We took the train from Bratislava to Trnava, which the locals nicknamed the Vatican of Slovakia, on account of the place being blessed with numerous churches. On arrival at Trnava, we were greeted by ugly graffiti that had been liberally sprayed along the underpass, and a booking hall peeling in paint and screaming for a refresh. The cafe at the entrance to station suffered the same fate - everything was in a time warp. It was almost like stepping back to the Soviet era. 
On the way to the city centre, we were attracted by the sound of live music. Upon descending into a cave-like cafe, fogged by heavy smoking, we were regaled with rhythm and blues played by four gifted musicians, who gathered there every Saturday afternoon to jam and to enjoy themselves. The drinks were cheap - a bottle of orange juice and 0,5 l of local beer came to €2.80.
On a glorious Saturday afternoon, the main square - the Holy Trinity Square could not have been emptier. Whereas in Bratislava, the cafe culture was rampant among the locals and tourists, Tranva was empty of visitors.
Emerging from the main square, and on line of sight, were the twin towers of the Cathedral of St Nicholas, with their distinctive bell-shape cupolas. The church was built in the 14th century, and the external walls were badly in need of repair. Not surprising though, as almost everywhere we went, we saw buildings showing signs of disrepair.
On the day, the Cathedral of St Nicholas was home to the wedding production line, with a queue of couples waiting to be married. In between sessions, the cathedral was an oasis of calm, a perfect place for reflection and contemplation, if only for a second or two. Before long, the groom marched up the aisle, accompanied by what must be his mother. And then in a flurry of music, the bride walked up the aisle with her father. Soon the church was filled with friends and family of the couple.
On the day, the Cathedral of St Nicholas was home to the wedding production line, with a queue of couples waiting to be married. In between sessions, the cathedral was an oasis of calm, a perfect place for reflection and contemplation, if only for a second or two. Before long, the groom marched up the aisle, accompanied by what must be his mother. And then in a flurry of music, the bride walked up the aisle with her father. Soon the church was filled with friends and family of the couple.
We stumbled across a most interesting folk museum. One of the largest in West Slovakia, the Museum of West Slovakia is housed in the 13th century convent adjacent to the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Inside is a convent gallery built during the church reconstruction in the 17th century; the rich stucco and relief decoration dates back to that time, and so are the baroque pews. The arch is decorated with figural ornamentation - angels and putti in medallions showing the attributes of the suffering of Christ - the crucifix, the crown of thorns, the spear, nails, etc.
On the staircase of the Museum of West Slovakia were displayed numerous wooden plaques, some of them oddly ridden with bullet holes. As there was no literature available, one could only guess at their provenance.
The first monumental Baroque structure in Slovakia and one of the country's largest religious buildings is the Cathedral of St John the Baptist. The main facade is dominated by two twin towers, divided by protruding cornices, and is decorated with statues of St Joachim, St Anna, St Elizabeth and St Zachery. Alas, it was closed, despite the opening times clearly announcing 13:00 to 17:00 hours. 
An unexpected surprise was a small gathering of tattoo artists at the Synagogue, a building which has been transformed into an art gallery. There were eight artists, each working with their tattoo gun and inks behind a trestle, applying their skills on an orange or grapefruit. Invariably, all of them were covered in tattoos, and some young girls in attendance sported elaborate tattoos on their legs. Clearly, the trend of tattoo removal has not yet arrived at Slovakia. 