We spent the first night of spring break in Bratislava, Slovakia.
I know, I know... "Who goes to Slovakia?" you're asking. Our thoughts exactly. The answer involves the somewhat random destinations of cheap European airlines. Suffice it to say that, however we ended up in the Czech Republic's former suffix, we liked it.
The golden moment of our 36 hours in Slovakia took place somewhere between a castle and the capitol. We'd just left Devin Castle under a light rain to bus back to Bratislava where we'd board another bus bound for Vienna, Austria.
A mixture of locals and camera-encumbered tourists steamed up the windows as we rolled past cow pastures and views of the Danube. An elderly man flagged down the bus. He entered, fisherman's cap on his head, slightly bent, all tan-grey tweeds and wrinkles. Two things set him apart. Some two dozen tulips -red, purple, yellow, white- filled his arms, and a sincere grin covered his face.
He sat across the aisle from me, and my fingers itched to whip out my camera. I couldn't remember how to ask "Can I take your picture?" in Slovakian. Had I written it down? Ever even looked it up? As I debated with myself over the niceties and etiquette of photographing people without their permission -something I've never been comfortable with, a woman approached the man.
In accented and stilted English, the tourist asked for the tulip man's permission to take his picture. Her simple smile, accompanied by camera and pointing, did the trick. The passengers, all of us equally delighted, watched as he happily thrust the tulips in front of him, effectively blocking his face.
Sympathizing with my fellow photographer, I had to chuckle. She wanted his smile; the tulips, though essential, were just an excuse. After more gestures, many smiles, bows, and "Thank you"s, she got her shot and returned to her seat.
I watched the old man. You could tell the incident had tickled as him pink as one of the tulips. A moment and several glances later, he got up and offered the woman some tulips. She turned red and gushed more thank yous. After a beat, the man returned with flowers for her friend as well.
I could have envied her photos, but for the mood on the bus. This whole group of strangers, speakers of many tongues, each with her own errand, shared a collective smile. We watched the gentleman leave the bus, wondering to where and for whom the tulips were destined.
I imagined him chuckling as he explained the reason for the missing flowers to his beloved... and after a moment, I took a page from the other tourist's book and asked her, "Can I take your picture?"
1 comment:
loved that moment :)
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