Burnaby to Budapest and Beyond

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow I leave for the last and longest segment of my European journey to the Black Sea at Constanta, Romania. I'm currently in Budapest, Hungary and will ride south approximately 2öö kms following the Danube, then eastward across Croatia, Serbia and Romania. I replaced my fairly worn tires with new Vittoria Randonneurs, some really tough Italian touring tires and had some new brake pads installed so the Sutra should be in good shape for the journey.

My last leg from Vienna to Budapest was very interesting. It took a couple of hours to work my way through Vienna and then through lots of fields and forests to Hainsburg, Austria. At the private zimmer of Herr und Frau Putz, I met David and Felicia, bike tourists from England who were returning from Budapest. It was great to swap stories and get valuable road tips. David has cycled around the world and knows Steven Lord, the author of a handbook for long distance cyclists, a book which inspired me in part to undertake this journey. What a small world.

The next day, as I approached the border of Slovakia, I referred to my cycling guide published in 2öö6 which said to expect grim faced border guards at the passport check in. There were no guards, nor passport office but rather grass growing between cracks in the parking lot and rusting border gates. It was a little weird but I carried on through the border, passing only a flashy Slovakian coffee bar playing loud techno pop music which seemed to herald my entry into eastern Europe in a way I didn't expect. I skirted Bratislava with it's heavy traffic and headed south into Hungary where I encountered more border facilities in a similar state of entropy. After an hour or so, heading south towards the city of Gyor, a thunder storm broke out accompanied by torrential rain. I had to find a shelter quickly as I turned my bike around to the village of Donasziget where I recalled seeing a road house advertising lodging. Fortunately they had room for me and I used my stay to dry out my gear while the storm raged for many more hours. The next morning brought a steely grey sky but thankfully minimal precipitation. I rode a gravel path on top of a dyke for almost 25 km and found my way to the highway to Gyor, a small city en route to Babolna, my destination for the day. As I pondered my map at an intersection, a very friendly woman by the name of Andee asked if she could help. I suppose I looked confused although I'm usually not, it just takes me awhile to figure things out. Anyhow, she said, "Follow me", and away we went, weaving our way through a number of lanes and streets to the city limits. What a joy. We had a good chat...she used to live in Atlanta and commented that she wished she was back there. Early that evening, I arrived in Babolna, a small town famous for its Arabian horses.

I rode the towns main street on which the Imperial Hotel (which I had booked earlier)was situated but couldn't seem to find it. Fortunately I ran into an Austrian couple whom I had met the daz before and they pointed me to a small sign attached to an imposing wrought iron gate across the street. As I pushed my bike through the opening, I was amazed by a long walkway bordered by huge leafy trees, shrubbery and somber bronze busts highlighted by footlights to the hotel. My eyes were drawn towards a significant pale yellow Edwardian type design with a large arched wooden door at the centre. It was well into dusk and details weren't sharp but I was able to see a buzzer which I rang and got an immediate response from a speaker in Hungarian. The door buzzed and I took that as a cue to enter a dimly lit foyer including marble floors and a high ceiling. A woman behind a window gave me some instructions and a key...I guess I was in. A fellow seemed to appear out of nowhere and led me and my bike through another arched door into a large circular courtyard past a long row of stables. To my great surprise this was where they kept the famous steeds...the Imperial was part of the complex of Arabian stables, training area and horse breeding museum. I was lead into the first floor to my semi palatial room adorned by a 13 foot ceiling, marble flooring in the sumptuous bathroom and India rugs in the living area. Breakfast was not included but it cost 11öö florints, a little over 4 euros. It was served across the street (2 blocks once you traveled across the property) at another museum in a dining room fit for King Stephen, I think a King of Hungary past. The table was covered with a linen including silverware and china. Breakfast was served and the unnerving part of it all was that I was the only one in the elegant yet unlit dining room. Although I was treated like a king or a prominent bureaucrat, I couldn't help but imagine that I was part of an Outer Limits episode and that I would be trapped in this scene forever...arghhhh. I had a chat with the waiter, filled my water bottles and got the heck on the road. Still not sure what to make of the experience but it was unique and good value.

My other destinations included Ezstragon where I resided below one of the most beautiful Basilicas in Hungary and Obuda on the outskirts of Budapest. During my ride to Obuda, I took a ferry to an island called Szentendrei Sziget, about 15 km long. I encountered a shepherd there near the roadside and he asked me for a drink. I had a spare Fanta in my pannier so I was happy to oblige. The sheep were an old breed I think, with horns and a shaggier coat than the ones we know at home. His name was Zolten and was dressed in garb one might imagine being worn centuries ago except for the gumboots. As we attempted to communicate, one sheep got a little too close to the road and he excused himself to rein in the wayward animal...a very alert shepherd. I was quite taken by this encounter and he gave me permission to take his photograph which I will post when I get back.

Budapest is a whole other blog item but because I have to get out of Dodge soon, Ill save it for another day. I may take a train out to the city limits today to avoid the busy Budapest traffic.

Thanks to Zsalt Halsa and Mark Huber for being helpful during my journey. I will acknowledge others when I complete this phase.

All the best for now,

Doug