September 18, 2011
Sep 18 - Visegrad to Budapest: Quiet paths to huge Euro-capital-by-the-Danube
Hotel Erzsebet 101 Euro per night including breakfast
WE had a nice breakfast then headed away by 8:50 am along the Duna R. It was slightly cool out but the sky was perfectly clear and blue. When we arrived to the ferry dock it looked like either there was no ferry or we would have to wait a long time. So, we continued along the road. Eventually it started to get more built-up, so we stopped in Szentendre for a snack and I picked up some Christmas decorations for Mom and Dad, and Shelley and Dan. It was a pretty little village with a lot of nice little shops, cafes, churches - on one side the Duna Rover and the other a very steep hill. And was it busy! Tourists soon over-ran the place. As it turns out everyone comes from Budapest for the shops and quaintness. Oh well.
As is usually the case, arriving into a new city was rather tricky - we got disoriented a few times then started to see the bridges of Budapest, the buildings - and were they amazing and dramatic. It was quite hot out but as we came in past the castle we found our way to the Elszbet Bridge and wandered around the core looking for a hotel. Some were full; some could not store the bikes; this one did everything, including breakfast and he gave us a deal for staying a few days. The bikes were put into the laundry room and up we came to clean up.
Now starving, we headed out to eat where we got burned. It ended up our beers were 10 Euro each - I saw other furious people so I discouraged quite a few other tourists such that the host gave us crap - but we told him it was unethical and we left. It seems from later reading that this is a common occurrence in Budapest - BE WARNED!
We thought we'd get our train tickets so we found wi-fi to find which station to go to. It was about a thirty minute walk through very elaborate buildings; some in good repair; some needing help.
The area of the station was typical of most large cities - very seedy. After asking around we got to the international area and booked tickets for us and for our bikes to Wien. We decided to walk back, and near the hotel we picked up a few beer and came to the room in our hotel. It was then that I chose to pull out our tickets to check them out. That is when I found out that the tickets had a mistake and were for the 22nd rather than the 20th. Quite upset with myself for not having checked them at the station, I wanted to get it done so here I was at 9 pm heading to the subway to fix them at Keleti station. The metro reminded me of the TTC in Toronto and I only had two stations to go and when I got there I saw a guy in front of me asking for help but the girl he asked did not understand. Then he asked me if the train station was nearby so I said that was where I was going and to come with me. Dmitri is 47 and originally from Romania but is now living in Dublin, Ireland. He's heading home to see his Dad who is not well. We went around to the International desk where I pointed him to the desk area. I ended up having to see the same lady we had seen earlier and she was not pleased. But like Dmitri said - now it's all fixed and it's no big deal.
Dmitri was so pleased that he wanted to buy me a beer. We went out of the station and around the corner to a Chinese restaurant and chatted for a while. He was very interesting and had interesting reflections on having been in Caucescu's Romania - not a pretty picture; and not much better at the moment as the powerful juggle for position.
I had to get back to the hotel so wished Dmitri and his father well and went downstairs to the Metro. I went the two stations, and got off at the Astoria where I saw a group of Norwegian tourists turning a map around this way and that. When I asked them if they were lost they nodded so I went into the Astoria Hotel (posh or what) and got them directions. The staff were excellent in that they went online to make sure they got the right directions for them.
All of my good deeds done, I quickly walked back to our hotel. We chatted a bit then crashed. Before closing my eyes I read a bit more of 'The Help.'
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Today's ride: 56 km (35 miles)
Total: 374 km (232 miles)
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