Bratislava and Back

On Wednesday, we had off from school for a national holiday celebrating the Velvet Revolution and the end of communism in Czechoslovakia. To take full advantage of my free day, I took a short trip to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, which was part of the former Czechoslovakia.


Many people think that Slovakia is the "younger brother" of the Czech Republic because it has always been a little behind while being related. However, today, the Slovak Republic is a thriving country, a member of the European Union, and even uses the Euro as their currency. After arriving late Tuesday night, I took a quick stroll around the city at night. I stopped in the Irish pub for a Guinness and grabbed a street kebab for dinner. So good, and so inexpensive for Europe. Wednesday morning started off early with a walk to the Bratislava castle, pictured above. It looks more like a four-poster bed than a castle, but it was still beautiful.


Fun fact: Bratislava was called Pressburg until the 1900s because of the German-language rule of the Austrian Empire.


Pictured above is Michael's Gate. It lies on the border of the Old Town and is one of the last remaining artifacts of medieval Bratislava.




This is the UFO bridge, named obviously for its strange architectural style. It was built during the communist rule in the 1970s. Bratislava was badly damaged by communism and was left in ruins when the Soviet Union pulled out in 1989. There was a rebirth in the 1990s when the town was spruced up and the economy was thriving. With the entrance of Slovakia into the European Union in 2004, even more funds for beautification and historical preservation poured in.


I spent the remainder of Wednesday in the most beautiful and amazing mall I have ever been too. WIth the town being very small and compact, I was able to cover all the historical sites in just half a day. I decided to see a movie in the theatre to kill some time, and tickets were only 4 euros! PS - go see the Social Network, so good. You can also see Christmas decorations all over Europe already, since there is no Thanksgiving celebrations to kick off the Holiday Season.


I had a great little day in Slovakia, for just under $50. Being in Eastern Europe has its perks, and seeing towns like this are part of a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore the other side of Europe. Next post: Copenhagen.