| Slovenský Raj |
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| Slovenský Raj |
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Raj means paradise, so we had high expectations of the Slovensky Raj. In New-Zealand we didn't dare to go to Paradise, as is had a sign 'No exit'. In Slovakia the Raj is a karst area, limestone with gorges made by the rivers. To make sure you can walk here, stairs and steps and chains are made. Our travel description lists the ingredients of our first day:
It also mentioned 26 meters of rope, but we never found the place were you could swing yourself across the river. The steel ladders are more like barbecue grills nailed to the rock. The first one is a bit scary, and places where the rock hangs towards you are not really nice, but you soon get used to them. After some time you stop on top of these to make pictures of red flies.
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At one point the path winds up to the top of the gorge. The cliff hangs 150 meters above the river. That sounds more impressive than it looks: you can hardly see the river because of all the huge trees. But the cliff itself is nice.
The second day in the Ray it even gets better. We walk through the Sokolia Dolina. About half way this gorge lies the second highest waterfall of Slovakia, 65 meters high. To negotiate these, a lot of high ladders are made. We were happy this is a one way track: you wouldn't want to meet some-one on these. |
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The last part of our day trip is not this exciting. We met a
small mouse, who kept perfectly still. And we walked through a peaty
valley with a lot of flowers.
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In the Slovensky Raj there is another ice cave. This one is real
impressive, with lots of chambers filled with ice: 110.000 cubic meters! The
cave has a sort of chimney, through which the warm air disappears. It is
here really cold, colder than most winters in Holland. This cave is really a
recommendation, although a brochure in English would have been nice.
After the cave we take the train for a ride, and then a cable car that brings us 300 meters higher, but also 3000 meters further. And it travels so slow that even Mirjam liked it. |
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| When walking back we passed a place called Obcasny Pramen. There is nothing obscene at this place, it means 'periodic well'. At this place, two tunnels come together. When only one of them carries water, it flows off through the other tunnel. Only when both tunnels bring water in, the well gives water. |
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The Suchá Belá is supposed to be the most beautiful gorge of the Slovenky Raj. And when you get here in at the same time as a school class, this means traffic jams at the waterfalls. We were happy that after the first waterfall they held a long pep talk, so we could pass. Actually, in the Suchá Belá the best is not the waterfall, but the gorge itself. It gets really narrow sometimes and is very beautiful. |
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