We were due to catch a train to Budapest this morning. However, owing to the situation with refugees and migrants in Hungary, it seemed likely that nothing would be moving either in or out of Budapest station, so the company decided to provide us with a coach. Apparently they had provided the previous tour with a hydrofoil down the Danube, but people had complained of feeling queasy on the water, so this is why we had a coach. We'd have preferred the hydrofoil!
Our hotel had been fairly central in Vienna, just outside the Ringstrasse, down a little cobbled alleyway, so quite picturesque.
The hotel itself had a lot of stairs though - small sets of a few steps to reach one part from another, so a bit of an effort for somebody like me who was limping.
Our coach driver was late, as he drove to Vienna from Budapest, and it took him 5 hours instead of the normal 3 hours because of difficulty getting across the border into Austria. We appreciated what he meant when we saw the queues to get into Austria, which stretched for miles. We, however, drove straight through the border without stopping, there are currently no checks when you go from Austria to Hungary, only if you want to go the other way!
We stopped around lunch time for a comfort break, and Paul and I ate our sandwiches. The motorway services area was on the completely flat Hungarian plain, and the wind was fierce; Paul had to chase the pack of sandwiches which blew away as soon as they were put down! There was a huge wind farm adjoining the motorway services, and we passed several more as we drove along. I'm not surprised Hungarians take advantage of this fierce wind, I imagine the wind farms produce a lot of electricity.
Later, we left the plains and entered a more hilly area, and then we were in the outskirts of Budapest, which, like the outskirts of many towns, are not very prepossessing.
I wasn't quite quick enough with the camera to take the beautiful view as we crossed the Danube, but I did manage a few as we drove alongside it.
Like the majority of photos taken from a moving bus, most of them are hopeless, but I hope to get some better ones tomorrow.
We arrived at our hotel soon after 4, and Paul immediately went out to have a look around. I didn't, as my feet were very badly swollen again, so I spent the afternoon with my feet propped up, hoping they would improve by the time we met to go out to dinner. Sitting with my feet in cold water has certainly helped, though they are still very swollen.
The hotel is not nearly as picturesque as the one in Vienna, but Budapest is very different from Vienna, there's a distinct lack of Baroque buildings for a start! Tomorrow we are having a tour round the sights, so we'll hope for some good views.
Dinner tonight is in a restaurant rejoicing in the name The Blue Tomato. We are hoping for the best!
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