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Europe take 2

April 2018 - May 2024
Suddenly 15 degrees feels like the tropics, trying to keep cool for a change! Read more
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  • TravelerEurope take 2
    Day 14

    Wien (Vienna) Austria

    April 23, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Left my wee site in Ostrovacice after a hearty breakfast provided by my host. At first I felt a bit short changed with four pieces of toast and four slices of cheese for 125 Crowns (£5) but then the four egg omelette with stacks of ham and salad arrived with another six slices of toast (the bread is very heavy here) and as I was finishing my second mug of coffee my host arrived with a "bonus" three layer sponge cake with crushed pistachios and raspberry...oh well no need for lunch. Yesterday morning when I was going for a shower at8.15 my host insisted I join him for a "pivo" , a Czech beer, good way to start the day. Great road from Brno to Vienna, wondered why it was so quiet then I realised I was on a toll road, not sure how I pay for it as there were no booths! Very stressful getting into the city, traffic coming at you from all directions, undertaking, and signs you don't understand, just like driving on the M8 in Glasgow. Settling in with a beer then take the underground into the city later.Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    1
    Day 16

    Vienna by night

    April 25, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    What a fab night out, if you enjoy classical music, and you know what ..you probably do as it is in your favourite adverts, films and soundtracks. It was as if I had a concerto in my living room, I was given a VIP seat at the front (for reasons unknown) and the performers were within my reach, including the most captivating solo violinist and charming opera singers. Only on Vienna, I was laughing,in a dream state and moved to tears, after the Blue Danube, I found myself on my feet giving a standing ovation, only to realise I was the only person in the room, but I persisted and eventually the whole audience was standing, I could see in the faces of the performers they were quite moved.Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    Day 16

    Success at last

    April 25, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Finally found somewhere that sold skewers for a barbecue, so that's today's dinner sorted. This morning was already a success, got a wee oven out of Aldi (Hofer here) a while ago and today I baked bread in it, ok it is the part cooked stuff you get in the supermarket, but hey ho hot baked bread from my wee crappy van, I mean camper van, not bad eh! Going back into town to see the Prater, one of the the largest Ferris wheels in Europe. Oh by the way it was 27 degrees today..sorry. So here it is the Wiener Reisenrad Ferris Wheel to give it its proper name as it sits in the amusement park simply called Prster. The carriages are exactly that, small train carriages with wooden benches, there are also dining cars (as you would expect on a Ferris wheel!) and as the wheel revolves waiters bring on the various courses each time it reaches the bottom and clear away the crockery etc (full dining table set up). I didn't get dinner on my ride, the Olympic Munchen (Munich) which is just as well as I would probably have met it on the third Olympic ring!Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    Day 18

    Neusiedl am see

    April 27, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Oh well it had to happen, the rains came and it has been a miserable day. Short hop today about 60 miles, but traffic very slow. Ended up in a nature reserve/marina which unfortunately was a bit down market, however the clouds cleared and by sundown was looking altogether more promising, funny how everything looks better in the sun (or completely covered by snow). Heading into Hungary today got a few plans for Budapest and surrounding area, hope to find the famous Mexican restaurant "Iguana"Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    Day 18

    Budapest

    April 27, 2018 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Sun is out again, 25 degrees after yesterday's cold wet snap.Crossed into Hungary early this morning after purchasing my vignette (road tax for visitors) 25 Euros for 10 days, I think I will suggest to the Hungarian government that they spend some of it on the roads! It is difficult enough navigating in a foreign language without having to constantly swerve about on the motorway avoiding holes! First stop was memento park on the way in, a reminder of the time when Hungary was a communist state, got to hand it to the government, they could have destroyed all evidence of the Russian art rather than display it in a park, mind you the remains of Stalin's statue(his boots) is a bit of a finger to the Ruskies. Better watch what I am saying you never know who is Lenin over your shoulder.Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    Day 19

    From Buda to Pest

    April 28, 2018 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Spent the night in Buda and the day on Pest (West and East basically) Very full day sightseeing, then heading to The famous hot spas. An incredible place with large outside pools, where it reached 29 degrees (spa 27) and numerous indoor hot spas, sauna and steam rooms, finished with a spell of aqua aerobics. Went into a freezing cold plunge pool after the sauna and now I'm deaf in my right ear, hopefully it will clear. Watched four old guys (my age) playing some excellent ping pong, they were fab, and funny, the fab four in fact what a laugh! Made my way down the main thoroughfare passed the Museum of Terror, the laughs just keep coming. Someone had hung an Iron curtain outside, perhaps it was Winston? Made it to the Iguana Mexican as recommended, I'm so happy to get a seat the lizard is leaping out of my head!Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    Day 21

    Budapest by night

    April 30, 2018 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Bit of a theme going on here. The Parliament building looks even more incredible by night, although I'm sure you must be getting a bit tired of buildings by now, it's worthy of an entry. The most poignant off all though, has to be the last picture, part of a sculpture in bronze of sixty pairs of shoes in the style worn in the forties.Hungary suffered terribly at the hands of both German fascists and Russian communists during the second world war and after but ironically this work represents mass murder by Hungarian Nazis. It is difficult enough to imagine the killing of 60people, but 3500 persons were killed, including 800Jews, who were told to remove their shoes then were shot into the Danube to float away. The simplicity of the sculpture is emotionally devastating, and took me to a time when I was 17and saw for the first time on "The World at War" piles of spectacles and false limbs outside the gas chambers at Aushwitz.Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    Day 22

    Ave Natura

    May 1, 2018 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    What a great find this camp was, on the outskirts of the city 20 minutes by bus, but it lived up to its name. All the facilities are there, just a bit more natural than on a commercial site.The owner Marta and her son were charming and so helpful. On my final day I had a very pleasant and relaxing trip in a chair lift to the highest point in the city, sunny and warm after the morning's brief thunderstorm, and the air fresh with Laburnum, sycamore and Ash. (sorry for the constipated look in the photo, it is just me squinting at the sun). The lift had an unexpected side effect in that the increased height popped my (deaf) ear, which really cheered me up, you might say I have gratitude for a better attitude due to altitude! Whilst at the camp I met a lovely couple from the UK but living and working in Budapest. In a time when young people can be seen as selfie obsessed Facebook generation I was impressed by Harriet and Peter as a couple who have a genuine connection with natural values and the real life. I wish them well.Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    1
    Day 23

    Siofok (Lake Balaton)

    May 2, 2018 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Stopped here quite early as driving felt like it was a waste of a day, so hot and sunny, it shouldn't be spent on the road, that's what grey wet days are for. Ideally just wanted to find a spot on the side of the lake (shouldn't be a problem it's 50 miles long!) Found Aranypart camping which had a lot of free spaces and at less than 15euros a night inc. electricity, WiFi and tourist tax, very reasonable.The camp has a swimming pool, although the lake is great to swim in 200m out and I can still stand up, apparently only 12m at its deepest.The grocery shop is not very well stocked, although it does have a surplus of two of the main food groups, sugar and caffeine.
    Went cycling a bit down the coast, burgers,beer and bums (lap dancing), happy I found this place, swim in the lake afternoon then a Zumba session on the public square nearby. Did better than Prague, but still no takers, a few bemused onlookers thinking the were watching the village idiot. I have accidentally come up with a new move which outranks the cucaracha in Rumba, mine is Los mosquitos, It involves a lot of clapping hands, stamping your feet and slapping yourself!    Read more

  • TravelerEurope take 2
    Day 25

    Mala Nedeljao

    May 4, 2018 in Slovenia ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Basically have gone off grid here, this is on the northern edge of Slovenia wine territory, and the country side is green lush and beautiful. Starting to see the percentage sign appear on road signs, not something VM (Van Morrison) likes to see. My old Ford was known as rancid before as the T has come of Transit, but I am feeling more comfortable with the vehicle as we knock up the countries. Those of you astute enough to see the sidestep into Slovenia will realise my trip is "bust" There a number of reasons, the simplest is that I have found more to do than I expected in many of my stops, the weather has been phenomenal, so I have not been inclined to rush, and thirdly I have been declined insurance for Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro, all of which I have to pass through on my intended route. Initially I thought I might take a risk and push through these countries, but as I have gone on and the difficulties I have encountered on the roads in some of the more affluent countries I have decided against it this time.Besides I am meeting up with Isabella in Split in two and a half weeks and it would just be a rush now.
    The spa and hot springs at the Bioterme are extremely relaxing and high quality. There is a park just for campervans, which at 8 euros a night is great value as it gives you 30 percent discount on entry. You connect the electricity yourself and pay in coins, 50cents for a kWh, my machine won't take the euros I got in Hungary, but two previous travellers have left credit on their meters...ah-ha not for long. First picture is one of my campmates, and I thought I was the oldest rocker in town. Picture two is quite literally the calm before the storm, and what a beauty it was, continuous lightning strikes for a couple of hours (pity I can't download a video) tropical rain and hailstones. The last two again literally the morning after, don't think I'm going up that road!    Read more

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