01.08.2023

A terrible night with bad sleep quality and several wake up moments as Mostly when I habe to cacthch a plane or train.

Today I am going to Budapest with the 7:57 train Fron Bratislava. I prepare everything the night before. Batteries are full, backpack ready, but even then the alarm is brutal.

The train station is 1,7 km away and I will walk enough today so the best way to get there is by e-scooter. Tier This time and 10 Minutes later I am at the station. A very soviet looking building. But I haven’t checked out the facts. At least it looks that way.

Breakfast is a baguette roll with chickenbreast coldcut and a coffee on the go.

The train is on time and comes from the Czech Republic. Terminus is Budapest-Nyugati. 2,5 hours. I bought a first class Ticket for 16 Euro one way. There are only two in the whole coach. In first class you get a bottle of water. The seats are comfy and you have a lot of legroom.

A silent ride without anything happening. At around 9:30 we cross the border to Hungary. Only difference is that the announcement are in another language I don’t understand.

We arrive at Budapest at 10:28 as planned. A small Geocaching round around the station (country no. 37) and then I want to go to the meet up point for the city walk. I get a ticket for the metro and 5 Minutes later I am where I am supposed to be.

But then I change plans. The guide gives me the Total wrong vibes. Not like the last ones I had. Unmotivated, grumpy… Changer of plans – the Big Bus City Tour. 35 Euro for a day including a boat tour on the river Danube.

20 stops Hopp-on hopp-off. About 100 Minutes to see all. We have to change busses half way because of a break for the driver.

A big city with a lot to see. I should get off at every stop to look at the sights, but I have to go back tonight. Best I can do is to get an impression of the city.

I do the whole round on top of the bus. It is not hot, but the sun has power and it gets warm anyways.

I return to stop no. 2 for the boat tour. There is only one tour per hour and the next is in 25 minutes. I saw the boat and is it full, so best to cue early. And I did it right. When it is our turn to board there is a loooong line behind me. And there are only limited Sport on top with the best view.

I grab a chair and see people that where late grabbing chairs. Most lose. 😀 I win! Early TravelElg gets the worm.

Nice Tour of about an hour and there is so much to see. First thought is the castle which ließ on the Pest side. We return to our Start position and I am first off the boat. No time to give away.

Spontaneous decision to not go to the castle. But stroll the inner city and in the end head to the Great Synagogue that we saw from the bus.

In the way I get a small fallafel at a Shop in the – what I think must be – Jewish quarter. At least they have 4 Synagogues there.

I made a mistake and end up at the wrong one. A little detour of 1 km. Filling up fluids since I am sweating the whole day.

Finally I am at the Synagogue and cue for an entrance ticket. Not knowing the correct exchange rate I check afterwards and the ticket was 23 Euro. For the temple and the garden and the museum/exhibitions.

To enter they check your backpack, but that only takes a minute. Clothing rules are strictly enforced and many have to cover one or another part of their body. The weather does not correspond with temple visits. 🙂

Before you enter guy get a cardboard kippa to cover their head and women a paper scarf for the shoulders.

The building is old, seats 3000 people and is the biggest Synagogue in Europe, second biggest in the world as I understand. A beautiful architecture and decoration work inside.

The offer short guided tours and we learn of an older grumpy guy (is that a thing in Hungary?? All are grumpy?) about the history of the building(s), the special type of Judaism that is practiced there and a short summary of the 20th century. Dark as ever.

Walking around on the ground, the museum and in the end I am getting very tired of the warm humid air and the walking the last week and more.

I go back to the station, an hour before my train leaves and eat a burger at the golden arches and a big drink. Fluids are important today. It never comes out where it is supposed to be. I need bearable air condition. 😀

The train is already at the platform. The Eurocity night train to different cities in Germany and Poland. I make sure to get my seat in 2nd class. I would prefer a bed now. 🙂

We leave a little late. Not sure how long it will take to Bratislava. It might be long with splitting the train. Google says 22:10. It will be a surprise.

Only plan then – bed. And tomorrow is a day without running around. I need a restday! Otherwise I need holidays after my holidays.