Slovakia

Country Information:

The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava. There are approximately 5.5 million people living here, and the majority of Slovaks practice Roman Catholicism. The official language of Slovakia is Slovak, with Hungarian and Roma as minority languages. 

Since 2007, Slovakia has been the world’s largest producer of cars per capita, producing over a million cars per year. With production of more than million cars in 2016, Slovakia was 20th largest producer of cars in the world, and 7th largest in the E.U.

Jim’s Perspectives:

In 2009, while studying in Poland with my MBA classmates from the University of Tennessee, my friend Mike Zelinsky set up a meeting for a few colleagues and me to visit a Dover Company car part factory outside of Kosice, Slovakia.

 After returning back to Poland, a few days later we again drove through Slovakia while touring the region.

Visitors to the country will enjoy the natural beauty of Slovakia. With nine national parks, travelers should be sure to visit High Tatras. High Tatras is the biggest national park in Slovenia and is a hub of hiking and winter sports. Also of interest are the Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance architecture located in Bratislava. History buffs would enjoy historic sites such as Devin Castle, Michael’s Gate, and the Slavin monument.

Finland

Helsinki, Finland: Jim and Susan in 1992, sitting at the statue & flowers in front of the White Cathedral Country Information: Finland gained independence in 1917. The capital is Helsinki. About 5.5 million people live here and the official language is Finnish...

Japan

Fish market & fish and egg shrine   The Japanese people I met sensed that something was wrong with the world. Why?  Because the cherry blossoms were blooming during the wrong time of year (during the “snow” season), and because typhoons were occurring more...

Malta

Fish massage / exfoliation in Malta Where Apostle Paul was shipwrecked and wrote letters to the early Church Really enjoyed my time in Malta in 2015. First off, started off walking from my hotel through the touristy parts of Valletta, the capital of Malta, a...