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Having driven up the edge of the Great Hungarian Plain with its vastness spreading eastwards, we found Budapest with its mix of plain and hills to be very alluring. It helped that the temperatures have become increasingly balmy.
Budapest felt like a mix between London and Paris (for its architecture and streets) with southern Italian weather. We loved it but were very aware that some (8,000) people are homeless in this city. The parliament building was very reminiscent of the Houses of Parliament, down to its location on the banks of the very wide River Danube. There were lots of wonderful art nouveau buildings to admire and photograph and some very interesting museums. We opted to visit two of the dozens on offer - the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Museum of Applied Arts. The story of the Hungarian Jews during the 1930s and 40s remains poignant for the city. While their human rights and living conditions were increasingly reduced from the late 1930s, it wasn't until the Nazis took control of Hungary in mid 1944 that 430,000 were sent to Auschwitz in a 6-week period.
We indulged in some French Open tennis viewing (given that Andy Murray got into the semi-finals) in a great Italian restaurant with like-minded punters.
After four nights in Budapest (and two trips to Decathlon re air beds!) we headed north. The plan was to go to the 'Danube Bend' which is apparently very picturesque; however, we took a wrong turn and in 30 degrees of heat the stress of trying to avoid the motorway (because we had decided not to buy the required 'vignette' i.e. toll) meant we ended up making for the Mala Fatra mountains in northern Slovakia instead, not far from the Polish border. We hiked up 1,000 metres to one of the highest peaks with a great 360 degree view (albeit hazy, so no photos!). From what we've seen Slovakia is very hilly and very green with forests and fields and apparently quite a lot of castles. So far we have only visited one which required us to spend over an hour on a guided tour (with no English translation).
We then spent yesterday in 30+ degrees cycling 70kms up and down the Mala Fatra foothills taking in the rural farming hamlets with their mini haystacks. There is also some visible poverty but perhaps that's not surprising with an unemployment rate of 13%.
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Hayley Loving all your blogs hugs to you both xxx