“ It is pleasant to have been to a place the way the river went.”
– Henry David Thoreau
Peering east from Vienna, we “Google” Slovenia incorrectly, and end up in Slovakia! (just some EU humor)
Bratislava is 80 kilometers, down river from Vienna, but might as well be separated by an ocean: Disembarking at Hlavná stanica station has all the sensations of arriving in… well, Mumbai: grim surroundings, dilapidated structures, put upon by beggars and addicts – is this real?
Peter Dic, from whom we are renting a tidy apartment, collects us at the station and provides a bit of optimism. An IT manager, Peter has everything squared away – detailed directions for operating the well-equipped, immaculate flat, including breakfast provisions and bikes. The apartment was renovated by Gypsies and flashes crazy design motifs, however we have a comfortable base from which to extend into an alien culture.
Our overwhelming impression is civic neglect taken to high art form almost everywhere. Impoverishment, part the inheritance of Socialist regimes, or just the dour sensibilities of the “East”? We wander around the old town on a grey day amid a gauntlet of “Slavic food” restaurants hawking to Viking Cruise tourists.
Central/Eastern Europe is an acquired, perhaps inherited, Old World taste. No signage in English and the Slavic language has indications of a vowel disorder. Our tasks at a local market to buy additional necessities proves entertaining – is it yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise…or face lotion?
We seek clues of renewal and change, and slowly they reveal themselves over three days of discovery.
Biking along wonderful paths on the Danube’s other bank releases us into green expanses of wood and field. We stumble upon abandoned fortifications built to keep Hitler at bay, press through a “wind manufacturing” valley, finally reaching Austria (immediately feel the orderly change).
Next day, taking advantage of fair weather, we head downstream toward Hungary in the company of locals on bikes, skates, and with hiking sticks. Beer is evidently the energy/sports beverage of choice at refreshment stops along the corridor.
Macbeth at the ornate matchbox Opera house in Bratislava is a delightful surprise. An earnest orchestra, and soprano and tenor out of central casting provide a passionate recital.
Other unexpected revelations – remarkable food (lamb, salmon) at a local café, and an expansive riverfront development of shopping, business, and restaurants breaks the Borat legacy.
Glad that our Slovakian adventure is complete we board a milk-train for the familiar comforts of Budapest., and arrive on a glorious day.
The taxi driver, a fierce looking Hungarian also from central casting, deposits us at Aradi Utca 30, Albert Marton’s Kapital Inn.
There is a reason this B&B is rated #1. Albert’s charm, style, and commitment to every guest’s experience are his secret sauce. As usual, Albert greets us at the street portal with smiles and hugs and bounds up 8 flights of stairs with both our embarrassingly heavy bags. We are treated to residence in his tastefully renovated suite. A welcome relief from our travel “encrampments.”
Budapest is part Lower East Side, part Imperial Vienna, Old World, hipster, funky, depressed, and somehow, at it’s heart, familiar to my upbringing.
Its history and its present remind us how much we take for granted about our lives and experiences in America. It is evident in faces and stories that every family has experienced personal catastrophes here and yet continues to move toward hope.
After unburdening ourselves of baggage and excess clothing we head directly to the Szechenyi Baths for a long afternoon of soaking away the weariness of the road in steamy medicinal waters. That the baroque complex of pools and steam rooms is crowded with European spring breakers cannot diminish our luxuriant relaxation in the healing vapors. The rest of the day took care of itself.
Budapest is alive with cafes, restaurants, and watering holes for the curious cosmopolitan tourists who now flock here. The old Jewish ghetto is now hipster central with eateries, shops, and “ruin bars” fashioned out of the deprivation of previous eras.
Food in Budapest offers quality, variety, and inexpensive choices. We survey 3 doner kebab stands that serve as light, tasty lunches. For dinner we rely on the aged charms of Menza and Café Kors for surprisingly good fish and duck. Our Sunday supper is at hip Mazol Tov, serving Mediterranean tapas in a seemingly destroyed building.
The Marriage of Figaro at the Hungarian State Opera is tribute to the depth of classical talent residing in this rich cultural heritage. Every aspect of the production is dazzling.
As our taxi shepherds us to modern Budapest airport, we realize that we head to the final “third leg” of our journey. We have not been disappointed.
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All images captured on iPhone 6+
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Lots of great memories and pictures. Budpest is so much fun. Looks like another great European vacation is nearing its end. Do you have a membership to that terror museum yet?
meow.
I love the bike rides, the opera, the photos and the EU Humor. I am smiling ear to ear.