Berlin, Bratislava and Budapest
Berlin is a flat, bike-friendly city so on a slightly grey summer's day we took a full day bike tour to experience some of Berlin's best and most historic sites. To see the sites relating to Nazi Germany and the sites of Cold War Germany now set in modern, socially-progressive Berlin makes for an exciting visit. There is just so much to see. Museum island alone has five museums! On the recommendation of our daughters stayed in the very smart Hotel Johann in Kreuzberg. Kreuzberg has a trendy vibe and nearby Bergmanstrasse is lined with restaurants and cafes and away from the tourist hotels.
The following are some of my favourite images of the East Side Gallery - a section of the Berlin Wall now painted by artists which is now a memorial to freedom.
We liked Berlin so much that we visited twice - on the way north to Denmark, and then again on our return South.
Bratislava
On to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. We spent only one day discovering Bratislava's old town with its cobble-stoned streets and castle on the hill. The old town is beautiful though the rest of the city retains many drab Communist-era buildings.
Budapest - in Budapest the spas are best!
The most obvious mark left by the Turkish rule of Budapest around the 1500s is the city's glorious bathhouses. After our Turkish hamam experience we were keen to see some of Budapest's spas and baths. Budapest has more than a dozen thermal spas to choose from, and I chose to visit the Rudas Thermal Bath. We arrived in Budapest on a Tuesday, which at Rudas is women-only day. I had also read that on single-sex bathing days no swimwear was required, and as towels are provided I headed off alone to find Rudas with just my wallet in hand. I found Rudas Bath house across the Elizabeth Bridge on the Buda side of the Danube, tucked into the foot of Gellert Hill. At the turnstiles the attendant spoke only enough English to tell me how much a spa session would cost and confirm that no swimwear was required. I undressed in the change room, wrapped myself in the towel, which is actually a single bed sheet, and headed to the main bathing room. The main pool is an octagon shape below a huge dome which has small coloured glass windows. As I stood a marvelled at its ancient beauty I noticed....that everyone was wearing swimmers!
My reaction may have been different at home, but here in Budapest where I knew no one there was nothing to do but drop my towel, put my shoulders back and as quickly and gracefully as possible slide into the 36 degree pool. Up to my neck in the water I began to relax and take a peek around me. Slowly I realised that there were other women also in the thermal water up to their necks, and as they moved in and out of the pool I was relieved to find some of them were, in fact, naked bathers. It seemed to me that women speaking English were wearing bathing suits, and women speaking Hungarian or German (and me) were naked.
Surrounding the octagonal pool are four corner pools of 28, 30, 33 and 42 degrees. There are steam rooms, and hot dry air chambers which are progressively heated - 45 degrees then 55-60 degrees. In these room are large timber chairs to laze on. Finally, there is the 18 degree cold water plunge pool with waterfall. When you have had enough heating up/cooling down bathing, it's time for a half hour massage followed by some relaxing time in the vaulted-ceiling Resting Room. It was a wonderful way to pass a couple of hours.
Next day Senor and I visited Szecheny Baths on the Pest side of the Danube (mixed day, swimwear required). It is Europe's largest spa complex. It is huge and grand with more than a dozen indoor and outdoor pools of varying temperatures, as well as steam rooms and whirlpools. We spent most of the day here and it was wonderful. Here are some photos.
Berlin is a flat, bike-friendly city so on a slightly grey summer's day we took a full day bike tour to experience some of Berlin's best and most historic sites. To see the sites relating to Nazi Germany and the sites of Cold War Germany now set in modern, socially-progressive Berlin makes for an exciting visit. There is just so much to see. Museum island alone has five museums! On the recommendation of our daughters stayed in the very smart Hotel Johann in Kreuzberg. Kreuzberg has a trendy vibe and nearby Bergmanstrasse is lined with restaurants and cafes and away from the tourist hotels.
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| Ah, that communist-era architecture again. Alexanderplatz, Berlin. |
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| Bebelplatz, Berlin. Memorial to the infamous 1933 Nazi book burning ceremony. It is a glass plate in the cobblestones through is only empty bookshelves. Apparently enough bookshelves to be able to house the estimated number of books that were burned. |
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| Checkpoint Charlie. Is that the Officers' Mess? (I jest, however the famous intersection of Friedrichstrasse and Zimmerstrasse is now pure tourist attraction with its fake guard box, replica signs and 'military police' actors so perhaps it's appropriate to have a large fast-food chain represented too.) The History Mile information boards in the surrounding area have interesting historical info and photographs and we though definitely worth spending some time around. |
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| Berlin Wall Berliner Mauer 1961-1989 |
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| Brandenburg gate - now Berlin's only remaining city gate |
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| The controversial Peter Eisenman designed Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. A 'forest' of 2,711 concrete pillars. |
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| The Victory Column. Berliners call her "Golden Lizzie" |
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| The Reischstag with it glass dome |
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| Colourful Zimmerstrasse architecture |
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| The Ampelmannchen - Berlin's traffic light men. |
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| After the political changes in 1989 there began a movement to rescue Ampelmannchen. The campaign succeeded to the extent that there is now a whole industry of Ampelmannchen souvenirs. "Rettet de Amplemannchen" or Rescue the traffic light men became a famous publicity campaign in Berlin. |
The following are some of my favourite images of the East Side Gallery - a section of the Berlin Wall now painted by artists which is now a memorial to freedom.
We liked Berlin so much that we visited twice - on the way north to Denmark, and then again on our return South.
Bratislava
On to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. We spent only one day discovering Bratislava's old town with its cobble-stoned streets and castle on the hill. The old town is beautiful though the rest of the city retains many drab Communist-era buildings.
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| Bratislava's very own UFO bridge - Novy Most crosses the Danube |
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| In a quiet neighbourhood of Bratislava, opposite this derelict sight...... |
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| ....stood this gorgeous Gaudi-esque blue Church |
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| The church of Saint Elizabeth |
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| Bratislava old town |
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| My kind of bank. Thank you Bratislava |
Budapest - in Budapest the spas are best!
The most obvious mark left by the Turkish rule of Budapest around the 1500s is the city's glorious bathhouses. After our Turkish hamam experience we were keen to see some of Budapest's spas and baths. Budapest has more than a dozen thermal spas to choose from, and I chose to visit the Rudas Thermal Bath. We arrived in Budapest on a Tuesday, which at Rudas is women-only day. I had also read that on single-sex bathing days no swimwear was required, and as towels are provided I headed off alone to find Rudas with just my wallet in hand. I found Rudas Bath house across the Elizabeth Bridge on the Buda side of the Danube, tucked into the foot of Gellert Hill. At the turnstiles the attendant spoke only enough English to tell me how much a spa session would cost and confirm that no swimwear was required. I undressed in the change room, wrapped myself in the towel, which is actually a single bed sheet, and headed to the main bathing room. The main pool is an octagon shape below a huge dome which has small coloured glass windows. As I stood a marvelled at its ancient beauty I noticed....that everyone was wearing swimmers!
My reaction may have been different at home, but here in Budapest where I knew no one there was nothing to do but drop my towel, put my shoulders back and as quickly and gracefully as possible slide into the 36 degree pool. Up to my neck in the water I began to relax and take a peek around me. Slowly I realised that there were other women also in the thermal water up to their necks, and as they moved in and out of the pool I was relieved to find some of them were, in fact, naked bathers. It seemed to me that women speaking English were wearing bathing suits, and women speaking Hungarian or German (and me) were naked.
Surrounding the octagonal pool are four corner pools of 28, 30, 33 and 42 degrees. There are steam rooms, and hot dry air chambers which are progressively heated - 45 degrees then 55-60 degrees. In these room are large timber chairs to laze on. Finally, there is the 18 degree cold water plunge pool with waterfall. When you have had enough heating up/cooling down bathing, it's time for a half hour massage followed by some relaxing time in the vaulted-ceiling Resting Room. It was a wonderful way to pass a couple of hours.
Next day Senor and I visited Szecheny Baths on the Pest side of the Danube (mixed day, swimwear required). It is Europe's largest spa complex. It is huge and grand with more than a dozen indoor and outdoor pools of varying temperatures, as well as steam rooms and whirlpools. We spent most of the day here and it was wonderful. Here are some photos.
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| Szecheny Baths - outdoor pools. The pool in the foreground is 38 degrees - like a hot bath |
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| Like us, people stay there all day |
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| One of the indoor thermal pools |
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| The icy 18 degree plunge pool. Surprisingly enjoyable after the steam room and hot baths |
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| The Danube and the Buda side at dusk |
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| It is said that the Chain Bridge is to Budapestis what the Eiffel Tower is to Parisians |
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