Czech Beer and Slovakien Architecture

Czech countryside

A Polish Valley
The High Tatras shrouded in cloud
Marco and Paul
The building style of the 60s in Bratislava
Relaxing on the "beach" in Vienna

Three days in Vienna was about right to do what needed to be done...relax and do something other than cycling. Spending time with friends is the perfect way to prepare for the road again...
Sebastian escorted me out of Vienna, following the Danube we said our goodbyes as the road turned from asphalt to gravel and became unsuitable for his racing bike. Some hours later over the horizon the outskirts of Bratislava appeared with a somewhat domino like form.
Entering the old town I bumped into Paul and Marco who where on their way to Katmandu from Belgium...where else?
Quickly realising we got along well, we decided to meet up for a beer later on, I found a place to stay (which I paid for, for once). We spent the evening at a bar on a boat floating on the river with the guy they where staying with who, soon after, invited me to his BBQ the following evening. Why not?
The BBQ turned into quite an event as a range of people from the Netherlands, Czech Republic, USA, Germany, Belgium and of course New Zealand turned up (plus a few locals...), this meant that sleeping space was at a premium...first in first serve! A good time was had by all...
With time running short for the trip the train was a good option to the hub of the High Tatra mountains in northern Slovakia. From here I cycled north into the mountains where the weather turned from bad to worse and only a short sighting of the mountains was possible, I guess luck has too sides sometimes...
Circling the mountains I crossed into Poland traversed the northern slopes of the range before crossing back into Slovakia and spending the night next to a large lake with one German speaking Czech cyclist and two English speaking French women.
Heading west I followed a small line on the map which was an equally small line in reality winding my way first up and later down through dense forest on, at times, rough gravel tracks, stopping only to happily munch on wild raspberries along the roadside. Finally reaching a real road again I felt a little more secure and headed for the Czech Border. Soon after the rain began, stopping only after I had packed my things to leave this morning...
Now in Olomouc, Czech Republic I am enjoying the friendly hospitality of Jan who I studied with in Sweden three years ago...just arrived home from a heavy Czech meal washed down by several good (and very cheap) beers!