Bratislava, Slovakia
November, 2016
Slovakia’s political, cultural, and social hub, Bratislava, a mixture of classic and contemporary, became the capital of this recently independent country in 1993. A beautifully renovated Old Town with its 18th century spires and squares beckons one into the past while the introduction of “concrete modernism” across the river provides a balance between the old and the new. Unfortunately, the Communists, who were ousted with the Velvet Revolution in 1989, took little interest in taking care of the historical buildings and their facades so one might find a run-down derelict structure next to something ornate and lovely.
Bratislava lies along both banks of the Danube River and in the foothills of the Little Carpathian Mountains close to the Austrian and Hungarian borders; small mountains, parks, and vineyards thread their way throughout. As the political center, it is the seat of the Slovak president and the parliament. Many of the country’s larger businesses and financial institutions make their home here and universities, museums, theaters, and galleries provide a cultural balance.
One of the youngest capitals in the world, Bratislava has earned the description of the “Beauty on the Danube.” In addition to my delight in exploring the city, my time here became personally meaningful with meeting Margita and Bouhumil at a home-hosted visit. Sharing stories of life in Slovakia, Margita’s tale was especially heartfelt. As a young girl, she received the Salk vaccine against polio, but her dose came from a tainted batch and, as a result, she became a polio victim, undergoing years of surgeries and rehab. There was a time when her ability to walk was restored, but the symptoms have returned and she is now confined to a wheel chair. When I told her that Jonas Salk is buried just a few yards from my parents in San Diego, her eyes filled with tears and, giving me a stone from the Danube, she asked that I place it on his grave with her thanks for all that he had done for so many. This was the first thing that I did when arriving home…
Old Town
Communist Neglect (And Not Enough Money To Renovate)
Bronze Sculpture (The Plight Of The Worker)
Memorial To Slovakian Jews Killed In The Holocaust
Modern Life On The Other Side Of The River
My New Friends
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