Almost slept rough on the streets of the European Capital of Culture.

“Every corner of Košice is beautiful and charming. The dazzling historical center attracts a constant stream of visitors, while the free-spirited nightlife is simply unforgettable. Hlavna, the largest city in eastern Slovakia, is the central square with the most concentrated historical landmarks in the country. Since becoming the 'European Capital of Culture 2013,' Košice has become increasingly confident.” — Lonely Planet❤️❤️❤️ Out of reverence for culture and drawn by the title of “European Capital of Culture,” I headed to this small cultural city just 100 kilometers from Ukraine. I purchased tickets online two days in advance in the capital, Bratislava. The distance between the two cities is 400 kilometers, yet the train journey takes a full 5 hours and 30 minutes. The train rattles along, with speeds varying between 20 and 100 kilometers per hour. Blowing cold air conditioning, sometimes gazing at the passing scenery outside the window, and sometimes people-watching, the over-five-hour journey didn't feel long or tedious.😍😍😍 The “hotel” I booked was located in the old town, just a 15-minute walk from the train station. Following the map's directions, I couldn't find the hotel at the indicated location. I called the hotel's contact number multiple times, but no one answered. I quickly asked a passing lady for help. She was very certain that the hotel's address wasn't there. She kindly took me to the supposed location of the hotel, but it was still nowhere to be found. Feeling anxious and restless, I encountered an Indian restaurant owner who was carrying two glasses of dark beer. I hurriedly asked if I could sit there for a while, explaining that I couldn't find my booked accommodation and would order a drink later. 🤓🤓🤓 The owner said, “No problem, no problem.” He even called his Indian friend to help search together, but we still couldn't find it. It was his friend who finally reminded me to check for any messages from the hotel. I then saw a link sent by the hotel in May on the booking day. I had to click the link, fill in personal information, upload a passport page, complete a facial recognition process, and pay an online city tax of €2.5 per day. On Booking.com, there were about 50 orders, and hotels usually send a confirmation message and a welcome note after a successful reservation. I had overlooked this very important message, only realizing then that I had booked a homestay, not a hotel.❤️❤️❤️ After multiple attempts to upload my passport page and failing the facial recognition, with no one answering the phone, I was almost in despair and had already considered finding another hotel for the night. Finally, the facial recognition succeeded, and I paid the €5 city tax. I received the detailed address and the code for the password lock. The homestay was located just a few steps away inside a four-star hotel, where all the other rooms on the same floor were hotel rooms, except for this one. Without the kind help of the Indian gentlemen, I don't know how long it would have taken me to find the place. I started contacting them at 3:30 p.m., and they called me back at 6 p.m. The Slovak weekend is truly a time when people are not to be disturbed!😀😀😀 This group of warm-hearted Indian men also shattered my preconceived notions about India. Isn't this the true meaning of travel? Although I'm still just a frog, at least I'm a frog that has seen the “Cultural Capital.” #Slovakia #EuropeanCapitalofCulture