I didn't have nearly as much time in Slovakia to write any impressions while I was there, and the train ride was quick and effortless on either side, so there weren't any opportunities to write there, and then there was stuff going on back here, and... and ...
... and I got no excuses.
Bratislava is the capital city of Slovakia, and it's a lovely little town. Like Vienna and Budapest, it's located right on the Danube River. In fact, there is a high speed boat that connects Wien and Bratislava (although folks have said that going upstream gets rather choppy rather quickly, so I opted for the train. Much cheaper and less risk of hurling ;)
Maybe because it was the weekend, or maybe because of the smaller size, but Bratislava really felt more like a small town compared to the energy and vibe in both Vienna and Budapest. I'm afraid that Vienna's public transportation has ruined the rest of Europe for me because its so clean, well organized, and efficient. Trying to get from the train station in Bratislava to the city center took some exploring (and may or may not have resulted in getting off a bus at the extreme end of said bus line. Important safety tip, kids: never be the last one on a bus or a tram or a train in Europe. There's a reason why everybody else got off the vehicle!)
The city center itself was very nice. Art houses, some lovely architecture, a great village square -- good stuff. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of art and sculpture everywhere in Bratislava. Sculptures in trees. Sculptures around corners. Public art displays. Very engaging ... perhaps because Bratislava was once a destination or "retreat" of sorts for artists in Europe, and so it's retained that part of its identity. It was a lot of fun walking around the city center and seeing what there was to discover.
The outer parts of the city, frankly, reminded me a bit of the Soviet bloc. Large, monochromatic housing structures with almost identical construction and a very Eastern European feel. I could almost feel the difference when exploring near the city's edge versus the more charming and local city center. It was an interesting feeling, and one that I'm sure I'm not capturing well in words.
The sights in Bratislava, unfortunately, don't compare to those in Vienna or Budapest. Bratislava Castle is very nice and has a wonderful view of the river. There were some old churches that were pretty, and the Presidential Palace was nice. ... that's about it.
Of course, most people from Austria don't go to Bratislava for the sights or for the history or for the public transportation ... they have all that here in Vienna ... they go there for the prices! Slovakia is part of the EU, so the Euro is the local denomination (same as Austria). But prices for almost everything are far, far less. I stopped into a McDonald's (not to eat, mind you - just to observe) in Bratislava, and saw that the price for their new summer smoothie concoction was 1.15 Euro. In Vienna, that same concoction sells for 3.50 Euro. And while its not that extreme of a difference across the board, it certainly seems to be indicative of the city. I imagine the huge mall right on the river gets a lot of visits from Austrians looking for a bargain :)
The other strange observation about Bratislava was the prominence of Canadian flags. I mean, there were flags all over the city - U.S., Great Britain, Australia, France, and others ... but there just seemed to be a lot of Canadian flags. Cultural exchange centers, language institutions, businesses, it was strange. No real reason that I could determine, so, is what it is I suppose.
I'll probably go back, since it's such a short (and cheap) hop away from Vienna, and possibly with someone who's been there before and knows more of the places to see. But, for now, check Slovakia off the list! Woo-Hoo! Pictures to follow.
