Mon
22.Jul.2013
Bratislava, Slovakia
Sunnuvagun! Seems like I am just settled in to Bratislava, and already it is
little more than three weeks before my mid-august departure. Flying back to
Norte Califas from Paris Orly airport, of all places. Logistically
sub-optimmal, to say the least, but when you are flying on award miles, you
take what you can find.
Sign In, Sign Out
I think it has been a while since I indulged in a good round of sign
spotting. Here we go.
Betcha didn't know that Slovakian fish even have feet.
I first saw this supermarket chain in Czech Republic. They are all over
there and Slovakia, but turn out to be Austrian-based. The name Billa
is a contraction of the German expression Billiger Laden, or
"Cheap Store".
Studio Nela in honor of my friend Nela, who has no connection at
all to this studio. The rest of the sign offers Depilation by hot wax
from €5. There appears to be some overlap between beauty treatment
and brute masochism.
OK, it is a washed out photo, not really showable-offable. I was
entertained by the fact that even though I figured out Croatia
(Chorvátsko) right away, I had to think for a moment about Montenegro.
(Čierna Hora: lit.The Black Heights)
Though it looked stranger still
in Greek, Hobbit is still worth a chuckle in Slovak.
Pán Prsteňov is not a flute-playing Greek god; just Slovak for Lord
of the Rings.
The book shop that holds my regular cafe is sitting on stacks of The
Casual Vacancy in Slovak, which is apparently flying off the shelves
at the speed of toenail growth. My two euro-cents worth for them was to
get the Slovak edition of The Two Towers, which I know well enough
in English to grope my way around in for amusement and practice. First
impression: good translation. I have now learned both tree and beard,
just because Stromobrad is Treebeard.
Pastel colored Habsburg-era buildings around Šafarik Square.
