In early 2010, I embarked on a two-week trip through Central Europe. To date, it is one of my most memorable trips. This post is a part of a series of posts from that backpacking trip through Central Europe. 

After having such an amazing time in Budapest, Vienna, and my impromptu detour to Bratislava, I was ready for Prague - the last stop on my Central Europe trip. And after hearing raging reviews from friends about the Czech capital, the city had big shoes to fill.

Prague wowed me with its stunning architecture and natural beauty. From the Atomic Clock to the Prague castle, the Lennon Wall to the Jewish synagogues, the city offers a variety of different districts and sceneries, all against the backdrop of the beautiful Vltava River. Between drinking cheap Czech beer and enjoying the panorama view from the top of the Charles Bridge Tower, my stay in Prague felt far too short.

Prague, like Budapest, is distinctly different from Western European countries; in fact, it is probably where most of Western Europe was 20 years ago. Although the Communist Era ended around the same time in both the Czech Republic and Hungary, it surprised me how different the two have become. In contrast with Budapest, Prague is a capital thriving on its new-found freedom. Even in the middle of winter, Prague is full of energy and life.

In early 2010, I embarked on a two-week trip through Central Europe. To date, it is one of my most memorable trips. This post is a part of a series of posts from that backpacking trip through Central Europe. 

I hadn't planned on going to Slovakia, yet somehow I managed to stray from my Budapest-Vienna-Prague (still to come!) journey and now find myself in Bratislava.

This is how it happened.

On my second day in Vienna, I discovered that the capital of Slovakia was only an hour away. In fact, no other two European capitals are as close as Vienna and Bratislava. A few days later, I hopped on a train.

So here I am, sitting in a cafe in Bratislava, having only decided to come here a few hours ago. All through the train ride, I wondered if my 19 year-old self would have given in to the spontaneity as easily as the 20 year-old me had done. It's amazing how a few months of living, learning, and traveling in Europe has freed my inhibitions.

While Bratislava does not have the same glamour as other Western European capitals, it is full of small town charm with upscale restaurants and traditional pubs. Bratislava is also a classical walking city. Although small in size, there was plenty of architecture and history to keep  me busy during my stay.

In early 2010, I embarked on a two-week trip through Central Europe. To date, it is one of my most memorable trips. This post is a part of a series of posts from that backpacking trip through Central Europe. 

Vienna, even the name has a classical ring to it.

After saying goodbye to Budapest, I continued with my Central Europe journey to the capital of Austria. Home to the once glorious Habsburg empire, Vienna is the center of world-class museums and classical music. The city is clean and fresh, with a skyscraper-free and pedestrian-friendly city center. I escaped from the cold Austrian winter by spending most of my time inside the city's myriad of museums. In the evenings, I treated myself to the Opera and saw Vienna's serious opera-goers all dressed up.

On warm(er) days, I window-shopped along Der Graben - the city's most expensive and, therefore, unaffordable shopping street, and watched locals enjoy pastries and coffee over the daily paper in small cafés. Surrounded by culture and class, people here really know how to enjoy life.

Inside Ringstrasse: