The Archemist: Heading East to Slovakia

For my first solo traveling trip, I headed to Bratislava, Slovakia. I took an early morning boat ride from Vienna to Bratislava via the Danube River. The water provides the quickest route between the two cities with a travel time just over an hour. Not only is the river the fastest travel route, but of course is the most scenic and fun!

Leaving Vienna early morning on the Danube River

Intricate and detailed graffiti lines the Danube Canal

Small Fishing Houses line the Danube River

View of Devin Castle from the Danube River

Bratislava is a small town. Its old town/inner city is similar in feel to Vienna, but as you would expect it is simply older, with a more Eastern touch. Within the old town, all streets are cobble stone, but be careful! for I tripped on and kicked up stones more than once. The Eastern feel of the city is attributed to its architecture of spires. Hrad castle is a short but uphill walk and provides great views of the city's red roofs and neighboring Danube river. Hrad castle was a great place to visit and take photos, however the rectangular building with four pointy corners, doesn't give you the feel of a mighty "castle". Luckily a fifteen minute bus ride out of the city, brings you to Devin Castle. This castle has been recorded in existence since 800 AD. The location of the castle is ideal due to its cliff position, and proximity to the Danube River where trade routes ran. Today, the green hills leading up to the main castle are decorated with some modern art.

In Bratislava I stayed at Hostel Blues and is staffed by awesome young individuals. I haven't stayed in many hostels yet, but this one was very welcoming, clean, and had good vibes. One night a week the hostel hosts free Slovakian cooking classes. With some new people I met, we made Kapustnica, soup made with sauerkraut, and potato dumplings from scratch. Classic Slovakian cuisine is delicious, but VERY rich. Bryndzové halušky, potato dumplings with sheep's-milk cheese, is Slovakia's version of mac and cheese. I was only able to eat half of my plate, and was left so full I could barely walk around after (but I'm sure the large pilsner urquell I also had added to being overly full). Another popular dish is Bryndzové pirohy which are cheese filled dumplings and is usually served with sour cream. To top it off, both of these dishes are topped with bacon.

Home of some excellent traditional food

Market of Souvenirs

The Schone Naci - a bronze statue of a man who lived in Bratislava in the early 20th century, when the town was called Pressburg. He was a poor, polite and always smartly dressed man who wandered around the Old Town during the day. "Naci" is the nickname for Ignac and "Schone" is the German word for "handsome". His real name was Ignac Lamar.