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I have always believed that traveling is good for our senses. It makes us experience things that we wouldn't normally encounter. In addition to that, it makes us understand things better and even make our views wider.
One of my dear learners, Megumi, went on a Europe trip with her friends. I'd like to repost her series here.
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【Drive旅の復習】Day4/Wien(Austria)～Piestany(Slovakia) [Europe Driving 2012]
四日目。
Day 4.
ウィーン(Wien)の宿をチェックアウトし、シェーンブルン宮殿へ。
近くまで来ているはずが、あと少し、惜しい！ところでまたも迷う。笑
車で15分位のはずだったのが、結局1時間ほど掛ってしまった。既にぐったり。
We headed for Schonbrunn Palace from our hotel.
I thought we had almost arrived, but we couldn't reach the Palace easily.
We were so tired already. Because it took 1hour!
According to guide book, normally, it's only 15 minute by car.
日本語の音声ガイド(見学料に含まれる)を片手にグランドツアー開始！
奇麗に整えられている見学コース、ごったがえす観光客。
優雅な宮殿なのに、気分は満員の通勤電車のよう…。
アカーン！私は今優雅な場所にいるのよ～と思い直して見学続行。
The voice guidance give us information in Japanese.
(This service included in the ground tour fee.)
There are many elaborate furniture, elegant plates and utensils...
It was nice, beautiful tour course, but crowded with tourists.
I felt I'm in a packed train.
Noooooo! I'm in the Palace, here is a graceful, beautiful place!!
ハプスブルク家のこと、ここにマリー・アントワネットが住んでいたことなどを
恥ずかしながら初めて知った。帰国したらもっと勉強してみよう。
It was ashamed that I haven't known well about Hapsburg, Maria Theresia and Marie Antoinette.
While touring, I had half a mind to study history again after returning to Japan.
見学後、GSに大きなスーパーが併設されてるのを発見、給油がてら寄り道。
スーパーって楽しいなぁ～！お水やらお菓子やらを買いだめしてスロバキアを目指す。
Leaving the Palace, we stopped at supermarket for a moment.
(We love local supermarket.)
After that, we headed for Slovakia.
スロバキアに入ったら高速道路のチケットを買わなくちゃ。
そう思っていたら、あれよあれよといううちに高速に乗せられてしまった！
ぎゃ～しかも目の前にパトカーが！
見つかったら罰金取られるよぉ～～
(出国前に実際に300ユーロもの罰金取られた人のブログを見ていたのでビビった！）
I thought we must buy the expressway sticker when we entered Slovakia.
...But before I knew what was happening, our car was gotten on the expressway!
Oh, no! There is the police car in front of ours! I don't want to pay penalty!
(I was on pins and needles, because I read an article on someone's blog who paid penalty, 300Euros!)
(ちなみに…今回旅した3カ国はすべてステッカー式のチケット。
フロントガラス(助手席側)に貼るシステム。
日本のように出入り口(料金所)のゲートは無い。
料金はとても安く、私たちが買ったのは一番安い期間のもの：10日間で10ユーロ。）
(FYI, all three countries has the same payment method about the expressway.
Those country doesn't have a gate.
That's why the driver who would like to use the expressway must buy a sticker and stick it on a front window.
We bought the cheapest one, it was 10 Euro for 10days.)
焦りながらも最寄りの出口で一旦下道へ行き、GSでステッカーを買購入。
今度は安心して高速道路に向かう。
そんなこんなで首都ブラチスラヴァ(Bratislava)は素通り。（ステッカー買っただけ）
高速から遠くにブラチスラヴァ城が小さく見えた。
Feeling pressure, we got off the expressway once for buying the sticker.
After buying, we relieved and we could go back to the expressway.
Our staying in Bratislava was only few minute at gasoline station.
(Only buying the sticker.)
I could see the Bratislava castle from the expressway.
It looked like a miniature models.
しばらく走ると車窓からは一面のひまわり畑が見えてきた！
ここまで広大なひまわり畑を見たのは初めて！
ものすごい感動したのだが、実はこの先もちょくちょくこのすごい風景に出合うことができた。
After a short driving time, we were in sea of sunflower!!
It was the first time to me to see such a boundless sunflower!!!
I was really moved by scenery, fortunately it's not only here, we could see often great views like this.
そんな風景を車窓から楽しみながら走り、到着したのが本日の目的地、ピエスタニー(Piestany)。
ここにも温泉があるらしいと聞いてやってきた。
が、肝心の温泉がどこにあるのかよくわからない。
Have a fun driving with a good view, we had arrived today's destination, Piestany.
I heard that here is a good ONSEN, but I couldn't find where ONSEN is.
スーパーで車を停めて若い人に英語で話しかけると
「スパ。向こう。橋」とジェスチャー混じりに教えてくれた。
「サンキュー」と言いながら、スロバキア語のありがとうをまだ覚えてなかったことを後悔。
I asked to a young man in English, he answered in English word with gesture, "SPA, over there, bridge".
I said "Thank you!", but I regretted that I didn't remember "thank you" in Slovak yet.
橋を渡ると、"ようこそ"的な看板を発見。
どうやら川の中州？が温泉地になっている様子。
When we crossed over the bridge, found the signboard, like a "welcome to SPA".
Spa is located in a small island, it's in the middle of a river.
島に入るゲートから一番近いホテルのフロントへ。
「部屋空いてますか？」と英語で話しかけるとがっかりした様子。
どうやら英語が苦手のようだ。
でもお母さん、胸のバッジに「英語OK」って意味でUKの国旗が貼ってあったのになぁ。
空き部屋があるというのでチェックイン。1人43ユーロ。
ちょっと高いなぁと思ったが敷地内の他のホテルはもっと高いのでここに決めた。
There were some hotels inside an island.
We asked about vacancy room to the lady at the front desk at the nearest hotel from the gate in this island.
She answered "yes" with a sigh.
Later, we understood that she has trouble in speak English.
In fact, it took almost 1 hour when we had finished check-in.
Hmm, she was wearing a badge "UK's flag", ah, it means London Olympic supporter!
Fortunately, we've gotten today's bed, unfortunately, it was 43 Euros for one person.
I felt it was expensive, but another hotel's accommodation fee was more expensive.
チェックインしてみて判ったのだが、こちらの温泉は日本とは違い、
医療施設のようで宿泊者はみんな湯治目的の患者さんばかり。
私たちのような健康な人間が来るところではないようだ。
We'd learned that in this area, Slovakia and Czech Spa is a medical treatment facility for patients.
It's totally different from Japanese custom.
It seems there is no healthy people, but us.
「夕食はレストランがあるけど、19時半までだから急いで」と言われ慌てて食堂へ。
"We can serve the dinner to you at the restaurant, but it will close at 19:30 pm. Hurry!", she said.
閉店間際だったので、既に料理も選べず、お姉さんの提案を受け入れる以外に選択肢がなく、、、残念。
ビールも生はなく、瓶だけだったが、スロバキアのビールも美味しい！！
いやむしろ私はスロバキアのビールのほうが好きかも！！
We went to the restaurant hastily and order some Slovak dishes from their menu, but answer was "finished".
Involuntarily, we accepted her suggestion.
Also they don't serve beers from the tap, only bottled beers.
BUT! It was so delicious!
It's not far behind from Czech beer.
No, Slovak beer might be better than Czech beer to me.
チェックインに時間を要してしまったので、温泉プールにも入れず残念だったが
明日は温泉に入るぞ！！と堅く誓う。
Regrettably for us, we couldn't go ONSEN pool, because we took a time for checking-in.
BUT! We really to go in a hot spring tomorrow!
本日の走行距離；約167km。
Today's travel distance: about 167km
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