Off-the-Beaten-Path Europe: Košice, Slovakia 🇸🇰

🚌 The 3 AM Capital Mix-Up Arriving by Flixbus from Budapest, my friend and I were set on "ticking off all Europe"—until the driver yelled "Košice" at 3 AM. Wait, Bratislava’s the capital! 🤯 Map fonts played us—we crashed on lounge chairs till 7 AM, when McDonald’s fries woke us up 🍟. 🌞 Morning Market Kindness Locals kept eyeing us like we were dead 😂. But hitting the morning market made it worth it: 🍓 3€ monster strawberry carton—so sweet we danced 🍒 Cherry grandpa magic: Hearing "China Beijing", he stuffed extra cherries, chili peppers 🌶️, apples 🍎, and apricots into our 3€ bag, chanting "Friendship!" 🛒 Supermarket Time Machine Stocking up on snacks blew our minds: Honey almond chocolate for €0.7— like childhood Maltesers Tomato crisps at €0.4—tangy twist 2L cherry juice for €1.2—freshly squeezed sweet! 🍒 🏨 Budget Heaven: ¥100/night Gem Our hotel? 10-min walk from old town, with: Private bathroom + AC Breakfast with warm croissants and Slovak cheese platters Front desk drew us a map to free viewpoints and local beer gardens 🍻 "Košice proved that even 3 AM airport naps and map fails lead to magic. When a grandpa stuffs your bag with free fruit, you realize: Europe’s best moments are off the tourist track." #SlovakiaTravel #Košice #BudgetEurope #HiddenGems #StudentTravel #EuropeanOffbeat