Upside Down House in the Liptov region. (source: TASR - Ján Krošlák)
Vietnamese culture will take over Bratislava
Bratislava will host a “Vietnam Day”, which seems to be the first major event of the Vietnamese community in the city.
“We want to bring closer not only the real picture of Vietnam, but also how two different worlds have been successfully combined for several years in with the integration of the Vietnamese community into Slovak society,” Lucia Huong Šimeková, one of the organisers, told the TASR news agency.
The event will start at 14:00 on August 28 by Lake Kuchajda.
The chair of the Vietnamese community in Slovakia, Dang Nguyen Kim, explained that visitors can look forward to the screening of films, presentation of traditional Vietnamese clothes and a walk through an authentic Vietnamese street.
Lake Kuchajda in Bratislava. (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
“Traditional Vietnamese cuisine and music will complete the prepared programme,” the chair said.
Sports events will also be held in several places in Bratislava.
In Slovakia, 2,793 citizens claim Vietnamese nationality, according to the 2021 census. Nearly 500 people listed Vietnamese as their second nationality.
The community, whose history in Slovakia dates to the communist era, is trying to get recognised as another ethnic minority in the country.
One of many: Pham Thi Thu, a Bratislavan from Vietnam, supports the Vietnamese community’s ambition to get recognised as another ethnic minority.
Food: The town of Martin discovers Vietnamese cuisine thanks to Nam Van Nguyen’s bistro.
Wandering around Kysuce
A man walks along a road in the Kýčera settlement in the Kysuce region. (source: Peter Dlhopolec for The Slovak Spectator)
The Kysuce region in northern Slovakia is hilly and dotted with small settlements.
Observation towers and outdoor works of art have mushroomed here in recent years, and even today new ideas are being added that will enrich your hike or walk with the family.
The region is also well-known for its cross-country trail, named Beskydsko-Javornícka Magistrála, which connects the Czech Republic and Slovakia. For those who do not like long-distance walking, the Magic Meadow is the right place to set out to.
Archives: Listen to the Spectacular Slovakia podcast about other places in the Kysuce region that you can explore.
Other travel news
The high society of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was once attracted to the Turzov lakes and the nearby spa. Today, visitors can only swim in the lakes.
Swiss trams in central Slovakia will set out on their first ride with tourists in the autumn.
In the heat, you can head to wild swimming spots around the country.
WEEKEND READ
How eyeglasses framed Czechoslovakia
Opart glasses. (source: TASR)
Though her face may be a mystery to younger Slovaks, Helena Vrtichová’s “Diridonda” has grown into an evergreen song that Slovaks across generations are familiar with.
The “Diridonda Lady”, or a singing postwoman, as Vrtichová is sometimes nicknamed, used to wear oversized glasses on stage in the bygone days.
“I still keep them,” Vrtichová, who will turn 70 this year, said.
The list of well-known Slovaks who are remembered, apart from their talent, because of their legendary spectacles is not endless but definitely long.
The same could be said about spectacles.
At Satelit, an art gallery in Bratislava, visitors can immerse into Ondřej Vicena’s temporary exhibition on the history of eyewear design in former Czechoslovakia until late September.
More exhibitions
Trnava: Through his paintings of insects, Andrej Dúbravský wants to get across one particular message: protect biodiversity before it is too late.
Bratislava: The Old Town has been turned into an outdoor gallery, showing people life in Bratislava before and after the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia.
A few more tips before you go…
Netsuke: The Slovak National Museum in Bratislava exhibits 65 miniature “netsuke” sculptures by Japanese artists. They serve as a clip, weight, or a button on traditional Japanese clothes.
LGBT+: Pride Week Košice starts over the weekend, on August 20, at the Tabačka cultural hub. It will peak on August 27 with a pride march.
Pride Košice in 2019. (source: TASR - Milan Kapusta.)
Railroad: A railroad between Zvolen and Vrútky celebrates 150 years since its construction. On this occasion, steam trains will run between the two towns on August 20. In Zvolen, several steam trains will be on display.
That’s it for this week. Enjoy your weekend! - Peter
Do you have any tips? You can reach Peter at peter.dlhopolec@spectator.sk
