Day 24 (August 1)

Today we said our sad farewell to the red-blazed E8/SNP at this uncharacteristically terse trail marker. The E8 continues southeast heading to Kosiče, while we follow a many-colored route northeast to Prešov, rejoining the meandering E8 for just a little at the end.
Slovakia has hundreds of trails marked with various colors, but we were a little apprehensive about leaving the main hiking route for the back roads. The trail begins in a boggy pasture, then matures into a huge muddy rut. Then suddenly it´s a pleasant path alongside a bubbling stream. Then suddenly it´s a crazy trail with ladders and bridges over a beautiful little gorge. We´ve entered the region known as "Slovak Paradise!" So it looks like we´re in for some fun after all.
We pass through the cute village of Stratena and the bustling vacation encampment of Dedinky. It seems like half of Slovakia is here enjoying a day by the lake. We took in the air, hiked along to a slightly less crowded side of paradise, the village of Biele Vody, and checked into a hotel for the night.