Beautiful Bratislava

The capital city of Slovakia is yet another  European city with a castle, churches, cobblestoned streets, statues and beautiful buildings dating back hundreds of years.

This area was part of the powerful Austro-Hungarian empire ruled by the Habsburgs until the end of World War 1 when Czechoslovakia was formed, uniting the Czech and Slovak people.

It is difficult for an Australian like me to comprehend the turbulent changes that this city’s people have seen in their lifetime.  For example, our guide today, Eva, was born in 1938.  Over the past 74 years her home has come under the rule of Hungary, Czechoslovakia (both free and behind the Iron Curtain) and now Slovakia. She has survived World War II, communism and democracy, all the while retaining her dignity and sense of humour.

Bratislava's statues of Maria Theresa may have been destroyed long ago but its citizens' quirkiness shines through in these modern examples of signs and statues.

I'm not really sure what these are supposed to represent but they make an interesting visual against the backdrop of elegant 17th Century buildings.

And they have certainly embraced capitalism.  The shopping centre was fantastic.  If only I'd discovered it before I'd spent all my euros.  

I might just have to come back here!