Stastny novy rok! 2007

O próximo texto foi escrito por André Coelho acerca do nosso último encontro na passagem de ano:

Maybe all of you already know that Filipe the pilgrim, have been again on Eastern Europe (almost his home land after Portugal), to recover forces and get inspiration for the New Year and to kill all the ‘homesick’ feeling after his Erasmus.

The destination was chosen out of the blue, completely randomly and we end up in Bratislava. Bratislava is a very beautiful city that everybody tends to say …it’s ugly; it’s small, nothing to see.

Maybe there is a point on all that, is definitely small, there is not much to see if you compare with Rome or Paris, but it is a great place to be, all the charming cafés, the nice typical basement restaurants, the wonderful night life and the surrounding mountains around.

People are usually nice, although you still can find some remaining from the former communist times, the service is improving, not as bad as Prague (the worst customer service in the world, for sure by far).

The event it self, was great, we spent the New Year’s Eve with same friends of friends, enjoying the peaceful life of foggy and not yet snowy Bratislava.

Great party at home with a lot of drinking, chating and dancing, followed by an amazing run to city centre for the midnight.

Drinking remarks and recommendations:

"Demanovka" – sweet vodka menthol that warms you up all inside.

Czech Libre – Czech rum with Czech branded Cola.

"Slivovica" – Most famous type of vodka from Slovakia.

Kelt beer – One of the best beers I have ever tasted.

Great concert with local band Polemik, ska and reggae rhythms under low winter temperatures. Great part of responsibilities to the crazy jumping crowd.

Love all around us, calm late afternoon walks trough centre and the castle. Tasting local cuisine and wonderful, tasty and cheap beer, enjoying short holidays.

After Bratislava the 2 pilgrims went straight with Iveta to her home town, Bardejov, hermitage town from Unesco. In Bardejov we felt the christmas spirit in the beautiful central square and relaxing day on a SPA, where massage and Jacuzzi were the main activities of the day.

Unforgettable the home made beans soap we ate at Iveta’s. Thanks to Mlynarova family hospitality!

After this short visit, the 2 pilgrims were again back on track at the old style from older times…by Night train….to the ‘mainland’ the city of Krakow. Krakow is just a great place to visit, to live and to be. All 3 in one! :)

The days they were just great as usually, many nice cafés, restaurants, nice walks, nice places to go out, nice memories. Meeting old friends, seeing favourite places, time passes quickly.

Curiosity about Krakow: The main square of Krakow – Rynek Gwony, was considered the most beautiful square in the world by the artist society, competing with famous square like, Tim square in New York and Picadily in London. (www.pps.org).