Thursday 2nd September mileage 7810 Budapest Hungary

Woke up fully refreshed after my lovely meal last night.  Packed and left all my luggage in the room and then went out to explore Eger in the daylight for a couple of hours.

Went around the castle ramparts, but didn't bother with the waxworks museum.  The castle is full of old canons and seems to have plenty of evidence of having been hit by a few in it's time.

Walked down into the town, back to the square where I had a good meal at Francesco's and then on to the Cathedral which from the outside looks very "romanesque" to me, but beautiful on the inside.

Saw an interesting spire, and when I went to investigate it turned out to be part of the new swimming baths complex !!

Had coffee and croisants in the square, then back to the hotel and changed into motorcycle gear and off to Budapest.

On the way I passed a local village football ground which seemed to have a museum of heavy duty machinery outside, so stopped and had a good luck.  Tried to figure out how all the ropes and pulleys had manouvered the large digger, it wasn't as simple as it looks!!

Pressed on to Budapest.  Chose not to go on the toll roads, and again went through a section where there were prostitutes on vertually every junction and lay-by.  The flag you down as you pass.  Over a stretch of about 5km there must have been 20+ girls working the roads.

Stopped in a village to buy a drink and saw this interesting monument, but couldn't work out what exactly was being commemorated !!

Into Budapest and chose to go to a hostel right in the centre of Pest which lies at the east side of the Danube.

At first the woman in the hostel seemed to say no room without a reservation, but when I said I would go in a dorm she changed her mind.  I am now in a dorm with 4 german girls.

There was nowhere to park around the hostel and the woman said other people go to the railway station where parking is free.  It is about a 20 min walk back to the hostel.  The parking signs outside the hostel show cars being towed away after 3 hours so I decoded to move the bike to the railway station.
Put railway station into tomtom and it came up with about 6 within 2km, so asked a passerby which was the main railway station.  She indicated which one it was so off to find somewhere to park.
Got to the railway station and there was no official free car park, just that loads of cars were parked on the pavement.  Put the bike on the pavement alongside the cars, and went and spoke to a gurad at a building entrance, he confirmed that "no ticket" needed, so secured the bike and just took what I needed back to the hostel.   I hope the bikes still there in the morning!!!

Decided to go to the "Terror Museum" at 60 Andrassy Ul which is the former address of the secret police during the soviet occupation.  

On the way passed the St Istvan bazilika and the Opera house.

Only had an hour at the museum before it closed, but it was a good hour well spent.  Lots of video footage of the Nazi and Soviet occupations and stories of people involved.  All very moving !!

Great monument about the "iron curtain" outside the museum.

Tomorow intend to find a Suzuki dealer who can replace my broken front brake lever, and then make my way over to Romania for the Dracula camping site and the Transferhagen highway.

In bar tonight I was having a beer and when I came to pay I couldn't find my wallet.  Thought I had been pick pocketted.  Had a panic tried all my pockets, barman wondering if he is going to get paid for his beer.  In the end I paid him with small change that was enough.  I asked him where the police station was knowing I would have to register the theft to recover anything.  My mind is working at 90mph thinking of all the difficulties I was going to face !!!   Then I felt down in the low knee pocket on these trousers and there it was !!  The barman and woman seemed as relieved as me !!  But you get awful feeling when you think you have lost your wallet !!   I'm thinking what else !!!!!

More Later

TOR