Fall is a very nice time of year in Slovakia, not unlike my own homeland, Minnesota. The air is fresh and cool. There are lots of trees which means lots of color as the leaves change. Everyone loves to be outside, especially when the sun is shining like today. This is a very popular park in the city. Like many things here, it has plenty of history. There are stories of battles between the locals and Napoleon in this very spot. There above the tree line you can see one of the most famous landmarks in Bratislava. The locals call it UFO. The communists built it at the end of the Novy Most (New Bridge) but no one seems to know what the design symbolises. Currently there is a restaurant at the top and you can also take an elevator ride up there just to take in the view.

I think I have introduced this family before on the blog however maybe not so up close and personal. These are my friends Josef, Lynette and Simon. Josef is the associate pastor at my church (originally from the Czech Republic) and his wife Lynette hails from New York. Simon rents a room from them in their flat. Actually he's their son, of course, and we had a pleasant evening of fellowship recently.

We had a great wrestling match after dinner as well as a game of 'catch me if you can.' In only 3 or 4 years from now this boy will be a bilingual speaker. Dad speaks to him in Czech and mom in English which seems like it would be confusing for him but when it's done from the very beginning it feels natural for him.

These are my two friends Igor and Bohus. We meet for lunch once or twice a month and also a little ping pong. I met them through a mutual friend and have learned a lot from them about Slovak culture. Both are learning to speak English and they look forward to the opportunity to practice with a native speaker.

Back to the Slovak nature. Recently I went along with a group people from a local church on a fall retreat. Its a chance to get out of the city to rest, relax, pray and think. We took one afternoon to visit a local point of interest, this mill along the river. About 150 years ago this was a primary source of generating power for a variety of uses.

The inner workings of this power system was fascinating to survey. There seemed to be an endless array of cogs, belts, pulleys, conveyors and wooden framework. The wheel itself is no longer functional but the rest of the system still operates by electricity strictly for the purposes of showing the tourists a picture of historical ingenuity.

Scenes like these bodes our minds to harken back to a time of simplicity and an absence of break-neck lifestyles. You can almost feel the quiet. The thirsty soul can be quenched here if one knows how to enter in to this type of quiet without going stir crazy.

Everybody seemed to enjoy the history lesson and the beauty of the river.

On the way home from the mill I came across this large yard full of flowers. These people were obviously preparing for an upcoming Slovak holiday which can be compared to Memorial day in the states. Many people take their families to the cemetery's of their loved ones to put fresh flowers at the graves. From what I have seen here, there is a much larger degree of participation in the purpose of this holiday compared to what I've seen back home. If you can produce an abundance of flowers during this time of year you can earn a lot of money.

Let me introduce you to the Uhlik family. They are one of 3 or 4 families which are part of the foundation of the church I attend. By that I mean they are a large family (including cousins) and have been part of the church since its inception. I recently had the privilege to join them in their home for lunch.