Sunday evening was so fun! It started “Kosice Days” or “Kosice Krasna”. Blue and yellow flags are hung all over the Main Street and each day are special festivities. Bands are out playing, special booths are set up selling decorated gingerbread, and wooden handicraft items.
I met Ivanna at Tesco at 18:00 and she drove us to the river area. I understood that there were to be fireworks 🎇 at 20:30, and didn’t figure out what was happening before then. We walked with crowds of other people -all Slovaks- along the river; lush banks with grass and yellow dandelions, from the Azian Restaurant to the fish restaurant at the other end.
Kosice Days parade of boats
Then I saw what it was. A mini-Venice parade. Different groups and “habitacions” or neighboring districts had made floats. They were low-budget charmingly Slovak boats, trimmed with flowers, balloons, etc. We watched them paddle about, amidst kids on canoes. It was announced that since many of the boats had lights, the fireworks wouldn’t start until 20:30 or so, at dark. We waited and went into the restaurant to have coffee ☕️. It only cost a few SK for two strong cafés and two mineral waters. The restaurant was like the old style typical communist ones I remember. Open, empty, trimmed with simple white lace curtains, card tables, basic tile floor, smokey, and bare. I’m glad to see they are still around.
Ivanna knows someone everywhere we go. Even I am seeing people I recognize everywhere now, too. I run into students, teachers, and the people I’ve met at Internet Club. After our coffees, we emerged back outside to a Gipsy side band and blaring bad sound system rock music. Ivanna told me that Slovaks like oldies music.
Mayor Schuster – “Presidente”
We saw Mr. Schuster come up, in his black trench coat, followed by two green beret ear plugged security guards. He’s the Mayor of Košice, and started Košice Days Celebrations five years ago.
Mayor Schuster has done much to improve Košice, including building up the Main Street Hlvana. Most people like him here. Schuster is running for President of Slovakia They vote next week.
Currently there has been no president in Slovakia for almost two (?) years. Of course, I got a picture of Košice Mayor Schuster. He gave a long speech at the end of the parade and he sung the Košice Hymn. Teacher Jason said that Schuster was drunk. How sad, I thought.
Kosice Mayor Schuster
Once the floats on the creek lit up and the parade of boats started, it became like magic. The environment was super cool and I experienced a very romantic Slovakia. White lights were strung all along the river. Blue and yellow lights were hung zigzagging all across the river as well.
Boat Parade
Some of the boats played music or amplified singing of traditional Slovak songs. I liked the Teacher’s Boat best, and they won first prize! Košice Večer Newspaper boat won second place.
The vibe was completely relaxed, calm and quiet, with occasional cheers for “Presidente” coming out of the crowd. Such a pretty night with a clear sky, the perfect dark-blue backdrop to the bright shining stars that hung over the river celebrations. Making it even nicer, there were no commercial lights, only the night stars and the lights strung over the river. Old houses line the riverside. Gipsies and locals together, watching the parade of boats.
After we walked down along the river, I couldn’t believe how many people were there! We stopped at the car (top of the line silver Skoda) to eat the Bobkova cake Ivanna brought for me. Made with apples and grapes. Delicious!
We hung around, waiting for the fireworks to begin. They were worth the wait. I wasn’t even expecting much, but it was really super!!! We liked.
Becherovka!
Walking along with the crowd, back to the car, after the fireworks, Ivanna in communicado on her “Handi” with hubs, Jan who was still at work on Sunday night. Off we went, at 22:00 to pick him up, and show me where he works.
He and George were there. Milan apparently had a hard day of drinking. Opening the fridge “Klatnitcha”, he asked what I would like. “Becherovka, wine of any type…” We opted for an open second bottle of Becherovka. Well, I was glad to have made it through one glass, when suddenly it was filled again.
Then Jan and George were asking unending questions. Everything, “Cheryl, Cheryl, Cheryl…” About California, Los Angeles, Mexico. I was a world of fascination for them, I think. Then two other guys came in the adjacent office at 23:00. opened a bottle of wine, and started working on computers.
Finally, Ivanna and I got “party boy” to leave, singing “Scooby Dooby Doo” and “Guten Tag!” all along the way. Ivanna drove the silver Skoda, and they took me home.
Today was a fun day and a great look at the local life. They kept saying, “Why are you leaving Slovakia? Stay longer. When will you come back to Slovakia?”
Sunday 2 May, 1999
