Slovakia: Bratislava

Bratislava, Slovakia: hrad (castle)
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Yeah yeah, I'm in Bratislava and I haven't been tortured or chopped into a hundred pieces, a la the recent movie HOSTEL.

Bratislava is actually much nicer than I expected.  The old town is quite stunning, and the castle has great views of the city.

Bound and Gagged in a Bratislavan Hostel

Even better are the views of the modernist bridge (which has a restaurant on top) and the fantastic communist apartment blocks across the Danube River.  I absolutely love the character of those Soviet concrete slabs.

Bratislava, Slovakia: communist apartment blocks near the danube and the novi mostar (new bridge)
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Construction is going on everywhere, apparently they are trying to make Bratislava into a Prague-type tourist city...let's just say there's a long way to go.

There are tons of outdoor cafes and restaurants in the old town.  I had a gin and tonic at a swanky place last night - it cost around $4.00.  Just like Boston and Reykjavik!

Everything is insanely cheap here, quite like Bulgaria and Romania.  My long cab ride from the airport to the center of town was about $10.00.  Most beers are around $1.00 - $2.00.

Bratislava, Slovakia: close up of the spectacular commie architecture
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There are some pretty cool people at the hostel (there are actually a few Americans here, including four girls who just happened to graduate from Boston College - bizarre).

I've got an early train to Munich tomorrow where I'll finally get a taste of the World Cup madness. Anyway, be sure to check out ALL the pics I post (you have to click on the picture they show in the entry, as they only show one), and I'm also adding a bunch of pics to the Iceland entries, so check it!