Along with Czechia (or Czech Republic), Slovakia was once part of the communist country called Czechoslovakia. On December 31, 1992, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two countries, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.
Bratislava
September 26, 2025
We are on the top floor of this black building in an Airbnb. Thankfully, it was in the back away from the busy road!
The lights would eventually come on as we walked down this dark hallway. It felt like we were in the dark version of Severance.
It was bright and airy inside since there was a large skylight above the living room.
It was a huge bonus (and pitfall) that there was this fantastic bakery next door.
As usual, our first activity was a free walking tour.
So many statues in the downtown area.
A pretty picture except for the fence. Of course, it's around the US Embassy. None of the other embassies have fences.
Because we talked to several locals who had no love for their pro-Russian president nor any current American politicians, I was surprised to see a Charlie Kirk Memorial. It may have been put there by embassy staff.
One of Bratislava's most famous landmarks - the UFO Bridge. It was built between 1967 and 1972 during the height of the Cold War.
It was also the height of the Race to Space - a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to achieve superiority in spaceflight capabilities. It's not the only landmark in Bratislava that has space/UFO characteristics.
There is an expensive restaurant with an observation deck above it. You can take the high-speed elevator up for €10.
On the back of the Hans Christian Anderson statue...
...it shows some of his famous stories. This is The Emperor Has No Clothes. Remind you of anyone?
Bratislava Castle majestically rises 80 metres above the Danube and has been a symbol of the city for centuries. Its history dates back to the 13th century, since then it has undergone many reconstructions and became the seat of rulers as well as an important fortress.
The Modern National Council Building (Národná rada SR) is the main building for the Slovak Parliament.
We had EXCELLENT food throughout Bratislava and this was our first lunch in a beautiful indoor courtyard.
Although the item on the left looks like a dessert, it was actually focaccia with ricotta on top.
Freedom Square (Námestie slobody) was built in the communist 1980’s. For decades, they could not afford the water so it fell into disrepair. It was refurbished in 2024 and is now one of the better fountains I've ever seen.
It seemed like every other store was a second hand clothing store.
These statues relate to the Slovak National Uprising commemorating the antifascist uprising during World War II. It looked like The Handmaids Tale to me.
The Slovakian president's head on a Pepe the Frog body - a symbol of the alt-right.
From the Eastern Bloc days - Kyjev Hotel.
What are all these people looking at?
It's Cumil, the sewer worker. Our guide said there are several theories... just a sewer worker getting fresh air or a pervert looking up women's dresses.
But it's just crazy to me that this is a major tourist attraction! The people are mostly from the Danube River boat cruises.
Bratislava trams have been operating since August 27, 1895, making the system over 130 years old.
We are trying traditional garlic soup in a bread bowl. Not so great - like lukewarm garlic water.
However, the pork wiener schnitzel was quite good.
September 27, 2025
This morning is our overpriced post-communist era tour in a Skoda.
One of the best works of Slovak architect Ivan Matušík - built between 1978-1983.
It is definitely a blast from the eastern bloc past!
Original items are nearly 50 years old.
The word "Trznica" means marketplace.
I am completely baffled as to what this contraption is over the sink...?
An awesome building!! The Slovak Radio building, completed in 1983.
The inside was just as interesting as the outside.
We were only allowed to visit the bottom floor lobby of this upside-down pyramid.
The gigantic Slavín war memorial is visible from much of the city. It commemorates the city's liberation by the Red Army in April 1945.
Time for our afternoon break. Traditional cookies with a popular elderberry flower drink from communist era Czechoslovakia. It tasted like it had alcohol in it (it didn't) but it is also known as "children's champagne".
Today is Robin's 65th birthday and instead of booking a nice dinner, we decided to have lunch at Gatto Matto (translation: weird cat).
It was excellent! We particularly liked this basil arancini appetizer.
We spent the afternoon walking neighborhoods.
Bas-relief depictions of worker men, whether farmers or industrial laborers, were meant to embody the ideal Soviet citizen, hardworking, dedicated, and achieving high production goals. I wonder why they are so often shirtless?
We decided to rush back up to the castle in time for the sunset.
I love the diversity of this shot. Stone city walls from the 13th century, church steeples from a later century, and a UFO bridge from 1980.
Almost to the top.
Gorgeous view down the Danube!
Since we abstained from dessert at lunch, we went to the craziest dessert place that night to celebrate Robin's birthday.
You can't really read the sign but it requires that we spend at least €13 per person.
We hadn't really planned on TWO desserts... but there you have it.
Old Town at night was quite nice.
We were near the Presidential Palace where the fountain rotated many different colors.
September 28, 2025
Robin had read online about another UFO monument that was quite far away. So, we decided to take an Uber to go see it. I think the driver was a bit surprised that we wanted to see something that was...
... just on a hill in the middle of an apartment complex.
We opted to take the much cheaper city bus back. I thought I had seen all there was to see on city buses, but certainly hadn't seen someone bring their lawn mower on! He's dragging it up three steps to make room for an elderly woman with a walker.
Modernist, Eastern Bloc residential building - 1969.
After the fall of communism in 1989, the architecture became much more varied.
The beautiful Danube River. Many people do river boat cruises from Prague to Bratislava to Budapest.
There are still disagreements over which of these countries can claim the chimney cake as their invention. The Slovakians insist it's theirs. The cylindrical cake can be filled with cream, jam, or ice cream. We chose a pistachio cream.
The Blue Church was built between 1907 and 1913. Both the interior and exterior of the church are painted in shades of pale blue and decorated with blue majolica; even the roof is tiled with blue-glazed ceramics. The utilization of the blue color preaches inspiration, spirituality and communion with the Divine.
The front of the presidential palace had the purple fountain (above), the back was a long corridor of beautiful gardens.
Eating a healthy dinner after having too much chimney cake.
September 29, 2025
We feel like we've exhausted things to do in Bratislava so we are taking the regional train to explore two different countryside towns.
The small town of Sered has a former concentration camp museum.
Although the museum is literally 10 minutes across about a dozen railroad tracks, Google maps has you walk for 30 minutes through residential streets, and over bridge construction to get there. I guess they can't tell you to just walk across the tracks!
I didn't expect much from this small town museum...
...but it was way more informative in depth than I thought!
It was originally just a work camp...
...until they started shipping people to Auschwitz and other death camps.
The original barracks have been refurbished to house the museum.
This is the only one that wasn't redone.
This time, we are going to do the mad dash across the tracks.
Except it was pretty quiet and there was no need to run. Only one train went by us.
Now we are in the picturesque town of Trnava. I have no idea how to pronounce it.
It's known for their numerous churches.
Inside an old Jewish synagogue is a very beautiful coffee house.
The ceiling was painted in every direction.
Another dessert!! A traditional Slovakian pastry called a Veternik. It's filled with cream and caramel.
No trip is complete without the requisite walk through a farmers market. This one was quite colorful but with bees crawling all over the sugar.
A mural at the Bratislava bus station as we head back to Vienna.
Vienna, Austria
September 30, 2025
We spent about 20 hours in Vienna because it's easier to fly there from Porto. St. Stephen's Church is an example of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
This is supposedly a clock but I never understood how it worked or what time it was.
The main shopping district was super busy for a Tuesday afternoon.
I'm so happy to have German food again. I worked at a German restaurant in Florida many years ago and the chef was the best chef I ever worked with.
Although good, nothing like Peter's food from Mustards Restaurant in Naples, Florida.
The birthday celebration continues. One final apple strudel before the diet officially begins!