Day 33

19/09/2011 – Day 33

Stúrovo to Budapest – 78km

After the battle of the mosquitos the night before, last night was heaven. There were screens on the windows so we could sleep with them open and not worry about the little buggers getting in.

Breakfast was served in the garden at our request and in the summer it must be a great place, this morning though it was just a tad too cold but still nice if you sat directly in the sunshine. The couple who run this place get full marks for everything, food accommodation, friendly atmosphere, the works. There is nothing they could have done to make our stay any better.

Today’s objective was Budapest, technically a short 70km by the river route. First we had to find the bridge to cross into Hungary. You would have thought there would be a road sign to a major river crossing, but if there was we missed it. The bridge was destroyed by the retreating Germans in 1944 but not rebuilt until 2001, maybe they have not got round to putting the signs up yet.

Anyway, we found it and crossed another open border, the only indication that we had entered another country were the words ‘Hungary Welcome’ spray painted halfway across the bridge.

The town of Esztergom must have looked impressive in the past; it has been the centre of the Roman Catholic Church and the home of the Hungarian crown in the past. Today it needs a bit of cleaning and renovation.

Leaving the town we followed the river bank on a leafy path well away from everything, there was only one other cyclist on it. Seeing the river through the trees as we glide along a well paved track was a relief from some of the route yesterday. Eventually as we turned towards the road we turned to each other and said this was just like in Portugal when the track would run out and dump you in the road. And that is exactly what happened, the track stopped and we were in the road!

The next 40km were in the road. Fortunately for us it was a quiet day and there was not much traffic. The road was wide and reasonably well paved so we could fly along. We stopped once in Dӧmӧs for a beer and then 20m later for our picnic lunch. Then it was onto Visegrad, which became the seat of government after Esztergom, for a coffee. Then back on the road for another 10km or so.

Eventually at Leányfalu the cycle path started again and we could get off the deteriorating roads and onto an equally bad cycle path but without the cars and trucks. This time the path comes and goes with the road, sometimes in quiet wooded parks, other times running alongside a busy main road until it eventually dumps you at a set of traffic lights where you have to guess the way across. Once again the radweg signs let you down big time.

The run into Budapest is a mismatch of road and path, all badly signed and leaving you to guess a lot of the time. Usually you know you are wrong when you can see the cycle path but can’t work how to get there.

Finally we cross the bridge and pass the parliament building which is very impressive by the fact that there is no security to be seen. The car park is not even fenced! Anyone can walk in and do anything they want, or so it seems.

The hotel week had booked was called Boomerang and was situated just on the edge of the centre. When we arrived it was just getting dark so we timed it perfectly. The office was on the second floor and our two roomed apartment with kitchen and bathroom was on the third. So having carried our bags to the top we did some shopping and settled down for the night. The receptionist told us our bikes would be safe chained to the lift cage hidden at the bottom of the stairs.