Bratislava, Slovakia

Published September 25, 2019

Bratislava

3 European capitals in 3 days. Each their own Habsburg drama, every capital a CASTLE.

Downstairs at 8am, piled-in our driver’s 4-door, crossed EU borders an hour later. Country farms, brightly-coloured town centers. Every 6 years, Austrian gov’t helps subsidize a fresh bucket of paint.

Welcome to Slovakia. Hand-off to Luba at Bratislava Castle (Bratislavský hrad). Likeable gal, our guide – but think Sis signed us for the Brainiac edition. 3 hours later, I’d be JEOPARDY ready.

Slovakian authors. Beethoven recitals. Fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The Socialist era. Communists. year Czech & Slovak cultures nationalized. So much info. Breathe, Luba, breathe.

Bratislava Castle wow’d. Built high above the Danube. Panoramic view of the Slovak capital. Picturesque gardens. Cathedrals. Cobblestone filled our path DOWN to city center.

Restaurants, flowers, shopping & CHOCOLATE. We’d backtrack here after exams 🙂

Bestest weather. Mix of sun, comfortable temps. Authentic Slovak dining; Maria Theresa stories came to an end. Whatta wealth of knowledge! “I think you know” – well, I certainly do now, Luba.

Unplugged, brain off, bring on the chocolate. Warm BOWL of it, please. Strawberries, coconut, banana, mountain berry toppings – red chiles my personal pick (dig spice in my life) 🌶️

Train station find on Google, one-way ticket back to Vienna. Hotel-home for schnitzel.

Tomorrow: Budapest. A Hungarian Hop on-Hop off adventure awaits.

: Bratislava Castle (907 A.D.)

: Danube River overlook

: St. Martin’s Cathedral

: Welcome to Slovakia

: ‘UFO’ Bridge

: Michael’s Gate

: Slovak-Magyar-Deutsch

: Old Town Hall

: traditional Bratislava roll

: Slovak National Theatre (Opera)

: post-TOUR reward

: hot CHOCOLATE 🌶️

: SCHNITZEL dinner

Bratislava (short 15-sec clip)

Posted in Europe | Tagged kyrkan, museo, rivers-lakes, trains | Leave a comment

Denver – Paris – Vienna

Published September 24, 2019

Sunday touchdown, Monday lift off. Tight 22 hours between travels. One fast-paced crazy work-day. Unpacked, repacked. Passport ready. Denver – Paris – Vienna. Destination: Austria (Slovakia & Hungary).

Travel week with Sis – marathoning Sunday in Krems, week 7 of 10. Memories always best when shared. Iceland, Austria, USA & Canada. Lotta see & do – and run – before Colorado snow season ❄️

Dig family travel. PLUS Sis is a planner. Much appreciated after multi- weeks of soloing. First time flying Norwegian Air. Ukraine Air on the return home. Europe on a budget, all part of the adventure.

Bonjour, willkommen, wiedersehen & schnitzel.

Taxi from the airport. Family already afternoon-landed, waiting at Hotel Urania. Sis’ St Louis run group arriving Friday. Gonna be a full-house European adventure. Super excited!

Tonight, first nite. Scenic walk along the Danube & a bowl of soul-warming goulash.

Quick sleeps, hotel breakfast, car awaiting downstairs.

Day trekking Slovakia. Castles, cobblestone & a guide named Luba 😊

: Willkommen Austria!

: first nite Vienna

: the Danube

: tomorrow: Slovakia

Denver – Paris – Vienna

Posted in Europe | Tagged rivers-lakes | Leave a comment

Roll ‘n Roll Montréal

Published September 22, 2019

Sometimes anticipation ruins a long nite’s sleep. Rock ‘n Roll day! my first RnR event since 2015. Host hotel registered. Could see the African elites stretching outside…12 flights down. 85 & sunny this afternoon – in Montréal – closest I’d see elite athletes today. Slow, steady, hydrate.

Walk, walk, walk. Long way to my corral start. Either goofed the kilometer-mile conversion again, or gonna see thousands break the 3:15 marathon barrier. LOL> Back-of-the-pack. Walk, walk, walk. Faaaaaaar in the distance, could almost sound out the O’ Canada theme 🇨🇦

And we’d wait. And wait. 9 o’clock now. Temps warming. My corral peeps sitting on pavement. Still, lotta buzz. Runner chatter. Mix of Québécois & Toronto Anglo. Marathon day in Québec!

FIREWORKS. Voulez-vous, qu’est-ce que c’est, vive la France – & we’re off.

An hour of dodge-n-weave (no hatin’ on walkers, honest). Few mind-numbing suburbia/bike-path out-n-backs after the Halfer split – but overall, Rock ‘n Roll does a good job showcasing city sights.

Day fave? Olympic Park. Outskirts of Montréal, 1976-dated & I get crazy emotional.

Indoor Stadium ran. Olympic rings decaled near the big screen. Allez, allez, Keenan, allez. Très bon. Energy from the experience overwhelming/tear-welling. Allez, allez, Keenan, allez.

Walked part of 19. Heat struggled last 10k. Post-noon, no food & crazy humid. More fluids spewing out than going in. New PW finish time for Canada – but a FINISH & a medal. Très bon! 🏅

$20 shower negotiated at my hotel, taxi to the airport. Crazy quick turnaround.

Monday work-day, passport-readied again. Family vacation with Sis – to AUSTRIA! #noregretlife