Here is Peter with Nadia and her brother David in front of a significant post office box. It was the first post office box in Slovakia. The picture is cool though because you can see the statues around the box. Bratislava is known for all the interesting statues that are found all over the city.
Here is the main square.
This is the "kilometer zero" plaque that lies under St. Michael's Gate, which is the last remaining part of the original city wall. It marks the point from which distances in Sovakia are measured.
After an hour of touring around, we were ready for a warm, dry lunch. We were excited to try some traditional slovakian menu items, so we started with a nice, refreshing Kofola. This is a Slovokian soda that is so delicious Peter and I brought some home with us.
We were a little worried about our main dish because Nada told us that after we ordered, the waiter warned her that typically foreigners hate this dish. But, we trusted Nada and David and hoped for the best. When the dish arrived, we were pleasantly surprised. It was like macaroni and cheese with gnocchi instead of macaroni and really really strong sheep's cheese instead of cheddar. It was so rich though, that after around 10 bites, you are finished.
After lunch we headed back out into the rain to check out some more of the city. Here are some pics of the famous statues. This may be the most famous and is called "the peeper." Apparently there is no story behind it, just an artist wanted to be clever.
Here is another one of a famous Bratislavan from the 1960's. He was an eccentric old carpet cleaner who would dress up in his suit and top hat and take walks through the city, giving gifts to pretty women. Now he is forever remembered on the streets by this fun statue.
And this one is of a sloppy looking Napolean. Located directly in front of the French Embassy, this statue shows Napolean with bare feet and a hat over his eyes.
Next we checked out the most important church in Bratislava, St. Martin's Cathedral. Bratislava was once the capital of Hungary and during this time, many Hungarian Kings and Queens were coronated in this church.
After the cathedral it was time to climb the hill to the Bratislava Castle. Unfortunately, it was being refurbished and pictures weren't really possible. We did enjoy the views though. Here is a pic of the famous "New Bridge." It is famous for its strong resemblance to a UFO, but isn't particularly popular with locals, as it was built by the communists and is a reminder of the regime.
While touring Bratislava was really interesting, without a doubt the best part of our time there was getting to know Nadia's family. Her parents were so welcoming, preparing traditional slovakian and czech meals and helping us with everything from train tickets to laundry. And, despite the language barrier (thanks Nadia for being such a faithful translator) we were able to enjoy several long after dinner discussions about history and politics. It was such a rich experience that we will most definitely never forget. So, thanks to the Miklas family for their amazing hospitality. We can't wait to see you in July at the wedding!
Next stop: Vienna, Austria
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