Today we were picked up at our hotel by Marek, a Slovakian who drives for the company MYROADTRIP.COM. After our experience today, I can strongly recommend them. Marek spoke perfect English, was a great driver, friendly and well informed, patient and flexible. The only wrinkle in our trip was waiting at the border between Serbia and Hungary for almost an hour. I guess it could have been worse. Serbia is not in the European Union, and Hungary is. Also Hungary is phobic about immigrants, odd because none of the immigrants ever imagined staying put in Hungary; they mostly wanted to move out to countries more marginally welcoming like Germany. When we did get to the border controls and our passports were checked, we were waved through quickly. Marek said some nationalities (Indians, for example) are given much more grief.
The park featured old Hungarian living quarters.
And weird statues.
We walked down this street to the restaurant, just next to St. Stephen’s Basilica. I had Chestnut Purée for dessert, a traditional treat that Hungarians have when they’re children, and never seem to forget.
The scenery between Belgrade and Budapest is not dramatic, but beautiful in its own way. Rolling hills, farmland, fields of sunflowers. We stopped in Subotica, the second biggest Serbian city after Belgrade. We had salads in the interior garden of a small restaurant the Tourist Office recommended and saw a synagogue, that looks newly renovated. We unfortunately couldn’t go inside.
The second stop was a big park of Hungarian history at a place called Opusztaszer, with the highlight a vast panorama painting of the Arrival of the Hungarians, quite bloody and violent but impressive, with a large spiral walkway and sound effects.
The park featured old Hungarian living quarters.
And weird statues.
We arrived in Budapest at our truly magnificent hotel, the Four Seasons Gresham Palace, and terrified by the price of drinks at the bar ($30 martinis) went out for a walk and a more modest dinner.
We walked down this street to the restaurant, just next to St. Stephen’s Basilica. I had Chestnut Purée for dessert, a traditional treat that Hungarians have when they’re children, and never seem to forget.
We’ll start the official Stanford tour tomorrow. Larry thinks he needs a day off. Travel is strenuous, no matter how many coffee breaks you take.
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