Bratislava

Since we were so close, we took a day to go to Bratislava Slovakia. The train dropped us off, not at the main station, but out in the suburbs. So we walked.

Post communist coloration cheers things up a bit

A slovak crow for Serin

finally, old town, across the bridge

Shabby cool

The north gate

main square

Cool dragons on the city hall

Fill in the old windows, but paint them pretty

street view

trees and churches

I guess we went in circles, cause there's the north gate, again

symbolic?

high crime area

Fun shop windows

The funky bridge is also famous apparently

castle on the hilltop

looking down

sunset

the city was very pretty as it lit up for the night

Sopron Hungary

Eric and I finally had some time to ourselves in Sopron, Hungary. We got there new years eve. Our hotel was on top of the hill so we had an amazon view of the fireworks. Unlike our safety conscious American version of fireworks, in Europe everyone apparently sets off their own fireworks display. And not little ones either. So Sopron is a smallish town, but there were spectacular fireworks in every direction. We drank our $2 sparkling wine (that was actually really good, go Hungary), and watched fireworks till we froze. it was fun.

New Years Day we went in to the old town of Sopron. It is one of the few towns in Hungary that wasn't destroyed in the war, and it is charmingly shabby. On New years day though, it was spookily empty.

Hairstylist

Sopron's iconic fire watch tower. Under renovation, of course.

A cool alley

a short door

One of the cool things about this town is that it still has its ancient town wall. And here is an excavation of the old Roman town that started at this site.

The main square, empty empty empty

Fun street views

the old city wall, from outside this time

Munich

After Schaffhausen, we stopped in Munich to hang out with Gudrun and Sebastian, who you may remember from my trip to Africa

I didn't really get any pictures of Munich, just these 2. but that's ok

Walk to the Rheinfalls

Eric and I took a walk to the Rheinfalls. We started in a really cool old monastery in Schaffhausen. They had gardens divided up into the different periods of history. It was winter, and I can't read german, so it wasn't so informative. but with a guide, in summer, I bet it is super cool.

Then we went for a wonderful walk to the waterfall. This bridge spans the top of the falls.

An old mill converted to a tourist center

Hotel overlooking the falls.

Sunset and waterfalls, pretty cool

Back in Schaffhausen.

Stein am Rhein

Thomas took us to Stein am Rhein for a bit of tourist fun. It is a famous town due to all the painted buildings. This church has a super high, skinny tower (the picture really doesn't show) that was last reproofed by a single man and some ropes. He apparently did a hand stand on the little gold ball on top. yikes!

Its an adorable little town

And the paintings are very grand

Overly touristy of course, but hey

watering trough

Pretty buildings

St. George, the patron cain, guards their sewers. fun for him

more paintings, blow them up and look at the stores, they are odd

Castle on the hill

Eric and Thomas

Just cause I like it

Part of an old monastery, I think

View from the castle

and the castle itself

More of Thomas and Denise's house

Thomas's office

The garden from the living room

A tiny door, saved for the pure oddity of it

The second floor room that Eric and I are staying in.

The next door bedroom. The oddest long skinny room I've ever seen. All 3 main living floors were divided up like this

Christmas lights in town