Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Large sapphire found while mushroom-hunting
The blue sapphire is 2.5 centimetres across. (source: Archive of Ladislav Oravec)
An amateur mineral collector from south-central Slovakia has made a unique discovery.
While searching for mushrooms in a quarry belonging to the village of Gemerský Jablonec, he stumbled upon a blue sapphire embedded in a piece of basalt rock. It was his third discovery, but the previous two were a slightly smaller, the MY Novohrad regional newspaper reported.
One of the sapphires previously found by Ladislav Oravec, which he named King. (source: Marcela Ballová)
“I didn’t found any mushrooms, so I started looking for sapphires,” Ladislav Oravec told state-owned broadcaster STVR. “After about 30 minutes I was left speechless. I had found a new record-breaker. I thought I’d faint when I saw its colour.”
As Daniel Ozdín from the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Comenius University in Bratislava said, it is the largest sapphire ever found in Slovakia, or anywhere in the Carpathians, STVR reported. The sapphire will first be examined, and then exhibited in museums.
Oravec has already made a unique discovery: last year, when searching for minerals, he found the toe of a prehistoric tapir.
Meanwhile, the nearby village plans to open an educational path and unveil a plaque commemorating the record sapphire find, MY Novohrad reported.
Norwegian architect creates a 'parklet' for Trenčín
The parklet in downtown Trenčín will remain there during the summer. (source: Dvaja)
A parklet, i.e. a small area created as a public amenity on a parking space that gives people somewhere to enjoy their free time, is now occupying a roadside spot in downtown Trenčín.
Situated in front of the M.A. Bazovský Gallery on Palacký Street and created by Norwegian architect Sami Rintala, it is the first installation designed as part of the European Capital of Culture Trenčín 2026 project. It should show people how a parking place can look like if it does not have to serve cars, Lívia Gažová, the manager of architectural and public space projects in the Trenčín 2026 team, explained.
“The parklet in Trenčín can remind us of a Roman temple or a dense forest of trees,” said Gažová, adding that the author, who works for the Rintala Eggertsson Architects studio, was inspired by “the heritage of Trenčín, its Roman legacy and the beautiful nature around the town”.
Trenčín is known for a Roman inscription on the castle rock dating from 179 AD, which denotes the site as Laugaricio, and is the northernmost evidence of the presence of Roman soldiers in central Europe.
The parklet is set to remain on Palackého Street throughout the summer.
Bojnice Zoo welcomes baby red pandas
Bojnice Zoo now has two more red pandas. (source: Facebook/ZOO Bojnice)
The zoo in Bojnice, western Slovakia, welcomed two baby red pandas in early June.
The zoo announced the news on Facebook more than a month and half later, but added that they do not know their gender or their names yet. Visitors will probably not get to see them right away.
“But it probably won’t take long before they start showing up,” the zoo wrote.
The baby red pandas were born to a female panda, Bambu, who arrived at the zoo last year from Ljubljana, and her mate Mao.
Five feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator to read:
Baranec, the third highest peak in the Western Tatras, offers exclusive vistas. Join our colleague Jana and climb with her to the top.
Košice has become a popular destination for tourists, thanks to its travel connections, but also due to its UNESCO-listed monuments. Discover the city with us.
Alexander Králik, a manufacturer of musical folk instruments, started playing the fujara, a traditional Slovak overtone flute, in the 1980s. He now brings the instrument to global audiences.
Where to find the best ice-cream in Bratislava? These seven places are worth a visit.
Skateboarder Richard Tury will represent Slovakia at the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, competing in the Men's Street discipline. Out of 22 athletes in the discipline, he is one of five Europeans to take part.
Political meme of the week
A balanced strategy (source: SME/Mikuláš Sliacky)
Caption: “Our strategy needs to be balanced. It’s necessary to immediately get Russian pilots to those American fighters!”
Carricaturist Mikuláš Sliacky reacts with this meme to the delivery to Slovakia of the country's first F-16 fighter jets. The jets were piloted by US pilots. Their ceremonial arrival was attended by President and Commander-in-Chief of the Slovak Armed Forces Peter Pellegrini, Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer), Chief of General Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces Daniel Zmeko, and other Slovak and foreign guests. In this meme, Sliacky refers to a phrase often used by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer), to the effect that Slovakia’s foreign policy must be "balanced" and focus on all four points of the compass – while also alluding to Fico's conspicuously pro-Russian stances.
You can send me your tips on good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: radka.minarechova@spectator.sk. Thank you!
