Prague IV - Train, Bratislava I - Back to the Future

It is 400km from Prague to Bratislava, about 4.5 hours. The train arrives 10 min Sign outlate. However, it is a 70s classic, with individual compartments & sliding doors for 6 and there are fans. We make an unscheduled stop at a train station to pick up refugees from an overheating modern express. We meet Aussies on their way to Vienna. 2 of them complain about the cost of living in Dublin. They get off at the next scheduled stop.

The train finally arrives in Bratislava 20 min late. After studying the various bus and tram routes, it looks like we need to take the trolley-bus. No. 13 - lucky for us. We arrive at the 15 storey Hotel Kjev. A throw-back to the 70s communist era, with its massive reception, thick brown swirl carpet and wooden furnishings. Our view on the 11th floor is great and the welcome is friendly. The hotel is past its prime. Curved ceramic towel hooks have been broken off and replaced by Ikea hangars in the bathroom. However, it is next to Tesco and I pick up some Hungarian biscuits for the office gannets.

We walk down to the Danube and thence to the compact old town. I find a recommended restaurant but it suspiciously posts no prices so we walk on to a cobbled streets lined with al-fresco restaurant seating. I order a traditional Slovakian dish and we share a bottle of wine - our first on this holiday. The meat, pork, bacon and sausage comes on a skewer. The roast potatoes have smooth skins and the sauce is very tasty.