Linz to Budapest 433km

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I guess this is going to be a one country per day trip - Today it is Hungry - a repeat of National Lampoon’s vacation. The good thing about Hungry is there is less traffic, but all in all this has not been a pleasurable riding trip thus far; too much traffic and too much need to weave back and forth from the overtaking lanes. I also continue to have trouble with the traffic indicators on the BMW. It is not just intuitive to me to have a right and left signal but have a separate lever on the right to turn them both off. Other bikes I have had always press the same indicator to turn off the signal. Dare I say I am getting too old to change my ways. At least the slow traffic is religious about keeping to the right, which makes for better traffic flow and safer conditions. I have always mused why this does not happen in the US. Perhaps it is because once anarchy steps in reversing it is very hard without a very comprehensive and diligent work force? Perhaps it is the American character, which can be summed up as doing things out of character. Who knows?
Note to self: Get the GPS going and get off these major roads to get something more pleasurable out of the ride.

No boarder control from Austria to Hungry. Against my expectations the roads actually improved in Hungry, even if the roadside stops did not. The thing I like about highway stops in Europe (excluding UK) is that everyone has a unique character, even if that is character is not desirable. Had lunch near the border in a Hansel and Gretel style cottage complete with gift shop. I take that back, a disturbing similarity to the US sameness in roadside stops is the emergence of the must-go-through-the-gift-shop-to-get-out-of-here approach similar to rides in a theme park. First the long queue (the tour buses arrive as you do), then the dissatisfying experience (in this case the food), and then a forced exit through the gift shop to add insult to injury.

I stop every hour to stretch my legs, well really ease my aching behind, at those little parking bays with no shops, just a restroom. What can be said about road quality in Hungary cannot be said about WC quality. Taken a dive (not literally) and surrounded by straggles of Slavic looking chaps in tracksuits. In fact the Slavic features are more predominant in everyone I see. In fact there are remarkably few tourists all round. Perhaps the economy, perhaps because I am in places no one wants to go?

The highlight of the road so far was certainly entering Budapest from the east, that is to say from the Buda side. Rounding a bend suddenly a panorama unfolds with the Danube center stage. That damn river is everywhere you go. Says a lot about how original settlements got going. You worm your way passed the citadel and art museum to cross the Danube and enter Pest, the commercial center with the parliamentary building in all their beauty and the Sheraton with all its ugliness. What is it with Sheratons in European cities? They seem to take pride in being the ugliest buildings around (remember Stockholm anyone?). Settled on a cheap hotel by Hero’s Square. Scotty had already given me a heads up on what to see in Budapest. It is cool when your son gives you travel tips. While he had mentioned the metro it was fortuitous that I ended up next to the yellow line. What a trip! The second oldest metro in Europe and about the size of a theme ride in Disney (I seem to be fixated on theme parks today). Three or four rinky-dink cars and about 8 stops on the line. Still the locals seem to take it very seriously. The woman at the ticket booth looked at me as a distinctly foreign object when, without local currency, I tried to pay in Euros. Begrudgingly she accepted it and I was on my toy ride. I emerged close to the Danube and joining the throng of tourists (there were now plenty). I decided to avoid further upsetting the locals by changing some money - I have not done that for years, but did not see any ATMs. After standing in line for a time that no American would take I upset the attendant by my meer presence. She looked at me scornfully as I presented a passport. No need money laundering appears to be fully supported here. With money in hand I crossed over to Buda and took the funicular up to the citadel. More beautiful views of the city. Certainly a wonderful city to come back to and explore with the family, but for now I must say moving and keep those two wheels turning.

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