4 weeks in Slovakia was a wonderful experience
We spent a wonderful time in Bratislava. The city is very nice and we could see a lot of interesting places, for example, a beautiful Bratislava castle. There are a museum in the castle and also, for the state events, suitable facilities. We also visited the remains of Devin castle near Bratislava which was built in 13th century. Thanks to its position - on the banks of two rivers the Danube and the Morava, at the very beginning of the Carpathian mountains, and on the borders between the Romans and the Barbarians, later between the Germans and the Slaves, or the Ungarians and the Austrians, it had to be a well known and very important point. Mostly, we liked the restaurant Bystrica situated on the top of New bridge, across the Danube river. There are many and very large shopping malls in Bratislava: the small shopping centre Aupark which we liked the most, the largest shopping centre Eurovea which has been opened only recently – 25th March 2010 - searched means it is huge, unfortunately, we were the first. The old city of Bratislava is pretty cool and we were there several times admiring the buildings which are quite old. In the city there are a lot of statues and churches. Saint Martin´s Cathedral, right beside a bus terminal, is the largest one in Bratislava. 11 Hungarian and Austrian kings and queens were crowned here. In the city, one can shop quite well. There is very cheap food in Bratislava. My favourite food was “Siesta”. It tastes good and does not cost much. Six days we spent in The High Tatras Mountains – near the towns of Poprad and Spišská Nová Ves. We stayed there over the Easter days. It was very quiet there, but also very funny during these days. Here we saw the ruins of the largest medieval castle “Spisky hrad”. We also visited a World War II memorial. It is very big and looks well.
What we did not like here? It was dinners – they are not good. One week we spent in a Secondary vocational school for catering. Here we had a lot of fun. The school consists of three separated buildings. (There is too little space for all pupils in one.) It represents a lot of disadvantages for pupils and also their teachers. When we firstly were there, we met a butcher student who knows German very well. He introduced us to the one of the school facilities - the school building situated in a remote part of Bratislava “Rača”, to a butcher shop, and to some classrooms. Our friend complained at the very big distance of this building from the city centre. When we were there, there was only one class in the chemistry room where the water content was just investigating. After, in another school facility which serves for production, we could see a bakery. Here the rather sweet pastries were baking. The building at the Harmincova street, where the bakery is situated, is old and it going to be demolished soon. The school building in Harmincova street is also too far away for students and teachers. The last but one day we spent in the main building. Here we took a part at the German language classes. During the last day of our stay in Slovakia the Slovak pupils were sitting for their final theoretical tests, so all regular classes were cancelled. The German classes and discussion with pupils in German language we found the funniest. Slovakia - it is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe
Bratislava 15.April.2010Phil and Sebastian