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Ceri: And so, we cycled away from beautiful, vibrant Vienna through the leafy Prater Park which seemed even bigger than Hyde Park. We reached the Danube which, for many miles, looked like it’s used extensively for picnics and various recreational activities.
And then the boring part. Mile after mile of dead straight cycle track on a raised dyke with forest both sides. Even a bend felt exciting!
The border crossing between Austria and Slovakia was simply a deserted building with weeds growing through the concrete of the approaches from both side. It felt so free to cycle past, given its history of communism which ended there in the Velvet revolution in 1989. Slovakia joined the Schengen area in December 2007 and the border abandoned.
In 1968, aged 16, Neil travelled to Bratislava with his parents. Unable to spend the local currency outside Czechoslovakia in those days, his father decided to use up their left over bank notes by treating them to champagne and caviar in the Carlton hotel. So today, we enjoyed a beer in that same hotel. In 1968 it was a rather dowdy affair, but it is now a very plush hotel and we fitted right in, in our sweaty cycling gear!
We went for a very long stroll in the warm evening. Parks were bustling with families and street performers, tiny bars full of people laughing, and we enjoyed the most delicious street food.
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Ceri and Neil's blogs 