Day 12 Quiet Streets and Good Company

This morning the Rinda was securely docked on the Danube River in Hungary. I still shake my head in disbelief that Donna and I are actually traveling on the Danube — a river I read about in grade school, never imagining I’d be drifting along it one day.

We headed into Pec’s District, Hungary, for the included tour. Honestly, for the most part we’ve really enjoyed these included excursions. The guides are local, friendly, and deeply knowledgeable. And they don’t sugarcoat anything — culture, politics, past turmoil, recent turmoil… we’ve heard real stories from real people whose countries have lived through more than most of us can imagine.

In Pécs, our guide took us on a brief walk around the city — I’ll save those photos for another post — and then gave us a meeting point with an hour of free time.

Perfect.

We love using that time to find a café tucked away from the crowds, the kind of place that feels like a locals’ hangout. You know… far from those damn tourists!

I think we took a left, then a right, and found Café Frei — quiet, simple, nondescript. We peeked in. Success! No one with a QuietVox dangling around their neck.

The young man and woman behind the counter were warm and welcoming. I ordered a cappuccino; Donna had tea. We shared a slice of rich chocolate cake that felt like it had been waiting just for us.

Then it happened…

You guessed it. Familiar faces from the Rinda found our hideaway. Faces we now happily call our friends — our Rinda family. Barry and Melody slid into the table next to us. It was perfect. We’ve really enjoyed our meals, conversations, and quiet moments with them throughout this journey.

And out the window?

No surprise at all — there were Adrian and Robbie, chatting with a local woman who was out walking her tiny dog. Moments like this make the world feel small, warm, and beautifully connected.Read more