Hello out there! I would like to know what the best route is from the Vienna, Austria area to Propad, Slovakia. If it is also possible to travel from Vienna through Budapest and then up to Propad. I would like to know if the roads are safe in the moutainous areas or if we should just go through Bratislava to Propad. I am going to visit the village of my grandmother who came from a small village near Propad (Hranovnica) and left in 1914, but I would also like to see the grandeur of Budapest. We have relatives near Vienna on my husband's side, so that will be our basecamp. We will be coming from Holland, since my husband is Dutch. We also would like to visit Krakow, Poland.

Also, I would like to know if anyone has ever hired a genealogical researcher to meet them in the village of their relative in Slovakia

Lots of things to work with! Just hoping for some answers. Thanks. .

He's now retired, but I'm sure he knows an authoritative person to take his place. He specialized in CZ/SK genealogy. Worth a couple bucks for a phone call.
Duncan B. Gardiner, Ph.D., C.G., A.G.
(Certified Genealogist, Accredited Genealogist)
12961 Lake Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio 44107 USA
(216) 221-9460

The D1, a very nice (and empty) autobahn, goes north past Bratislava then curves east to Levoca, a nice town near Hranovnica. Alternatively you could go to Budapest, then to Eger, then north into Slovakia on a lightly traveled 2 lane road.

e-mail to: [email protected]

or

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-slovakia.cfm

I looked at the map for Slovakia and it's hard to tell what kind of road goes out from Budapest towards Propad the fastest and safest way. Slovakia looks very mountainous and just wondering approximately how long a drive would take from Budapest through Eger?

Also, thanks for the suggestion for the genealogist. I would like to look at the birth records in the village of Hranovnica. I think my grandmother left her brother there and went to the U.S. with her cousin, aunt and uncle. Just an interesting thing to look into.

A word of caution: pay attention to speed limits both on the highways and in town, especially in towns, in Slovakia. We were stopped just entering a small town, supposedly speeding, and were pulled over and given a ticket and ordered to pay in cash on the spot. We were about 6th in a line or cars that had been pulled over and the ticket was pre-printed with the "offense" and the amount of the fine. It seemed to be a speed trap, but there's no recourse but to pay, in euro, whatever they demand. So watch the signs (everywhere!) and carry enough cash for possible tickets and for toll roads.

artsyoma, we did this drive a few months back in reverse. We were in Zakopane, Polnd and drove down to Levoca and the Spis castle and then onwards to Eger to spend a night. The region is hilly but we found it to be a very easy and beautiful drive through the countryside. We often passed through horse-carts and quaint villages which added to the fun. From Eger was a quick drive to Budapest the next day. If you are able to spend a night in Eger, I would recommend it. Else the drive might feel a little too long for one day.

Artsyoma-where are you from? if I'm familiar with your area, perhaps I could compare SK's hills to those you're familiar with.

I found most of the driving in SK fairly flat. When heading east on that D1 autoway, all of a sudden a few miles away the Tatra mountains pop up. I don't recall many/any real foothills on the autoway. In a way it was strange, driving on a flat road and seeing a spikey mountain 5-10 miles away.

As I recall, the trip from Budapest to Eger was about 1-1/2 hours. Maybe 3-1/2 hours from Eger to Levoca

Will you be able to communicate with a village official? Probably no one there will speak English.

Thanks, shoonye, for your description of the drive down to Budapest. It sounds very encouraging. Also, tomboy, thanks for your input also. I think we might have connections through friends that can get intouch with someone in Propad who can be our translator for the geneaological records; if not, then I have someone at centroconsult who might help. By the way, we live in the westcoast of the U.S., but I was concerned that the road from Propad to Budapest might be slow and winding with steep drop-offs. What is the number of the good road via Eger? We will be driving from Holland and back again. My husband is used to driving in Europe, since he is Dutch. Thanks for the info! Any other suggestions are welcomed.

The expressway from Levoca west to (forget name) and then south to Bratislava, and from there to Budapest, is at least as good as is it I-5 from LA to SF. But with 1% as much traffic. Not a steep dropoff in the entire stretch. The country from Levoca/Poprad to Budapest is not as hilly as the area from Santa Barbara to Monterey. More like eastern Montana on I-80, or Nebraska, or western Pennsylvania.

Now, driving downhill from St. Moritz, Switzerland, I will never attempt again. So, tell hubby, I know his fear!!! And he has no cause in Slovakia. He's got to get off the expressway to find any dropoffs.

I use viamichelin.com for tour mapping. Try this:

http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Itine...routeConso=5.6

To Tomboy: Thanks again for the help. I used the Michelin website and it is great. I like that there are different options to any route and you can print it out! As far as moutain driving is concerned---it's me who sometimes gets anxious on steep winding switchbacks!

I will post another question on a different subject soon. Thanks, artsyoma

Artsyoma:

have driven numerous times, through most of Poland and Czechoslvakia (pre-1993 and Slovakia 1993 onward). Once you're into the Tatras, it becomes mountain driving driving...like driving toward Big Bear and Arrowhead in SoCal. Poprad and vicinity..as suggested above, fairly flat.
Ran into a severe snowstorm in mid-March 1990...treacherous, no plows, no salt, etc.

If your family is Jewish, I strongly suggest contacting the JGS (Jewish Genealogical Society for information regarding Hranovnica and your grandma's family name. I have spoken to more than a dozen JGS meetings around Canada and USA, and I was one of their keynote speakers at their 2003 International Conference in Washington, DC. Their research sources are impeccable and astoundingly detailed. If not, hope you can get in touch with Tomboy's excellent suggestion.

Here's some Wiki stuff on Hranovnica:

http://spis.eu.sk/hranovnica/en/fotogaleria/2.html

http://www.nizketatry.com/mapy/raj/raj.html

http://www.slovenskyraj.sk/mapy/hran...ranovnica.html

I have numerous scanned pix of my travels thru CR and Slovakia and I'd be happy to share if you're interested.

Stu Tower (I live n L.A.... [email protected])

Artsyoma:

Her are some scanned pix taken at Vaclav Havel's historic press conference the day before he was to host the President of Slovakia for the first time, in March '93...the countries split three months prior....yes, we "crashed" the conference!

http://picasaweb.google.com/stuartto...26721958793794

artsy...I saw your new thread...it is not a different subject per se...it still deals with Levoca, Poprad and vicinity and your planned trip there...keeping it on this one thread will be much more effective for you.

Tower: Thanks for the suggestions. I will take a look at your photos. I'm pretty sure my grandmother was a Catholic, but I think I have "Jewish hair" ha ha. Who knows! Anyway, yes we do live in So-Cal area, but I just didn't want to go for hours and hours on a scarry mountain road in the middle of Slovakia. I'm new at this forum, but I like getting the feedback from people in the know. Thanks again!

arts; Listen to 'tower'. Actually, he could tell you where to stop and get 'doughnuts and coffee'. That's how well he knows the area.

Dick...fact is, it's dark week-old pumpernickel bread, lard, homemade sugary jam and potent black coffee in Slovakia.

Artsy: I've been around this planet for nearly 82 years, and i have never heard the expression "Jewish hair"...can you illuminate please? Thanks.

stu

Dear Tower: My mother was Navajo Indian and all my siblings got smooth straight dark hair---I have very wavy medium brown hair like my dad. I was always asked why I didn't get straight hair like my mom. My hair is very similar to Albert Einstein and I just call it my Jewish Hair. I suspect that when I visit Hranovnica, most people will have the wavy/curly hair in the village. By the way, I hope it wasn't offensive. I should be more careful on Forums! Sorry. :0}

<i>I should be more careful on Forums</i>

good idea...actually it's a good idea wherever you go or whatever you do.

Artsyoma, Stu is "the man" when it comes to this area, I assure you, he can probably negotiate the roads without a map. Since he actually <i><u>is</i></u> Jewish, I'm sure he accepts your apology, but as you negotiate your way through Fodors Talk Fora (as well as venues in Eastern Europe), I'd recommend a tad more diplomacy upfront will surely garner you positive travel experiences further down the road.

Best wishes,
BC

Hey BC; Did you say stu is 'Stan the Man'. No way. He is a has been, 82 [almost] year old baseball player. But he does know the area. Artsyoma; Stay with us, as we are just having a bit of fun. Knowing stu, he has accepted you apology and I'm not sure if that was needed. Let's get back on track. Tomboy, stu and others have helped you, so keep asking questions. Richard