Strolling Around Old Bratislava

No real theme here, just strolling around in or near the old city.
Most of these photos were taken during the hot sunny spell we had a week ago.

This green array is here for something in particular, promoting an art exhibit or something.

If I were using film, I'd have spent a bundle just on photos of this beam construct in the Cardinal's Square, where the laptop users hang out for the free wireless connection.

(I have since found other, more comfortable wireless access, including the food court at the "other" big shiny shopping mall - i.e.. the one where I didn't see H. Potter & the Half-Blood Prince)

Have I mentioned before that the small but charming old city center has been lovingly spruced up? It really is a relaxing way to stroll around and treat your eyes. Only when you get out into the modern town do you realize how much the old city is aimed at the tourist trade. F'rinstance, even though there a plenty of pricey cafes and bars, there is no place to eat cheap, no place to buy groceries, or even cheap fast food, 'cept at McDonalds. The restaurant street below is nothing like as crass as most cities' Shakedown Streets, but contrived with charm is still contrived. And pricey.

I love the old city for its beauty, but I've learned to do my actual day to day living in the working part of town like everybody else.

Beatniks and Martians

Bratislava City of the Beatniks
That is what it says. Someday I will have to look up what connection this off the beaten path city is supposed to have had with the beats.

Many years later: This is embarassing. In my ignorance of Slovak, I misled myself with that genitive plural. The sign really says Bratislava Reads the Beatniks! Oops! At least it explains why I've never found any real connection between the city and the beats. Mea culpa!

Awwright alla you old George Pal fans: reports say that giant machines from Mars have landed by the River Danube and are even now turning their destructive heat rays on the freeways of Slovakia.

This thing is actually called the New Bridge (Novy Most). Most of what remained of the city's old Jewish neighborhood was demolished to make way for it in the 1970's.

Here is what it looks like from the boat coming down the river from Vienna, a picturesque and slightly pricier alternative to the 1-hour train ride.

The Grand Promenade
Near the river there is a long promenade, lined with pre-WW1 buildings. There is a playground here, a giant chess setup, a stage with free jazz-oriented shows on weekends, various sculptures, greenery ... a fine place where people come and hang out. Even though there are plenty of cafes and booths where you can spend money, you can have a fine ol' afternoon for free.

(One of the monumental statues there is of Hans Christian Andersen, with a huge snail by his feet, and a small man on his shoulder, speaking into his ear. My only pix of H.C. are in flat overcast light, so we won't see him on this page.)

That is it for now.

A page with more pictures than this puts a strain on some people's net connections.