Freeper in Bratislava

[GOP_1900AD]

I was refering more to the general lack of sun during winter.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I need a map.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Gotta have a castle:

Bratislava castle from the Danube

[Bahbah]

Very neat, Alex. Can't wait to hear from you on how this all goes.

[HardStarboard]

>>>I believe Bratislava is wear the cook-out was invented.<<<

That is incorrect. However it is where the idea to baste the brats during the cook-out was born.

[Seattle Conservative]

Thanks this helped - I was trying to visualize the geography in my head and having brain freeze.

I have relatives (on my Grandfather's side)living in Kosice.
My aunt went there to visit them about 10 years ago. Always thought it would be fun to go. My mother and her siblings could speak a little Slav - wish I would have learned some.

[bd476]

President Bush arrives for Bratislava Summit

Posted: 23.02.2005 at 20:31:53 - 25 views

Bratislava, February 23 (Bratislavaguide.com) - President Bush landed in Bratislava on Wednesday at 8 pm and was transported across a cleared city probably to the residence of the US Ambassador Ronald Weiser in the Slavin district where he is expected to spend the night.

Air Force One landed at the Milan Rastislav Stefanik Airport just before 8 pm and the President was welcomed by Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic, Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and other members of the Slovak Government.

George W. Bush is scheduled to speak to Slovak citizens in the Hviezdoslavovo Square on Thursday around noon after meeting President Putin earlier in the day at the Bratislava Castle. Tickets have been issued to various institutions and handed out by the US Embassy, Slovak Foreign Ministry and the City of Bratislava.

President Bush arrives for Bratislava Summit

[bd476]

Hviezdoslav Square

[bd476]

Primatial Palace Bratislava, Slovakia

[bd476]

Hviezdoslavovo Square Ice Skating Rink at Christmas time

[bd476]

Some interesting background on Slovakia from

The Slovak Spectator
Slovak soldiers will stay in Iraq [5/3/2004]

From press reports

SLOVAKIA is not withdrawing its soldiers from Iraq.

"We must not be cowards; on the contrary, we must continue to be members of the international coalition that has decided to wage a victorious war against terrorists," said Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda.

"It is impossible to negotiate with terrorism, or achieve an agreement or a compromise, because that would backfire. I think that it is necessary to show strength, morale, courage, and continue the fight and win it," Dzurinda told the private news agency SITA.

The PM emphasized that the international coalition in Iraq must succeed and ensure that the people of Iraq have their own legitimately elected government on the basis of a newly adopted constitution.

But while the PM defends the Iraq mission, pressure at home is growing in the Slovak parliament to have the Slovak troops withdrawn.

The opposition Slovak Communist Party (KSS) recently demanded that the cabinet and Defence Minister Juraj Liška submit a proposal to parliament to immediately withdraw Slovakia's military engineers from Iraq.

The majority of Slovaks are in favour of withdrawing the troops, a new survey showed.

The opinion poll, carried out by the Slovak weekly magazine Live!, showed that 75 percent of respondents would like to see the troops withdrawn, and the majority of those in favour of the move are supporters of the parliamentary opposition parties.

Slovak soldiers will stay in Iraq

[bd476]

The Slovak Spectator

Slovakia to welcome Presidents Bush and Putin

The Slovak Republic is hosting the meeting between the Heads of State of the United States and the Russian Federation in Bratislava on February 24.

Both Presidents will also hold a series of bilateral meetings with senior Slovak leaders in Bratislava over the February 23-25th period.

This visit by President George W Bush is the first visit by a President of the United States to the Slovak Republic. It is also the first visit to the Slovak Republic by President Vladimir Putin.

On January 24, 2005, the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the opening of the official "Secretariat for the Preparation and Organization of the Summit of the Russian Federation and the USA".

The Secretariat is located at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and it is the point of coordination for all Slovak institutions supporting the visits and their accompanying events.

[AlexW]

bd:
Thanks for posting the pics. I am in internet cafe and do not have time to post pics.
Bratislava is a great city, summer or winter.
Slovakia is also the brightest star of the new EU countries.
They have a very well educated population (5.5 million people),
and over 3.5 million cell phones!)
Business is booming.

Unfortunately the snow returned last night, but not too bad.
My trolleybus was detoured away from the presidential palace,
and I had to walk quite a bit, as all traffic was blocked in that area. I was walking down the deserted avenue in front of the palace, which was surrounded by hundreds of police.
I am now in old town at 9 AM and about to go to the square where the festivities are to be held.

More to come, from Freeper AlexW in Bratislava.

[Lukasz]

When we talking about Slovakia, we should not forget about ice hockey:

2002 ICE-HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONS!

[RushCrush]

My sister Nicole lives in Bratislava....so a sister of a FReeper is there :)

[RushCrush]

Skiing in Slovakia is the BEST!

[RushCrush]

The hotel Danube is beautiful, I stayed there a few years ago. While we were there, a US movie company was making a film, and we saw Donald Sutherland at the Danube. He was staying there too, as was David Schwimmer.

[bd476]

RushCrush said: "Skiing in Slovakia is the BEST!"

It looks that way from the photos. There are both chair and tow lifts and it looks like those slopes get many feet of good solid underpack with a generous powder top. Beautiful views too!

How much for lift tickets?

[RushCrush]

I don't remember specifically. I skied for 3 days, in a rented lodge with breakfasts included and it was less than $100.