Tue
14.Aug.2012
Bratislava, Slovakia
The River Park
Bratislava castle sits on a hill above the River Danube, not steep enough to
be a bluff, but enough to narrow development along the river for a few km to
the west of the city center. There was a famous yeshiva here once,
now removed, nominally because of danger of erosion.
Today, the north bank from the New Bridge to the Lafranconi Bridge, about 5
km west, is a low key riverfront park and promenade. Trams stop at both
bridges, and two places in between. There are mini-malls, playgrounds,
scenic views, a floating hotel, and more.
I rode to one of the tram stops, strolled further out, then back to town
along a road part way up on Castle Hill.
I should really have looked at the base of this sculpture to see any plaque
it may have had explaining what it depicts. I didn't even think of it; I was
too distracted by the photo opportunities in it. Thanks to my 20-20
hindsight, you are all free to make up any tale you find entertaining.
To me, it evokes an old logic puzzle about a farmer with a goat, a
cabbage, and a wolf. Work in a Roman - or perhaps Trojan - soldier, and
there you are.
Today's Language Fun
I just now learned the Slovak word for cheapo plastic safety razor: žiletka.
-ka is just a grammatical ending; the root is pronounced like a
Frenchman would say Gillette. O-ohh... OK.
I've been having a difficult time trying to buy such a thing. Drugstores
have said no they don't have them. It turns out that the word I have been
asking for, britva, means old-fashioned straight razor. Oops! Well,
it was the only razor in either of my pocket dictionaries. Danged Langenscheidt
had nothing at all on the subject.
I finally just now asked the waiter here at my wi-fi cafe/bookstore, whose
English is way better than my Slovak. He's a nice young guy to boot.
Another day in the life.
A lady in waiting for a tram toward the Center of town.
A view over a deceptively narrow-looking Danube.
After the intro, there turned out to be less to say about that excursion
than I had thought.
'Twas a nice stroll though, ending up back at the New Bridge, yes, with yet
another martian picture. I cut that and some other images to lighten the
load on this page. They are candidates for the next post.
Contents Copyright 2012 Jeff Bulf