old tiger's Blog

so..Szentendre is a small town at about 20kms.from Budapest..
we took a train from Buda..bit over an half hour ride..
my first impression of this place were the small cobblestoned alleys..
this place is know for art..all kinds of it..pottery,painting,sculpure etc..
we visited some galleries..but at the end...they all look bit the same..
too commercialy..tourism,you know...we went on a sunday...
and usually Szentendre is packed with tourist clicking away their camera
a few nice old churches to be seen...even one with icons..
we went into a ceramic and sculpture museum..forgot the name..
Szentendre is not a big place..just wandering through the little alleys
is worthwhile to fill in a few hours...somehow..I felt sorry..for the fact..
we stayed in the big city Budapest...there were cheap options here as well for accomodation...and..these places..like so many other tourists
spots..belong again to the locals..once the tourists buses disappear..
http://www.budapesthungary.hu/szentendre-tourist-information.html
and then..one can absorb the real character of such a spot...
Szentendre is situated on a Danube bend...beautiful river..
we went back to Budapest...and next stop would be H?viz..
along Balaton lake..which stretches its waters from Balatonf?red up to
Keszthely..where H?viz is situated..a very well know thermal bath place..
Tiger

So...right..thermal baths..Hungary got lots of thermal springs..
spa centers are located all over the country..we did Budapest and H?viz..
Budapest got Gellert,thermal baths on Margit island,there are others as well..
like Kiraly,Lukasc etc...we did Gellert on day 2 of our Budapest stay..
Gellert was great..first you need a bath cap *chapka*
which is compulsory...probably for hygienic reasons..
these chapka's are provided while going in Gellert baths..
you can do some swimming..in very lovely settings..damn..it looked great..
I'll see if i can get a picture link??so the water is quite warm..and contains
some minerals which are supposed to be good for the joints anyway...
we had a good swim..my wife got a total massage...
by a lady who looked like a strong build Hungarian lady..
who gave her..a fierce body rub,I bet??
all together it was a good experience....relaxing...
http://www.gellertbath.com/
after a thermal bath...which i certainly recommend to anyone...
one leaves the place rejuvenated..next day..
we went to Margit island..there's a thermal bath located into a posh hotel..
I forgot the name..but..it was a damn good health spa spot as well..
the next day..we went to Szentendre by train..about 20kms.away..
Tiger

We decided to travell by train to Budapest via Vienna(Austria)
a friend coalminer...was an Hungarian..he told me..to visit..
the train trip went smooth enough..we had to change in Vienna
towards Budapest Keleti..Hungarian border was reached..
control etc...no problem..Hungarians are welcoming folks...
after the Vienna express..we still needed a 4 hour trip to reach..
Budapest..lovely place situated directly on the Danube river..
travelling in Hungary was O.K...exept for the language..
even with a hot potato in my mouth..I could NOT speak it...
Budapest is a city divide into 2 parts..well..Buda..and Pest...
we changed a decent amount from U.S.dollars into forint..
they told us..just like in Poland...we could get more black market..
but..beware...some pickpockets or scam folks always active...
we reached Keleti train station on a sunny day...
and went to an adress marked as being a youth hostel...
it was cheap...and guess what??it used to be a students home..
but in the summer months..tourists could stay there..we got a room..
with 4 beds...but our whole stay...we were only me and my wife..
kitchen facilities..shower..room could be locked..what more does one
need??so we started our 3 day visit to this wonderful city...
first thing you need is orientation..we got a good city map from tourist
office..and we even took a subway train...went to see the Citadel..
nicely situated in Buda..with a panoramic view over the city..
this spot was called Varhegy..reachable by subway...it's touristic..
got lots of historical value..everything is there..a castle..musea...
some typical buildings..the junk gadget stuff for tourists..
we walked later on through the Pest side of Budapest..very hectic...
the Danube river cuts Buda from Pest..via wonderful bridges
with difficult names like Erzsebet,Szecheney..oh well..Hungarian..
I recall 3 words Hungarian..ahah..yes=igen...no=nem..please=kerem..
when I used to be in chatroom in HF..b?ke=peace..this crazy dude
came a lot in chatroom..he lives on the Balaton lake somewhere...
my wife wanted to dine in style..so we went for food somewhere.
forgot the name..something difficult to pronounce..food was excellent..
uniqe decors..and even a gypsy trio..who came on our table...
asked my wife..what to play...they played Dr.Zhivago,I believe??
song from Lara??sorry..I can't remember this very well..
on the streets in Budapest..or in little local restaurantss..
these gypsie violin players..ohoh...they can play a piece of music...
of course for a tip..after food...we went back to our sleeping hostel..
my wife was a fanatic about thermal baths,massages etc..
next day..we took a swim in Gellert baths..oh...please don't miss it..
http://www.budapesthotels.com/systempages/info.asp
will tell you crazy peeps more in later postings...
Tiger

My wife came home later on...it was early december..
we booked a Christmas market 1 day visit by bus..
German Christmas markets are really worthwhile exploring..
every year thousands of tourists visit..the bus companys
can hold the price low..because they get a full bus every time..
Monschau is a place to visit..it's just over the Belgian border..
I had been to Monschau before..the youth hostel there..
was situated in a castle overlooking this town..
Monschau is very colourful..little streets..shops..a river..
but during the month of december..Christmas gets its grip here..
little stalls...filled with Christmas stuff..going from decoration..
for a Christmas tree..to bratwurst(saucage)and aromatic oils..
and *Gl?hwein*=red wine warmed up..with spices in it...
the spirit of the visitors is mostly based on shopping...
strolling around..Deutsche *Gem?tlichkeit*as they say..
the bus drove a piece of highway up to Eupen..
did you all know..Belgium got a German speaking part as well??
that's Eupen and surroundings..the road from Eupen-Monschau
is a bad stretch of road....it was full of potholes on Belgian side..
but becomes excellent once on German side..it still is today...
I often drove this stretch on motorbiketrips with my bike group..
Germany is a paradise for motorbikers..the roads are good,curvy...
so the bus parked on the parking lot for buses..we were not alone..
we did buy some cheap aromatic oils,candles..some gadgets as well..
oh no..what I didn't like about Christmas markets..are the crowds
on week-ends..it was sometimes difficult to walk even..
we did few Christmas markets after that one..
Aachen is a nice one..but it was horrible regarding crowds..
but if you peeps ever do Germany..include Monschau..
in winter,summer..or any season..it's busy..fully touristic..
I'll see for some good links with pictures...
http://www.monschau.de/tourist-information/
http://www.spotlightgermany.com/articles/monschau.htm
http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/advmarkt.htm
Tiger

so..our Northern Thailand trip was finished..
it gave us a good impression of how Thailand looks...
outside Bangkok..nowadays tourists flock to Pattaya,Phuket..
Hua Hin etc..Thailand is a very popular destination..
South East Asia is particulary interesting..it's so different..
my dream was a trip from Bangkok to Singapore by train..
via K.L=Kuala Lumpur..I never made it...pity..anyway..
so..train ride to Bangkok..overnight sleeper berth..no problem..
took the same hotel around Silom Road..we arranged it that way..
the hotel owners were very nice folks...friendly...typical Thai..
by the way..we got a surprise???next morning...
when we woke up..for our second last day in Thailand..
flood in the streets..we forgot our boots..rainy season,you know...
we waded trough the street..got our feet wet...ahah..
last day..did some shopping...bought some kitchen plates..
unbreakeable..plastic,I bet??typical Thai designs on it..
next day..Don Muang(airport)by train..flight with Thai Airways..
to Calcutta(India)went to my sister in law..it's damn good..
to have an adress to stay in Calcutta..it's my favorite town..
despite all the misery,poverty and filth..a West Bengali heart..
is a heart..to be treasured..Oh..but my sis in law..was Assamese..
damn..she was a great lady..when she died in a plane crash..
I just tell you all..I cried like a child..so..Calcutta Dum Dum..
hectic..typical Indian..chaos..we reached Calcutta town..
via a bloody traffic jam..in that heat..my wife couldn't take it..
stayed few days in Calcutta..wife flew to Assam=family visit..
I flew to Delhi..flight to Brussels with Bangla Biman..
reached safe home..after a flight to remember.
full of Bangladeshi's going to New York via Brussels..
Tiger