August 6, 2013
August 6, 2013
Europe is suffering through a brutal heat wave so we need to move north. We go to the Budapest train station and board the one going upriver. This train is the exact opposite of the high speed train we rode here from Vienna. This one is the old style European train. It is slow, the seats are in compartments and nearly empty. Exactly what I remember from thirty years ago. But thankfully with one new important addition, air-conditioning.
Three hours later we arrive in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. This country is the former eastern half of the post WWI Czechoslovakia. Our hotel is right around the corner from the station. Since we are not in the old section of town, this hotel is ultra-modern, and euro-chic. I have stayed in hotels like this before on business and while it looks very stylish (and has great air-conditioning), it leaves something to be desired from a practical standpoint.
After checking in, we head towards the old town. We are hungry and try to find a restaurant that takes credit cards. For only one day I don't want to get any local Slovak money. I am pleasantly surprised to find Slovakia has recently adopted the Euro. The first restaurant we come to is a buffet. It looks good but leaves a lot to be desired. Oh well, it fills us up.
We walk around the old town, but find little to satisfy our curiosity. It is very small with almost no walls left and a lot of the buildings are on the newer side. Additionally, it is very hot and I admit my natural curiosity is at a minimum. We make our way to the Danube where there is a modern bridge with what looks like a flying saucer atop it. We walk out onto it to get a good view of the Bratislava Castle that sits high on a hill above. It consists of a modern palace within some older walls around it. The Hungarian kings retreated to Bratislava and made it their temporary capital when the Ottoman Turks overran Hungary.
From the river bank we hike the long stair case up to the castle. It is a hot climb but I am glad we did it. I like the view of the bridge and the multitude of Soviet apartment buildings that fill the opposite bank of the Danube.
This climb took all our energy so we descend back to the old town, and we each have a small pitcher of European style lemonade before we head back to our hotel. There we take cold showers and sit in the air-conditioning while drinking some really good Slovakian red wine.
Europe is suffering through a brutal heat wave so we need to move north. We go to the Budapest train station and board the one going upriver. This train is the exact opposite of the high speed train we rode here from Vienna. This one is the old style European train. It is slow, the seats are in compartments and nearly empty. Exactly what I remember from thirty years ago. But thankfully with one new important addition, air-conditioning.Three hours later we arrive in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. This country is the former eastern half of the post WWI Czechoslovakia. Our hotel is right around the corner from the station. Since we are not in the old section of town, this hotel is ultra-modern, and euro-chic. I have stayed in hotels like this before on business and while it looks very stylish (and has great air-conditioning), it leaves something to be desired from a practical standpoint.
After checking in, we head towards the old town. We are hungry and try to find a restaurant that takes credit cards. For only one day I don't want to get any local Slovak money. I am pleasantly surprised to find Slovakia has recently adopted the Euro. The first restaurant we come to is a buffet. It looks good but leaves a lot to be desired. Oh well, it fills us up.
We walk around the old town, but find little to satisfy our curiosity. It is very small with almost no walls left and a lot of the buildings are on the newer side. Additionally, it is very hot and I admit my natural curiosity is at a minimum. We make our way to the Danube where there is a modern bridge with what looks like a flying saucer atop it. We walk out onto it to get a good view of the Bratislava Castle that sits high on a hill above. It consists of a modern palace within some older walls around it. The Hungarian kings retreated to Bratislava and made it their temporary capital when the Ottoman Turks overran Hungary.From the river bank we hike the long stair case up to the castle. It is a hot climb but I am glad we did it. I like the view of the bridge and the multitude of Soviet apartment buildings that fill the opposite bank of the Danube.
This climb took all our energy so we descend back to the old town, and we each have a small pitcher of European style lemonade before we head back to our hotel. There we take cold showers and sit in the air-conditioning while drinking some really good Slovakian red wine.
posted by Mike and Aimee at 11:29 AM
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