On June 18 we headed out on a 4-day excursion to Austria and Slovakia.  Our first stop

was a lysimeter experiment station just outside of Vienna, Austria, run by the Austrian Agency

for Health and Food Safety.  We learned about the different types of analyses utilized by the

agency as well as some interesting characteristics of Austrian soil.  Next, we drove into Vienna,

checked into our hotel, and had an excellent Greek dinner.  After dinner, we got a map, planned

a sight-seeing route, and took off about the town.  Although we could not enter any of the buildings

because it was nighttime, we still thoroughly enjoyed viewing the gothic architecture from the

outside. 

       The next morning we headed out for Slovakia.  On the way to Poprad, we stopped in

Bratislava to view the President's House and take a short break.  Once we arrived in Poprad,

we checked into our Penzion and, with the High Tatras on the horizon, relaxed for the remainder

of the evening.  After a restful night's sleep, we piled back into the bus and drove to the

High Tatras National Park.  There, we viewed the official seed orchard for Pinus cembra, toured

an old hunting camp that was more like a hunting castle, took a short hike that was abbreviated by

a fierce rainstorm, and ate lunch.  Some of us even crossed a bridge to Poland, so we could say

that we'd technically been there.  When the rains were over, we split into two groups.  One visited

the park's museum and the other rode the ski lift up and hiked down the mountain.  The picturesque

landscape of the glaciated mountains made for a perfect day.

       The following morning we visited an alpine lake before heading back to Prague.  The time

spent away from the city, in the forest and the mountains, was welcomed and enjoyed by all.