Biking Slovakia

28 July 2023, Šamorín, 29.35km
Cilistov Camping €10 [R208]

On occasion our cycle path to Šamorín, under 30km from Bratislava, was unexpectedly narrow
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After the first 5km, it was a pleasant ride on quiet paths and roads, predominantly flat.
We had read that the campsite we had in mind was very small, so I had called to reserve a site. Despite the broken German in which I had done so, I believed all was well. [Many older Czechs and Slovakians learned either German or Russian as a second language at school.]
When we arrived, however, it was to find an unattended place with instructions for new arrivals on what was available to them and how much money to deposit in a postbox for vans / cars / caravans / dogs / electricity. Nothing about tents. I called the listed number to be told they did not accommodate tenters. Eeek. We were still dithering at the gate when the manager / owner arrived. When he saw we were travelling by bike, he relented (or maybe it was Charl's charm what done it) and showed us to a fenced off area containing a trampoline for kids, one of two "solar" (cold water) outdoor showers, a shady tree and a bench. He asked if that would do for us at €10. Oh yes, said we, both later taking a cool shower and a nap in the shadow of trees.
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Our first overseas trip together was to Eastern Europe in 1999; it was also our second cycle trip together, our first having been Heidelberg to Durban in 1998.
400m from our campsite was the Hotel Kormorán. We dined here in 1999. It has not been much updated since! And nearby, Mrs Lindtner's home where we had spent the night. Mrs Lindtner no longer owns the property which is now a boarding house occupied since the war by Ukrainian men.
You can read more about our first sojourn in Šamorín at the link below.