Sep 13 - Vienna, Austria to Bratislava, Slovakia: Along the Danube Levee to a new country for me - Meandering the Donau/Duna (Tour 12) - 2011 🇭🇺 🇸🇰 🇦🇹

September 13, 2011

Sep 13 - Vienna, Austria to Bratislava, Slovakia: Along the Danube Levee to a new country for me

Art Hotel David 140 Euro including a really good breakfast

I kind of tossed and turned all night but it was still better than sitting up in an airplane seat to sleep. The morning did come quickly and at 7:30 am up we got and then we headed out for frustuck (breakfast).

We collected our gear at the hotel to walk to the bike shop to pick up our two-wheeled tanks. Loaded up, we were over to the Danube to cycle along the island... which included an area where seniors in the nude sunbathed, openly chatted with friends, or went fishing. Rather odd - not what we'd expect to see at home along the water's edge. We had to backtrack a wee bit a few times but before long we were out of Wien and along the Donau Radweg.

The day got hotter and hotter and was into the thirties as we pushed along at about 27 km/h, or about 7 to 10 km/h too fast for me so I stayed back and moved closer and further from Tom and Kevin like a yo-yo all the way along.

The scenery was alright but not grand until we made it to Hainburg where we had lunch. Once full of delicious and calorie-laden Austrian fare we detoured up and into the beautiful town centre. I would like to have stopped and stayed there but the others did not want to stay, but rather, push onwards toward Bratislava. So we did.

Sometimes the route brought us along Danube and sometimes through the countryside. Soon after lunch we could see the buildings of Bratislava in the distance as well as its castle on the hill.

Closer to the city we passed through the eerily-vacant border checkpoint, then across the bridge and into the old city centre. We poked around through the tree-lined squares then started looking for a hotel. We asked a few people but they couldn't help. Finally, Tom found a woman who spoke french (she lived in France for a number of years) so she was able to point us to this fine four-star hotel which kind of reminds me of Tijcal II in Madrid: very Euro-modern and clean.

They were able to store our bikes, we could use the lobby wi-fi, but they had to prepare the room with a third bed. Thus, we headed to a pub for some Czech and Slovak pivo (beer). Once we returned to the room to clean up and shower we went wandering through the old centre for artsy photos. There were a lot of very chic people, fancy shops and nice restaurants. When we stopped to eat I chose the trout which was tasty, after which we went for night shots in the city centre square.

Interesting. In the square was a huge inflatable frame with a movie screen attached to it. In a van was a projector showing a move to about 500 people who were sitting on the square's cobblestone. Very cool idea!

It was 9 pm and we were zonked so we returned to the hotel to check our messages online and then to the room (we could only access the wi-fi in the lobby and not in our room.) I was excited to settle down to read my book.

I just found out that tomorrow is another long day - 60 or 70 km. Today just about killed me and usually my second day is the toughest so I'm kind of worried and a bit discouraged. Nonetheless, I now know that I enjoy cycling with friends in addition to alone or with MA and the kids.

Picking up the bikes (they were a little heavy, but worked out fine, really, though I missed having one of my regular touring bikes) and loading it up with the stowaway looking on

The EuroVelo6 bike path continues forward right to the Black Sea

A nice little town that needed a little more exploration.

A mid-ride beer for some but I was afraid it would add cement to my legs, so just drank about 2 l of H2O.

A whole list of tasty treats but was too full to indulge.

One of my artsy photos (AP) of a traditional Austrian church

Pretty restaurant - I'll probably print and frame this one.

Now settled into the Art Hotel William (REALLY nice and awesome location) we settled in for a beverage and snacks.

Bratislava square where hundreds were congregated for a movie presented on a huge temporary screen. The projector must have been an LCD projector but it was set up in a minivan so we couldn't see it.

Today's ride: 81 km (50 miles)
Total: 81 km (50 miles)

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