Day in Bratislava

After a warm day yesterday we thought it may cool down today, not a chance.  Another hot one and we had plenty of walking to do to see what there is to see in Bratislava.
Walked to the old town with the intention of going up the UFO Tower on the SNP Bridge over the Danube.  Walked over the Danube and unfortunately we were out and about too early and the Tower wasn't open yet.  So we decided to walk back over the river and up to the castle.  Fairly strenuous up stairs and ramps for a good view over the city.  A very well maintained castle, the earliest recorded history of it was 900AD although the castle area has history going back to the stone age.  The main castle burnt down in about 1840 and was rebuilt in 1950 and is now used as administration offices.  The gardens are beautiful, very formal.
Back down the hill and time for a cold pineapple lemonade before we head back over the river and up the UFO Tower to get a view of the Danube.  It really isn't blue (that's just a song written by Strauss), today it's a pale green colour.  It still has a heap of cruise boats docked, one leaving while we were up the tower.
We were just a bit tired by this stage (3 o'clock) so looked for a place to have lunch, finished lunch about 4pm, had a visit to St Martins Cathedral, a visit to the shop for some cheese and biscuits for tea.  Got home and had a little nap before a late and very small tea.

Pam and fountain

Court yard fountain

The walkway across the bridge to the UFO Tower.  You walk across the bridge (the cars go along the top, pedestrians under the traffic level) and get a lift from ground level up to the restaurant level then walk up about 3 ladders to get to the viewing level.

View of the 'blue' Danube from under the bridge.

Towards the old town and looking at a few cruise boats.

Looking west

Looking north with the castle and a cruise boat doing a u-turn.

Looking east

and south

The old town

The castle - our next stop

Castle gates.

St Elizabeth of Hungary

Down the ramp, bit of torture!!

House near the Cathedral

Couple of street scenes

Inside the Cathedral

1000 year old graves under glass in the floor of the Cathedral

Back out to the heat

NOT our motel

Opera House

Cobble stones everywhere.  I find this a bit strange, with so much conflict over thousands of years in these countries, the authorities provide all the protesters with cricket ball sized missiles along every street.  All they need to do is loosen the first one and you've got a riot on your hands.