.