Mystical Forests, Historical Homes and Magic Mushrooms

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So that title surely got you're attention! And now let me try to explain how i was just as taken in by this tiny little town: Banska Stiavnica...it is a magical, mystical place itself. Another travel adventure getting to a place i could never remember how to pronounce. it's always helpful to have a piece of paper with the name of the place you intend to arrive at...just constantly pull this out and wave it in front of anyone that looks nice and helpful...which i've found has been no problem. Again the train ride was incredible...it wound through the mountains...literally. the train would constantly go in and out of tunnels built right through the earth, only to come out on the other side with sunnier, greener views of trees hugging the mountainsides, their golden leaves ready for admirers to look on in wonder...as i did as i lay back, munched on some snacks and took in the beauty. because the town is situated right within the mountains you either have to take a tiny train (only one car!!) or a bus. i was told to take the bus as it makes the hike up to the hostel a little shorter. well...luckily i can live to tell the tale. waiting for the bus to arrive i saw multiple shinging charter busses speed by my stop...and somehow i ended up with a clunker bus that looked straight out of 1950. ahh...it had character....and some pretty good control as well...or at least my bus driver liked to think so. did i mention the bus was a little late? right. in the mountains? winding roads? of course so we're flying along these hairpin turns...i can only imagine because we're making up lost time?? he's driving this bus like it's a farari! i was in the very back in the only seat available after having left my giant backpack to fend for itself in another area on the bus...and i'm telling you...i think the back wheels were skidding on every turn. i try to stay calm realizing no one else seems to be in a panic, in prayer, or looking like they might bail. right then the two girls next to me look over in a nervous lauging fit. ohhh man...we just held on. but i made it...the hike to the hostel and all. turns out i was the only one staying there! it is a small place so it was like i had this apartment to myself! luckily the owner and girl working there were both awesome and i just hung out with both of them and their dogs.  loved it. they even had a guitar so i just chilled out, rocked out and could literally look out of the hostel window and balcony onto the entire town and mountain side. it was a breathtaking sight. many of the homes in the town are so old that they have incredible histories...the hostel itself is from the 15th century. and thomas, the owner, was tired of chopping wood in order to heat the place. right across from the hostel was a homey teahouse where we often hung out and i luckily met an amazing, 60-something year old, spiritual guy named Zoltan. the name really says it all. he invited me to go hiking with him the next day...and it turned out for the next two days he took me hiking around the lakes, mountains, forests and open fields of banska stiavnica. i wish i spoke slovak because he kept saying he knew a story he'd like to tell me but couldn't do it in english...as it was we could only somewhat communicate. he was such a cool guy...i can't even explain it in a blog. he goes hiking every day in nature, dives into a freezing lake (nake of course) to clear his mind, and scavenges for edible and not so edible mushrooms, smelling, tasting, feeling and visually analyzing each one until he is fully satisfied and places it in his little pack. he explained the mushrooms and which would make you see crazy lights and even forest spritis if you weren't carefulhe also showed me a place to get clean, fresh drinking water. we both filled our bottles and enjoyed more exploring. we walked through places i would have never gone on my own and stopped to talk with locals i would have otherwise just passed by, including one man who spoke of WWII and the state of the town today. . we also spent some time at the tea house together just chatting about dreams (the sleeping kind). after a whole day of hiking and sitting in the tea house i suddenly realized how hungry i was...and i knew zolo (nickname) had nothing to eat the entire afternoon. i said "aren't you hungry too??!" he simply answered "ahh...no...my mind is not down here (putting his hands on his stomach)...it is up here (he points up towards the sky)" what a cool guy...i wish i had that power...but my mind seems to go where my hunger takes me...and it's usually to the thought of food. there is so much more i could say about my time with zolo...just makes me realize the complete simplicity of life and what you need to be happy and healthy (the mushrooms i'm still not to sure about...for myself anyway...) Zoltan was even the one who emphasized Banksa Stiavnica's mystical nature and it's ability to draw you in. i felt it for sure. the old castle is from the 12th century...the new castle from the 15th. the town was once a mining community and still has a couple in service. there are miles of tunnels beneath the town that have since been closed off...but a tunnel system! right beneath you're feet as you walk along the cobblestone! Mira, the girl who worked at the hostel was also one of the coolest people...she makes her own clothes, cooks awesome veggie meals (they have tofu!!), speaks 6 different languages and also takes her own hikes in the hills. i gave her an open invitation to visit the U.S. unfortunately...we forget how hard it is to do that...visas and such. another guy who i had met in olomouc actually came and joined me at the hostel so the last two nights i had some company. he was also a really cool guy from northern california so we got along great...just walked all around the town and hung out chatting. the quiet time in the mountains was much needed and i had a lot of time to just relax and meditate (of sorts). i sat on the edge of a lake in the middle of the slovak hills and mountains just thinking .... once again i stayed longer than expected and really had trouble leaving my new friends, one of which was banska stiavnica itself...it captured my senses more than any other place.