Chapter 12 - First Impressions of Slovakia

I guess it was only a matter of time before we got totally lost somewhere and it would freak me out. Upon deciding to visit Bratislava, an ancient city and the current capital of Slovakia, we just jumped into the car after only a cursory glance at an online map. We got into Slovakia okay after about an hour's drive from Siegendorf. As we approached Bratislava, we passed mile after dreary mile of Soviet-era apartment buildings - poorly built, uniformly gray, shabby and actually sagging here and there. Occasionally, there was a new, brightly-colored apartment building which made the Soviet-era buildings look even shabbier by comparison. We were following the signs to "Centrum," the designation for the Old Town area in all these cities, when we couldn't follow a sudden arrow to the right. On these freeways you can't just get off where you please so we ended up driving in this huge, vaguely circular arc around the city. One of my biggest phobias/fears is getting lost, and it felt even weirder to do so in a former Communist country. Bob thought it was funny that I was worried about secret police lurking behind every bush, but then he hasn't read all the Cold War spy thrillers I have.

Finally, we spotted - of all things - a McDonald's and managed to get to it after several twists and turns. It was bright and shiny new, the manager spoke English, and we ate familiar food; this fortified us for the challenge ahead to try again to find the Old Town area. We finally did, and Bob swears he knows how to get to it directly next time. I'd like to go back to go to a few of the museums but only if we carefully map out the route next time.

All we had time for was Bratislava Castle which is a fascinating edifice. Although it has been renovated before and is currently undergoing another one, it was begun in the 900s. It was actually around for Y1K! You have to walk uphill to get to it - everything in Europe is uphill it seems - and it was cold and windy, especially on the top turret.

The border between Austria and Slovakia.
Nowadays you drive straight through.


The castle is in the middle of Old Town close
to the Danube River. You can see the current
restoration efforts.


This is the main courtyard.


There are many niches like this one.
We wondered what they were used for.


Part of this crown dates from the year 1000.
Many Hungarian kings were crowned with it.
The stones are so large - can they be real?
The artwork is in the flat Medieval style.


Another one of those mysterious niches. This
one contains a model of the castle during the
time Empress Maria Theresa lived here.


The Danube River.


Can you believe that's actually me on one of the
castle parapets overlooking the Danube? It's like
a fairy tale, only it's cold and windy and my prince
is grumpy and keeps commenting that Europe needs paint.