The Slovak Bethlehem in Rajecka Lesna

As we left the villages, we stopped in a little town called Rajecka Lesna. There is truly nothing there to see except the "Slovak Behtlehem." The wooden nativity scene is fascinating to watch. It is constantly moving, with people moving in and out of their shops, the boat cruising along the Danube, and the shepherds going up and down the mountain. The mechanical wonder of it all is a true pleasure - and was definitely worth the stop.

The final part of our trip had us at one of Slovakia's most popular tourist sights: the castle of Bojnice - a castle for Disney to model. Petite and compact, sitting on a rock outcrop surrounded by a moat, it is the quintessential castle. Sadly, the guide droned on and on about every portrait and every piece of porcelain - reminding us why we don't visit more castles in a country besotted with them. There was an Arab family on our tour who were only interested in the "Oriental Room" which had an Islamic motif. After they saw that, they wanted out. If they had succeeded, we would have been on their coattails. After an incredibly hot day in Bojnice, we enjoyed our final meal of Halusky and prepared for our long drive home - stopping first for a dinner of Moravian dumplings at Lubos's mom's house.

This was a trip that we had planned for so long - and it is a good reminder that we don't have to travel far to see interesting and beautiful things.