Most westerners who visit the former Eastern Bloc, skirting behind what was once known by Winston Churchill's tag as the Iron Curtain, expect to see a good degree of Soviet influence. That influence is rapidly fading as many of the former Warsaw Pact countries are now a part of NATO and the European Union. Yes, modernizing quickly to western standards.
However, there are a few surviving remnants. One of these, which daily navigates the Danube River between Bratislava and Vienna, is the Rocket Speedboat, a vintage Soviet-era built hydrofoil. Its labors originate at the Personal Ship Port at Bratislava's Fajnorovo Nabrezie Embankment and arrive at the Schiffstation Reichsbruecke at Handelskal 265. It's a 105 minute upstream journey from Bratislava to Vienna and a 90 minute downstream return (information, schedule and booking www.lod.sk).
Once observed, you'll immediately recognize the Soviet styling and the Soviet disregard for aesthetics -- in this case an absolute abundance of noise.
However, there are a few surviving remnants. One of these, which daily navigates the Danube River between Bratislava and Vienna, is the Rocket Speedboat, a vintage Soviet-era built hydrofoil. Its labors originate at the Personal Ship Port at Bratislava's Fajnorovo Nabrezie Embankment and arrive at the Schiffstation Reichsbruecke at Handelskal 265. It's a 105 minute upstream journey from Bratislava to Vienna and a 90 minute downstream return (information, schedule and booking www.lod.sk).
Once observed, you'll immediately recognize the Soviet styling and the Soviet disregard for aesthetics -- in this case an absolute abundance of noise.
