La Fée Verte

I didn’t mention it in any of the posts I put up Wednesday, my first day back on the net, but Mateo was winging his way back to the states as I posted the entries. He was still flying home when I wrote this entry. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to post it until today, Sunday.

We went out with a bang. Tuesday had been an exhausting day-we returned to the hotel at 6 feeling like the day had already been fully used and abused. We both took naps and zoned out for awhile before heading out for one last flirtation with the Danube, upstream from where we started our little adventure earlier this week.

Bratislava was in perfect form that evening-the weather was clear, the streets were busy, and buildings lit up. We spent awhile sitting on the wall by the river before heading across Staré Mesto to the our gay bar of choice: Spider.

Spider won for three important reasons: First it was close to the hotel; Second, we both liked its atmosphere; and Third, I didn’t want to risk sending a mixed message to hair-style boy-I wanted an unmolested evening, unless it was a wanted molestation.

Mateo was drinking Rum and Cokes-he had three, and after I suggested he try Becherovka, the Czech herbal liquor MT had especially wanted to try. Ultimately he said it tasted a bit like Hot Damn and he had two shots of it. I was drinking beer- had two beers in the time it took Mateo to consume his five drinks. He was slightly tipsy, I was fine.

Until I decided it was time to order Absinth.

The bartender looked at me oddly when I ordered the drink.

“Absinth?”

I confirmed my order, thus spending more money on one drink than I had spent on my previous two drinks combined. He left to retrieve my drink, and Mateo finished his drink.

The bartender brought out my drink-it arrived, green, along with a saucer, spoon, and sugar. At which point I suddenly realized I’d forgotten the proper etiquette for drinking it, I last read the directions in Lonely Planet sometime in the spring.

Consequently, I drank it in several gulps: plain, with sugar on the side, and mixed with sugar.

It was devastating.

I wasn’t really drunk beforehand, but about 15 minutes after consuming the Absinth, I was at the nearby kebap stand ordering a kebap when it suddenly occurred to me that I was trashed. Really trashed.

Absinth theoretically is a drug-causing some to see little green ferries, as well as a very strong liquor.

It did not have that affect on me, but I can safely say that I was happy Mateo was with me for the walk back to the hotel-we got back to the hotel, took the ancient elevator to our floor, let ourselves into our room, and then I crashed.

I don’t really remember much beyond lying down and making sure my mobile phone, with its alarm set, was far out of reach. 5:30 was coming way too early.