Hungary and Hot

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Despite all the stories, we were not robbed by Gypsies on the way to Budapest, I was ready for them anyway!!

Arriving in Hungary, it was like coming back to Western Europe. Although officially eastern (maybe central depending who you talk to), Hungary has a long history tied to Austria, and the buildings show it. Grand and imposing, they, like the ones in Vienna tell a story of imperial grandeur.

We spent the first day in Budapest desperately making the most of it, looking at the sights walking everywhere and doing as much as we could. There was one problem with this though, the temperature was at 43 degrees. Eastern europe was gripped by an amazing heatwave. Even when we were in Romania and Bulgaria it was all over the news, people were even dropping dead. Brasov's usual temperature was around 28 degrees, but it was at 40 when we were there. As hot as 40 degrees is, that extra 3 degrees making 43 degrees is near intolerable. A few moments out in that and you can feel yourself wilt. Not as hot as some countries go, but for us having sent 5 years in england, it was hard work.

Still we managed to get around, and see as much as we could. The next day we devoted to the hot pools. As strange as it sounds, the hot pools were more bearable than the air outside. The freezing plunge pools also helped. After sitting in a pluge pool until we shivered we postponed the inevitable sweating for at least 5 minutes.

A very beautiful city Budapest, built around the Danube (so we meet again), we would like to visit again. Maybe in winter.

Desperate for relief we jumped on an 8 hour bus to the mountains of Poland.

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Photos

Why haven't these wilted
A scene from Pest across the Danube to Buda.

Buda Square
Right after this photo was taken, I pushed the kid aside and jumped in the fountain.

Bugger me its hot
I was trying to take a picture of the silly car, but this scene does show just how hot it was.

Guardian of the bridge
This is a lion.

Buda Scene
From the top of the hill.

Parliament
Fantastic looking parliament, can you guess what they modelled it from?

War Glory
A stirring piece of war propaganda, not sure what war it is for, it may be a communist piece.