October 28, 2013
Not Now John: Walking Hungary's Answer To The Champ Elysee
John the Australian guy in the hostel said the day he arrived by train, he'd had a good long walk down the main Andrassy avenue to the park at the far end; called, Budapest's Champ Elysee by the walking tour-guide.
It's a barmy Indian Summer afternoon as I walk east along the same avenue with long shadows already being cast in that direction and soon buildings will have that golden afterglow as the sun sinks in the west.
He's a dark horse John. He looks the old hippy. He is I would guest fifty-seven years old; has a grey goatee and wears his hair in a ponytail. He's a rarity these days as he doesn't carry any electronic means of accessing the web; behaviour he sees as a modern disease, people everywhere staring down at phones or tablets.....But, I learned that he does use the net, as when not travelling, he's a day-trader from home online. He buys and sells shares or whatever; its a bit above my understanding. He does have an air of sophistication, speaking with a soft middleclass accent and I've seen him in an antiques-shop. He came back later having bough a brass statue which weights a ton. Fancy carrying that around in his backpack.
He returned from Pecs yesterday; said it was nice; but, the hostel he stayed in had lice, so he said and made a commotion about killing them by hanging his clothes over the hot radiator; "I hope to burn the blighters." he said when I asked what he was doing.
He laid into Gaby the American girl when she left. "Stupid American. Did you hear her? How many adjectives does she need to descript something." (Laughs.) "It's awesome! Amazing! So amazingly cool! She was just talking about a coffee she had after all."
He talks non-stop. I saw him last this morning having an early breakfast before setting off to catch a train for Bratislava. I'd been out all night and had come back and fallen asleep in a chair and when Is awaken by him sitting eating, I wasn't feeling too clever. I didn't need him this early rattling on and thought "not now John, I'm going to bed."
It was eleven when I eventually got up after a few hours sleep and after coffee, then lunch at the usual Turkish café, I felt human again. And the walk along Andrassy avenue has got rid of the cobwebs. It is now approaching three o'clock and the sunshine is radiant as I enter the park which is a city living space on a day like today.......
Any way, pondering as I walk, John said much to commend Pecs, so I'm looking forward to getting there. It'll most likely be Sunday when I set off.
It is 1.7km back to the centre according to the sign. John took the bus, though he was carrying a backpack. I should see the sun setting as I walk back west and when I reach the centre, I want to head to the bike-shop, to buy brake-pads.
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