Slovakia - Košice

I nearly left my winter coat at home. How cold could Slovakia be? In the end it was colder than Antarctica; minus eight, and my rucksack was as light as a feather as I needed to wear all my clothes at once.

Things didn’t start too well in Košice. I opened the door to my pension and the handle came off. The room faced an internal courtyard where a wedding reception was in full swing. Wind of Change bellowed from the speakers and shook the cabinets by my bed.

The filmy rain and cold made for an uninviting perception of the city as I walked around later that night. I heard shouting behind me and saw a man running in my direction. My heart jumped but he quickly smiled, returning my umbrella from the pizzeria where I’d eaten dinner. A musical fountain played the Beatles’ Yesterday and the gothic cathedral looked sinister as I hurried back to my pension with its noisy revelers and handleless door.

The following morning brought blue skies and what had appeared threatening in the dark now looked imposing and elegant in the sunshine.