Day 25

As we exited the toll road last night, we noticed the brown tourist-point-of-interest sign, indicating we were close to the Nikolai Tesla Memorial.  For those of you with Physics geeks in the family, you'll recognize this as being significant to one (a Physics geek that is).  How could I turn down NS's request to visit Tesla's birthplace?  Who needs an early start when there is a chance to learn more about the man who did more for electricity than Thomas Edison (and Tesla didn't try to make money on it)?

Thus, we were at the visitor's center in time for an early morning demonstration.  Evidently the previous night's storms prevented the inside lightning storm from lighting up the fluorescent lights NS and I were both holding, and the attendant left to re-set the computer, leaving us both standing there holding these arm-length tubes.  

On the wall, there was a neon light of a bird.  My understanding is most Tesla fans know that he loved pigeons.  NS believed this bird to be a pigeon and wanted to sketch it (we weren't allowed to take photos in this room), so she handed me her light to hold while she got to work.  

Me, not being an idiot, decided to put both lights down on the ground, in case something was tripped by the person knowing what was going on was out of the room.  Shortly after that the room went completely black, a loud crackle filled the room, and the previously silent THING in the room was sending small streaks of lightning out.  If I'd been holding this lights, I probably would have jumped through my skin, dropped both lights, and shards of glass would be everywhere.  The cacophony and light show went on for about 30 seconds.

Soon after, it stopped and the attendant returned, asking, "did you see it?"  To which NS explained that we did, but not the lights as we'd put them down.  She was disappointed, but I was not.

They had a great film about Tesla.  It included a heavy emphasis on the importance of the freedom and exploration he had during his EARLY CHILDHOOD years.  The experts talked about how the fields and the stream in the area before us provided the stimulation he needed to develop ideas and experiments.  perfect ammunition for the mother to tell the child, "see, TV rots your brain!"  There was a story about how one time he jumped out of the window of the top floor with an umbrella (way before Mary Poppins).  

Amongst all the displays, models, diagrams, and timelines, NS found what she was looking for - a photo of Tesla's favorite pigeon.

So, it was 11:00 before we got back on the highway, but we have some great stories, and there is nothing better than one's 16-year old declaring the highlights of a road trip in Eastern Europe were eating at the Three Broomsticks and seeing a photo of Tesla's favorite pigeon.

We drove in 4 countries today - starting in Croatia, continuing to Slovenia, Austria, and into Germany.  The Shenzen treaty means there were no passport checks, no customs checks, we just slowed down, and passed through the gates.  Toll roads, now that's a story for tomorrow.