Bratislava tidbits

If Solvaks find a fruit, they’ll try to make an alcohol out of it. Very strong alcohol, in fact.

If you don’t look people in the eye when you toast (‘Na zdravie’) it’s considered the height of rudeness. And they very well might throw their drink ON you.

The Slovaks that don’t live in Bratislava, are made fun of. They are told they live in ‘The Zoo’ and that one needs a visa to go there. Just friendly teasing – but I sympathise, living in Eltham, aka ‘The Sticks’ (thank you Tim) and I feel the criticism.

Ummm…the food is so cheap! Most places offer a daily menu, and for like 4 Euro you can have soup, salad and a meal. Often you can head to these canteens, and eat standing up, and have a ‘working class meal’ as they say. Yummo.

And my last favourite; socially accepted sexism, in which they feel they need to warn new comers about;

“Girls, construction workers (and men in general) will whistle at you. That’s the way it is, and we’ve learned to live with it. If it doesn’t happen you probably have a very bad hair day. They might yell or send air kisses as well. But if they jump off their scaffolding and come after you: run for your life, that’s not normal.”

‘Men in general’, ok, so we’re extending it as that everyone’s allowed, ‘we’ve learned to live with it’, need I even comment, ‘if it doesn’t happen, you’ve probably had a very bad hair day’, yay, go ahead and insult us as well, and finally ending with a helpful hint for survival. Honestly.

Narrowest house -1.30 meters wide 

Beware – if you stay too late after sundown in the public parks, and old guy will try to hunt you down with a flash light. Nice game.

Here is the view from 85 meter tall communist building. The bathroom is amazing, with all glass floors and walls – you can see out but the outside can’t see in. Nicolai – another stunning bathroom design for your blog (!)

Michael’s Gate – another saying with a gendered tone; when a single women walks through she must be quiet or she’ll never get married. Here are le views from le top;

My last day was terrible weather-wise, rainy and the temp dropped to negative degrees - so I was museum hopping (you can enter most for 2/3 Euro) – maybe a clock museum would have been ok after all.