Auf Wiedersehen Österreich … Ahoj Slovensko

Until this morning we both believed that the people of Wien were not really connected to the Donau river. As we leave the beautiful city of Wien that theory is debunked. People are everywhere, enjoying their river and this sunny and warm Sunday morning. We pass by the “Vienna beach club” where people on ski boards are being towed upstream, across stream and downstream on a moving cable. It looks like great fun!

We also pass an area where many people are out sunning themselves on body parts that would not normally see the light of day. There are some very all-over brown bodies, and some pale-skins that may well be very uncomfortable when they don their work clothes tomorrow. All power to them, but I certainly don’t need that kind of extensive sun damage!

Once out of Wien we are on a raised, well-paved levee that allows for fast cycling on what is becoming a very hot day. The sun is so intense and hot here and yet (touch wood) I’ve not managed a single bit of sunburn this entire trip, which is unprecedented on my white, freckled skin. Mind you, I have just about every bit of skin covered that I can, in stark contrast to the European women who have shoulders, backs, arms, legs and bellies exposed.

We left our hotel with full bottles straight from the fridge; after about 20km we’re sipping on unappealing lukewarm water so when we roll into Heinberg an der Donau a restaurant with Zitron Soda (soda water with lemon juice – just about the most thirst quenching drink around for a hot cyclist) is very welcome. To round out my visit to Austria I have apple strudel for lunch.

It’s only a short-ish ride then to Bratislava, but we cross a border on the way. Austria and Slovakia are both in the Schengen zone, so there is no real border, but the crossover point is marked with the Monaco casino! (No, we don’t stop.)

Bratislava is a place that we – and particularly Neil – have wanted to visit for a long time now, since we first travelled in Slovakia eight years ago. It is smaller than I imagined, at the least central area. There does seem to be a “new Bratislava” area that is covered with utilitarian apartment buildings, whereas the central (and touristy area) is populated with historical and mediaeval buildings. It is also one of the more touristy places we’ve been of late, with “influencers” taking over the streets making their poses, checking their phone, repeating, repeating, repeating. Really, who has the time to be that beautiful and perfect?

It’s still hot. Europe is still in the grip of a heatwave and while it is nowhere near as hot here as other places it is still uncomfortable for me as we roam the streets and eat dinner at a place that offers “authentic” Slovakian meals.

We’re booked into a real old-world hotel that has an old-fashioned library bar and that is a great place for a digestive, like a local plum brandy. We’ve only ridden one day since our three night break in Vienna, but here we are with a two night stop. Bliss!

Stats for today:

• Distance: 69.61km
• Climb: 103m
• Average speed: 18.4km/h
• Average temperature: 35C
• Moving time: 3:46:57
• See our ride on Strava

The beer picture

At the end of a day’s ride, our tradition is to enjoy a beer, and to photograph it for posterity. Today’s beer picture was taken in the library bar of our beautiful and old-world hotel in Bratislava. In a break from tradition the end of day drink is champagne, because that’s what we receive as our welcome drink. We do follow this up with a beer at a bar in town later in the evening.

Along the way today: