Germany/Austria Trip #5 - Bratislava

On the final day of our tour we had the great privilege to visit Bratislava in the country of Slovakia. This historic city is only 35 miles from Vienna, and it is the capitol of the nation that was created when the former Communist country of Czechoslovakia was divided into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. 

As we approached the border we did not know what to expect. Actually, it was a rather simple border crossing -- much easier than passing from the USA into Canada. Our bus driver had to purchase a transponder (for about $100) that will allow him to travel back and forth into Slovakia in the future. The only problem is that our bus driver was from Italy and he may never return to Solvakia.

As we were approaching the city our tour director told us to notice the large non-descript apartment buildings and the somewhat modern and impressive bridge crossing the Danube River. She mentioned that the communist governement was pretty proud of the bridge, but the impressive tower rising above the bridge was used for spying on the citizenry. 

Since the fall of communism the city leaders have attempted to spruce up the drab apartment buildings with colorful paint. Still the legacy of communism is evident everywhere, even after more than twenty years since the iron cutain came down.

As we entered the city we could see that the city buildings and infastructure are in various stages of disrepair. Our first destination was the historic castle built in the 10th Century on the high hill overlooking the city. The castle is being rennovated and is not ready for visitors to see the interior, but we were able to tour the exterior and grounds.  

After leaving the castle our bus took us into the heart of the city. It is obvious that the Slovakians are rebuilding and trying to come into the 21st century, but they have much to do.

Here is a typical impressive historic building in disrepair that is representative of what we saw during our morning in this interesting city.

Standing on the doorstep of a building in the town square was this mountain shepherd who was playing his musical instrument that our guide told us is a traditional instrument of the mountains. The instrument is called a Fujara, and is a very large flute that has a mellow and deep sound. He was a very accomplished musician and was also very accomodating for picture taking.

As we were walking through the historic section of the city we encountered a parade that was being led by these characters. We're not sure what was going on, but we know that many children were marching in the parade and they were decked out with green hair and costumes that resembled these personalities.

The parade culminated in a boulevard where a stage was errected and these lumanaries began to entertain the crowd with folk songs and interaction. Evidently the sign "Narodny Festival" means "National Festival" and the celebrations of that Saturday morning were especially designed for families and children. It was a very festive mood, with food vendors and other kinds of street vendors selling all kinds of things.

As we were meeting our bus for the ride back to Vienna I got this good telephoto shot of the "spy tower" on the bridge. It is obviously not a tourist attraction, but a reminder of the oppression that still blights this up and coming country from the former Communist Bloc of Eastern Europe

This final picture was taken on the grounds of the Bratislava Castle and overlooking the city. We truly had a wonderful time, although it was a whirlwind trip, and would recommend this part of the world for travel. It is truly an area where there is a need for the gospel. 

Germany/Austria Trip #4 - Vienna

We arrived in Vienna and checked into the Hotel Am Konzerthaus and headed out the next morning to the Schonbrunn Palace. This magnificent palace dates from the 1500s and was developed by the Habsburg Emperors and was palace of the monarchies until the early 20th Century.

The center of Vienna is a rich mix of historical buildings and modern structures. It is a very progressive city that is filled with designer shops and it excudes economic prosperity and modern technologies.

After an extensive walking tour with our Globus Tours group we found a delightful Italian sidewalk cafe for lunch. It was a beautiful day and perfect for enjoying the food and atmosphere.

Following lunch we walked a few blocks to the Jewish Museum. This museum is a project of the Jewish community of Vienna to assemble and preserve all memorbrailia that relates to Jewish life, culture and history of the area.

On the main floor was a display that highlighted the treatment of Jews during the reign of Nazi occupation and terror. The following written graphic tells the story of a small girl that was sent to safety by her doomed parents.  It is a heart wrenching tale of Nazi brutality and family tragedy.

These minature toys were intended to go with Lily, but she did not become aware of them until many years later.

Here are some more of the artifacts that Lily's parents intended to send with her when they sent her to safety in 1939.  Anyone with young children or grand children would be greatly moved to see these simple symbols of family love and faithfulness.

Perhaps the most poignant aspect of the museum display was this cloth of yellow stars that Jews were forced to wear during the time of Nazi persecution. The Jews were forced to construct their own stars and then to wear them. 

On Friday night we went to the Palais Auersperg to hear the Viennese Residence Orchestra perform musical selections from Mozart and Strauss. The venue was outstanding and the music was superb.

 Here is the host of the concert introducing the program in the concert hall. He brought a friendly and informative greeting and told us that there would be no more pictures.  So -- this was my last picture.

On our final evening we had a wonderful dinner at the Wiener Rathauskeller, which is a large restaurant located in the basement of the City Hall of Vienna. The entire massive building is impressive and the large vaulted dining area is unique and historic. A wonderful conclusion to our trip.