Buda Pest

So Budapest is actually Buda on the East side and Pest on the West (pronounced Pesht)

I found an apt rental company that thankfully had their outgoing message in French! I was so happy to reach Kinga when I arrived in Budapest by phone and after riding through some construction areas and earning the ire and some laughter from the workers found her office.

This image is painted on the window across from my door.

Where is tigger...

The sun was setting and with a dark face shield I was getting nervous if I could get to the apt, then get the bike to storage before dark. With her helpful directions and kindness it all worked out. She even took me grocery shopping...where (drum roll please) I found LEMON toothpaste.

Now those of you who know me well also know I hate brushing my teeth...not anymore. I love this stuff and as you can see, I bought 4 tubes of it as well as other essentials like laundry detergent.

My huge bedroom..tigger is looking mangy again. damn this keyboard has the z where the y is and vice versa. I might just say the hell with it and start tzping weird. See what I mean?

First stop, get an opera ticket. Since I was too drunk on Champagne to enjoz the one in Prague, I got M Butterflz and a verz nice box seat too, right above the stage on the right. Most expensive seat in the house.


This is the opera house.

Juggler in the street...he was fun to watch.

In front of one of the MANY famous churches in Budapest.

Why bother? Just get a car ding dong

All the old train stations have been converted into indoor markets where there is plenty of helpful men behind the counters that would rather follow me around than work.

Everywhere you look it is beautiful here.

My first bad meal in Budapest. Expensive and salty. The next day I decided to pack my own lunch and it was much better. Now Dad, are you sitting down? I ate an apple. GASP. I got tired of finding banana puree in my bag so I have opted for more pratical fruit. (Julie I giggled thinking of you)

The interior of my apt building. Notice the detail in the iron work railing. Gorgeous and quiet.

Found this cool cave church like the one in Lourdes France

View of Pest from top of mountain where I walked...up some stairs, just a few

This is real

I think this is my favorite bridge of the 9


The next day I set out to visit a park that is on an island on the Danube between Buda and Pest

Found some cool grafitti



Definitely Fall, the trees were raining leaves like drops of water


The park had these busts of dead men everywhere


Beautiful gardens of flowers


And ponds

Stopped for lunch...at least there is no salt.

Cross another bridge and found these old Roman ruins

and composed my essay 6-8 Hungarian boys

Now I am never sure if I have the correct bathroom...but unless men change the diapers I think this was the right choice....there was even toothpicks!



Found some thermal baths that have techno nights....arrived at midnight and left at 3am...feeling a little like the photo.


Leaving Budapest tomorrow....ready to move on to Austria

Serbia - Land of angry nuns and RAIN

So after a white knuckle ride on the highway through the lower part of Serbia, I finally found Hilary and Johan in Nis. Fucking miserable day. Pouring rain, even my boots had water sloshing around inside. I was freezing. We finally checked into a hostel and this market was behind...

Lot's of peppers...


This guy loves his job...we were trying to decide where to eat

Serbia is the land of meat....these shops are everywhere.

This is quite possibly the worst meal of my life. I have no idea what the hell it even is, pork, beef, goat, chicken. It was disgusting and expensive.

Neat castle along the Danube...

Every turn was just gorgeous



There was a scary looking stairway down to the water inside

These signify a wedding. I found them everywhere. They even put a rolled up towel on the side mirrors of the car to signify that they are driving with the wedding party.

When I finally arrived to Opovo where Goran's parents live, I found this nice man to bring me to their house. Turns out he went to school with Goran's sister Mira.

I drove 500 km this day...through some beautiful back country and along the danube to finally reach Opovo. Milorad his father, Angelina his mother and Mira his sister. We ate and ate and drank some rakia.

Mira's room. I was so comfy!

The next day, Johan and I went to Fruska Gora and saw this tower, probably bombed in the war and not repaired.

Neat signs in national park

Beautiful twisty roads through national park

We came upon some horses, they ran with us for a while.

This nun was angry that we drove in front of the monastary

Another one where Johan desecrated holy ground.

Stopped at Novi Sad castle for a quick snack before a long boring ride back to Opovo.

Milorad makes his own Rakia...in 50 gallon jugs.

Drinking on the porch. Electricity went out, no problem, just have another drink.

Stuffed cabbage leaves...so yummy!

Angelina wearing my boots. She braided my hair in a french braid before I left.

And gave me this rose that lasted until Budapest

Cutie at the gas station that deserved a return visit.

Next stop Budapest!!!