Bratislava - Budapest by Bike - (part 2)

Having arrived just after 8am and managing to get lost trying to find the hotel - quite an achievement given that Bratislava is not very big, we spent a good day waking around and visiting the city - spying out the key statues around the city

- the workman in his manhole

- the photographer snooping at Paparazzi

- the Dandy with his top hat

- the French man

- the Kids' postbox

We also managed to squeeze in a visit to walk round the outside of the castle which is deep in restoration as well as the Primatial palace and its hall of Mirrors, where Napolean and Francis I signed the treaty of Pressburg in 1805.

It really is a great little city with some wonderful architecture, some great examples of Communist building like the New Bridge with its UFO and some great restaurants.

The Old City walls are still visible in a number of parts of the city and must have been an imposing obstacle to anyone trying to get in, which I suppose is the idea behind them - unfortunately only one of the old city gateways still exists.

The old city centre itself is a UNESCO World Heritage with lots of cobbled streets, low buildings and ornate decorations - Katy also managed to find the narrowest house in Europe - only slightly bigger than her armspan - worryingly enough, it contains as a kebab house so customers cant eat too much or they will never get out the door again.

 

Our B and B was top notch and well worth a booking should you ever be in town whilst the 3 Musketeer themed restaurant was a great place for dinner.

Bratislava to Budapest - by bike (part 1)

24 hours late to be an April Fool prank, the earl went off at 4am to ensure that we arrived at Keleti station with plenty of time to work out the complicated bike rack system in the cycle carriage, before the 5.28am departure to Bratislava.
In Hungary, you can travel on any train you like, but should you dare to want to do something as daft as cycle, then the options of train times are somewhat limited - namely, 1 train a day to Bratislava. I can only assume that this is done out of the goodness of their hearts, and copious MAV research, that has shown people want a full day cycling down the Danube path, but for those wanting to have a day to explore Bratislava, it also works quite well.

Empty train, costing less than 40 GBP for 2 people for a 2 1/2 hour train trip, including the 5 GBP per bike - how far in advance would you need to book that on trainline to get that price? And the best bit about it, it comes complete with a Sancho Panza)a look alike train conductor, complete with breast pocket bientot of 9 silver topped pens - a magnificent site to accompany us on our way!

With the bikes hanging from their transport racks, looking a little like stags in a highland chillies hut, we are now wending our way through the Hungarian countryside towards Slovakia and the delights of the old town of Bratislava - hopefully there are no stag dos in town. The train follows the route of the river, but very thoughtfully from the opposite bank to the one we will cycle along taking in the sites of Vac and Visegrad, as well as Esztergom, Komaron and Gyor - all of which we will pass through coming back this weekend.
Currently Visegrad castle is wreathed in mist and low cloud but the forecast for Monday is sunshine and a better photo opportunity than one that has been afforded so far.

I think this photo sums up the whole day - Pork and Palinka

Team building - Budapest style

whilst other rugby teams might pay to go paintballing, white water rafting or abseiling to team build - but in Budapest, the Exiles do something different - we went pig killing.

Basically the team bought a pig weighing 170kgs which was then slaughtered and the team was responsible for turning it into sausages, ribs and chops. Katy was a whizz on the sausages whilst the butcher we had hired managed to wrap himself into his mincing machine - luckily without any ill side effects. Unfortunately, because I broke the chopping board I was given a really crappy job - making the pork scratchings!

you know when your day starts with palinka at 7am as a means of waking you up, that it will not be the most normal of days

couple that with turning up to a house with 6 dogs (2 Labs, an Irish Wolfhound, a Border Terrier and 2 horrid little yappy things), 8 cats, a sheep, a goat and a pig - all of which have names from Star Trek as well as going for walks as a family. Their owner, Ben, is a professional animal trainer although elements of discipline were not necessary included in the training!

Prince Charles and Camilla in Budapest

Just as royalty comes to Hungary, I am following their trip in reverse - as they arrive from Warsaw, I am taking the return trip - which is probably why the flight is delayed!
Not sure what they are coming for but the bridges all look great with the Union Jack and the Hungarian Tricolor side by side.

Budapest riverbank by night

Separated at birth (on the architect's drawing board) - Albert Bridge, London and Szabadszag hid, Budapest