Tour of Bratislava, Slovakia

(delayed post, April 30, 2015 Thursday)

We entered the city of Bratislava just before noon.
It is the capital of Slovakia and the country’s largest city with a slow-growing population of 500,000.

We’re only staying here for a few hours for a short tour en route to Vienna.

The Grassalkovich Palace is the residence of the president of Slovakia.

Our tour guide was articulate and offered so many interesting information about the place.  I purposely didn’t pay attention because I was just too tired and problematic about some things,  to care to listen to him.

Ayleen couldn’t believe that she has set foot on Slovakia, another European country.

The buildings here are simpler and less opulent.

As soon as we entered the giant gate, the first thing that I did was to buy souvenirs. I was more interested to bring home a tiny souvenir than to look at another palace. I’ve seen too many palaces already. I have stiff neck from looking up.

I bought one tiny vase, about three inches tall. The hand painting looks similar to Tuscan style.

Slovakia is also bordered by the River Danube. I could see the simplicity of their structures compared with those in Budapest.

I must say that the view in Budapest was more charming.

I was trying to enjoy the scenery even with a big problem on my shoulders. But the stress showed on my face.

This is a perfect example of beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Normally when one is in a good mood and traveling, we see all things beautiful. Always, wow, look at that, wow look at that building, ano kaya iyan? Ang taas, and so on and so forth. But because this was the day I discovered we have a problem, when I looked at this building, it was like “ano kaya yan, ang simple naman, and I was looking but not seeing. My heart and mind was into something else. It was like hey I have a big problem, and the what efef is that building?

We were walking on grass when I noticed some tiny wild yellow flowers. I picked one and placed it on my palm. As I stared at it, I pondered about its being. What are flowers for? Maybe to brighten my day.

I didn’t even know where we were. I was just following my children. We entered a courtyard with not a single soul. This place looked sad. Or maybe because I was sad.

So this is a museum.

Although my sister and I came from the same stomach, our personalities are very different. She’s more carefree and has a better disposition. I am more serious and prone to anger.

The guy with no hair was our tour guide. We’re leaving the palace grounds to go to another place, I supposed to our lunch because it’s noon time.