Western Slovakia to Bratislava

Saturday, May 5, 2018

This post has been delayed, as we had a problem with Internet access last night (Saturday) in Bratislava.  Sunday's entry still to come -- once we buckle down and produce it!

After some steady overnight rain, we were back to the warm and sunny weather that has been the norm for this trip, so far.

We were headed to Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital city, but we made stops along the way in a couple of towns that made their names as mining centers from the 14^th to the 18^th centuries.

First up was Banska Bystrica, Slovakia’s sixth-largest city.  The main square is large, bordered by merchants’ and trade guilds’ homes, and  now housing offices, restaurants, businesses and hotels, and the site of several of the town’s notable sites.  The requisite Plague Column has become a memorial to the Jan Kuciak, a Slovak journalist who had been investigating the corruption of the current government.  He and his fiancée were assassinated earlier this year and there has been an ongoing series of protests in the country since then.  A leaning clock tower, Jesuit church, large fountain and black obelisk memorializing the Russians and Romanians who liberated the city in 1945 are also showcased in the square. Adjacent to the square is the castle area, with the Barbican and city tower (now housing a restaurant) and a 13^th-century church.

Then, it was on to the much quieter old town of Banska Stivnica, another mining powerhouse in its 16^th-century prime.  Even with two castles and a fine hilltop location, it’s a pretty sleepy spot these days.

Our digs in Bratislava are small, but very well located.  We left our car in our courtyard parking area and walked the very short distance to the historic Old Town.  We had a lovely time walking from square to spacious square, most ringed with busy cafes, shops, bars and restaurants.  The pedestrian lanes were full of people, as were the outdoor bars and cafes.  We walked on the short remaining section of the town walls, on a path lined with historical and biographical information of some of Bratislava’s notable figures, with emphasis on its Jewish population, decimated during World War II.

After our happy hour, we went to a nearby brewery for dinner and a chance to sample their products.  Both brews and bites won our seal of approval.

Tomorrow, we’ll head to Vienna, which is just over an hour away.