Beauty on a Bike Ride

The leaves are really changing colors now, and we especially appreciated them on our trips outside under today's cloudless blue skies.  It was much warmer today - definitely in the 70's - no wind - and bright sunshine.  Loved it!!  

On the walk to church

The public school we go by on the way to church.
(I always call it "Hogwarts")    :-)

Just a random tree next to church

 We have never had communion at our church, but Carol had mentioned that about once a month it is offered after a service.  Today we noticed about 30 people heading up to the front section of pews after the service, and someone brought a bowl and a chalice out to the altar, so I asked one of my students if it was going to be communion.  We decided to stay, and it turned out to be another 35 minutes or so.  We sang 2 hymns, went through what we assume was the full communion liturgy, and there was another sermon!!  Wow!  We figured it would just be a short serving of the bread and wine, but this was pretty involved.  But it was good to receive the blessing of communion! 

Looking out one of the 2nd story church windows.
I sometimes look around during the sermon in Slovak!  ;-)

 After church, we had hot chai while listening to our online sermon from Mike Householder at the Lutheran Church of Hope in WDM.  Another Sunday blessing!  In between everything, I got 4 loads of laundry done, which was badly needed after our busy week.  I made goulash for Sunday dinner, at Tim's request, and it turned out well.  We'll have leftovers several times this week.  :-)  Then we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and go for a bike ride.  We had been wanting to go up on Háj Nicovô Hill, (where Janka had taken us after we returned from our medical exams in Martin), to see the fall colors. 

This hillside is full of cottages where people have their gardens.

Tim just biking along, enjoying the day

O.K. so the hill got a little too steep, so we walked a while.    ;-)

Crivan peeking over the top of the hill

The orange trees on top of the ridge line the road up to the monument

The road winds around to the left, then up the line of trees to the right

A closer view of the last part of the road up to the monument.

Crivan in the distance

A village down below the mountains

The road to the top kept getting more beautiful!

Liptovská Mara  in the distance, from the top of the hill

Tim taking in the scenery

Wow - it was so beautiful up there!!

Another view of Crivan

Looking back down the tree-lined road

This is the monument at the top of the hill, in honor of the
WW II soldiers from this region who perished in the war.

Looking down the hill from the monument

Many, many soldiers were buried here, including many "Unknown Soldiers"
It reminded us a great deal of Arlington National Cemetery.

The entrance to the monument area from below

Statue at the entrance, cross part-way up the hill, and monument at the top.

The monument site was very impressive, and a wonderful
tribute to soldiers who died in WW II

Right below the monument was a pasture with many grazing cows.
Not an unusual sight for Iowans, but the sound was different --
cowbells were gently clanking melodiously!!  :-)

This cow was right by the fence, so I tried to get a picture of its bell
But I startled it a little!

After stopping to pose for a picture showing off the cowbell and the
changing leaves behind, it left to join the rest of the herd!   :-)

We ran into this group of students from our school near the monument!

Kids in Slovakia like to play in the leaves too!!  :-)

I asked a lady to take a picture of us under this golden canopy! 

So I included another of her creative shots!!  :-)

When we headed back to our bikes, we saw our
students up in a tree ---  Slovak kids like climbing trees too!!  :-)

The WW II monument

Ready to get back on the bikes for the ride down.  

On the way back down the hill --- coasting all the way!! 

We tested our brakes a lot -- it was all downhill!!

Two hours later, we landed back at our flat after a wonderful afternoon of bike riding.  We're thrilled that the pictures turned out so nicely.  Hope you enjoyed the ride with us!!  :-) 

See Beth, we're wearing our bike helmets!!  :-)

Our flat with fall foliage.
(And our white sheets on the line outside - second from the top!!)