Lactic, not Lactose.

Thursday was Victory Day here in Slovakia, so we had another Bank Holiday! I am not complaining because the weather was absolutely GORGEOUS. It was also a productive day because I went to the gym for the first time while here. I am a bit sore today, but it was totally worth it. I like being able to feel my body reacting to exercise. It brings a sense of accomplishment. It also helps you to recognize different muscle groups individually!

I realized that I am an awful runner, which didn't used to be true when I was actually in shape and a year-round athlete. Oops. Priorities get away from you when you have to become a "real" person in the world. It felt good to kick my own ass though. I did a little bit of everything, from cardio to weightlifting, stretching and general exercise combos. They had a Bosu ball as well, so I did some stuff on that. The atmosphere was ok. It was like any other gym, but the machines were a bit complicated in terms of adjustments. It was also slightly entertaining, because the attitude there was similar to that in the states:

-Wannabe bodybuilder men who put too much weight on the bar, have awful form, and no spotter (orthopedic surgeon's wet dream) They also don't unload the bar after their done, leaving the rest of us without a free-weight area to work with. I'm not damaging myself for the sake of the bench press.
- Treadmill masters who set the speed so high that you think they might pass out
-People who just want to wear gym clothes and show up so that people think that they are exercise-minded, but really just want to socialize with the cute staff
-Girls who get into full make-up and hair to stick their ass out on the stair-master, hopefully scoring some phone numbers for dinner later. (sorry dear, a bikini top does not serve the same purpose as a sports bra...better luck next time)

I tried to see if I could buy a pass so that I could come regularly, but apparently they don't do that? You have to buy a G-card, but that only gives you discounts on each visit. I'm not too keen on that, but maybe if they have some good classes after my workday I can pop in.

After the workout and a brief shopping excursion (my total was under Sk 400), Vaida and I went to Sarp and Mattia's place for some home cookin. The meal was amazing. We had roasted chicken with salad and a Turkish specialty called ki sir (imagine that the "i"s don't have dots. i don't have that character on my keyboard!) Everything was phenomenal. The chicken melted off the bone, the salad was fresh and crispy with balsamic vinegar (something I hadn't had in the LONGEST time), and the ki sir was a perfect compliment. Apparently it is a special Turkish rice (sort of like couscous), and you mix it with a blend of seasoning which includes paprika, and minced vegetables. Add some home-made baklava, and I was in a food coma.

Tonight, the Yoana and Gergana (my new Bulgarian roommates) are cooking for us, so we'll see how that turns out!