Bratislava

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3 weeks in Budapest makes me stir-crazy. Also, I never thought I'd be spoiled enough to utter those words. But here I am, and here we are.

In January I had to spend $200 to get a new computer battery because mine died, and Apple products in Budapest are expensive, and the postal service isn't reliable enough to order a battery from the states.

Therefore, I was poor. But also stir-crazy. Compromise? Bratislava. On Saturday morning, Darcy, her friend John, and I boarded a train (for 17.5 euros round trip), got a car, and chugged towards Bratislava. In typical fashion, Darcy booked everything, and I had no idea what was going on. However, we got to take the train during the day, which was a first for us! We passed small villages and mountains, and everything was covered in a thin layer of snow.

We got to Bratislava to meet our couchsurfer, and sure enough, he was outside our door when the train pulled into the station. Also the stop was announced. Phew. Our couchsurfer's name was Peter, and he is in his 20s. He's from outside of Bratislava, but grew up in Slovakia and spent the last 9 years or something in Bratislava. The first thing we needed was coffee, so we followed Peter to a really great bookstore and got espresso. After coffee, we walked around the city past beautiful churches and up to the castle.

First of all, everything was covered in ice. Which was really fun for me. Less so for Darcy, who is from Arizona.

Second of all, Bratislava is beautiful in a destruction sort of way. A lot of the pictures I took are of decrepit buildings, graffiti, and uneven (icy) cobblestone streets. You could tell they were hit hard by the Iron Curtain.

On our way up to the castle we saw a beautiful view of the city. In the distance, after the colorful housing projects (communist) was a snowy field full of windmills. Peter informed us that was Austria and the forest we saw before the field was basically the border of the Iron Curtain. HISTORY IS COOL. Speaking of history, Bratislava used to be the capital of Hungary.

So we get up to the castle, and it's...new. Apparently the whole thing burned down and was rebuilt in the 1950s. We didn't go inside, but we wandered around/slipped around outside for a bit. Peter told us inside was boring.

At this point we're high up on a snowy and icy day in Bratislava. On a scale from 1-cold, I couldn't feel my face. Time to go to Peter's flat and warm ourselves up. We took the tram to his flat. Part of the tram ride took us through this tunnel...of HORROR. It was dark and creepy and under a mountain and FOREVER LONG. Peter lives in the colorful housing projects and has a really cute flat with a really old Singer sewing machine which I couldn't stop staring at. After a short stay, we decided to brave the cold again and venture back into the city.

We walked around and ended up at the main square. Which was empty. Peter couldn't believe how few people were out, considering it was a Saturday. In the main square of the city it was the 5 of us, and about 4 other people. Don't worry...we didn't get lost. Peter then took us for a walk (slide) along the river. Darcy was walking on the very border of the walkway or in the grass. I was practicing my snowboarding/broomball skills on the ice. Didn't fall once. Boom.

We got to the end of the walkway, which ended because of construction. Or destruction... They (the government?) are taking down a bridge that spans the Danube. I guess they want to do it pretty quickly. Which definitely explains the four whole people we saw working on the bridge. Safety first, you guys.

Then we stumbled (probably not because we were following Peter) upon the blue church, which I definitely didn't know existed (I never ever do research before I go places. Oops). It was so cool and so unlike anything I've ever seen. We went in it and...there was a wedding. That awkward moment when...

I quickly snapped a picture and we left. Definitely not invited to that.

At this point we have been outside for way too long and I can't feel my face to the point where I'm slurring my words. Peter took us to this ADORABLE hole-in-the-wall cafe with mismatched chairs and tables and I'm in love with it. John and I ordered flavored hot chocolates, which turned out to be warm flavored chocolate pudding that could only be eaten with a spoon. Still delicious. We went back to Peter's flat and he left to go to an opera. He hosts a radio show on Mondays and had to see this opera in order to host these opera experts. He wasn't happy about it. He met up with us later that night. It was an early night because we were exhausted from our day, but we still went out for a bit.

My favorite part of the night happened as we were leaving one place headed to another. All of the cobblestones that were just wet during the day had frozen at night. So it was impossible to walk anywhere. We were walking down this street and in front of us was a cross street with a slight incline. We were watching people walk walk walk...slide back down. Repeat. It was hysterical. We slipped and slid through a park to get to the next place, and it was the best.

The next day was just Darcy, John, and me. We walked around for a bit and then went to the national museum. We saw this great exhibit which was photographs from daily life in the 1950s. I loved it. We spent hours there. Then it was time to head to the train station. Peter had pointed it out on a map, which we didn't have with us. HOWEVER. I AM A CHAMP. With my amazing directional skills, I was able to lead us to the train station based on instinct and memory. I'm so amazing. I know.

The train ride back was uneventful, but still beautiful. And I was still able to have my lazy Sunday.

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Comments

[sheila]

bratislava
we toured this town in september and noted the same things you did - water damage and some general wreckage....sounded like fun, though. miss you and sending love, sheil