While walking around Bratislava, you constantly remind yourself that you are in a capital city when all around you feel the warmth and coziness of a small village.
People (I mean everyone) are relaxed and appear less busy, which is not characteristic of a capital city. Even when I compare it with cities like Vienna and Budapest, Bratislava still resonates with the beautiful melancholy of a past that the rest of the world seems to have forgotten.
I asked a resident about this feature of the city, and he agreed. I have to say I’m a bit envious of being able to live like that.
ApacheCon was pretty good, albeit smaller than I expected. I got to meet people I have known for years in real life.
![At ApacheCon](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/me.jpeg#center)
Bratislava, Slovakia - 4th June 2024
![Meeting Ruth Ikegah](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/ruth.jpeg#center)
Bratislava, Slovakia - 4th June 2024
I also took a short trip to Budapest and Vienna before flying home. Here are some of the highlights.
![Relics of Communism](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/park-1.jpeg#center)
Outskirts of Budapest - 5th June 2024
![Relics of Communism](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/park-2.jpeg#center)
Outskirts of Budapest - 5th June 2024
![This is pretty funny](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/best-of-communism.jpeg#center)
Outskirts of Budapest - 5th June 2024
![Lenin’s boots are all that remains to remind us about the perils of dictatorship](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/lenins-boots.jpeg#center)
Outskirts of Budapest - 5th June 2024
I took the “Before Sunrise” tour of Vienna and walked through all the landmarks in the city, as in the movie.
![The record store where they listen to music](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/alt-neu.jpeg#center)
Vienna, Austria - 6th June 2024
![The bridge from the movie](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/bridge.jpeg#center)
Vienna, Austria - 6th June 2024
![Smokers seem to have a sense of humor](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/cigarettes.jpeg#center)
Vienna, Austria - 6th June 2024
![Sometimes the German language makes a lot of sense](/images/6-6-24-three-villages-in-a-trench-coat/konsumzone.jpeg#center)
Vienna, Austria - 6th June 2024