Our last blog update was a but delayed due to some internet challenges. Below is the current update of where we are and where we are headed…
W
e left the beautiful city of Krakow behind and took a long (8+ hours) bus ride to Vienna, our first stop along the Danube. We had to change buses mid-way in a border town in the Czech Rep
ublic. Before we left Florida, Robert collected all the change from a previous trip, packed it just in case. It added up to about $7.00 worth so with a little negotiation we bought a few chicken wraps for lunch at the bus station.
Upon arriving in Vienna, we navigated the metro system and arrived at our hotel which was on the far side of Prader (the famous amusement park). We stayed just one night. We enjoyed walking around Prader in the evening and almost rode a very high swing but Missy “chickened out.” The next morning it was raining and continued all day. We made the most of it and explored the city near St. Stephan’s Cathedral.
Then it was back to the bus station for the short trip to Bratislava, Slovakia.
We checked into our amazing apartment that overlooked the Presidential Palace and was one block from Michael’s Gate. The weather cleared up in the afternoon and we went straight for Old Town to take it all in. We instantly loved the city. It boasts charming cafes and cute shops mixed with history that can be seen just by a walk to the main square.
There are some famous statues throughout the city. We had a great time searching them out.
Another highlight was the Red Lion bar in Old
Town. We stopped by two nights in a row to take part in the happy hour special – 1 Euro per pint! That is the cheapest beer we have had in over 60 days.
After three wonderful days in Bratislava we ventured out to a lesser known part of Slovakia. We rode the train to Sturovo. Exiting the train station was like entering another world. When turning around to look at the entrance, you would never guess that it was a train station. In the parking lot were “bus stops” and a very nice woman assisted us in finding a bus to town. It was a very fun interaction as she spoke ZERO English. Great news — we made it. We spent the night in a small Slovakian town on the bank of the Danube River.
The view into Esztergom, Hungary just across the river was amazing. We had some drinks and played cards on a boat bar featuring the grand view.
Saturday we did something awesome… we walked across the country border bags in tow. We crossed the Danube via the bridge from Slovkia to Hungary.
We explored the quaint town of Esztergom, Hungary. This Basilica is the largest Basilica in Hungary which dominates the view of the town from the Danube. There is also the town Castle (and you know I love Castles!).
