1st December 2014,Bratislava

I cannot imagine a BBC or Sky News Team lighting the first Advent Candle, during a Live broadcast.But this was the case, here; a reminder that over 80% of Slovakians give their allegiance to the church.

A very wet morning, as forecast.
What should have been a short, bus ride in to Town, turned into a ” Should Have Gone to Specsavers'” scenario, as we missed our stop ( blame steamy windows ) and I suddenly noticed we were speeding across the Danube.
On the Novy Most Bridge!
We alighted ASAP , by a Shopping Mall, on a dual carriageway.
Using a number of pedestrian subways, we returned to a bus stop, where we caught the next bus back across the bridge – joys of independent travel.

Met up with Hannah in the Tourist Office, where she was changing in to a new pair of boots, bought locally; very pleased she was, too, if rather damp.
We took refuge in a wonderful, Viennese style Coffee establishment,” Cafe Mayer”.

Hannah insisted we try the gateaux.

Both coffee and gateaux tasted as good as they looked.
Returning from the Loo, I was taken by this Christmas decoration of their old Well.

Still raining,I took pity on this gentleman and lent him my brolly.

We made our way to St Martin ‘s Cathedral, where Mass was being concelebrated by three priests; it is a three aisles church, originating in the 13th Century.Eleven Hungarian kings had been crowned here,reflecting a little of the chaotic history of the Slovak Republic.
Late Gothic vaulting by Puchspaum and sculpting by the Austrian master,Donner.

We then walked through tiny, cobbled streets across to the Museum of Jewish Culture, where there is a sobering account of the fate of the majority of the longstanding Jewish community, prior to and during the Second World War.

Hannah went back to the hotel and we had Falafel kebabs for a light lunch,
opposite Kostol Trinitarov Church.
After which , the mid afternoon appeal of a warm, dry hotel proved too much and we even managed to alight at the right stop?