Bratislava in a few soggy shots

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Years ago, before the Czech Republic joined the Schengen Area,  I'd find myself on a bus to Bratislava a couple of times per year to procure my foreigners' work visa - along with about 300 Ukranian laborers. (You had to do it out of the country back then.) Once I went down the afternoon before my appointment and stayed in a hostel so I could tour the city a bit.

Maybe I was missing something, but... there just wasn't... that much... to see. (Sorry, Slovaks!) 

I saw art at Palffy Palace, strolled under the Medieval St. Michael's Gate, had coffee in the Old Town, and walked into what I thought was a lounge but ended up being a nudie bar. Signage, please.

So it was with trepidation that I agreed to make a Bratislava stop with BW and Frenchwoman on our way back from Budapest a few weeks ago. And we didn't stay there long because the skies opened and unleashed a torrent that would've sidelined Capt. Ahab. 

BW and Frenchwoman brave the rain
Central Bratislava was prettier than I remembered it, even in the sloppy downpour.
Wet and windy
Cumil the bronze pothole man was still there. 
He needs an umbrella
It was a Sunday, and a number of eating establishments were closed, even in the center. So we nestled into an overpriced place for lunch and I ordered a palicinky (crepe) filled with "meat cooked in red wine." It ended up being huge chunks of liver in an oily reddish-brown gravy. Hrgh.

This was my final, rain-fuzzy shot on our wet way back to the rental car. Apparently it's Roland Fountain, the oldest fountain in the city (1572) and a Slovak National Cultural Monument.


I sincerely would like to go back and get to know the city better, because hipster blogs like Tonbogirl.blogspot.cz make it seem so much cooler. But we'll go on a sunny day, thankyouverymuch.

10 comments

  1. I would love to visit Bratislava. Looks so similiar to Austria/Switzerland but then again so unique!
    Feel free to link-up with us for #TravelTuesday ;)

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  2. So far, I've only driven around Bratislava, on my way to Turkey in 2009. But it is on my 'to visit' list, hopefully when the weather is fine :-)

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    1. Yes! I've heard from others that it's a magnetic place; please write about it when you go!

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  3. I still had to go to Bratislava (twice) to get my Czech visa, even in this day and age! It's funny that some terrible weather and mediocre eats can leave you with a bad taste about the place, but it's true. (Dublin was that for me) I picked up some kind of hipster's map to Bratislava last time I was there and it made the nightlife and shopping scene there sound really awesome.

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    1. You still had to go for visa reasons? (I make "had to" sound so bad;it's actually pretty cool.) I would love a peep at the map- I'm sure there are lots of treasures!

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  4. I've heard great things about Bratislava, though I'd imagine they didn't experience it with 300 Ukrainian workers :)

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    1. That's good, Polly! I've probably been too tired and/or soaked the shirt time I've been there :)

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  5. Ahoj! Thanks for the shout out :-) You should definitely come again, summer is magical in Bratislava!
    Marika

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    1. Super, Marika; I think we will :) Your blog paints an excellent portrait of it!

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