bratislava

I could write a novel about the less-than-24 hours I spent in Bratislava. The experience was incredibly unique because we got to see the city from the eyes of a local: Katarina and Philip’s mom, who grew up in Slovakia. Our detour to Vienna had made it possible for us to meet their mom, Alica. Bratislava was just an hour by train, the midpoint between us and the town of Nitra where she was taking care of their grandmother.

It was such a welcome break from the stress, unfamiliarity, and shared bathrooms that come with the backpacker’s lifestyle. From the moment we got off the train, I became an honorary sibling, indulging in a warm, motherly hug.

After strolling around Old Town, Alica had us meet two of her friends at the Slovak National Gallery: an eclectic couple, Robo and Eva.

Eva looked more like the artist of the two—dressed in bright yellow, patterned pants, and big fruit-like earrings that evoked something painted by Giuseppe Arcimboldo—but actually worked at the US Embassy. Robo, dressed in all grey, was the artist—one of the most respected in Bratislava. Katarina and Philip had grown up surrounded by the artwork he gifted to their family.

We made our way to the fourth floor of the gallery, a large room with sixteen portraits by two artists. Twelve of them were by Robert Bielik—the Robo I had just been introduced to.

Really, I wish you could hear about the experience of seeing these paintings from Katarina. She could tell they were by Robo almost immediately. The subject of this collection hit particularly close, her own grandmother suffering from dementia. It was a moment that truly made me appreciate how closely tied art can be to one’s life and the way they perceive it.

Later that night, we had the privilege to see Robo’s studio which was every bit as shocking, hilarious, and beautiful as I could have imagined. He has a tremendous range as a painter, however, one of his most prevalent motifs is mortality—especially his own. Through Alica’s English translation of Robo’s Slovak, we learned that he actually meditates by painting his own corpse. He possesses an impressive collection that while his mother despises, galleries love. He also portrays his mortality with a series of self-portraits depicting various birthdays, seated with a skull cake and the respective number of melting candles.

Over a dinner of haluški*, other Slovak staples, and translation, we learned just how widely traveled Eva and Robo were. I was able to bond with them over the time they’d spent in India, one of their favorite places to frequent. Robo actually spent two years living in an Indian monastery when he was younger, not knowing English or any Indian language. Hearing about their insane travels left us all in awe and greater anticipation for where we would go on our gap year.

a list of slovak staples i tried

• *Haluški: potato gnocchi with sheep cheese

• Trdelnik: or known in English as chimney cake, made from dough that is wrapped around a stick, baked, then coated in sugar and filled with your desired toppings (best with Nutella and strawberries)

• Kofola: a cola-like drink with some herbal elements

• Vinea: a red or white grape-flavored soda

more photos!

Currently in: Florence, Italy! Also have yet to write my Innsbruck post, I’m a little behind.

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