Heeeyho Readers! Medieval vibes, Christmas markets and castles: Some visions of Bratislava.

---

Snow times welcomed us in Vienna after an exhausting bicycle journey, a situation in which a broke traveller don't want to be facing: busy cities and bad weather. Being an adventurer, you absolutely have to develop a quick thinking mind and decisions need to be made on the blink of an eye. Should I stay or should I go? Having no plans nor strings attached sometimes lead you into some of the best moments you'll never find in a touristic pre-planned tour.

In order to scape the chaos of Vienna I decided to head to Bratisava, me, the bicycle and the excitment of not knowing a single thing of what to expect, but having the address of what seemed to be the craziest hostel I have ever stayed: The Wild Elephant.

I will spare a story-telling post to this amazing, warm, chaotic and friendly hostel. A place where partying hard is mixed with family vibes, where art and bras hanging on a wall contrast with a perfectly clean kitchen and bathrooms. I miss those guys.

On this post I'd like to bring my visions of Bratislava through my amateur and still in the learning stage photography work. We'll discover old castle walls and wander on the medieval streets of this historic place. Don't expect much on the photo quality, the objective here is to make sure that you feel connected to this amazing city. I had a hard time picking up photos for this post because each corner offers a new view, each narrow street feels like going back in time and even inside the buildings you'll be able to perceive the city with an explosion of information, thus the name Between Walls.

. . .

Bratislava - Between Walls

The age of Kings and Queens is long gone on this ancient city once called Pressburg. The battles are part of history and the layers of different periods influences mix to each other throughout the evolution of archtecture.

^{The gates are closed, but the city is open for adventure.}

The best thing on old European cities are the streets, even though they all look similar, they all carry its own history; and they all lead to an imponent castle. Bratislava is no different, doesn't mean it's less interesting. My advice is to simply forget about city maps and touristic information, let the flow and the mood guide you, because eventually you'll land into an amazing scenary.

---

The streets lead to the Castle

Keep on walking and feeling like a mere medieval peasant to see where the streets will take you - it'll be either a Cathedral or a Castle. On my walking they led me to the imponent and highly touristic Bratislava Castle. From far away you'll see the walls standing on top of the hill with all its glory.

And it gets bigger, and bigger and so big that it won't fit on a frame. If there had to be something to add to all this feeling of being transported in time, it would be for sure guards and a locked gate - exactly what I found.

Unfortunately the castle had the army protecting the gates and all sorts of weird man in black coats with radios on their ears. Is it the modern version of guards with swords? Maybe. I discovered later that an important political meeting was happening inside, thus all the security.

But don't worry, if the Bratislava Castle could not be breached, we'd try our luck on the Devin castle castle, a much older construction and lovely place to go for a walk.

---

Checking Windows

The wonders are outstanding, that's no doubt. Sometimes we might feel like going inside seeking for warmth or maybe to visit a museum. Other times we'll be just inside the hostel siping a beer and exchanging experiences. But do you check the windows?

For me, checking the windows is one of the first things I do when I get to a new place. I want to see where I am, which direction the sun goes, what surrounds me. That simple piece of architecture may pass unnoticed by many, but try it. Go and take a look outside.

^{View from my room on the Wild Elephand hostel.}

---

By a strike of luck and maybe some mercy from the gods, my stay in Bratislava was celebrated with sun and plenty of laughs. Documenting everything in one post would turn this into a book, or just to tedious on the reader.

On the upcoming article I'll present you with one of the most warm and beautiful sunsets I have seen and we'll contemplate the beauties of the Danubio river. I wish you a wonderful day, and stay tunned for more.

To be continued...

---

Did you enjoy this collection of photos? Would you like to see more?

If you liked this post, please, consider leaving your upvote for a hot coffee.

~Love ya all,

---

Disclaimer:  The author of this post is a convict broke backpacker, who has travelled more than 10.000 km hitchhiking. Following him may cause severe problems of wanderlust and inquietud. You've been warned.

---

I'm Arthur. I blog about Adventure Stories, Brazil, Travel, Camping & Life Experiences.

Follow me to stay tuned for more craziness and tips.

You may also want to read:

[vlog #25] Bike Vlog on the Road | Olomouc to Brno | Under the Rain

[vlog #24] Bike Vlog on the Road | Ostrava to Olomouc | Czech Republic

Photo Series #69: Lighthouse | Sunset | Winter

Quick Trip Update: Brno - Vienna - Bratislava: Under snow, rain and mud!

[Blog #47] Visiting Olomouc | Czech Republic | Photography

CO-FOUNDER AND CURATOR ON:

A PROUD MEMBER OF:

[//]:# (!steemitworldmap 48.140822 lat 17.108514 long Between Walls in Bratislava d3scr)