Bratislava for All

Summer has officially started in Bratislava and it was welcomed with last weekend's theme: Bratislava for All. It means that all museums, public transport and such are free for public and there are street markets and happenings all around the city. Well, it turned out that this promise of everything being free was once again a Slovak white lie. It was more a way of encouraging people to go to places but none of them were actually free. Thank goodness there was no ticket patrol on the tram in the morning because I, as a Finnish person who always thinks that promises can be counted on, traveled without a ticket. 

Our plan was to go to a Coffee Fest in a fancy hotel next to Eurovea shopping center but it was sold out. So, we drowned our sorrows into white wine and brie cheese up at the castle garden sunbathing big time. It is insane how happy a person can be for a bottle of wine, cheese and sunshine. I was close to bursting. 

After the picnic we wanted to go check out the castle but as I mentioned it didn't have free entry, even though all advertisements and online invitations had said so. We passed.  And went to the Old Town for pizza and drinks. 

On Sunday, after two weeks, my "flatmate" moved into his own, very nice flat and I got my place "back" to me and me alone. Even though everything went very well with him, as a Finnish person I need my own space. Our teachers in Uni. called it the Finnish bubble and turns out my bubble consists of much larger space around me than just one meter :D Would I offer my roof to somebody for two weeks again, of course! But for couple of months I'm keeping this flat for myself alone.

On Sunday there were still tickets left for the Coffee Fest so we paid  shocking 8€ to get in. Turned out the 8€ was quite a reasonable price. All coffee tasters were free, there were presentations and an absolutely hilarious receptionist who understood to inform us exactly where the free beer was when he figured out that we were from Finland. Because of course in Slovakia you always have to have beer available... in case Finns turn up. The only thing we had to pay for were the absolutely beautiful and tasty cakes and pastries. Yum!

It was a very perfect weekend. And the new work week starts on a completely renovated floor with new carpets and violet-painted walls. This week I am also ticking off one more box from my bucket list: we are going to see Swan Lake in the Slovakia National Ballet. Exciting!