Bratislava and Prague are not bicycle-friendly, in the way that Vienna, Salzburg, and Budapest are. But Bratislava does have a very welcoming bicycle path along the north side of the Danube that I need to mention.
Today it's in the high 30s (Fahrenheit, obviously), sunny and clear, so it seemed like a nice time for a quick walk around the neighborhood. This is the sign marking the start of the path. The bridge in the background is the New Bridge built by the Communists. That railing on the lower edge is the pedestrian sidewalk on the bridge, which seems to get a lot of use.
Here's the path headed west on the Danube. A path for runners and walkers is marked out separately. To the right just out of view is the Bratislava Castle on the hill. 
If you head north from that bicycle sign, you enter the Pedestrian Zone of Old Town, but the path seems to end just on the other side of this building, by St. Martin's Cathedral. 
And wouldn't you just know it. . . while I was looking for the end of the bike path, I discovered yet another museum I have not yet had time to visit. This is Bibiana, the International House of Art for Children, established in 1987, two years before the fall of Communism.Here's their web site: http://www.bibiana.sk/uvod_e.htm
To the side of the Museum is a Bibiania poster. It appears that the children have decorated the overpass with colorful paintings that are a refreshing change from the all-too-familiar graffiti. In the background in the right is the lower part of the hill for Bratislava Castle.
The most intriguing thing about Bibiana is a plaque in Slovak and English commemorating the deportation of thousands of Hungarian children in the late 19th and early 20th century. It was posted in 1998 by the Ministry of Culture.My students have educated me about the long history of tensions between Slovaks and Hungarians. Many blame current nationalistic politicians for pouring salt in those ancient wounds, and they praise those politicians who are trying to pursue healing.
NOTE: Click on any image in this blog to see it full-size.
