Pirates were off on Thursday, so no score to report. Let's hope that our time in Oakland will produce a couple of wins.
Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, previously known as Pressburg, is the town to explore this morning. Off the boat by 9:00 for our walking tour. In my usual impeccable timing, our first encounter was with road closure and a megaton of police and security outside the government building. Lukas inquired as to what was going on and if we could be allowed through the barricades. Come to find out, July 1st is the day when the EU presidency changes and the new president of the Council of Ministers is from Slovakia. Big day for the country as the delegates met in the capital.
We did get through and continued our walk to a park that featured The Little Mermaid and Hans Christian Andersen.
Further on was a very fortified building that was the US Embassy. It really was a stronghold.
The city is charming and from this place in the town, quite charming.
Down a side street on the way to the Old Town is the Slovak Holocaust Memorial. The memorial was erected to commemorate the 105, 000 Slovakian Jews that were killed during WWII. It stands as a stark granite slab on the site of the Neolog Synagogue that was demolished.
Heading down and then up into Old Town we found ourselves charmed by church towers, cobblestone streets, churches and a busy town square.
We had some lemonade just feet from the Roland fountain, the most famous fountain in Bratislva. Then for a bit of shopping in the town market.
Back to the ship by noon for lunch, that was: potato sauerkraut soup, grilled tuna sandwich, and Ice Cup Schwarzwald - a black forest ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce and cherries.
A home hosted visit was on the afternoon's agenda. We traveled to Petrzalka, the largest suburb of Bratislava. It is characterized by concrete block buildings that were erected by the Communists. It reminded me a bit of the Bronx in the 1950s with the apartment projects.
We met a lovely family of Magdalena, Martin and their 3 children. They were gracious hosts and served a tasty cake, offered us tea or coffee, or water. All 8 of us chose water because it was a very hot day. We chatted about their life and were really brought back to earth with how they are able to live a very simple life, unfettered by TV (their choice not to have it because of the children), not eating out more than once or twice a year, and delighting in all that they do have. Their living room was full of books and family pictures.
There was a special talk tonight by a young Bratislavian teacher who discussed educational life and how the 30 something generation live.
Dinner tonight was: a Russian smoked salmon appetizer, French soup, Roasted spiced beef with red bean stew, and an Ice Praline with fresh waffle and strawberry compote.
Another busy day with amazing sites and so much information to absorb. Time for bed.
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