Reply to Slovakia

Forum Index » Travel Discussion

Reply to "Slovakia"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]How long do you want to stay?  Genealogy trip?[/quote]

Yes, of sorts. The town we can pinpoint is further east, pretty close to Ukraine. So was wondering if that was even worth going to or if we should just stay in the main parts like Bratislava (and check out the Tatras apparently). Just a few days in Slovakia and then check out other E European spots in the area like Prague, Vienna, Budapest. Open to any guidance since that part of Europe is new for us. [/quote]

I'm PP above.  During the pandemic, I did extensive work on my Slovak genealogy.  I have roots in both Western and Central Slovakia but I haven't been there yet.

To further my genealogical knowledge, I joined CGSI.  That's a U.S. non-profit genealogical society.  There are a few genealogy/custom travel providers who specialize in Slovakia who regularly participate/advertise/speak at conferences  with CGSI.  The one who is the youngest and seems most credible is Michal Razus.  His website is below.  When I decide to go to Slovakia, I may contact him for a price quote on a certain portion of my planned trip.  If I decide I need a tour guide, I'd want a genealogical specialist.   Someone willing to do detective work in a dusty archive with me for a day or two.  Someone who might make arrangements for me to go to a church service and donate some money.  Someone who could conclusively find old farm properties that might require a hike.  He strikes me as someone who might do that but also someone who could make a good referral if he had an easier, higher-paying client who wanted to book the same dates.

https://www.slovak-ancestry.com/

I don't have any other genealogical tourism names to recommend even slightly.  A lot of the older people in this business that you can easily Google have had health problems recently or they have overcharged people I've met and talked to.

Now on to the subject of your trip itself.  Can you post where the village is? Ukraine is probably a no-go right now due to the war.  Romania might be interesting.  Or Hungary.  Unless you're more adventurous than the normal "I went to Europe and stayed in hostels as a college kid" kind of person, you likely will need a guide in Eastern Slovakia. To handle logistics, find decent lodging, interpret, find obscure places when cell signals fail, etc.

I have visited Ukraine, Budapest, Prague, and Vienna.  Budapest and Prague are lovely cities to look at.  Vienna is a big European capital with typical things to do.  I enjoyed Prague the most because its historical sights are slightly more medieval.  I have a genealogy contact who took a Danube cruise that connected many of the river cities in one week.  That might actually be a nice way to sightsee through that area.

I would say to enter through Bratislava, go immediately to your village area, then do any other Slovakia musts, then do the rest (reverse sail up Danube?).  Putting the emotional stuff first then giving yourself more traditional vacation relaxing might work well.  I hate to say it, but where your family is from might be quite run down and backward.  That said, it's a once in a lifetime chance to see the last remnants of old (poor) Europe and contemplate the forces of history.  Consider doing a writeup of your impressions to keep for posterity.  See the Absolut Warhola link below for an idea of what a poorer area might be like.  (This movie is old, and kind of mocking, but it reminds me of traveling in Russia, and I think the Slovak economy hasn't improved much in the last 2 decades.)

When I go, I expect to go to Bratislava-Myjava-Kosice-(cross the border to Ukraine)-return to Bratislava. I had wanted to do the trip this summer but that was before Russia invaded Ukraine.  I plan to visit regional archives, Lutheran churches, castles, and countryside.  Maybe a little light hiking. The area my family is from is a place where people go to summer cottages to be out in nature.

Here are some other recommended links:

https://cgsi.org/

https://dcslovaks.org/

https://www.amazon.com/Absolut-Warhola-Susanne-Sch%C3%BCle/dp/B0001CNQ7G

https://www.kasigarda.sk/en/kasigarda-2/

I donated to the above little museum.  The professor who runs it is a nice guy and a friend of Michal Razus.  It's on the eastern side of Slovakia.  Try to go if you're working with Razus.  It might be on your way/worth a stop.

Let me know if I can help further.

[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics