It was by sheer chance that I discovered this little country of big surprises. Slovakia is a magical place down the Danube in Central Europe. The small, landlocked country is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south.

Red Tuk Tuks are fashioned after old cars and they take tourists around in the historic Old Town Square in Bratislava. Pic/Vijaya Pratap.

Beauty in Bratislava
Fairytale buildings, charming squares, a medieval castle looming over the city — Bratislava is one of the youngest capitals in the world, but its rich history was chronicled over 2,000 years ago. The city spreads out along the base of the Mala Karpaty (th'e small Carpathians mountain range) sitting astride the longest river in Europe, the Danube. The beauty on the Dunaj (Danube) river, is one of the titles given to Bratislava.