Bratislava - Bet You'll Love'a!!: A Day Trip to Slovakia's Cozy Capital And the Broken Boot

- December 29, 2018, Saturday.

- Surprise, surprise!! I was so happy to include this wildcard side trip to a third country to what was supposed to be a two-country adventure (that is, my original plan was to go to Germany and Austria only). This is the reason why doing some research (asking people, surfing online, etc.) before the trip does wonders. As Vienna is located near the eastern border of Austria, various cities of Eastern Europe are very much accessible from Vienna by train. Most friends and blogs/vlogs would recommend a day trip to Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, as it is the closest foreign city to Vienna and can be covered in a day due to the compact nature of the historic part of the city. Slovakia is part of the Schengen Agreement, and therefore one can enter Slovakia with a Schengen visa like Austria and Germany. Since I was already in Austria, going to Slovakia did not require any border checks. By the way, a trip by train between Vienna and Bratislava will normally take an hour only!!

- Going to Bratislava from Vienna is easy. Also, do check if you wish to go to Bratislava Hlavna Stanica (northern station) or Bratislava Petrzalka Station (southern station); I personally recommend booking a train to Hlavna Stanica as it is closer to the historic downtown. I booked a train ticket beforehand via the OBB website (click here), the OBB being Austria's regional rail system. Booking on the day of the trip is also possible, as it is the kind of train trip that "doesn't run out of tickets" (just like how a regular metro train would be;) however, it is always better to be prepared. I booked a direct train from Vienna Hauptbahnhof (main station) to Bratislava Hlavna Stanica. The ticket I got was also a flexible ticket, in such a way that I am allowed to ride any train that goes from Vienna Hauptbahnhof to Bratislava Hlavna Stanica and back, as long as the train I ride was on the given date indicated on my ticket (in this case, December 29, 2018.) Being the responsible me, I checked the status of my train ride the day before, and discovered that my original route was cancelled due to roadworks brought about by the erratic weather. I had time the day before to go to one of OBB's offices close to my hostel (inside the Vienna Westbahnhof's "mall" part) and asked what I could do with my ticket. Fortunately, I was told that I could still use my ticket without any additional payment whatsoever, it's just that I had to ride the metro to Wien Aspen Nord U-Bahn metro station, go to the regional train tracks from the U-Bahn train tracks, and wait for my train going to Bratislava.

- I arrived at Bratislava around 8:30am after my train cut through mountains - at least it seemed that way. Even inside the train station, I could feel the different air of the city, from the rather Slavic-sounding language instead of the usual German that I had been hearing for the past week and a half, to the general attitude of the people around me that I sensed and still cannot seem to perfectly describe in words even until today; I just knew that I was in a different country, but I couldn't explain why since I haven't "sensed" the Slovakian aura enough for me to perfectly describe in words. Happy that I finally made it to Bratislava, I felt that I was ready to see and cover as much of the old town - or so I thought. The moment I stepped out of the train station, my left boot decided to fail on me. The back half of my boot's sole came off.  I walked noisily as the sole of the left boot kept hitting my heel, making a loud "PLACKKKK PLACKKKK" sound. I mostly had to drag my left foot just to make sure that the sole will hopefully not come off completely. No one at the station sold any kind of glue, so I just had to deal with my boot's sole, clinging for its dear life. What was supposed to be a short walk to the bus stop outside the station became a procession of sorts. I bought my bus ticket at the ticket machine at the stop and took Bus 93 to Zochova stop, which was very close to the old town.

WELCOMEEEEEEE.

- As it was quite early and most establishments were still closed, I took a hike up one of the hills of the Little Carpathians near the Danube River to visit the Bratislava Castle (Bratislava Hrad.) The path was mostly cobblestoned, so my broken left boot probably suffered a lot during the climb. The moment I stepped inside the Bratislava Castle grounds, it was then that I thought of finding a rubber band in my bag. As my bag is a vortex of many things, it was not a surprise that I found a rather sturdy rubber band in the sea of unused tissue paper. I put my left foot through the rubber band, and thankfully the rubber band added support to my sole. It made less noise (more like a "plackk plackk" instead of the earlier "PLACKKKK PLACKKKK") and I could manage to walk without worrying much about my left sole.)

- The Bratislava Castle was built as early as the 9th century AD. As it is located on the Carpathian Hills, it not only gives a stunning view of the Danube River below it and the rest of Bratislava, but it is also high enough for people to see parts of Austria and Hungary! It used to be a royal residence of various rulers and a defensive castle. After centuries of change in political rule, today, this majestic castles stands as a museum and function hall. Bratislava Castle is literally a "castle on the hill," which made me think of Ed Sheeran and his song "Castle on the Hill" the whole time I was there. Of course, I do know that Ed Sheeran was referring to a different castle on the hill in his song.   

Hike up.

The UFO Tower. The "UFO" part is a revolving restaurant.

Bratislava Castle.

The Vienna Gate.

Svatopluk I of Moravia, one of the great leaders of early Slavic history. Moravia's territory during Svatopluk's time covered parts today's Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary.

To the residences. (If you look closely at my left foot, you'll see the rubber band which I used to keep my sole more or less intact and forgot to remove for this photo.)

A photo of warmth despite the frigid temperature.

Exhibition hall.

I always adore fancy fans.

Throne.

Over the castle.

- Walking down the hill can be quite confusing as there were different routes. I almost got lost along the way, but eventually found myself near the footpath to the old town. I passed by the 15th-century St. Martin's Cathedral, one of Bratislava's oldest churches, and passed through the late-13th-century St. Michael's Gate, the only city gate preserved in Bratislava. Passing through St. Michael's Gate was like going through a time portal. The buildings were modern outside St. Michael's Gate, but as it was the "gateway" to the Old Town, I was immediately transported to medieval and early-modern Bratislava the moment I passed through the gate!! (By the way, the Old Town is also the best place to buy souvenirs from Slovakia.)

St. Martin's Cathedral.

St. Michael's Gate.

Old Town.

- As I waltzed through the maze-like streets of Bratislava lined with pastel-colored buildings, I stopped in front of a small church called the Franciscan Church (Church of the Annunciation). While the church can easily blend in with the buildings around it, it is the oldest church in Bratislava, dating back to the late 13th century.

Franciscan Church.

Streets lined with pastel-colored buildings.

Inside the Franciscan Church.

- After walking through the street outside the Franciscan Church, I passed by the 17th-century Jesuit Church before arriving at the main town square, called Hlavne Namestie. Apart from being surrounded by embassies, consulates, museums, and shops, this square is also a tourist favorite for its randomly-placed statues such as "Cumil, the Sewage Worker" by artist Viktor Hulik.

Jesuit Church.

Hlavne Namestie.

Old Town Hall, currently a museum.

Soldier.

A statue of Schöner Náci, a 20th-century Bratislavan local who was known to be quite eccentric as he would go around the city with his top hat and coat, greeting women and doing nice gestures for them like kissing their hand (with the women's permission) or singing for them. 

Cumil the sewage worker.

- I had a light lunch at Slovenská Reštaurácia, which was the first Slovak restaurant that I saw along Panská Street. Although reviews of the restaurant aren't too high, it was the most convenient one that I saw, and I think I had good service. I enjoyed my meal of Slovak-style gnocchi (potato dumplings) and traditional bacon, although I know that this probably isn't the "best" restaurant around since it caters mostly to tourists. I guess this is expected in most tourist-catered restaurants in any country.

Gnocchi with bacon.

- After lunch I had a long walk to the eastern part of the city to visit the Church of St. Elizabeth. This church from the early 1900s, though small, adds a pop of color to the city because of its bright hues of baby blue and cobalt blue. Its distinct color was the reason why it was also nicknamed the "Blue Church." Unfortunately, the church was not open when I visited, so I only got to see it from the outside, and through the glass panes of the church's door.

Blue Church.

It's blue all overrrr.

I like how the mosaic contrasts with the blue color.

Managed to find a way to have a photoshoot here. It was a bit difficult to get a photoshoot with the whole church since there wasn't much space to deal with.

- I headed back to the train station after my short trip to Bratislava, passing by the Presidential Palace, also known as Grassalkovich Palace. It was built in the mid-1700s for a noble Croatian, and now serves as the residence of Slovakia's President.

A beer mobile. HMM. Hahahaha.

Primate's Palace.

Michael's Gate at the back.

Trinity Church.

Presidential Palace.

I love the palace' gate.

- I walked to the train station after my brief photo shoot in front of the Presidential Palace, which I realized wasn't a very long walk from the palace. I left Bratislava on the 2:30 train back to Vienna, wa ahead of my originally-planned scheduled departure. While I knew that I could have used the time to see more of Bratislava, I felt that I was able to do much during my brief stay in Bratislava. For those who want to take their time or perhaps see more, I strongly suggest spending maybe two days in the city - and maybe more days to explore the rest of Slovakia.

The Slavin Monument from afar; it is a memorial to the Slovak soldiers who fell during World War II. I wanted to visit this but it was too far away, so it was a pleasant surprise to see this as I was walking back to the train station.

Good by Bratislava!! Dovidenia!!

- By the way, in case you were wondering about my poor left boot which I mentioned above, it survived the whole trip being supported by a rubber band as I wasn't able to find anyone selling any form of glue in the Old Town. I reached my hostel in Vienna and hour an a half later - yes - with my boot still through the rubber band.

- Please don't forget to read about my other adventures in Germany, Austria, and Slovakia here:

GERMANY:

Berlin and Potsdam: Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here

Munich and Schwangau:  Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here

AUSTRIA:

Salzburg: Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here

Vienna: Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here

Hanoi Hangout (Part 2): Connecting With Ho Chi Minh and Reconnecting with Vietnamese Friends

- Oct. 28, 2017, Saturday.

- Hanoi has already given us a good first impression after our first day in this charming and to some extent "chaotic" city (i.e. too many motorbikes and the nightmare of crossing streets in Vietnam) (see events in Part 1 here.) One second day, my friend Genevieve and I mostly visited places that had something to do with one of Vietnam's most revered leader: Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh was a revolutionary leader who became the president of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the prime minister, and eventually, the president of Vietnam. He was best known for liberating Vietnam from the French.

- The best place to learn about Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi is the heart of Ba Dinh District, the district beside Hoan Kiem District. Going to the political center of Ba Dinh District takes around 20-30 minutes by walking average, but because we were in a hurry and we were still recovering from our long death from to Long Bien Bridge the day before, we decided to take a cab. The trip was cut short to around 10 minutes with average traffic.

- The political center of Ba Dinh district is enclosed to make it a pedestrian area. This "plaza" is known as "Ba Dinh Square," where Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam's independence from the French. Today's the most iconic landmark in this area is Ho Chi Minh's museum, which, unfortunately, was being renovated when we got there. Normally, people may also line up early at the back part of the mausoleum to see the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh. However, during the autumn-winter seasons, the body is sent to Russia for embalming maintenance (and since it is autumn as I am writing this, we weren't able to see the body.)

View from the mausoleum's side, since the front and back were being renovated.

- Behind the mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda. Though it is quite small, this is one of the most iconic temples/pagodas of Vietnam mainly because the pagoda from 1049AD is built on only one pillar in the middle of a pond. It is supposed to make the pagoda look like a lotus blossom. Around the pagoda are some prayer halls where people chant and give offerings.

See the pagoda's one-pillar base?

A stone carving of a lotus, and the pagoda that's supposed to look like a lotus.

One of the tourist who used me as a mascot. Yay (not yay.)

Photoshooootttt.

Guardian.

The small door to the stairs to the pagoda.

At the pagoda.

- Beside the One Pillar Pagoda is Ho Chi Minh Museum, dedicated of course to Ho Chi Minh himself. This museum was opened in the 90s, and has exhibits on all things related to the great leader himself, and other things related to the revolution and the Vietnam War in the context of Ho Chi Minh's life.

Ho Chi Minh Museum.

Who else but Ho Chi Minh himself.

Look at those spears!!

The Vietnamese are really fond of small chairs.

In his office.

There was a stall selling sandals made from car tires outside the museum. There was a giant pair too.

- Walking along the northern part of Ba Dinh Square is the Presidential Palace. The palace, built in the early 1900s, used to be the residence of the French Governor-General of Indochina. After the independence from the French, Ho Chi Minh was supposed to live there. However, he refused due to personal/symbolic reasons. This is why the stilt house behind/beside the presidential palace was converted to become Ho Chi Minh's bedroom and office. Still, the main palace was used to welcome official/state guests (and it still is being used as a kind of function hall for these special visitors.) One IMPORTANT REMINDER: the palace follows a ONE WAY system, though it was not really indicated in the flyers or reminders. Start from the yellow houses, then the mango lane, the stilt house, then all the way to the exit. We did not know this beforehand so much so that I suggested that we start with the stilt house since it's the most important landmark inside the palace grounds. Fortunately, when we found out about the one-way thing, we asked the palace guard if we could still go back to the yellow houses, and the guard allowed us. Also, one thing I found weird was that there were some places in the palace guide that wanted its visitors to see, but in reality they were just indicated but were actually off limits. Well, anyway, despite those concerns, we were able to see the important landmarks.

Presidential Palace.

Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House.

The Stilt House's Office.

Bedroom.

At the mango walkway, Ho Chi Minh's favorite place to relax.

At the back of the palace.

Meeting place.

Ho Chi Minh's cars.

Start your tour from these yellow houses.

Stilt house from across the small lake.

Had to take a photo of this from outside the gate.

- We left Ba Dinh Square afterwards and went straight up Hung Vuong Road (the pedestrian street along Ba Dinh Square,) and went to see the old Quan Thanh Temple; it is located at the corner of Hung Vuong and Quan Thanh Street. This 10th century temple was built by King Ly Thai To for the Taoist god of the north. Apart from being a functional temple, the Quan Thanh Temple is also a treasure chest of ancient (Chinese) texts. Sadly, only a few people can read these texts as the French influenced the Vietnamese to write the language in a modified Latin script.

Quan Thanh Temple.

Elephannnntttt.

The main prayer hall.

The turtle and serpent - a symbol of power of the northern god.

Main hall.

- Before going to our final stop for the day, Genevieve and I accidentally found a buffet restaurant and so we ate our hearts out before continuing our journey to the West Lake (which is just right above Quan Thanh Temple.) Walking along Than Nien street, the only street separating the southern tip of the West Lake, one can find Hanoi's oldest Buddhist temple - Tran Quoc Pagoda. This temple from the 6th century was originally constructed along the Red River. However, due to the river's flow causing a threat to the pagoda, the Vietnamese moved the temple to its current location in the 1600s.

Looks like paradise island.

Closer view of the pagoda.

The pagoda is really tall!!

I like the pagoda's color.

It was quite difficult to have this photo.

At the main prayer hall.

The Vietnamese like having bonsai trees with props (like small houses, small people, etc.)

With my Vietnamese fan.

- After our visit to Tran Quoc Pagoda, we rode a cab back to Hoan Kiem Lake, to hopefully catch a water puppet show (a traditional performing art in Vietnam.) Unfortunately the taxi we caught had a meter that moved faster than a horse (at the very least he didn't bring us to any obscure place,) and we weren't able to catch the show (and we weren't able to catch any show during our stay in Hanoi because tickets kept getting sold out.) From the lake we just walked leisurely while looking for more souvenirs on the way back to our hostel. We also had our first pho in Pho 10 in Ly Quoc Su near out hostel. It's one of the top-rated pho restaurants I've seen online. After having pho, we had some rest at the hostel before heading out for the night.

Ladies in elegant aodais around Hoan Kiem Lake. 

Beef pho at Pho 10.

Cheap and delicious pho!! 

- At night, we met some of my Vietnamese friends at a banh canh ghe (ocean crab soup) restaurant along Quang Trung Street. It was just a few minutes south of St. Joseph's Cathedral. I first met my friends Minh, Minh Huong, and Tommy in the ASEAN-India Student Exchange way back in 2012 (see here). This is the first time I'm meeting them in 5 years. After dinner we headed to the church to have some after-dinner drinks (no, not the alcoholic kind,) and it was also where I experienced a part of Vietnamese culure/society. There are some stalls with small chairs and tables that are really just for people to sit down, have a drink or a small snack, and just chat. Genevieve and I tried the "sau da," which at first I thought was just the Vietnamese way of saying/spelling "soda." Apparently, "sau da" is a a drink made from a fruit called "qua sau." In English the fruit is called "dracontomelon," and is native in Cambodia, Vietnam, and China. I think I have tasted a candied version of this from Chinese groceries here in the Philippines, but I've never tried the juice version. The juice was sweet, but the fruit was a bit sour. This reminded me of Portugal's sour cherry (but alcoholic) drink called "ginjinha" (click here to see my ginjinha experience in Lisbon).

There was a special procession that night.

Look at all the ladies in their aodais!!

Carrying a Mother Mary statue.

Banh canh ghe with Minh and Minh Huong. The soup tasted like a soup version of the Philippines' palabok dish.

Having sau da. Also, Tommy made it!!

With the church at night.

See the small crescent moon at the side?

Religious paraphernalia on display near the church.

- After we said our goodbyes, Genevieve and I went back to our hostel to fix our things and prepare for our day trip out of Hanoi the next day - to the "Bay of Descending Dragon," Halong Bay!! (Don't forget to read Part 1 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here, and Part 5 here!!)