Its 4:41pm, but its pitch black outside my window. No electric light where I am. The long rolling fields of Slovakia are outside. I am writing this on the train returning me to Budapest. There 6 of us in this room of the carriage, a grandmother, mother and daughter, and another mother and daughter. Once again I am the black sheep of the group. I had a great trip to Bratislava and Skalica. I got the chance to meet some great Slovakians. Went to some nice bars and restaurants in both cities. Braitislava is a growing metropolis, like many others in the region. Skalica was somewhat unique, its old communist cement high rises somehow reminded me of Lloydminster, Alberta. It also had the new capitalist-era area, that purposely blended nicely with the pre-communist buildings which bare a resemblance to Whistler, BC. The difference in areas are of the city were striking to me, but I am sure so was the transition to democracy. Stano’s parents were wonderful hosts, near the entrance of their apartment was a souvenir plate from New York city, Stano told me that they never took it down during the Communist era. Now their son is a Human Rights activist - the times are certainly-a-changing.