Hungary Hungary welcomed us not only with thermal baths (see last entry) but also with a lot of rain. And it had rained a lot earlier. At our departure from the campsite with a thermal bath, we helped a German couple to their camper out of the mud. Fortunately we came away with no problems. The one hand has to do with Raphis driving knowledge, but certainly also with the weight of the vehicle. That's what if you drive around an entire house on wheels. As we praise our little Büssli us.
In the "wet" Puszta (which has to do with the floor structure, which is here consists mainly of clay), we visited the Hortobágy National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage site). When you visit the zoo, where we were endemic animals (Nonius horses, Grey Steppe cattle, water buffalo, racka "sheep, Managliza-pigs, and so on), visited some ways a bit overwhelmed and very moist meadows and pastures. In a show (especially photos from the mid 20th century), the dwellings of the herdsmen and their customs were explained. Then we took the bikes to the nearby farm of essential Máta, where we joined a cheeky group of students who had just come from a coach ride back. We came so enjoy in the stables of the established 300 years ago Stud walk around and admire the noble horses.
Hungarian Grey Cattle - The wet Puszta.
the health food store that is a little outside the tourist center, we purchased a real salami Hungarian Grey cattle. Of course, with paprika, the specialty of Hungary.
The rain and the consequent flood crossed then lying to the west Tiszafüred our plan to visit the nature trail in the Lake Tisza. The bridges were under water and so was not the transfer of the territory possible. We drove the same day to Budapest and arrived there on the camp early enough to order us the best place to grab. After we were still several large camper and it broke something in the chaos as everyone his "house" was set to where he wanted. In the current camping fee and washing was included. Only it was a struggle to get something a machine and then get on with the wet weather the clothes dry. The power supply broke because of the wet weather together sometime.
Flooded nature trail.
Budapest we explored four days. We had, thanks to the Budapest Card free travel on all public transport, discounts at various places and two guided tours (in the two districts of Buda and Pest) free. We had it lucky with the weather every time. We always caught the rain-free periods. The city we loved. There are many ways in the rain to watch something. Now is the cultural, shopping or just with a visit to one of the many retro bars that reminded us very KuBaA years old. The visit of the somewhat secluded Memento Park, where all are on display in Budapest found communist monuments, was indeed a lack of information rather thin, this was the film about the course, as has a Stasi spy to behave in shadowing activities, the more interesting. We enjoyed one of the many thermal baths. We were in Seychzeny bathroom, where we have several hours in the 15 different pools spent with different water temperatures and mineral contents.
The parliament of Budapest - the market hall.
Mementopark: Communist statues - Raphael tries to be a comrade.
outdoor pool Seychzeny bath.
In Budapest, we noticed that now the Osturlaub with improvised camp in countries where tourism is not developed, is over. Suddenly, you again meet other campers on the roads and infrastructure are properly again (Toilet paper, light, etc.). The number of poor people and poor roads obviously decreases.
drove further south to Budapest, where in the "sand", according to Puszta a Camping Guide was the possibility for rides. Those who think that water in sandy soil than on better drained loamy just believe me, that sandy soil can be saturated. The sandy road to the farm was therefore mainly water-filled holes and were it not for every 200 m had a sign that we are on the right track, we would be vice versa. But all in all it was here quite a bit drier.
The big surprise we experienced, Meli after the owner of Camping Somodi-Tanya with a clever "Jo noppod" (= good day), welcomed him and asked if we can stay here. In response came in Swiss German: "Whatever you wend ..." We were on the farm 28 years ago landed a Swiss emigrant, which in Hungary offers trail rides and carriage rides. We enjoyed in the restaurant belonging to the night before the first ride tasty Hungarian food.
Sandy Puszta: overgrown sand dune - A lake in the fact there is none.
The weather improved and we have the two-hour ride through the sandy Landscape with pleasant temperatures to enjoy. We were accompanied by a horse head and Raphi was corrected by her in his riding style. We rode past a lake, which actually leads for several years, no more water. Our two horses were very polite. Meli only wanted a faster, of course, horses. But Raphael and his ass was very happy that after two hours it was over. In the afternoon we walked around on the grass and silver birch-covered sand dunes.
on horseback.
The next morning we went to fifth on the ride. Two German women also accompanied us zur Reitleiterin. Eigentlich ging alles glatt, bis Raphi's Pferd die saftigen, blauen Blumen entdeckte. Ab dann war Fressen angesagt. Und das auch aus vollem Galopp. Aber nach mongolischen Pferdesätteln und den neuen Reitinstruktionen vom Tag zuvor konnte Raphi sich trotzt Full-Stop im Sattel halten.
Weiter ging es dann in den Norden Ungarns. Das liebe GPS führte uns wieder ein mal direkt durch eine Innenstadt und zwar durch Budapest bei Abendverkehr. Da wegen Hochwasser auch noch die direkte Strasse der Donau entlang gesperrt war, steckten wir mehrere Stunden im Stau, was unserer Kühlmittelflüssigkeit wieder einmal nicht gut bekam und wir mussten mehrere Pausen einlegen. Am Abend kam dann erschwerend dazu, dass alle Campingplätze die We drove off, were closed due to flooding. Fortunately we found a close in the hills. While there, nobody was there, but next to the site at a school camp was located. A teacher interpreted for us as we asked the park ranger for permission if we could to the camp and explained to us in addition to that, she was advised to go tomorrow with the class back, as the Danube would continue to rise.
How close it was, we saw the next day. There were no really only a few centimeters, and the road would have been flooded. An overview of the flood situation we procured from the largest church in Hungary in Esztergom. The church sits happy about the small village near the border with Slovakia.
were missing only a few inches ... - The huge church of Esztergom.
Slovakia In Slovakia, we cruised through fields and villages and searched a campsite that had existed only on our map. After we with hands and feet of an old man and had then asked in a bar to the campsite, we finally landed in a boarding house where the owner could speak English. At the beginning in a new country, our language skills are still very low and only talk in Slovakia very few people in English (or German). We were actually in the right place, but the owner was was head of the board and the only camping for a week under construction. We were allowed to stay in the parking lot before the board and use the toilet inside. In Slovakia, according to the free camping guide is not allowed.
Our Büssli parking on the board.
The visit of the Bojnice castle was almost spoils us by the parking fee of 8 €. We drove off again and found one other for 50 cents an hour and took the bikes to go to the castle. The visit could be done only by means of guide, which was in Slovak. We paid the full price and (though for now) and the photo fee, and got a piece of paper with English versions.
Märchneschloss Bojnice with the princess.
On the next trip to Považie we came back twice in the build-up and as we drove out to cool down our cold water, we could then do not press the switch for the headlights. Fortunately we had a spare switch here (Raphael had ever had problems in Switzerland with the light). After installation, everything works again and we visited the ruins Stracno. This perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the Waag. The guide (excluding any visit) back to Slovak. As the leader in the end realized that we are not the speech was powerful, apologized and gave us a booklet on the castle ruins in Slovakia.
Stracno ruins and views of the Považie.
On the way to the High Tatras we visited the "Ball Mountain" in Slovakia. Again we had to fiddle with the parking fees. We parked the bus on a dirt road went back to the bikes and hid them in the forest, there were also calls for 50 cents bikes parking fee. The open-air museum and we loved when we after the Slovak leadership (again einmal mit Zettel für die Ausländer) noch etwas herumspazierten, sahen wir eindrückliche Wolkenformationen (waren da etwa Kelvin-Helmholtz Wellen im Spiel? Insider für Atmosphärenphysiker).
Häuser im Freilichtmuseum - Wolkenformationen über der Hohen Tatra.
Wir fuhren in die Touriinfo in Strbske Pleso, die wir wegen Ausfall des Tomtoms fast nicht fanden (Raphi biegt nicht einfach links ab, wenn die Dame "Jetzt links abbiegen" sagt und es links nur eine Felswand hat). Wir wurden unfreundlich aus der Touriinfo herausgeschubst (es war ja auch schon 16 Uhr). Aber wir erfuhren noch, dass die Wanderrouten noch were closed. Only a 3-hour route to the Pedrensko lake was open. The hike we did the next day and arrived just in time back to the bus before a strong storm broke.
hike in the High Tatras - Mountain Cemetery with memorial plaques for injured climbers.
When the storm was over we went to some 40 km Spis Castle. The UNESCO-protected 40,000 m2 castle was very impressive. We were given no extra an audio guide in English and were able to freely roam within the walls. Unfortunately, the Knights are playing in the courtyard instead of only in summer (for that we got like Equinox again), but we were almost the only visitors.
The Spis Castle.
In search of a campsite near the Slowenski-Rai parks in a parking lot was suddenly a T2 VW bus. Was there someone like us on a European tour? The vignette from Bulgaria and Romania strongly suggests. We knocked and got Becky, Will and Jules (called so her VW bus) to know from the UK. They have been in November 2009 to September 10 trip to Europe. Were already in Spain, France, Italy and have been the end of March, almost on the same route as we go. Really funny that we do not already met earlier had. During the joint risotto we exchanged VW bus travel guide. We were given tips mainly for France and Spain and also for an interesting hike here in the national park. They then drove further, as increased parking fees and costs that they did not want to pay again. From them we learned that the Wild camping is allowed only in national parks and we decided that we will from now on only wild camping unless we stay for several nights. The walk took us
the next morning, through spruce forests in the Karst Mountains. It was hot and went uphill. Unfortunately, we took a wrong turn and missed out the most exciting part of the walk (a canyon that can only be about can climb ladders, and only in one direction was passable). Highly motivated to join, we decided three extra hours, so we still climb the ladders could still (see GPS track). The conclusion of the walk took us along a river and we had nachhangeln on grids above the river the rock walls. Maintenance tasks only rusted chains on the rock wall. Very adventurous. Our "Extra Tour our hike was 25 km long and the most comfortable hottest day so far.
A hike through the park Slovenski-Rai.
Poland
The border crossing to Polen gestaltet sich schwieriger als geahnt. Das GPS führte uns zwar wieder korrekt, aber das Hochwasser hat eine Strasse zerstört und so mussten wir einen 40 km langen Umweg fahren.
Am nächsten Tag besichtigten wir das grösste (natürlich UNESCO Kulturerbe) Salzbergwerk in Polen. Das ganze war sehr touristisch, dafür gab's eine Führung auf Deutsch. Die Hauptführung war etwas gestresst, aber es werden auch unglaublich viele Touris durch die Gänge geschleust. Wir sahen nicht nur leere Gänge und Hallen, wo das Salz abgebaut wurde. Es gab etliche Räume in denen Denkmäler aus Salz errichtet wurden (fast jede berühmte Persönlichkeit, die die Mine einmal besucht hatte, war abgebildet). Die underground church (also from salt) was decorated with several biblical scenes carved directly from the salt rock. Unfortunately, our guide was a bit weak with information and we felt that the English guides provide more details. We joined so for the additional leadership (technical leadership, as it was called something derogatory of our German guide) Brash to an English group. The second guide was much more informative.
salt mine: it was pumped up - water bowl with salt crystals overgrown.
Salt Church - The Last Supper carved in salt rock.
next destination was the Krakow campsite. It was boiling hot and there was even more storage, which did not like our coolant temperature. We stopped auszukühlen the engine. But began to flash as the warning lights one more time, there was no way to go out and just before the camp moved the engine suddenly stopped. So, hazard lights and let cool. It then went to the lucky still to camping, but the cooling water was boiling and we had to cool down the bus 2 hours because the engine did not boot. It then went still. Meli washed in the meantime the clothes and we built the tent for David to Disch, who came to visit us spontaneously over the weekend. We met him in the evening in the city after the World Cup Soccer match.
visited at least 35 ° C, we next day the city. The best we liked the Jewish Quarter, where there were many small cafes and the atmosphere was not as touristy as the main market square. jumping from shadow to shadow, we were on our way to visit the Schindler factory. The new museum had only the day before opening. The exhibition was huge. Although we expected more about the factory, but also the part of the history of Krakow in the second world war was very interesting and took us captive for 2 hours. Strengthened with a typical Polish Baguette then we watched the tragic 1:1 England against America (David was a bit disappointed :-)).
In Krakow: Wawel - Fire Tower - Market in the Jewish Quarter - the gate in the wall.
On Sunday David and Raphael by bikes again drove into the city, while Melissa is a dedicated e-mail traffic in Switzerland. In the evening we cooked together at the campsite and then watched the football match in a nearby garden restaurant.
The next morning we were woken up at 6 clock of thunder. packed in a hurry we all together so that the awning would not have to be stowed wet. Then we drove David to the airport, according to GPS only 20 minutes. But there was once again build-up and after a few kilometers our beacon light again. David saw it fly his aircraft even without, while Raphael in a hurry, the coolant water again equalized. We reached the airport 20 minutes before departure. David sped off and as he later reported to us over the airfield, as the shuttle was already gone, but the plane reached yet. We enjoyed the time with David in Krakow very much and he still got tips for the Mazury. Sorry, we do not have a photo with David, because our camera battery was empty.
Our next goal was Oswiecim (concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz I and II, also UNESCO World Heritage Site). The guide led us through the two camps. Describe how it on the grounds of Auschwitz I and Birkenau (extermination camp) was, is difficult. We saw terrible pictures of imprisoned Jews, Poles, Roma and political persecution, warehouses (which had up to 7 people can sleep on a bed of 4 m2) and found out things about the atrocities of the Nazis. We spent 5 hours on the museum grounds.
In the evening we are invited to Becky and Will for dinner. We meet in the parking lot outside the museum (mobile telephony was thanks), and sought a place to sleep together. We park unsere Busse auf einem kleinen Parkplatz zu einem Naherholungsgebiet und verbringen nach einem feinen Abendessen gemütliche Stunden bei Spiel und Gespräch.
Am nächsten Tag trennten wir uns. Becky und Will gingen ins Museum Auschwitz. Wir fuhren Richtung Lodz. Doch schon nach einer Viertelstunde kochte unser Kühlwasser wieder. Zum Glück war eine VW Garage in der Nähe (oder eher ein VW Autoverkäufer). Der liebe Mechaniker, der seit einem Tag eigentlich Ferien hatte, schaute sich unser Problem trotzdem an. Das Problem liegt am Kühlerventilator, der bei hohen Temperaturen nicht anspringt. Wahrscheinlich liegt's am Stecker, der Korrosionspuren aufweist. Als Lösung wurde ein Kabel in die Fahrerkabine gezogen mit der Raphi the fan can now shorting, ie simply rotate together two stripped wires. The mechanic assured us that in Germany most of the VW bus driver such an "installation" and would have no zlotys for the temporary restoration. In any case, we get that far again.
We stayed in the vicinity of Lodz, our bus parked for about 5 km outside the center on the Lidl car park and drove into the city by bike. We visited the largest Jewish cemetery (UNESCO cultural heritage, what else) in Europe, a memorial to the deported Jews at the nearby train station and take a walk through the longest shopping street in Europe. Of course we missed the grand victory der Schweiz gegen Spanien nicht. Wir schauten den Match in einem Strassencafe bevor wir die Stadt dann wieder verliessen und in Richtung Poznan aufbrachen.
Im Moment sind wir in Poznan und haben leider noch nichts von der Stadt gesehen, da wir seit 3 Stunden unseren Blog updaten.... So jetzt schnell abschliessen und die Stadt besichtigen. Hoffentlich entdeckt niemand von Lidl, dass wir schon wieder ihren Parkplatz missbrauchen... ;-)
Fazit: Wir haben auf unserer Reise festgestellt, dass wir fast nur UNESCO Weltkulturerbegut besichtigen. Ist eigentlich alles auf dieser Liste? Und kann unser Büssli auch drauf? Auch Becky und Will fiel auf, dass fast jeder alte Stein auf dieser Liste zu finden ist.
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