Bratislava

I managed to get a few hours of shut eye on the train. Arrived nice and early in Bratislava yesterday, had a shower at the hostel and headed out for the day. I walked all around the Old Town, then headed off to Bratislava Castle. The castle is in a prominent position overlooking the Danube River and the city of Bratislava. Inside the castle is also the Historical Museum. According to my Lonely Planet Guide there was supposed to be the Slovakian Hockey Hall of Fame there, but they must have moved it or closed it down.

There was however, an incredible exhibition (it's 4th stop on a tour through Europe) on Leonardo da Vinci. It displayed over 60 leafs of the original Codex Atlanticus. This Codex contains a number of drawings, most of which can be dated from 1480 to 1518. It includes drawings related to mathematics, geometry, astronomy, botany, zoology and the military arts. Today it consists of twelve leather-bound volumes. The name "Codex Atlanticus" is due to the fact that originally all the sheets were contained in a single large-sized volume like an atlas. The Codex Atlanticus was created around the end of the 16th century by the sculptor Pompeo Leoni who dismembered the original Leonardo manuscripts which had came into his possession. Many drawings were cut in order to separate all the scientific and technical drawings from the naturalistic and anatomical ones. The exhibit also included life-sized models of some of Leonardo's inventions. The man was a genius!!! And way ahead of his time. In addition to being an artist, Leonardo was a scientist and an incredible inventor. Unusual for his time, he wrote and drew left-handed. Not only that, but his writing was backwards, he wrote from right to left so it was as though looking at it in a mirror. Weird.

I spent this morning at Devin Castle, about 9 km outside Bratislava. It stands on a cliff at the meeting of the Danube and Morava Rivers. The castle has a history dating back to the 9th century. Unfortunately it was mostly destroyed by Napolean's army in 1809 so it is just ruins today. It provided fantastic views of both rivers, into the farmlands of Austria, as well as some historical exhibits. I had forgotten that Bratislava was once Hungary's capital city.. the castle now represents freedom and independence to Slovaks.

This afternoon I went to a classical music concert (Mozart, Bach, Handel, etc.) which was held in a church. The music was provided by an organ, an oboe, and a violin. There was also a soprano singer who did a few songs. Afterwards I had to check out the skeleton of a saint who is enclosed in glass. Very weird - bones dressed in clothes!

Tomorrow I head to Budapest. Another day, another country. : )