Slovakia is the East part of what was Czechoslovakia. Bratislava is again a quaint old city with lots of alleys, cafes and outdoor restaurants. This capital of Slovakia was where Liszt, Beethoven and Mozart had concerts. Liszt actually started his career here.
Slovakia borders Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine. Since the fall of communism, the “old town” part of Bratislava abounds with charming houses and buildings that have been restored and repainted.
There is some interesting public art in this town. Much of this is in the form of statues around the town. For instance, back when mini-skirts became popular, there was a local artist that enjoyed the view. But as he was walking around town one day, he realized
that the sewer workers were very slow in going down into and coming up out of their manholes. Then it dawned on him… they too were enjoying the view. So he created a statue for in town called “Man Working” (see picture).Another is of a famous Frenchman that lived here. He was a
struggling businessman in France but was having all kinds of problems because of the regulations from the French government. Finally he moved to Bratislava and eventually became a very successful businessman. He then commissioned a very special statue to b e constructed in one of the squares in town. It is a man leaning over a park bench. Oh, yes… it just so happens that his butt is toward the French Embassy!
Today we walked up to the Palace where we took pictures that overlook the city. This palace dates back to 1760 and now the president lives there. The view out over the city and the Danube river is dramatic.
We stopped by at a few kiosks where the locals are selling their handmade crafts. Again, we found something for Oathen (grandson), a wooden toy puzzle with the English Alphabet on it.
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