Good-bye Danube

We have unfinished business with Slovakia, so we had to come back. We couldn’t leave the country for good without seeing the capital. So here we are in Bratislava.

Come late September, Dora is up for sale.     If you or anyone you know is looking for a reasonably priced motorhome then please check out the following link; https://www.2wanderers.com/dora-for-sale/ or if you have any questions email us at; info@2wanderers.com Thanks

The place we stayed last night, one of the quietest so far, just outside Bratislava, in a residential area currently under construction. A few builders were around Dora this morning, rather surprised at seeing a motorhome next to their cement mixers and, moreover, of someone having chosen such an appealing place to spend the night. We placed ourselves well out of their way so we didn’t have to move.

Nonetheless, we have a quick coffee and a shower. We are not sure whether Central Europe is currently going through a heat wave or whether it is always like this at this time of the year, but it is pretty hot, high thirties we think. All Dora’s windows are open at the moment to let the breeze flow through. Modern motorhomes would have air conditioners, but then we wouldn’t be able to free camp so much.

We are ready to go. After our Brno’s intense architectural day yesterday, we still feel in a mood for a bit more, so we drive around to see what the new houses are like.

Some of the  houses are already finished. The style is similar to those residential houses in Brno; straight lines, contrasting colours,

corner window to maximise the lighting of the place. Beauty can also be achieved by simplicity and geometrical forms.

The architects dream, the window that wraps around the corner with no structure, creates beautiful light inside as the sun tracks around, also gives panoramic views. Quite difficult to achieve though, you really want glass to lass joints. GDR

We arrive at Bratislava at 11.00 am. Laundry is due again. It feels it was only yesterday when we did it last. We are becoming experts at minimising the laundry time. I remember those early days in the UK and France when it used to take us half a day. Today, less than two hours.

Just outside the laundry shop, there is a tram line. We want to park Dora next to the tram station so it seems like a good idea to follow the line and park before we get to the centre. We couldn’t have planned it better. There is a lay bay in front of the station big enough for Dora. Just what we needed.

So, at 14.00 we are at the centre of Bratislava.

Soon after, we come across the tourist information office. The lady pulls out a city map and rings only four sights. You are going to be here half a day, aren’t you? She is not precisely contributing into bringing much revenue to the capital with that attitude, is she?

One thing we wanted to do and she hasn’t even suggested is a cruise along the Danube. We have fallen in love with this river on our travels. We first met him back at the Delta, in Romania (LINK POST). Then we had another chance to spend a couple of days with him in Buda and Pest, and now here. I don’t think we will come across it again. We know Bratislava offers cruises for 45 minutes. We ask her. Oh, yes, you can do that too. It would be nice. She is so useless.

The cruise is at 15.30, and the dock is not far from here. So we have plenty of time to visit a few sights before.

Through the arches of the Old Town hall, we head off to the main square.

A big fountain in the middle, let’s take a closer look.

Now, it is interesting how the concept of beauty changes overtime, how subjected it is, how personal, how fashionable. The modern houses we described at the beginning of the post; simple, functional, practical. Here; over decorative, exaggerated forms, impractical (would you not like to access that fresh, cool water on a hot day like this? well, you are not allowed to).

St Martin’s Cathedral is worth visiting, apparently. We have not taken many photos here. Only one of the window stained glass, nothing spectacular.

Something different in this church, we can visit the crypt. I feel goose buns as soon as I come in, not of fear though. It is at least 35  degrees outside, 20 degrees less here is rather welcome.

The Bratislava architectural style also reminds us that of Austro-Hungarian empire, that sort of Viennese flair. Again, I would never had thought how close these nations were to each other in the past, how much history they shared. First though when mentioning Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary was that they are just ex-soviets countries, mainly because of recent history. In reality, these countries have never been communists, they hardly have reminders of those times. And after the break up of the USSR, they went back to where they belong.

We start to head off towards the river. Interesting bridge, we hope we get close to it during the cruise.

A group of Spanish people have been taken by the tour guide to see the Spanish embassy. Splendid, that’s what you want to see when you go abroad, things that remind you of your country.

Gary just can’t let go of his dislike for Segways. Check out our post on Praha for his major rant. INSERT LINK

We still have half an hour before the cruise, so we walk down Hviezdoslavovo Namestie, a long tree-lined avenue, headed by the Slovak National Theatre.

A open air, wide promenade, used by tourists and by locals too. I am starting to like Bratislava. It is so different from Praha. This is a real, living town. Tourists and locals are mixed up, they both use their cities without getting in each others’ way. In Praha, it felt like locals emigrated far away from the centre, perhaps to the countryside, I don’t blame them.

I really like the scale of this place and the order of the different uses; buildings with tables and chairs, space to walk in front, line of trees providing shade, central area again for walking but large enough for a bit of entertainment, not too large that the place is intimidating and lacking in use. GDR

The city is relaxing, quiet, slow. You sense there is quality of life.

We arrive at the dock 10 minutes before the boat departs. It is the last cruise of the day. While I am in the queue for the tickets Gary turns up: Are you sure you want to go to Vienna? Jesus, with the rush, I went for the wrong queue. I am sure I would have realised when they told me I owed €60 as opposed to €8.

So we have now only 5 minutes to go. We find the right ticket office. She wouldn’t sell us the tickets; the boat is about to go and the dock is the furthest away, you won’t get there on time. Well, let us be the judge on that, will you? We can run, seriously.

We got there 1 minute before departure. We sit and relax to enjoy the tour. Just what we needed in this heat a rapid run for the boat, pass the water please. GDR

Such an amazing river. Calm but nonetheless, enormously intimidating.

There it is, the interesting bridge. It is called the Most SNP, a heritage from the Soviet era.

Beautiful structure, asymmetric, powerful. Are those columns necessary to support it? I could search online, but I have the expert next to me to ask.

Wow, everyone is an architectural critic these days, which is good to hear!

Yes everything is necessary, it works exactly as it looks, the slight lean on the main mast quite efficient in supporting the long span of the bridge, but more difficult to construct. GDR

We leave it behind, but we will come back to it on our return.

The castle is now revealed in the distance. We will visit it later.

This building catches my eye; rounded corners, curved glass, elliptical columns, very quirky. This cruise gives us the opportunity to know the city from a different angle. As we will later find out, the building does not look that spectacular from the other side. I would never have appreciated it by walking by it.

I keep looking out the window, sloppy, using my arms as a pillow, enjoying the navigation. I could be here for days.

The boat takes us underneath two more bridges. This one under construction. I hardly get excited about unfinished structures, so I ignore it.

Not such a critic now are we!

This is really impressive engineering, they are constructing the bridge on the riverbank and then pushing it slowly across the river.

This bit will eventually touch the other side of the river.

There are the cranes doing all the work, lifting all that steel into place. GDR

It is more amusing looking at how people spend their time at the river bank. Most, having cold drinks while looking at us. Great idea, a cold beer, after the cruise

Another bridge. The city has eight, but I don’t think we will see them all in 45 minutes.

We finish the cruise, rather satisfying. The idea of stopping for a cold drink is getting stronger so we stop at the one of the cafes at the Hviezdoslavovo Namestie. Gary enjoys his, a nice refreshing Slovak beer. I fancy a fresh juice but they don’t have any, so I go for a strawberry home-made lemonade. Yes, it tastes as disgusting as it sounds. Never mind, I will have a glass of wine when I get home.

We have two more stops before calling it a day.

A bit of art nouveau, represented by the Blue Church, a very visited monument in Bratislava.

Children enjoy this one, not surprising. It looks like Alice in Wonderland’s house.

Or an icing sugar wedding cake.

I quite like it, simply because it is different. Those childish forms and colours take away that seniority, intimidating, pomposity of the traditional church.

It seem we are in the art nouveau area. This is an official building, perhaps a school.

I really like the shape of the fences.

Interesting contrast with the opposite building. I don’t know what it is but it has been vandalized, so it must have been a communist building.

We now walk towards the castle. Cafes still busy, they always are, in every country we’ve been.

We didn’t realise Bratislava was a walled city.

And there it is again, the Most SNP, stunning.

And here we are at the castle. The museum has just closed. We didn’t want to see it anyway. Below there is a mini album of the views of the city.

Of course, the Most SNP again.

Like something out of War of the Worlds, must be an amazing viewing platform. GDR

One more chance to admire the scale of the Danube.

And the other end. It is so endlessly inspiring.

The castle is quite modern, or rather heavily renovated.

I love the way locals use it. A few couples have come up here and are sitting on the walls with a drink, enjoying the views.

Back to Dora, which is only 20 minutes away. We drive to the other side of the city, where we have spotted an abandoned place for us to sleep.

 

What it was an abandoned place last night, it has turn out to be a parking space of a fisher monger shop nearby. Dora has got up surrounded by cars and people going to work. How early people go to work in these places! Gary exclaims. You used to leave the house much earlier than that, don’t you remember?

We leave Bratislava and Slovakia with sorrow but nonetheless, gratitude for having had the opportunity to discover such an amazing, stunning, unspoilt country.

Good-bye Danube. Thanks for your exciting moments, we will never forget you.

Quick stop to use up the data, as usual, before we head off to our next country: Austria.

SM