Buda or Pest?
So here we are in Budapest, actually we're only in Buda, Pest is on the other side of the river. The two cities are divided by the Danube.
Buda has much more history, but Pest is where the modern downtown core exists.
At this point we will stop following the Donauradweg which we have been following since Germany. And when we depart from here we will cross the 2000km mark and the halfway point of our tour. This is also the point where the tour ended for me in 2005, so I’m looking forward to exploring some new territory.
The last few cycling stages have been very challenging as we have been hit with strong headwinds, high temperatures and the first real hilly days we’ve had in weeks. I was concerned for our new sectional riders as they may not be as conditioned as our long haul riders but they have all overcome these obstacles without too much trouble. And they have quickly accustomed themselves to our daily routines. Leaving Bratislava we crossed the Hungarian border to country number 5 and the town of Gyor. Certainly not the most luxurious campsite of the tour but the city has a unique charm. Our second stop was the town of Esztergom.
The Basilica there is the oldest church in the country. It overhangs the city with great views of the Danube below. Our ride into Budapest was a short one, but allowed for the riders to spend some time in Esztergom, visit the Berg in Visegrad and explore the historic city of Szentedre before our convoy ride into the capital.
We have two rest days here to enjoy Budapest. The architecture here reflects the influence of the Byzantine Empire. There are many sites to visit including the castle, parliament, markets, museums and the hot baths. We have also been joined by Gergo, a local resident, a TDA veteran and a staff member from OE ’06. So I’m hoping to get to see some of the local hangouts and not just the tourist attractions. He will ride with us to the Romanian border and I’m sure his translation skills will be a huge asset.
The next three countries (Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey) are very different from the western European countries where we have spent the last month. We are faced with longer daily Km’s, mountain ranges, difficult languages, less luxurious campsites and all the other issues associated with traveling in developing nations, but at the same time we are exposed to some very unique and interesting cultures. The greater the challenge, the greater the reward… I can’t wait!
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Posted July 04, 2007 by Randy Pielsticker
Hungary |
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