Bratislava – Page 2 – SteveWhittythoughts1965

October 21, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 9, 18/09/2012

The weather today is simply beautiful. What shall I do with myself? I asked the hostel receptionist for suggestions. Without hesitation she suggested Devín Castle. Ever helpful she pointed out which bus I should catch and how much it will cost. Also included in the recommendation was a coffee shop I should check out when I returned to the city centre.

So off I went to the bus stop. The bus journey like most was uneventful but once I arrived I was totally blown away. Devín Castle is a castle ruin, but I feel it is much more than that. It dates back to the 8th century. It was destroyed by Napoleon Bonaparte. There is currently a lot of archeological work that is taking place. The views from the castle ramparts are simply stunning. There were plenty of opportunities to take great photographs, even for me.

As well as the castle there were plenty of paths to walk along. It was a pity that there was nowhere open to hire a bicycle. Today would have been a perfect day for cycling. The nearby village was beautiful and peaceful. To live in a place like this you would have been a winner in life’s lottery. The River Danube looked beautiful and powerful in the countryside.

I made my way back to the city centre feeling hungry. I remembered the recommendation of earlier today, so I made my way to Shtoor coffee shop. As much as I tried to find it I was not getting too much success. Just when I thought about giving up I noticed that I was standing outside the shop. This is what a coffee shop should be about. Good coffee, good food and a good ambiance. My pork and caramelized onion sandwich tasted divine. The berry and chocolate cheesecake went down even better.

When I left Shtoor I found myself caught in a demonstration outside the British Embassy. It was interesting to find yourself caught in something like that. The demonstration was in support of a Slovak woman Ivana Boorova who came to the UK for work. Her two children were taken into care two years ago and nothing appears to have been done about the situation. This seems so unfair. I mentioned that I was British and I would offer my support when I got home. So if you feel that something needs to be done contact the Mayor of London Boris Johnson and let’s see what we can do.

Back at the hostel I was unsure what I was going to do. I did not fancy the pub crawl but wanted to go out for the evening. So I decided to go to the British Rock Pub. It was open mic night. I enjoyed the music even if I did not understand what they were singing about. The pub crawl ended up in here. Somehow, I do not think they expected to be there. A good end to a perfect day.

October 17, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 8, 17/09/2012

While I was checking in yesterday I noticed a leaflet for a free walking tour. The couple behind the counter also recommended that I should try it. Walking tours are a great way of familiarizing yourself to a new city. The tour was due to start at 11am. The weather was excellent. It was time to get the shorts on and expose the pearly white legs to the world. However, in my excitement I forgot to apply the sunscreen. My arms would know about this at the end of the day.

The tour itself was excellent and the guide Romana made it interesting with all her knowledge on the history of Bratislava. What was sad to see was how little of the historical centre remained. The Communists in their better judgement decided that a flyover would be of more use. Oh well hindsite.

After the tour was complete I took a walk alongside the Danube in order to make my way to Bratislava Castle. I passed a statue of Stalin. Apparently it was on display for an exhibition.

Like all castles the one in Bratislava is perched on top of a steep hill. In its present state the castle was built only recently. You cannot go inside but there is enough to walk around the grounds. It also offers good views of the city below.

I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the rest of the old town. I could not fail to notice on how beautiful the women in Bratislava looked. Not that the women in Prague were not bad looking but Bratislava took it to another level.

Tonight was the first night that I cooked for myself in a hostel, tuna and rice. I survived that. I got the chance to talk to a couple of German girls. They seemed pleasant enough. We exchanged travel tales and they mentioned that they were going to Budapest. I should have included it in my trip. We all live and learn.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

October 12, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 7, 16/09/2012

More than half way through my trip and I am off to Bratislava. This is the first time that I have travelled between countries on my travels. It all adds to the adventure.

Maybe I spent too long in Prague but now I feel ready to move on. The whole process of boarding the coach was painless enough. No need to check-in, showed my ticket to the driver. Also got a free bottle of water for the trip. I have never been treated like that before.

I arrived in Bratislava at around 5pm. What a culture shock compared to Prague. It was like chalk and cheese. Trolley buses were running past the bus station. It was as though I had been transported back to old communist Czechoslovakia.

It was a short trolleybus ride to the hostel. Again the comparison was chalk to cheese. Hostel Blues is a proper hostel with a kitchen, bar and chill out zone. More importantly it in the middle of the city. So after finding my bed I decided to go out for a walk. To be honest my time in Prague had caught up with me and I did not want to go far. So after a quick bite to eat and a drink I called it an early night.