Blogs from Southern Transdanubia, Hungary, Europe

We had a hotel breakfast this morning. A small panic when the coffee machine was blocked (Arrgh!) but they had another one in reception, so disaster averted. We wanted to get away early because of the extreme heat again today (38C) and we did good, being on the road just after 8am. Distance today was only 48kms and our aim was to be finished before lunch (barring any mechanicals or punctures). From Kolocsa back to the river was 6kms on the road and then we were confronted by a long stretch of gravel back on the levee wall. It was about 12kms which is much slower going and the vibrations certainly make it tougher. By our morning break at 10am we had covered almost 30kms. The only shade we could find was in front of a ... read more

Another smooth sailing and we get to eat breakfast while sailing today, a little sleep in and a later breakfast as well. We finally dock at our destination in Hungary - Mohacs (pronounced Mohaxe). This morning we have time to do nothing as we watch the ship do it's thing when docking - very smooth process, once we get the right dock - skipper is obviously told one thing, but the man on the shore tells him to use the next dock. No problems, just slide along a bit. Another ship comes in behind us and docks not long after. We have lunch on board then get ready for our shore tour of the Mohacs memorial park and city tour. There was also a choice of a winery tour but decided against that as some of ... read more

Heute habe ich mir Pecs angesehen. Beginnend mit dem Vasarely Museum zu diesem Op-Art-Kuenstler. Dann weiter zum Dom. Danach die fruehchristlichen Graeber in dessen Umgebung. Anschliessend zur Hassan Jakovali Moschee, der einzigen erhaltenen dieser Art mit Minarett in Pecs. Dann entlang der Ferencesek utcaja, der wichtigsten Fussgaengerzone in Pecs. Und danach zum Kossuth ter-Platz mit der Synagoge und dem Rathaus. Morgen moechte ich ins zweite Land meiner Reise fahren: in die kroatische Hauptstadt Zagreb. Der einzige akzeptable Zug faehrt um etwa 16:00 hier ab und kommt nach 20:00 dort an. Ich bin weder ein Freund von derart spaeten Abfahrten, weil mich das zu einem Late-Checkout oder dem Herumlaufen oder Warten in der Start bis zur Abfahrt zwingt, noch von derart spaeten Ankuenften. Wenigstens liegt mein erstes Hotel in Zagreb in der Naehe des Bahnhofs. Ein paar ... read more

Búsojárás is sort of the Hungarian Carnival. It happens on the first weekend of March every year down in Mohacs, which is on the Danube close to the southern border of Hungary. Men dress up in sheep skin everything and scary wooden masks to chase away the winter demons. Let's go! OH BOY. When I was little I had a sheepskin that I LOVED. I called it a "mysaw" for reasons that still perplex my family. My brothers followed suit and we all had "mysaws" that we ripped apart as we grew older (except for Duncan). I assumed this festival would be a slightly traumatic experience for me with terrifying men dressed in mysaws walking around everywhere. It was traumatic, but in other ways. I met Darcy, Alicia, and Kenzie at the bus station at 8:30 ... read more

Mohacs/Pecs, Hungary It is another beautiful sunny day on the Danube. I packed too many warm weather clothes thinking late April, early May could be cool and drizzly. It has been anything but. Daily temperatures have been in the 80s and 90s. We had a brief thunderstorm the other evening after leaving Belgrade, but otherwise it has been clear sailing. Our first stop in Hungary is at the port town of Mohacs just inside the border. From there we took a bus to the beautiful city of Pecs (pronounced like petch). Pecs is about 45 minutes away from Mohacs. Once again I am surprised by the extent of agriculture here in the Balkans. The flat fertile plains of what was once an inland sea bed the Romans called Palonia. This area appears to encompass ... read more