Lake Balaton

Balaton is a big lake, 48 miles long and up to 9 miles wide. Historically, the lake has been a retreat for the aristocracy from Budapest, only 60 miles away. Hungary came under one-party rule after WWII. The People took title to the grand homes and hotels, which then became the go-to place for Hungary's Communist elites. In the 60s and 70s the shoreline was extensively developed for tourism and to provide state-supported vacations for labor unionists and their families. It was a popular place for East and West German families to reunite annually. The lake is still a major venue for Hungarian families on summer vacation.

We rode the southern shoreline today at a leisurely pace. There is a dedicated bike route around the lake and it is really nice. The downside to the day is that we ended up in a dump. We should have kept looking. Take the good with the bad.Read more