BRATISLAVE OCTOBER 19th, 20th and 21st
We are now residents of Bratislava, we can find our way to the Grocery store but not back, at least not easily. (Carol loves Billas because the sign is yellow). She was so pleased that she had figured out how to shop in Europe. She has her bag, but just when she thought she it all figured out she learned for the second time that you must weigh your own produce. So the line of people watch in semi-disguest as the clerk very nicely rans back and weighs our produce. Nice but embrassing., nobody yelled at us. Of course, at night some fellow yelled at someone on the telephone at 11:30 at night for 45 minutes, it was hard to sleep with his yelling and the college kids signing.
On Tuesday, October 20th, we met with my helper, Veronic Uzakova, a 35 year law professor, and the Assistant Dean, Maria Patakyova who set up my schedule. Which is posted on the door of her office. (see picture below). I have 35 students. It turns that because of the Legal conference this week and next week being a holiday, I will need to teach only three days but I will need to teach, 4 to 6 hours a day on Saturday the 25th and Friday and Saturday the 4th and 5th of November, so Carol and I now have about two weeks of open time, so we will travel some more.
Carol found a favoite place: a European Chocolate Cafe:
We tried to book a boat trip to Vienna but we discovered that one company only goes from Vienna to Bratislava this time of year and the other company only goes from Bratislava to Vienna but they leave from different docks. Okay maybe we did not understand but we asked several times, nobody ever explained why the boats go back empty.
On Thursday, we had the wonderful experience of attending a major European Legal Conference sponsored by Comenius University Law School for its 90th aniversity. The Conference is entitled Law as a Unifying Factor of Europe Jurisprudence and Practice. There are 12 different programs with many presentations from professors and professionals from Europe. The Opening included remarks by the President of Solvakia and the President of the Court of Justice for Europe, it was held in a splendid hall in the University. See the follwing pictures:
We attended a reception at the National Council of the Slovak Republic. See photo of Stan with Vassilios Skouris, President of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
We had dinner with a wonderful couple from Croatia, Barbara Herceg and her friend Ivan Paksic. She is a law professor in Croatia and he is a federal organized crime law enforcement officer. Needless to say we had a great conversation. It was somewhat sad because of the corruption that they feel exists in their beautiful country.
Bratislava is a beautiful City, once the capital of the Hungarian Empire including while Queen Maria Theresa of the Habsburg was in Vienna but also Queen of Hungary when Budapest was under conquest by the Turks. The City was called Pressburg. Bratislava has a colorful history and many beautiful buidlings. (but also some ugly apartment and office buildings, residue from the Communist era).
Carol suggested that I describe how I saved us from picket pockets (sham artists). At night while we were walking to the reception (slightly lost) a person played like he was from Greece and asked if we could tell him how to get to the Opera. I suggested he go into the Hotel for help but he refused. Then another man came and claimed to be hotel security and told the man he could not exchange money and asked to see his money, the man showed him his wallet and mnoney. Then he asked to see our money, I went to get my wallet then I realized that something was fishy and I got into attorney mode and they ran away. Carol may have a slightly different story but that is the way I remember the incident.
Looking forward to tomorrow. Is anyone following the blog. Add your comments.
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