Lágymányos

It was a leisurely start to the day following a shower & breakfast, we departed the hotel at 10.00 hours. We all sat in the same seats on the magic bus and we arrived at our B&B Hotel in Budapest just over 3 hours later. During the journey the inevitable question came up about what the 6 of us in the back did for a living. 4 of us were in IT, Lee is a jeweller and watchrepairer & it eventually came to me. When I revealed I was a retired copper, actually detective, I got a very positive response.

After lots of faffing around, six of us decided to the go to the a spa in Budapest, something which Budapest is famous for. Our group consisted of Jack, the Americans Lex and Ramon, Priscilla and a German lady, Ulrike from the other bus. It was 30 minutes ride on a tram and the metro to Széchenyi Bath, which to use we had to download an app. Jack and Lex managed to download the app and log in, whilst the rest of us failed, so lex offered to pay for our tickets on his app. Ideal.

We travelled on the tram alongside the River Danube, then alighted and walked a short distance before entering the world’s 2nd earliest underground railway. It is 2nd only to London, but is the 1st electrified underground railway system. We got off the train at our stop & were stopped by the guards and asked for proof of payment. Lex got out his app, but it was established that he hadn’t activated his app at the beginning of the journey. We were each fined €30. Great start.

The Széchenyi Medicinal Bath in Budapest is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Its water is supplied by two thermal springs, their temperature is 74 °C and 77 °C, respectively. Built between 1909 and 1913, the exceptionally beautiful Szechenyi Thermal Spa is the most famous spa in Budapest. The hot spring water is rich in calcium, magnesium, hydrogen carbonate, sodium and sulfate, fluoride and metaboric acid. It is mainly used for medical treatments of inflammatory diseases and joint complaints. Over the years, the charming thermal bath was constantly renewed and expanded. Today there are 15 indoor swimming pools in the interior of the Szechenyi Bath, and in the beautiful outdoor area you will find another 3 large pools.

We paid our entrance fee of €28, then an additional €11 for a pair of flip flops that were mandatory. I can’t even walk in flip flops!!! We got changed into our swimmers and spent the next couple of hours wallowing in the hot thermal outdoor pool, the numerous different saunas, hot pools of varying temperatures and the freezing plunge pools. Although busy with both locals and tourists, it was a very pleasant experience. Gone 5.30pm, when we headed back to the hotel.

On the journey back, Jack and I were chatting and he revealed that he was a contractor for a company and he may be losing his current job later this year. He also asked me what I did & after, he went on to reveal that amongst the usual NMA crowd were 2 Police traffic officers & a girl who is a Derbyshire 999 operator regularly seen on the TV programme ‘Police Interceptors’.

We were planning to go back out to eat, but time was pushing on. We eventually decided to eat in the hotel. I had the Hungarian pork stew and a pint of beer.

It was raining when we left the hotel for the 15- 20 minute walk to the A38 venue which is actually on a boat on the River Danube. A lady called Alex from Vienna offered to shelter me under her umbrella during the walk. It turned out talking to her, that Alex was on the guest list, because she was friends with some of the members of the band. It transpired that one of her best friends used to go out with Nelson who was a guitarist with NMA for 22 years, leaving in 2012 for personal reasons (too much touring). Apparently that’s why most of the band have left over the years. It was an interesting chat & great insight into the workings of the band.

The support band, Aznincs, were not my cup of tea and so I sat down with the others in the bar area.

NMA came on at the scheduled time and it was clear that Justin’s voice was failing him a little bit which he acknowledged, however during the performance his voice returned. According to my source in the know, the drummer, Michael Dean, is suffering with a shoulder problem & is having to take lots of painkillers before each gig. Fingers crossed for the rest of the tour.

I stayed a couple of rows back with Lee, who has mild MS. I’m glad I did, because it was a particularly lively one in the mosh pit. Jack did his usual thing - not with any help from me. The encore was No Rest, High & Get Me Out. Another great performance.

After the obligatory photo, we hurried back to the hotel and bed in anticipation of an early start tomorrow.

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