Day 26 - Budapest

I promised not to go on about rooms so I'll just let slip that we left a soviet type apartment which was functional but far from cosy around 11am. Actually I want to say that I had a lovely sleep in that apartment and I will say no more negative about it. This is not the first time I visited Budapest. In 2005 I was talked into going on stag do with several people I barely knew. It was all about strippers, drinking, kebabs, drinking, waking up hungover, drinking, shooting guns (I didn't), drinking. Suffice to say I barely remember the place, although I did remember having a great time swimming on the Sunday late morning and I wanted to do that again. We found a pool near the main river which was an interesting experience. I think swimming and spas may be really important to Budapestans (Budapeshians, Budapestonians?). Especially as they approach their later years. For once I was not concerned about my body as I usually am when stripping to the waist. The thermals and saunas were good even if the showers smell like a bad egg sandwich.  What I really loved was the steam room, which quite frankly makes the steam room at my old gym more reminiscent of an old persons house with the heating turned up. This steam room should have had safety warnings. I can't read Hungarian so maybe it did. I felt myself redden and watched Sarah redden. Getting outside you had to stand up and heat rises (remember from year one science) so the real steam hits you when you stand to make for the door. The cold shower outside which a few minutes ago would have brought on a cardiac arrest feels natural as you sizzle the steam away. Then, go back in and with the cold shower feel yourself warm up. Breathing hard through your nose you felt it burn but do a lot of good. Essentially all I've done is describe a steam room experience, but it was my favourite bit of the day.

Castle with Budapest Parliament in background

After the swimming adventure we took a walk up to the castle on the hill on the Buda part of the city (I'm sure you know that Budapest is two cities either side of the Danube called Buda and Pest). The castle is semi fairy tale, but unlike Neuschwanstein had a point to it. I felt the architecture gave the traveller the idea that he was leaving christendom and moving toward the kasbars of the Ottomans, which is roughly our quest. The views across the Danube to the Hungarian parliament spectacular. Even so swimming makes me sleepy or 'soporific' as per my favourite Beatrix Potter word. We crashed out on the grass with our swimming costumes drying on a fence in the sun. Waking as the sun started towards dusk and the temperature dropped a few celcius.  After this we were largely killing time as we needed to be on the 10:30pm train to Brasov, and this time we had a proper sleeping cabin. Yes we ensure we were on the sleeper this time after the broken night from Venice to Munich. Once showed to our cabin, although it had room to sleep 6, we were told it was all to ourselves. We were given sheets and made our beds. Had some snacks and Bacardi Breezers and settled in for the night as the train sped east.

Rather comfy sleeper.