Dear reader.
A very good day to you from Bratislava! Today’s tale from The World Ahead comes to you from the Štúr Café in the centre of the Slovak capital, where the author writes this to you while enjoying a fine coffee and a shelter from the November chill outside.
Those of you who have been following the journeys of the author and his reptilian companion will know that until now, their escapades have been somewhat limited to Croatian land and sea. However, as any who have ever shared in an Erasmus experience in any nation will know, there comes a time to say goodbye.
Although the ending of an Erasmus experience is forever plaguing the back of your mind, and the constant knowledge that one only has a limited time to enjoy the incredible opportunities that come with student mobility, it still comes as quite a shock to the system when the time rolls round and you find yourself once again waiting for the transport, homeward bound.
For one, this is home, for the rest, a fond farewell
The author finds himself here in Bratislava once again having been brought here on a whim, the sudden and somewhat odd thought that rather than a flight, or coach, or even train ride north, that a widely know Erasmus student in Split would rather drive home to Slovakia… The logic somewhat baffles, and yet here we are.
This chapter began 2 days ago, when the three you see in the photo above set off from Split in a rental car at the ungodly hour of 07:00 to drive the near 1000km through the middle of Croatia, through Hungary and into Slovakia, turning left to hit Bratislava just across the border. (see map below).
The journey here was somewhat uneventful in truth. For the three above it was not their first experience of long haul journeys in a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the vehicle and the gear stick where the door handle should be. Yet for the 4th person involved it is still worrying to see other cars driving on the wrong side of the road and opening the door whenever they wish to go from 3rd to 4th on an open stretch.
Follow the grey brick road
Despite getting a little lost in the beauty of the Hungarian countryside, the vehicle and her party made it successfully to Bratislava to enjoy a day or two of rest and relaxation before setting off back to Split, one person fewer than when they began.
As with the last time the author found themselves in this magnificent city, there are countless things to tell, amazing places to go, wonderful things to see and fantastic things to do, yet since the purpose of this particular visit bears a somewhat more melancholy significance than the last, all the lovely sights and sounds seem somehow less impressive than before.
This is not to detract from my personal opinion of Bratislava, on the contrary my personal feeling towards this city is awfully positive. The countless squares of grand architecturally impressive buildings and the gorgeous views from the grounds of the Hrad, along with the great many friends to be found across the land have forever cemented this city among the highest regarded in my own personal judgement. But I refer rather to the sombre intention of my visit this weekend. Unlike the last time I was here, this visit we arrive as a group of 4, and will leave as 3.
Anyone who has ever been on an Erasmus exchange will appreciate that when such fantastic times of our lives come to a close, the reality hits hard that the little bubble you were living in is soon to pop with a vengeance.
With a view down the city like this I can see why people never want to leave.
The post-Erasmus depression phenomenon will be covered later in further chapters of this story, but for now, in the spirit of tale telling and regaling you dear readers with little facts and figures about the adventures of myself and my companion turtle I will share with you some of the tales of interest from our most recent visit to the fine capital of Slovakia…
Upon our arrival at around 22:00 or so, we began the arduous task of finding a bedspace for the night so as to avoid sleeping on the pavement in the cold and rain. Although I myself have slept in the street before, the thought of doing so after having driven for 10 hours didn’t appeal much to me. We were lucky enough to find a hostel not far from the city centre and a room to accommodate the four of us for a few nights before 2 thirds of us set off back to the Croatian coast.
After a night of relaxation and unwinding we spent the following day exploring the city and visiting the many sights that I remember so fondly through the haze of time since I was last here. Anyone who has visited Bratislava before will surely have met the various statues that scatter the city centre. I have found only 3 of them during my visits, but there are in fact 5 or so dotted about to see…
Napoleon, Schone Naci, the Paparazzi, Cumil and many more
Schone Naci posing for a photo with one of the travelling group this weekend.
As well as statue hunting, a tourist to the city can also climb the hill overlooking the city to visit the Hrad (Castle) that looks out over and defends the city and river bank, and can keep a careful eye on the Austrians whose border is clearly visible from the castle walls and identifiable by the sizeable wind farm on the horizon.
Austria lies to the far right, and the Chuck Norris bridge in the far distance (not visible in the photo unfortunately)
There is also a bridge in Bratislava which a petition strongly pushed to name after the famous martial artist Chuck Norris, however this name was rejected in favour of a more commemorative name, the ‘Freedom Cycling Bridge’ although I am told, by most people that I ask in fact, that many if not all people below a certain age refer to the bridge as the more humorous title that it has un-officially adopted.
Tonight we few who explore here will partake of the events and musical stylings of the Christmas Market in the main square, where the statue of Napoleon can be found. Slovak Christmas Markets are famed for their food and honeycomb alcohol to warm the otherwise cold hands and tummys of the populace, and hopes are high that tonight will be no exception.
On such note this chapter, although unfinished comes to an end. The coffee is cold, the skies are darkening and the burger and sweet wine will soon be upon my group and I.
I thank you for joining us in this chapter of the tale, and look forward to recounting our adventures to you once again.
She’s worth it
A glimpse of the market from last year
The World Ahead 