Europe - 2011 - # 4

HUNGARY TO POLAND:  We had two nice days in the old and beautiful city of Budapest.  Actually it is two cities.  Buda got its name when Attila the Hun's brother Buda captured the city in the 5th century.  Attila was so annoyed with his brother for naming the city after himself that Buda was challenged to a duel and Attila killed him.  However, the name stuck and Buda did not merge with Pest, the city on the other side of the Danube until the 19th century. 

The first night we had a dinner cruise on the Danube.  All of the spectacular buildings (churches, the palace, parliament) are along the river and lit up at night.  The next day we had a guided walking tour of Buda and in the afternoon we skipped the optional tour and did Pest on our own, with the help of public transportation.

The second evening was a highlight as we had dinner in a small winery outside the city.  In addition to tasting several good white wines and one red we ate a very good (not buffet) meal, starting with goulash soup.  It was explained that goulash should never be served with potatoes and that it is properly eaten as a soup.  Most of the group really enjoyed the evening and we ended with a semi-drunken sing-song in the bus on the way home.  Of course, there were people that complained that there were too many wines, that there was too much talk of wine and that they wished they had been served tea.  In a just world they would have been voted off the bus.

ECONOMIC MYSTERY:  In Budapest as well as in Zagreb and Ljubljana, we noticed that people drove nice cars, were well dressed and the apartment buildings appeared to be well kept.   Most things in stores seem to be at or slightly above Canadian prices.  Yet, the average wage is only about $ 800 per month.  Apartments cost between $ 80,000 and $ 800,000.  Something doesn't add up.

SLOVAKIA:  Yesterday on our way to Poland we drove across the small country of Slovakia (not to be confused with Slovenia), only stopping for lunch.  This beautiful mountainous country did appear to be very poor and we were told that the standard of living was well below that of neighbouring Hungary and hugely below that of Poland.

KRAKOW:  We arrived in Krakow just in time to take in an optional folklore dinner at a restaurant outside the city.  Here we drank, ate, drank, danced, and drank some more.  Our vodka glasses were never allowed to be empty.  I think I understand why Poles like to drink so much vodka; it makes it possible to face the cabbage rolls and perogies.  This evening was very special and aided by the fact that most of the tea drinkers chose to skip the evening and stay at the hotel.  (Betty's note:  Ron, "you're not going to get me up on that dance floor", was the first one up, once he was invited by the attractive Polish dancer.)

This morning there was an optional tour to a salt mine.  We chose to sleep in past the usual 6:00 a.m. wake-up call.  Now we are ready to explore what appears to be a very pleasant city.