Tatras, Tokaj, and Thermal springs – a Slovakian itinerary

        Winter is a great season for get-togethers. It reminds me a bit of emperor penguins huddling somewhere in ice bound Antarctica to fight off cold. Fortunately we don’t need to go to such extremes but truth be told social gatherings are equally natural for us. If combined with the right place and menu there’s no better way to spend unfavourable winter evenings. As for the days, there are more than enough ways to try ourselves against the nature.

         Liptov region in northern Slovakia, beautifully bordered by low and high Tatras, is a popular tourist destination. Skiing, snowboarding or trekking near one of the picturesque towns or villages is a spectacle for the eye and gives a sensation of peace and tranquillity.

After few hours of skiing, or struggling if you are a beginner, something to rebuild the spirit and also an excuse to exchange laughs with friends comes in really handy. Luckily, there is always a bar or a restaurant nearby every ski slope and mulled wine - seducing with cinnamon, clove and ginger aromas - soothes cold, tiredness and misery with equal efficiency.

        But, at the end of an active day thermals is the destination for the weary. Hot, steamy pools, filled with mineral water reaching nearly 40 degrees, transport you to a blissful state having in addition a positive effect on locomotor and respiratory systems. Soon the tiredness evaporates as well as the contents of the stomach, so once outside going food-hunting is a must. If you are lucky enough, right outside the springs you may find the first stop - a stand with hot mead (sk. Medovina) – golden, delicious and aromatic nectar made by natural fermentation of floral honey with the extract of herbs and spices, that stimulates the senses and nicely warms from the inside. Next stop, a local bar, urged by the stomach to give it something to work on. For starters, draught beer, the Pilsner style, just to think of it provokes mouth-watering, refreshing, hoppy, smooth - is great with many local specialities and an irresistible pairing for fried cheese and tartar sauce (sk. vyprážaný syr s tatárskou omáčkou). For dessert, don’t forget to order a glass of Tokaj – of course the Slovakian one, as Hungary is not the sole producer of it. There about ten types of it, depending on the level of body, sugar and aromatic complexity – not to mention the price. Look for notes of apricot, peaches, pineapple, and honey with floral hints. To finish and ensure a pleasant and smooth digestion, don’t miss their fruit spirits from plum (sk. Slivovica) and pear (sk. Hruškovica), the apple of their eye. Very aromatic and despite in some cases up to 80% abv, they are very pleasurable to drink.

Those poor penguins must be very jealous of us…