Bratislava

The ride from Berlin to Bratislava is long. While the scenery is actually quite pretty, there are only so many hours one can look out the window. And our cabin essentially became a big hot box. The Japanese family got off somewhere around Prague, and were replaced by some Slovaks, including an overweight woman and her son and their Magical Bottomless Bag of McDonalds. Every 15 minutes or so, she would reach in, and voila! Another burger would appear from some never-ending source. Her son wiggled around in clothes about 2 sizes too small, simultaneously showing off belly and underwear. Somehow, all of his weird fingerings rendered our once clear glass door completely opaque by the time the train pulled into the station.

            We walked to our hostel, Hostel Blues, and were greeted by our perky, personable receptionist with curly red hair. We were shown the community lounge and kitchen, and given our keys to our room in the Barcelona suite. Our room is pretty, second only to the boat, with a double bed (actually, two mattresses on a double bed frame)…and that’s about it. We are using the window sill for storage space. One big advantage is that we have our own adjacent (small) bathroom. Oh, and Hostel Blues has “firm support” mattresses and a closet elevator! Ah, memories…

            We settled in, and then went out to see some of Bratislava. I’ve been here before, but Kyle hasn’t, so I asked for his opinion. “Older, and, I dunno. More European.” He had already remarked upon leaving the train station that “this place has a totally.” Older, yes, both as in more old-world charm, with winding streets and timeworn buildings (especially in the historical district, natch), and as in “this would have been really cool 30 years ago or if they had maintained it.” And, as far as ‘more European’, yes, we’ll find less Western influence, and less English-speakers, than the other places we’ve been.

            In our first outing into the city, we saw St. Martin’s, Old Town Hall, Primatial’s Palace, Roland fountain, the New Bridge (AKA UFO Bridge), the Jewish memorial (where the Jewish synagogue once stood), St. Clare’s, St. Michael’s Gate, and the Franciscan Church and Monastery. We also saw what George calls “the only tree in Bratislava”, a very lonely looking tree surrounded by chains near the Old Town Hall.

            Walking back, we decide to take advantage of the kitchen at our disposal and cook dinner. We go grocery shopping (another new experience. Kyle: Everything’s fresh. It’s weird), and we end up making cheesy noodles with sachar torte for dessert, which we eat in the dining area. And I got a big jug of orange juice because it’s been so hot today.

            So, I’m chugging orange juice and finishing this. Kyle’s in some kind of heat coma.

            Tomorrow: Vienna!