Slovakian flag with the "UFO" bridge and restaurant, built by Soviets.

Promenade looking the other way to opera house

Looking toward castle on the hill with plague memorial in foreground

St. Michael's church (with tour group from the boat...ugh).

Holocaust memorial; Slovakian Jews didn't fair well in WWII.

Like we said, some dilapidated buildings still

Note cannonball from Napoleonic wars to left of pointed window

Schöner Náci - statue honoring chap who used to greet pretty women until 1960a.

Cumil (the peeper), put there just to get people out walking around town.

Going through our first lock - Gabčíkovo Dam - since Vienna (10 more to go!)

Bratislava, Slovakia

March 18 in Slovakia ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

Rough night of sleep; the trip up from Vienna was sooo noisy in the middle of the night. And vibrations galore. Hope that doesn't continue.

Took the Viking-offered walking tour, which was adequate, at least until we accidentally lost them while in a store buying a Christmas ornament. Oh well.

Slovakia split from the Czech Republic a few years after the Velvet Revolution with what they call the Velvet Divorce (both very amicable and peaceful). Slovakia hadn't been an independent country since before WWI, and then it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Communism didn't do them any favors (though our tour guide denies that's what they had), but the city doesn't seem to be as far along as Prague. Cute in some areas, but still a lot of decay showing,

Came back for lunch and then Wendy went back out to do the Rick Steves walk and up to the castle for the view. Started planning our time for Budapest; early departure tonight as it's a bit later.Read more