I finally made it out into Bratislava city center on my third day, but it started with me riding the tram in the opposite direction for a few stops before realizing I was going the wrong way...
Bratislava is gorgeous and despite being only an hour from Vienna, it has a completely different feel. The city is much smaller in comparison and shares more similarities to some of the Balkan capitals with its castle and fortress and central square. At this point in my trip, I'm a little "museumed out" and opted to just walk around and take in the city with some people-watching. Like any historical city center, there are a couple of main pedestrian thoroughfares lined with cafes and I could happily sit for several hours just watching life unfold with a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, I still haven't mastered the art of making one espresso last for 30 minutes.
Since Roman was out of town for a conference, I was left alone in his apartment with his entire movie/tv collection, and foolishly decided to start "Californication." Long story short, I polished off the entire season 1 and two episodes of season 2... before having to catch my overnight train to Krakow. He kindly offered to burn the rest onto DVDs for me, but there's no guarantee I won't hole up somewhere and have a marathon instead of exploring whichever city I'm in.
The overnight train from Bratislava to Krakow was the nicest cabin I've ever been in, and at $80, it very well should be. In comparison, my 20+ hour train from Istanbul to Bucharest only cost $50. But this one had only three beds and once again I was the only person. The train left around 11pm and arrived just before 7 am; just early enough for me to find my host's place and drop off my stuff before heading out again. So I've had a 15 hour day on about 4 hours of sleep my first day in Krakow.
But what a great day it was :) Throughout my trip, I've heard several people say how much they love Krakow and how it's some people's favorite city. Now that I've seen it for myself, I totally understand - it just oozes charm and history without any pretension. The architecture, the people, the food, everything.
I spent the morning walking around on my own wandering around the city center and then met up with my host Sara for lunch at a little vegetarian bar. Food here is delicious and affordable - my favorite combination. Sara recommended a free walking tour of the Jewish quarter and ghetto that lasted three hours! And for any film buffs out there, it also included Oscar Schindler sights, both historical and from the film. Apparently there is some controversy surrounding Schindler and he wasn't necessarily the hero the film made him out to be. Historians concluded that Schindler himself did not draft the list and that some people paid anywhere from $50 to $500 to have their names added. Plus, there were also personal benefits to Schindler, such as no longer having to pay for escorts for his Jewish workers. Despite everything, there is no denying that his signature on that list saved the lives of 1100 people. Another interesting fact: Roman Polanski was a child and Krakow resident during the German occupation and liquidation of the Jewish Ghetto. Unfortunately, his mother was killed at Auschwitz but his father survived another labor camp. Rumor has it, Polanski was asked to direct "Schindler's List" but he wasn't ready to touch the subject matter. However, years later, he did manage to make "The Pianist" which was set amidst the liquidation of the Krakow Jewish ghetto.
Bratislava is gorgeous and despite being only an hour from Vienna, it has a completely different feel. The city is much smaller in comparison and shares more similarities to some of the Balkan capitals with its castle and fortress and central square. At this point in my trip, I'm a little "museumed out" and opted to just walk around and take in the city with some people-watching. Like any historical city center, there are a couple of main pedestrian thoroughfares lined with cafes and I could happily sit for several hours just watching life unfold with a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, I still haven't mastered the art of making one espresso last for 30 minutes.
Since Roman was out of town for a conference, I was left alone in his apartment with his entire movie/tv collection, and foolishly decided to start "Californication." Long story short, I polished off the entire season 1 and two episodes of season 2... before having to catch my overnight train to Krakow. He kindly offered to burn the rest onto DVDs for me, but there's no guarantee I won't hole up somewhere and have a marathon instead of exploring whichever city I'm in.
The overnight train from Bratislava to Krakow was the nicest cabin I've ever been in, and at $80, it very well should be. In comparison, my 20+ hour train from Istanbul to Bucharest only cost $50. But this one had only three beds and once again I was the only person. The train left around 11pm and arrived just before 7 am; just early enough for me to find my host's place and drop off my stuff before heading out again. So I've had a 15 hour day on about 4 hours of sleep my first day in Krakow.
But what a great day it was :) Throughout my trip, I've heard several people say how much they love Krakow and how it's some people's favorite city. Now that I've seen it for myself, I totally understand - it just oozes charm and history without any pretension. The architecture, the people, the food, everything.
I spent the morning walking around on my own wandering around the city center and then met up with my host Sara for lunch at a little vegetarian bar. Food here is delicious and affordable - my favorite combination. Sara recommended a free walking tour of the Jewish quarter and ghetto that lasted three hours! And for any film buffs out there, it also included Oscar Schindler sights, both historical and from the film. Apparently there is some controversy surrounding Schindler and he wasn't necessarily the hero the film made him out to be. Historians concluded that Schindler himself did not draft the list and that some people paid anywhere from $50 to $500 to have their names added. Plus, there were also personal benefits to Schindler, such as no longer having to pay for escorts for his Jewish workers. Despite everything, there is no denying that his signature on that list saved the lives of 1100 people. Another interesting fact: Roman Polanski was a child and Krakow resident during the German occupation and liquidation of the Jewish Ghetto. Unfortunately, his mother was killed at Auschwitz but his father survived another labor camp. Rumor has it, Polanski was asked to direct "Schindler's List" but he wasn't ready to touch the subject matter. However, years later, he did manage to make "The Pianist" which was set amidst the liquidation of the Krakow Jewish ghetto.
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