We slept very well during our last night in Europe; I guess we are getting used to travel.

Nancy and Gyorgyi in the front flower garden

We got up at 6am and made the final preparations. Our flight is on schedule and the weather is near perfect. My only concern is connecting with the proper highway from Budafok, but that is a minor problem I hope.

At 8:40 am we started out a little early; Gyorgyi told us generally which way to go onto M0(emm nulla) to get to M1 for Vienna. I first missed the turn to M0 then went past the exit to Gyor and Vienna. Once on M0 the comedy continues. Jansci said to take M7 but this turned us back to Budapest. Fortunately, I recognized this and turned back and got onto M1. It took us an extra 10 minutes so it was good that we had a little extra time. Shortly after getting on M1 there was a huge tie-up and we moved very slowly from 2 lanes to 1 lane. It took 29 minutes to resolve this. After that there were no more tie-ups.

We stopped at the Mol station about 1 km from the actual border and had a WC break and grabbed some sandwiches. We also fuelled up. I used up almost all of my Hungarian Forints.

We didn't know how long it would take to get to the airport but we felt we could get there for the assigned 10 am. Along the way a car honked at us and Ladislav waved. He saw us and led us to the airport, we just had to follow. Nancy was so relieved. So we arrived easily and after a once-over, Ladislav left in the car; there were no problems. We gave him a small tip as well for all of his trouble and excellent work.

We met Eva, our friend from the first flight, in the Vienna airport. She was going home with her son and his girl friend. We talked for quite a while in the airport bu we were sitting 3 rows back in the airplane (airbus 310). This time we were seated beside a young man who was travelling back from Croatia. He was tired because he had to get up at 4 am to catch a flight from Zagreb. His name as Amir; he lives and works in Toronto; a very nice guy. He had to get up many times as we had to get by him. In retrospect, we should have had him sit near the window.

There were 4 movies on the flight, two more than usual. The first two were poor, a chic-flick and a kid movie. The third one was a comedy with Tina Fey. The last was Iron Man II. I actually put my earphones in for this one. It ended just as we were about to land.

The food was good on the plane -BBQ chicken and rice with a very good non-lettuce salad with cranberries and wild rice etc.,wine and coffee. For our second light meal we had pizza, it was hot and delicious. The crew came around several times and offered juices and pop and water; it was very welcome. One of the flight attendants was injured (cut her hand and wrist) and they called for a nurse or doctor. There was a woman doctor on the plane and she bandaged her up.

One interesting thing happened as we passed over Iceland. The captain came on and said there was something on the left side of the plane to see. Everyone look. It was another plane (L1011 I think) on a too similar flight path. Then about 5 minutes later we got to see it on the right side of the plane. It was slightly (500 feet maybe) above us. I think too close for comfort. Later we saw it several kilometres to the right of us. Both planes were travelling at the same speed so it stood still.

Note: Iceland is black (volcanic ash) and Greenland is white(snow and ice) !

Our flight was about 40 minutes early in arrival(6:45 pm EDT); so we did not have to travel the full 9 hours. All in all it was a pleasant flight with very little turbulence, but the seating is very close and the passage to the WC is tight - so tight, I caught my pant-leg on a seat and ripped it. The one real "casualty" of the flight.

When we got off the plane we were welcomed by hot, humid summer weather - 30C and very humid. This always seemed to be the case.

We arrived at the limo service early but there was no problem, the man came right away and we were taken away to Oshawa.

We arrived home at 8:30pm and were warmly greeted by Stephen who has done a great job looking after the house during our absence. Thank you Steve!

We had a little celebration drink, or two and were off to bed at 9 pm EDT. What a journey of 28 days it has been, with many happy and exciting moments, no tragedies but a few misfortunes and more than a few wrong turns, thanks to "mother" our GPS on loan from Tamas we had few problems. Many memories and pictures and movies to come.

The new swing in Gyorgi's back garden.
Nancy had a wonderful trip and so did I

Well, the transformer does not work even with new fuses. Two have blown without any load. So the new transformer is Kaput.
I hope I have enough battery power to complete the blogs.

Today we took a nice walk towards Zalakaros; is a lovely day and the temperature will hit 28 C. It is nice and sunny .
Nancy has no trouble with the 2 km walk; it shows how much she has improved her walking. Actually, I am more tired from the walk.

At lunch or ebed we have our big meal. Lacy and Agi have come as well as Attila. Panna and Bea have gone to Budapest to visit a Zoo and will return too late for the lunch.



We start with lovely chicken soup with a few noodles. It is lovely. Then as tradition, we eat the chicken (tyuk) from which the soup was made. There are two types of sauce; one tomato and the other a wonderful white sauce made with lots of garlic. Following this we had fried food - cutlets and mushrooms with a rice dish containing corn and peas. Both are delicious. Finally we have dessert. The multi-layer cakes and 2 types of retes (touro and mak -cottage cheese and poppy seed). Agi made these and they were baked here.

There was lots to drink -wine, beer or cola. Attila and Agi stuck with cola since they were driving. We had lots of conversations about Canada and life in general. Sometimes my Hungarian was clouded by the wine but we managed very well...some new words were learned on both sides.

Later, Violetta, Szabolcs and the children came over and we again exchanged conversation... more English now. Violetta will be starting to teach school at Agi's school in September. She has an interview for the job this week. She is quite apprehensive since it is her first teaching job. I told her she will do just fine.

It has been a tiring day and we have a light supper and are off to be by 8 pm. Tomorrow will be our last day in Hungary and then we will be off to the airport in Vienna.
Nancy, Gyongyi and me just before leaving Garabonc.

We slept very deeply, however, I should not have slept so well since I left the computer plugged into the new power transformer. When I awake, it was dead. I thought it was a fuse which is built into the transformer. With the assistance of the clerk at the desk I found a store which sold the fuse. In retrospect, I should have brought the transformer too.

The hotel breakfast was good but they use a machine to deliver coffee, capoccino etc. and it never does the same as a real person. The breakfast included eggs with ham inside; very good. We were off about 10:30 am for our trip of 350 km to Garabonc.

View from the heights over Trieste.

Everything was going very well until we neared Ljubljana in Slovenia. There was a large traffic tie-up. About half an hour. When we got closer to our cut off to Zagreb it was closed. The traffic was very slow and we had to merge into one lane. We went through a tunnel and onto an open road. I knew something was wrong since the mountains to the north were getting closer. We turned around and headed back to Ljubljana right into another tunnel tie-up. We found an exit for Zagreb but down the road was a really big tie-up. Construction work on Saturday and another merge into one lane. This was over an hour.

On the open road now we made our way to Zagreb. More delays for passport and a 1 euro toll. Then onto the road to Budapest
with the 5 or 6 euro toll in Croatia.
At the Border to Hungary there were delays. One line was very slow so I picked another. Lucky here because they were looking through luggage in the other line.

I phoned Tamas and informed him we would be there in 30 minutes.

Another happy greeting for all. Mother had got us through. We had a lovely supper of bogracs goulosh and lots of wine. We talked for hours and then went to bed and slept like logs.

Nancy in the town centre of Siena.

Siena's Duomo shines in the afternoon light.

Siena... is wonderful but busy! Too many cars, buses, motor scooters etc. The town is nice but you have to be careful all of the time. It looks like cool weather today, but in Italy it warms up in a hurry when the sun is out. We wear bluejeans since it is cool.

Breakfast at Hotel Romana was very good. The eggs are back and there were some tomatoes. They serve breakfast outside under a canopy in the courtyard. Very nice touch.

Unfortunately NO INTERNET. They offer a computer with an Internet connection... no wifi !

Our morning was a trip to the centre of the down town to get some souvenirs we missed the day before. A long walk for what we bought but I promised Nancy no more long walks... oh well.

The drive to Trieste will be long so we try to get an early start. First we make a wrong turn (I did) but it is solved by "mother" fairly quickly. She sends us North to Firenze instead of East to A1. In Firenze there is a traffic tie-up but only 15 minutes or so. it also started to rain. The road to Firenze is 4 lane but narrow. The speed limit is 90 kph and for good reason. Cell phones are a nuisance here... people use them when driving. One guy in front of us was weaving in and out and slowing down and speeding up... on a cell phone.

The trip between Firenze and Bologna is full of hills and tunnels and large trucks. You must concentrate on being in the right lane at the right time. Not my favourite drive but only 75-90 km.

After Bologna the road is flat and straight and all toll road. We have brought our supermarket sandwiches but they taste terrible. The tomato has a strange unripe taste. Most of mine does not get eaten. It is better to purchase the sandwiches st the roadside restaurants. One mistake.

Things go very well for some time until we get well past the Venice turn off.... then everything STOPS. For 20 minutes we barely move. Merging lanes from 3 to 2 seem to be the reason but there could also have been an accident. The we start but go for a couple of km and then we stop. This is more dangerous since the guy behind be nearly hit us... in Canadian terms.

The trip from Venice to Trieste is slowed by traffic and rain. We get a sudden downpour but it does not last. But the skies are very dark. The temperature drops from 24 to 17 C.

Finally we end the tollway 23.40 euros later.

We get off at a Trieste exit and find we have to drive 20 more km. However, it is along the North coast of the Adreatic Sea and is very beautiful.
We have been on the road from 10:30 till 5:30 pm 7 hours with 3 stops.

Hotel we are going to make our last stay at is right down town. We drive by it once but soon ask for directions. They do NOT call the Hotel the "Citta di Parenzo". Just "di Parenzo".

The room has two twin beds. We fix this by putting them together. The washroom is lasrge and the room adequate.
Parking is by valet service only. This adds 16 more euros on to the expensive hotel bill.

We decide to open our bottle of siena wine... no cork screw ! Our room does not have one nor does the hotel have one. I tried the "shoe" tick but it does NOT work. I try to buy a cork screw but the only thing I can find is a bar that will open the bottle for us. I bring the bottle back to the bar.

When we decide to go for supper, I find that my money purse is empty of my euro envelope. My heart just about stopped.
We realize that it probably slipped out into the middle of the car when we were going to make the 23 euro toll charge. So we ask the desk clerk to contact the valet company to see if they can find it in the car which is several km away. We have to wait 35 minutes and luckily the envelope is found and returned intact ! We are SOOOOOOOOO relieved.

Now it is about 8 pm and we head out for our last Italian meal. The girl at the desk has given us a restaurant that is not too pricey but has good Italian food;the Al Vecia Canale. It is busy and not presumptuous. The food is great and the price right. Nancy finally gets her grappa and is out like a light when we get back.

What a day !

Well I did not sleep well as I tried to figure out how we would recharge our devices if we could not get a new transformer.
We packed and had breakfast. I started the computer up and read the file about the next hotel in Siena that we were going to.

When Katya came in about 9 am, we told her our problem. She said there was an electronics store in Piano di Sorrent. She phoned the store and Tonino explain things to the manager. We made a hasty trip down town to see the store manager. He went over what our transformer would do and asked if I wanted one to run a hair drier. I told him I only wanted to charge a netbook or a camcorder not start a bigger device. He came up with what I needed and for 15.40 euros we were on our way. I tested the device and it worked.

We bid farewell to everyone and gave Tonino a special little gift of 20 euros to make up for all the trouble we had given him He was very appreciative. In return we were given Casale Russo hats and a bottle of limone. I took a picture of the staff at the desk (Gratia, Teresa and Tonino), I will send them a copy. We will truly miss this place and the people in it.

We ended up having to pay the 38 euro parking ticket even though it was outrageous.

With the new destination in "mother" we set off. The trip out of Sorrento is not as hair-raising as the trip in although no less scary. We were on the inside of the ledge. IT takes more than 40 minutes to get back to level ground. We followed "mother's" advice and the Napoli signs and soon we were on A1. We made two stops at the Auto Grills along the way, one for gas as well. We had a heavy downpour but it did not last long. As we approached Siena the skies got darker and there was a thunderstorm nearby. Mother took us right to the front door. We registered and after a few questions of the desk clerk we were on our way into Siena... I tried to get the name right trying not to call it Sorrento. Our room is adequate, no air-conditioning but it is cool so this is not a big deal. We do have a ceiling fan which is very cooling.


Siena is a fortresses town with 4 or 5 gates. We headed in and roamed though the narrow streets... watching out for cars and motor bikes. We arrived at the main square which is quite impressive. Then it was on to the Duomo square. The church here is very impressive and not under much renovation from the exterior. We stopped to wet our whistles and then to find the restaurant we had been told about. At a super market we picked up 4 sandwiches for the next day. We are all set for out trip to Trieste tomorrow.

We had a lovely supper at Trattoria da Gano - slices of t-bone steak in a salad with cheese. We were tired and headed back to the hotel which was not far from the fortress gate.
Siena streets still busy at night

Forgive me if I don't say anything about the weather... it has been sunny almost every day since we have been in Italy. The temperature has been around 30 in Sorrento but sometimes a little breeze in the evening makes it feel cool.

The plan today was to take the train to Ercolana and see the result of the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD. The train is a fast electric one but there are many stops. The price is only 1.9 euros one way. The trip lasts about 1 hour or less. The train travels quite fast and there are many tunnels until we get on the other side of the mountains.

Nancy near the volcano

When the train arrives we meet up with an English couple who are going to Vesuvius. We decide to do the same. The cost is 16.5 euros each. !0 for the ride and 6.5 for the 800m trek up to the crater. After we get up Vesuvius and park, I have had enough height. So we sold the trek tickets for 10 euros. Nancy was not interested in ascending the mountain either.

Vesuvius from Hercolaneum.

After we returned to Ercolana we walked down the street straight to the "Scavi Herculaneum". We phoned Tonino and told him we would be returning at 17:13 instead of earlier. I finally figured out that SCAVI meant EXCAVATION ! It was not in my little computer dictionary. John Ivanco told us about this place and said it was better than Pompeii... and it is smaller and easier to do if you only have limited time like us.

The Herculaneum site was uncovered after Pompeii and has more detail and better ruins. In fact the detail is so good, one wonders how they allow thousands of tourists to walk over the roads and even touch the plaster walls that as so old. To know that you were seeing something from 79 AD was amazing. Unfortunately some people have left their marks on the plaster as well. As we were living, I realized that we had missed a large area. I returned while Nancy stayed near the entrance. It was quite hot in the sun even though there was a small breeze, it was hot (30+). The part I missed was a courtyard containing a Roman statue and the Roman baths. You could see where the lava had stopped literally at the bath house doors.

Tom in a courtyard of an ancient home in Herculaneum.


We went back on the train after a quick beer (660mL) split between us. A 3 euro price was also nice for a sit-down drink.

We were back in Piano di Sorrento about 7:30 and Tonino was waiting for us. He is really a reliable person.

After a little wine we headed off to Zia Sams for our final supper. We got our favourite waited and had a wonderful meal. I had spaghetti ala mere with tomato and it was delicious. Nancy had the ravioli with shrimp and sea food and tomato sauce. Both dishes were excellent. We decided on dessert. Nancy had a wonderful pie with ricotta cheese and pistachio. I had a cup of limone ice cream. Wow was it cold and tasty. We finished off with a cappuccino each. The bill was surprisingly low and we gave the waiter a good tip and bid him farewell.

It was after this that things went downhill fast. I plugged in my transformer for the computer and as I did there was a big flash and the fuse was tripped off. My transformer for recharging the computer and camcorder was toast. The smell was awful. This was bad and I had felt there was something wrong with the transformer since we started out. Amazingly it held up this long. With maybe 3 -3 1/2 hours left on the computer battery and even less for the camcorder, I was upset... "what to do?" I had tried in Bologna to get a new one with no success... in Sorrento a place much smaller... could I get one ?

We went to bed since we were quite tired from the long day hopeful that things might improve in the morning.

Our first night in Piano di Sorrento has been very good. There have been some interesting side-lights. The water in the shower would only get like-warm so we had very refreshing showers. The hotel is really new. We found out that it has been open only since Dec. 2009; so we are the first of what should be many. The second thing we noticed was that the breakfast menu was very spare. There were several cereals, yogurt,warm buns, sweet buns/donuts, jam choice of cappuccino or espresso. What was missing - cheese, eggs of any type, meat, vegetables. For a hotel this nice, it is something they will have to deal with. The staff is excellent and always willing to do the big and little things that make our stay very enjoyable.

Katya a young Italian girl is at the front desk this morning. She speaks excellent English. Gratia ,older and more filled-out is the other lady at the front desk, but her English is much less.

First thing to do is to get the cell phone working so we can phone the hotel or Tonino (man of many tasks). Katya phones Vodaphone and tells of our problem. We have no trouble phoning Tonino but the hotel we cannot seem to get. After several conversations with Vodaphone in Sorrento, we get the cell working. We have to phone long-distance since our provider is in Hungary. Problem solved.

Today we are off to see the Isle of Capri. We have been told that it is a must see. Tonino drives us down to the docks...glad he is driving. He stops at the ticket place and then runs to the dock to see if the boat has left. It hasn't and we get round trip tickets... a slight mistake.

The boat is a jet catamaran. It is packed with people of almost any nationality you can think of. A man is going row to row trying to sell tickets to a tour. I asked an Englishman and he filled me in. We decide to go with this. The price is right-15 euros and an air-conditioned mini-bus. We are given yellow stickers.

After we get to the dock we must go to the area where the mini-buses pick up tourists. There seems to be a major-domo who directs things from his seat in a cabana. Although this takes about 20 minutes, it is less than others. During our wait, the guide relates stories of Capri and its various residents- from the Roman Emperors to the 19th century eccentrics.


First we go to Anacapri, 1000 m up the rock face. This is both a thrilling ride and a scary one. As we go up the distance between vehicles is even less than in Sorrento...just inches. Sometimes there is only enough room for one vehicle. As we go around the scariest cliff bend, the bus driver puts on the most bone-chilling audio with the sounds of a crazy person laughing. Looking straight down 1000m with this music playing is almost terrifying. When we get off the bus, almost everyone heads for the first washroom.

Anacapri is for tourists with shops of every sort - from expensive to cheap. We decide on a beer and pizza. It is quite expensive but we need some refreshment. We wore a little more because it was cool in Piano di Sorrento when we left. However, it was still fine since there always seems to be a little breeze. The picture you see is from the lookout on the cliff. Although I am afraid of heights, my fear is lessening... maybe the bus ride has got rid of some of the fear. After being terrified, this seems easier.

After an hour or so in Anacapri, we are off back down the terrifying cliff; this time we have a quieted driver. We arrive in Capri (above the Port of Capri) and are told what to see by our guide; we have 1 1/2 hours.

We walk down the path to the beautiful gardens near the first Roman port of Capri. There are many expensive boats moored on this side of the island. This is the quieter (no tourist boats) side of the island. There are two large rocks jutting out into the Strait of Salerno. The other side is the Strait of Sorrento or Napoli.

We stop for a lemon slushy; it is refreshing but expensive. The garden is beautiful and very serene; there is a man guarding it from being mistreated. Signs say NOT to eat anything in the garden. Maybe God should have posted the Garden of Eden ! After the garden we head back to the main corso.

We probably do not need all of the time in Capri town since we have seen most of the vendors elsewhere. We did manage to find stamps...the tibacchi shop had them.

We are driven down to the Port of Capri by the same crazy driver we had before. His humour is better respected this time. He always ends his trip with "That's Amore" by Dean Martin.

We wait for our ship and find that we have to wait another 15 minutes because of the shipping line. We met a South African couple, now living in London. They tell us some stories of travel by car.

I phone Tonino from the boat telling him we will be 15 minutes (quincenti minuti) late. Nice to know the cell works.

We are tired from a hectic day and arrive back at the hotel about 7:30 pm just in time for the sunset...which is gorgeous tonight.

We head back to Zia Sams restaurant, but it is cool and I have to get Nancy's shawl. We have a nice primo of flat noodles and fungi 9mushrooms) and shell fish. We nice, but we would like more. We order a secundo of calamari and shrimp (prawn). We split this dish. We did have an excellent half bottle of Chianti Ruffino. We ended with two cappuccinos. IT took a long time to get our bill and I am not so sure it is correct; but we are tired and we head back to the hotel.


We had a beautiful day with lovely weather and a nice dinner. It doesn't get much better.

This is our last morning in Firenze. After the usual breakfast we prepared to leave the Hotel Boccaccio. It has been a pleasant stay, but the locale around the hotel is not the best. But I said to Nancy, "Is there many streets in Florence that are better?". Most streets have their good and bad parts. Our was close to the city centre and the railway station. A very busy locale.

We got our car back from the garage at 10 am and we were off, "mother" accepted the new destination. I have written out the latest notes on how to get to Casale Russo - the red Castle.

The drive to Piano di Sorrento took close to 7 hours. We stopped 3 times the first for gas and sandwiches and the second to eat and the third time near Naples to get some coffee and stretch. The A3 highway from Naples is in dreadful shape and is being fixed up. The two lanes are very close and the speed limit is 60 km/h. Most locals go much faster.
Once we get onto the road to Sorrento things change. I could only watch the road and not where we were... cliff side or other. Fortunately, the tunnel keep most scary things out of sight. However, when we came out of the tunnel, we had to deal with a cliff side road and motor scooters that weave in and out defying the cars and trucks. I wonder how many motor scooter deaths there are each year.

We finally reach Piano di Sorrento, although it is hard to tell since there does not seem to be a sign. We stopped near a bar and across the road is the tourist information centre. The girl behind the desk is both informative and nosey. She wanted to know how much our room was going to cost. While we were there and had a quick drink, a cop (whom we did not see) put a ticket on our vehicle. When we arrived at the hotel we see it and it says 38.00 Euros. I brought it to the clerks attention. However, she knows little English but seems to understand the problem. I also noticed a police car in front of the tourist information office and a policeman talking with her. Hmmmm I wonder who called the police ?

The hotel or Casale Russo is painted Red like the Italian red. It is something out of a fairy tale. To say it is wonderful is an understatement. Everything has been renovated to a very high degree. The only problem is in communication. Our Italian is terrible but we are learning more words, right Nancy ? We know some words but our grammar is poor. However, Italian is not that bad if you took 5 years of Latin... well that was 45 years ago.
Our room is super. Marble everywhere, a king-sized bed and a wonderful bathroom and view. We have a view over the bay.
Sorrento : view from our window

The hotel recommends a ristorante close by. Sometimes this is a scam... it is not one here. A beautiful restaurant overlooking the bay with an open terrace. Flowers grow up to your table. The prices seem very good, but we are always leery. We order a pizza for Nancy and I get the recommended seafood pasta. They have a real wood fire in the pizza oven. They have Peroni beer on tap, we like Perroni. The two things we ordered were seafood dishes. The pizza is covered with mussels and smaller shelled clams. The pasta comes in a huge aluminum wrap that looks like a swan. The pasta is absolutely wonderful; best I have ever eaten. There was a prawn on top and mussels and other shell fish in it. The prawn was like a small lobster and just as tasty. We had a wonderful meal and topped it off with a cappuccino.

As we dined, the restaurant filled up with families from all over. The price was definitely very reasonable. We will be back tomorrow for supper for sure.

Our walk back from the restaurant was only 3 minutes from the hotel which by now was brightly lit.

Nancy loves the king sized bed.

Wow, we were both exhausted from yesterday's agenda that we slept really, really well. I can't remember sleeping so soundly for so long. I guess we really did too much walking yesterday. So today, I said we would take it easy...not so much walking.

After breakfast we went to mass at a cathedral not far from the hotel. This cathedral has tourists at 12 noon but has mass at 10:30 am. There was not a huge crowd for the size of the church. The priest who said mass (in Italian) had a great voice and it echoed throughout the church. I found him quite understandable, so I tried to relay what he said to Nancy... the Italian? The one thing they do here is stand right after the part of the mass when you say "Christ h died, Christ has risen Christ will come again". In Canada we keep kneeling for several more prayers. I hope they fix this in the next Canadian missal. You look kind of silly kneeling when everyone else is standing. The kneelers were wood so you tried to avoid kneeling if you can. There were some Americans there. I could tell because there were some US dollars in the collection plate. It was a very nice service and the priest was very dynamic in his sermon. I believe from his vestments he was from the cappuccinists... like the coffee...hahahaha !

We then set out for our "side trip". I was hoping we could make a little trip from here to Pisa. It is only another 100 km West. We had to pick the car up at the parking garage to avoid an extra 5 euro charge. However, we picked up a wonderful veal cutlet sandwich and cold water (fressante)- bubbly. One and a half litres of water for 1 euro... the best price in Firenze. This was only steps from the hotel.

We then gave "mother" the task of finding the parking lot in Pisa. She was pretty good actually and soon we were on the non-toll road to Pisa. It was great, very little traffic and no big camions (trucks). We were there in a little more than an hour. Mother kept trying to keep me under the 90 km/h speed limit but to no avail.
Nancy helps support the leaning tower

It was an unbelievable commotion in Pisa. It was like Wasaga beach with no beach. Thousands of people from all over the world. We had a German take one of our pictures and then a man from the Netherlands take one. We arrived at about 12:30 pm and the sun was height and the day so clear that we actually felt the heat. We sat in the shade of the Duomo and ate our lunch. We bought tickets for the Duomo and were surprised that we could take as many pictures as we wanted. For 2 |Euros each it was the best deal.

We then wandered amongst the outdoor vendors. Nancy had her eye on a new purse... her old one was getting frayed. She saw a nice one but the guy would only come down 3 euros on 33 euros. Eventually Nancy go one for just 10 euros, a good deal we hope.

We stayed about 2 1/2 h in Pisa, more than enough to get pictures and do a little sight-seeing. But the crowds were difficult and the vendors were getting very pushy and obnoxious. The vendors everywhere else have some courtesy but not in Pisa.

Nancy never thought she would see this. Our tourist book says there are three things you must see in Italy and now we have seen all 3. Can you guess what the other 2 are ? I will tell you tomorrow if you haven't guessed by then.

We have been without Internet for a few days now. The main problem has been the hotel price and the fact that when I want to send them out next door... he is closed.

Tonight is our last night in Florence and we will have a nice supper before we go to bed.

Nancy had some asthma problems before going to sleep, but she slept soundly all night. There was some street noise but it was mainly muffled by the very strong windows and shutters. There was some singing during the night as some people were obviously drunk.

Breakfast in the morning was very quiet. We were the only two people in the breakfast room. While the breakfast was good; it paled in comparison to the Savhotel in Bologna.

Our plan for the day was to visit 3 places and eat at our favourite place in the evening. We go more than that done.

First was Museo (museum) of the Duomo. Our guide book said this would be a good candidate not to miss. It was. The "Opera di sanata maria del fiore or OPA for short was excellent. In it are housed artifacts (statuary, artifacts, paintings) from the Duomo which could no longer be kept unprotected. In fact many had been removed over the centuries and some ended up in people's homes. The flood in 1996 also caused problems and others were added. We were allowed to take non-flash pictures... what a relief; I didn't have to skulk. We also purchased an audio guide which explained each room and the artifact. We spend about 2 hours here, more than we figured.

Next we were off to see "David". He is now housed inside to protect from acid rain and anarchists. We waited in line in the hot sun partly. We met a couple from P.E.I. (non-Acadians). So we spent the time talking and the time passed quickly. We also became aware that priority went to PRE-BOOKED groups and individuals. One girl came by and offered a quick entrance for 30 euros. It was triple the price. No one really decided to opt for this. The price turned out to be 10 euros each. Everybody underwent scanning and luggage bags x-rayed.
This is an actual illegal photo.

David was in the main room at the end under a dome. He was as good as he had made up to be. 519 cm tall, twice life-size. There were no photos allowed, but when did that stop me. I was not the only one. I was warned once after I had taken my second shot. It was well worth a reprimand.

There was a lot more art but we had seen a lot and the Museo so we didn't stay long.

By this time 1:30-ish we were getting hungry so we headed to the Hot-Spot Ristorante we had dined at the day before. We had pizza and crepe with a beverage. They gave us a 10% discount for repeat business. Great !

We then tried to figure out where we were to go for the attraction ticket we had bought the night before. We thought it was for the Uffizi Museo but it turned out to be for the Piti Palace. Although there was a time for admission on the ticket, the guy at the Uffizi said we could go any time so we went. It was tiring to get to the Piti Palace and then we had to climb 5 flights of stairs. However, the displaces were excellent. They watched like hawks so we had difficulty taking photos. However, half-way through I noticed a window uncovered. The window looked out on the entire city and it was a great place for a photo-op without a hassle.

We then went down 4 floors to visit another more elaborate part of the palace... it was elaborate. The amount of time spent hand-painting domes in this castle was staggering.

From here we decided to eat at our favourite ristorante since they had the 9.8 euro special on at 6 pm. So we poked along, looking in stored, drinking more water.

At 6pm we were again welcomed into the Hot-Spot by our waiter. Tonight we had egg-plant lasagna, fish in vegetables, potatoes, a fruit dish and 1/4 litre of red wine. I also had my cappuccino.

We wished our waiter good-bye because we did not know if we would be back on Sunday.

On the way back, there was a one-man guitar band in the pizza near our hotel so we sat to listen for a while. The weather today was sunny and warm (29 C predicted). But not humid. We have been blessed with excellent weather.

We had been out all day and Nancy said we walked our feet off. They were still attached though. Yes, even I was tired when we got back.

There was a large thunder and lightning storm during the night. It rained heavily but in the morning everything was clean and clear and the temperature in the low 20's.

We again had a very hardy breakfast and talked with the couple from Michigan and we each wished each other well.

We looked at the map and tried to figure the best way to get to the Hotel Boccaccio in Florence (Firenze). We decided to on rely on "mother"- Tamas' GPS. At first it looked like she was lost but after turned around, she had found the right course.
After we had gone through the A1 turnstile I had the feeling that the cell phone was not packed. However, after a gas-up we found it where I had put it. Now it is in Nancy's purse...safe with the passports.

The A1 took us through the mountains of central Italy. There were many tunnels and twists and turns. It could NOT be done at high speed... I think we averaged about 80 km/h... but it was better being safe. The truck line was not too bad our way, but going toward Bologna, the trucks were in large numbers. It was almost impossible for trucks to pass one another. Truckers are generally pretty good but occasionally they wander from side to side making you wonder.

About mid-way through the mountains we stopped at a gas-restaurant-rest area. It was packed. We picked up a long sandwich and cut it in half for eating later.

The middle of Italy is very picturesque; but it was too difficult to even get video since we were in and out of tunnels and I did not want to be distracted.

Because there was a new turn-off for Firenze North we missed our original turn. However, we travelled to the next exit and Mother again lead us through the city. We did not know if she really knew where to go but after several false turns she found a simpler route and led us right to the hotel. The hotel is near the main centre of the city which makes for insanity amongst drivers. However, I just pulled in beside some parked motor bikes and blended in.

The one problem with being close to the centre of town is that there is only valet parking. The extra cost is 23 euros per day. But what can you do, you save on buses or trains and lose on valet parking... an even split. Better than Vienna in a way but more expensive. The room is nice but smaller than the first two we had. There is a room air-conditioning and it works well; it is not in the window. The bed is two couches pushed together(typical of Europe). There is No kleenex.

Nancy noted that there are many nice shops to look into. We also noticed that there were hundreds of time more tourists here than in Bologna and Padua combined.

After we arrived and had a short rest, we were on our way. We are just 10 minutes from the big cathedral Batistero Duomo (St. Mary of the Flower). We lined up for about 20 minutes in a line that moved all of a sudden and we were in. The inside is not very impressive compared to the outside. There are few side altars and the sides not interestingly decorated. However, the copula is superb. It has many scenes from the Bible in excellent detail. This was the best part of the inside, right over the main altar.

We did NOT go up into the copula for a look out over the city. We both are not likers of height.
At the Ponte Vecchio (old bridge)

We then headed over to the famous Ponte Vecchio. Not nearly as nice as the Rialto bridge in Venice. There were some good views from the bridge, but a view of the bridge was pretty shabby.

We stopped at a little cafeteria off the beaten path and had some cappuccino and beer. The reason we stopped is because they had a sign NO CHARGE FOR SITTING (on the outdoor patio). Nancy found out that they had an excellent tourist dinner starting at 6 pm for 9.80 euros a primo, secundo dessert and wine or water. It turned out to be the best buy we have made in Italy. Getting 250 mL of wine with gnocchi, chicken and a fruit dessert was super.

We went over to the other side of the river (the Arno)... everyone who does a crossword knows this already. We met a couple from Northern Ireland who were teachers also. They encouraged us to buy tickets to the Caravaggio art exhibition featuring the likes of famous Italian early painters and sculptures.

We also found a flier on opera. We followed this up but Nancy had to rest while I tried to find the ticket office which was also in a small church. There were about 20-30 seats in a tiny church. I didn't think it was going to be as wonderful as the flier described. We had been in Venice for something like this but the Venice performance was don in a much larger setting.

This was the time we headed back to the cafeteria and again we literally bumped into the Irish couple again.

After the huge meal we said we had better not eat so much.... we say that every day.

Back to the hotel and ready for a nights sleep.

We do not have free Internet, so I will go to an Internet cafe a couple of doors down (it is cheaper than the Hotel).

We both had a great sleep. Although this bead was only a queen and the last a king, we slept very well. There is air-conditioning too. It is cloudy this morning... something new. It looks like rain.

The SAVHotel really has a wonderful breakfast. You name it it was there...scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, bacon, meats, yogurt, fruits, cereals etc. etc.It was the biggest selection we have seen in any of the European hotels this time or two years ago. Wow ! The SAVHotel is a wonderful place from restaurant to courteous staff. Although the room was not as big as the B4 Hotel, it was more than adequate. Free Internet is a must for me.

We spent the morning figuring out a plan for our vacation past Florence and booking hotels. Siena was more of a problem. We decided to go to Sorrento after Florence and then Siena after that. From Siena we plan to go back through Trieste to split the trip back to Garabonc.This will get us back a day earlier to Garabonc but it will also give us a relaxing time just before our return home.

We then set off for San Luca up in the hills overlooking Bologna. We had little trouble getting up to the road to take to get to San Luca. It wound around the hills and up and up and up. Finally after what seemed like a lifetime we arrived. My palms were getting pretty sweaty by the time we arrived. I am not that keen on heights; fear even. The weather was still overcast and the temperature in the low 20's. It was hard to tell if San Luca was a church or an observatory or both. Quite a sight to say the least. We took some pictures and decided to eat in a the restaurant near the top. The head waiter told us immediately that there would be NO PIZZA. H e was a little abrupt. We ordered what I though were open faced sandwiches. The turned out to be two very large toasted pieces of bread with the filling in between. One was enough but we did not know it in advance.

When we were eating it started to rain. Good thing we took one umbrella of the two that the hotel had given us. The road back down was now a little slicker and I feared problems. But everything went very well. Finding our way back was much easier than in Padua.

Reading a bit more about Bologna we decided to take the bus (number twenty seven (vente setta)to get us to Piazza del Maggiore.
When you get on a bus you can purchase a ticket for 1 euro that is good for 1 hour. But you had better get on near the front where the machine is. We managed to get the tickets on the way up thanks to a couple.
Neptunes fountain in Piazza Maggiore.

We had trouble finding the Teatre Anatomica. The guide book said there were open till 6:30 but in the summer they close at 1:45 pm. We did get into The cathedral St. Petronio. This is undergoing a lot of exterior renovation so you could not get an idea of its true dimensions. Inside it is enormous. No cost but no pictures allowed. I did sneak in some video.

We stopped at an outdoor seating area and had a small beer and glass of wine. The waiter brought these with a small dish of olives (unpitted) and some chips.... 14.50 euros ...not cheap. We headed back to a bus point and found that the 27 did not stop at it. However, the number 11 would take us to where we wanted. No ticket machine at the front of the bus. I waited with 2 euros in my pocket but noone was interested. We saved 2 euros.

As we were walking back we met a young couple who recognized us from the hotel. The asked us if we spoke English. They wanted to take the bus to where we had been so we told them how.

I am having trouble with my recharging of the computer. The transformer overheats and has to be cooled down. However, we get both the video camera and the computer back up and running.

Dinner at 8pm is OK for us since we had a large lunch and breakfast. We ordered the same steak and vegetable, salad, cappuccino as the day before. Still a good deal and a nice place to eat (in the hotel). The young couple (from Michigan) was also in the hotel restaurant. We chatted so more. They were a nice couple.

Off to bed getting ready to go to Florence (Firenze) tomorrow.

A new day and the air is nice and about 24 C.

We had problems getting the "hi-tech" shower to work. They had to send someone up to explain it to us. It had a rain shower head and a hand shower... very nice. But I found the temperature difficult to adjust.

We decided on the hotel restaurant for breakfast. We each had a lovely croissant roll (with jam inside) and a cappuccino.

We got more advice from a new girl at the main desk but this turned out to be incorrect. Eventually we found the correct packing lot and parked. The lot has a license scanner and when you are finished, you enter your license number and it tells you how much to pay. Then at the exit gate, you exit after the scanner reads your license and if you have paid.


We went to the Church of St. Anthony of Padua. They would not let Nancy in since her shoulders were uncovered. Nancy bought a nice matching shawl for 4 Euros. She got it for 1 Euro less by bartering.

The cathedral was super. St. Anthony's body is buried in a crypt inside. There were NO fees for going into the church and anterooms. This was nice since most churches previously had a charge.

We were stretch for time since we had only booked a room for one day and I wanted to make sure that we arrived back at the hotel in time. We did. Be bought a bun with prescutto on the way and a big bottle of water.

We got our bags down to the car and checked out. We had another cappuccino and headed out. At first we thought we knew where to get on the A13 but our GPS "mother" had slightly other plans; we went with hers...and they worked.

Driving in this part of Italy is quite boring. Very flat and without much appeal. The trucks were out in full force. The highway which is a toll-way was not in great shape. Not as good as highway 401. It was 2 lanes and not as wide as Hungarian roads.

Bologna is only about 125 km from PAaua so we did not have long to drive. The traffic was pretty good until we arrived near our turn-off in Bologna. There was a huge traffic jam.

We had a little trouble finding our hotel but I went out on foot and found that it wads quite close to where I had parked the car.

Another very modern hotels with Internet this time. We ate our sandwiches and rested till we went out.

We realized that we had missed a day in our schedule, so we ask for 1 more day in Bologna. They were happy with this.

The hotel clerk suggested a centre town trek. Nancy and I started off, but we soon were going in the wrong direction. So, we had to get back on track a bit. We stopped to cool of at a local bar with a cold brew of Italian beer. It was very good. We went over the bridge that covers the train station. There will be a new one in the future that will have 3 underground levels. Quite an undertaking.

Further down the street we visited a local park with fountain and relics of an ancient Roman viaduct. The one thing that makes Bologna unique are the arches in front of the street stores. We managed to get up to the beginning of the pedestrian zone when we headed back. Nancy's foot was bothering her but she was OK to get back to the hotel.

Supper was the business menu - steak, cooked vegetables (egg plant and others of that ilk), there was also a nice salad with balsamic vinegar and oil. This also included water or choice and cappuccino for 16 euros each. Very nice. There was also a thin slice of cheese over the steak.

We started a conversation with the family;y at the next table. They were Americans of Ukrainian decent who now live in Baco Ratan Florida. They have a 1 million dollar hoe that is now worth only 450 thousand. They had at one time at the peak of the building bubble 7 homes. Now they are down to one... their home. they are also renting a car.

We had no trouble getting back to the hotel because we ate there.

Back in the room we looked at TV for the first time - BBC News and CNN world.

No Internet yesterday so we are a day late with this post.
We were up early and had our a lovely breakfast as usual...no palinka today since we are travelling. We were able to get our souvenirs in one bag and our clothes in the large luggage bag... but why did we brought the one bag with souvenirs to Italy... we should have left them with Tomas and Gyongyi. Oh well, that's not the biggest mistake we made.

We gassed up in Nagykanizsa but we picked the wrong gas station; Lukoil instead of MOL. We ended up with another road pass for Hungary; we needed the pass for Slovenia... actually it might have been for Croatia as it turns out. So we got a n extra pass for Hungary and then I selected a one month pass for Slovenia (Croatia).. the cost was quite a bit more.

The GPS form Tomas works but the man's voice is in Hungarian. It did not take me long to get an English woman's voice on there. This was fortunate since he was giving me very long instructions and complaining about my speed.

We left Nagykonizsa about 9:30 am. We were close to the Slovenian boarder when I missed a turn. We turned around and found the correct one. At the Hungarian side there were questions and almost a luggage search. He saw that I had Vienna luggage he stopped his search. He asked me if I had alcohol and I said NO. Then we entered Slovenia and we got our passports stamped... they wanted to know where we were going. We answered that truthfully.

Slovenia had a toll highway. We thought that was a little much considering we had paid for a highway pass. We went through Belgrad without stopping and then we were surprised when we had to go through Crotia. We really had not looked carefully at the map.

Ljuljana (must check the spelling) is the capital of Croatia. It is located in a valley. There are lots of hills in Croatia moreso than Solvenia. There are a lot of similarities between Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia. The house construction is similar and it would be hard to tell many differences between all 3 countries. In fact, at one time they were all part of the Austro-Hungrian Empire.

Nancy liked the mountains because they were higher than ones in Hungary.

After we went through Ljuljana we ran into a thunder storm. We waited at a roadside gas bar but the rain continued so we took off and in 5 km, there was no rain. From Croatia you enter Italy and there is NO passport check at all. We stopped for a third or fourth time near Trieste.

The top of Italy is very flat and the auto way is boring. There were lots of large trucks. Driving at the speed limit... 110 in Italy, 130 in Croatia and Slovenia and Hungary is usually good. People pass and you hardly notice a difference. Only once did I see someone flash their lights and were not in that lane.

The GPS has been good. The girl, we call her “mother” got confused in Croatia when we were on a new road. The maps system had NOT been updated via the computer and the GPS was using the old road. We managed to quiet her for this time and stay on the correct road.

Near Padua (Padova in Italy) things got a little confused but we ended up at Padua fine. The toll system in Italy is automated and you end up having to put in Euro bills or coins. I am not sure if I short-changed the system or I put too much money in... probably the later.

Things got very complicated in Padua. The GPS kept giving us difficult to follow turns. We stopped the car and saw the hotel we were looking for; but it was on a separate street beside the regular street. We ended up driving over the sidewalk to get to the lobby.

A dark-haired girl who spoke Italian and English was the receptionist. She turns out to be Hungarian and started to talk to us in Hungarian. “Deja vous” again !

Our room is very modern, air-conditioned and large The shower is open glass at both sides. A bidet is also in the large bathroom. Security is very good and we have indoor parking. The only two deficits are NO Internet (15 euro for 30 minutes but this is the maximum). We think it a little too much. Tomorrow we will have FREE Internet to post the blogs.

We are resting before taking a walk to find a nice restaurant. The hotel seems a bit on the pricy side.

About 6:30 pm we left the hotel and tried to find the parking lot that we had been advised of by the desk receptionist (who is Hungarian). The advice was good be we missed the turn-offs and eventually ended up in the large square (oval) in the middle of the old city. We found a parking place in a ticketed area, but it was not the one were had been told of.

We wandered up the Via Roma and ended up in Garabaldi square. We were looking for a nice restaurant but most of the places were pizza or ice-cream or pricey. We stopped at a small bar and had an Italian beer which was very good. This helped me because we had not eaten much since breakfast and a few light bread snacks. When we had finally givern up and we were heading back to the hotel (B4 hotel); I don't know if there is an AFTER one...hahaha; we spotted a little restaurant (trottiari) where there seemded to be a lot of locals having dinner. We stopped here and it proved to be an excellent choice. For Primo we each had a lovely lasagna with lots of cheese and topped with aspargus. For secundo we shared a scalapenna (fried veal) with onion and aspargus. This was also very tastie. I ordered a dessert which we also split and then a coffee... a real espresso. The meal with a 10 euro tip was 59 euros. It was a leisurely 2 hour dinner. Then the "fun" began.

We got back to the car and tried to find our way back to the hotel. At night the roads are so different and I could not remember which way we came. I drove around and around not knowing even what direction to go. One guy was really irate with me. He rolled down his window and started into a long harangue about my driving... I just waved my hand because I did not understand a word. I finally spotted a bar with a good number of people. I stopped and as usual, very few people could speak English. However, one man in his 50's got interested in our plight and after a number of questions about the hotel, said he would drive and we should follow. After about 15 or 20 minutes of many turns in the roads, he stopped and we could see our hotel. We offered him a bottle of wine but he said he would take nothing. This more than made up for any other driver we met. He was a wonderful person who went way far out of his way for us.
We went to bed but it was difficult to get a good night's rest even though the hotel room was superb.

Day 14 and we are half way through our journey. The skies are sullen and the temperature below 12 C when I leave with Tamas for Laci's house. Nancy will stay in Garabonc until the planned family party in the afternoon.

Tamas and I had a quick coffee at Laci and Agi's. Then it is off in Laci's Honda to the horbargast store (fisherman's). It is not open so we go over to the large Csarnak across the road. It has all kinds of vegetables and fruits and meats. Each person sells what they grow on the farm. I have been here before but it is a lovely place to visit and the prices are better than at the local SPAR supermarket |across the road).

We are only in the Horbargast store for a minute. Laci buys something which looks like worms. When we get outside he shows me...it is thousands of MAGGOTS ! They are wriggling and look very alive. He says they are good for our bait.

We meet up with Robbie, Laci's friend from work in a small village not too far from (Nagy)Konizsa. We get all of the fishing gear loaded into Robbie's car (a small Suzuki). He bring two large fish (ponty-carp) about 3 kilo each. They are very clean and have been gutted. He stops part way and drops these fish off to someone. We make another stop, but I do not know why.

The road gradually dies and we are on a mud rutted road that is full of holes filled with water. We go deeper and deeper into the woods until we see a small lake. When we get out I see why Laci said to bring mosquito spray... there are billions of the little devils and they attack you everywhere there is skin. Fortunately we are heavily clad because it is still quite cool.

We carry all of the gear to the far side of the "lake" (large pond). Robbie does all of the work... he is our guide. Fishing for ponty in Hungary is quite different from Canada. Long rods are used and floats and the bait (on very small hooks) is dried CORN kernels. We do use some of the maggots though but the main bait is corn.

Robbie not only sets up the lines but he shoots out some special mixtures of food around the area we have set the float lines. He uses a large slingshot for this.

It isn't very long till I get a bite, but I have to learn the system and lose what might have been the first fish. I am more successful on the second bite and I land a small fish, not a ponty but something in the same family. We throw it back.

The weather is changeable and we get some small showers, but we a protected by the trees of the forest.

Laci tells me that Croatia is only 50 m away; so we go to look. There is a fairly large creek or small fast moving river. Croatia is on the other side. It is obvious that this is a popular spot since there is a fire pit and a large set-up which can trap fish in the river. The mosquitoes are even worse here.

We head back and find no change in our luck. Another friend of Laci and Robbie wanders in. He is Gabor a co-worker. He does not fish but smokes a few cigarettes and talks. His dialogue is generously filled with "basd" (fuck). He rambles on and on and finally leaves.

We think our luck has changed when one of the lines is pulled by a large fish and we hear the line running. But it is lost !

I catch another fish, but it is even smaller than the first. Laci takes video so we have proof.

We started fishing about 9:30 or 10 am and it is decided to leave about 12:30 pm. Robbie misses yet another fish. He will be back because he uses up all of his "seed" food.

We take the drive back... mosquitoes biting at us even in the car.
.
We arrive back at Laci's about 2 pm, which I though was early... it isn't.

Jozsit, Magdi, Irma, Istvan, Tamas, Gyongyi and Nancy are there along with Agi and of course Laci. We start with the required shot of palinka provided by Jozset.

The food was prepared by Agi and is enormous in scope. We start with Haleszle (fish soup). There is much kidding about "where are your fish?". The soup is excellent. This is followed by pork hock and chicken polkott, boiled potatoes and galuska. Lots of Laci's red wine is also served.
Then it is on to desserts- my favourite is red currant with fruit filling and whipped cream.

During dessert, Irma and I exchange family tree notes. There is a discussion over the old pictures that I have and who they are. She gives me some pictures for copying and her notes. I will edit this later. The tree looks like it goes back as far as 1804...which is a generation better.

There are lots of pictures taken. Magdi takes a lot on her camera and I on mine along with video.
Irma, despite her complaints about health problems, looks very well. Everyone else does too.

There was much kibitzing around the table and lots of laughs. Nancy and I were the only English speakers, but I did manage to set the table off with a few good laughs.

There was the usual exchange of presents and hopefully everyone got something.

It is hard to say good bye to so many relatives at once, some we only go to see once. But we still correspond by letter and the Internet.

Tamas drives us back to Garabonc. We start getting ready for the journey to Padua tomorrow. We give Tamas and Gyongyi the special gift we brought from Canada - a jade symbol of the Canada Winter Olympics.

Tamas is lending us his GPS so we do not get lost with the other GPS which is very bad.

There was a lot of rain during the night with lots of wind. A window started to bang during the night but someone got up to fix it; I Was up too, but I guess we passed in the night like two ships not seeing each other.

It was quite cool in the morning and a little rain.

Today there will be a family party at Garabonc. We hope the weather is good enough to have it outside.

Violetta and Szabolcs and their children arrive just before noon. David is restless and Szabolcs has to drive him home so he can rest.

We had lecso and bread for a little lunch. We would be eating a lot later so we did not want to overeat so early.

Attila, Panna arrived and then Laci and Agi. The adults tried to keep the children occupied with little silly games, and it seemed to work.

Midway through the afternoon, Tamas got the bar-b-q going... no gas here just wood and charcoal. It was a great smell. Violetta kept Nancy busy talking while I mingled. There was lots to drink...

The bar-b-q was pork steaks and chicken parts. There was a very good potato salad made from cubed potato, shaved carrots, diced cucumbers and onions with a light dressing (not mayonnaise; Nancy helped with this salad.

We were able to eat outside. The weather was cool and we all needed long sleeves or a pull-over.
We took a family photo and I hope everyone gets a copy.

We are starting our preparation for Italy. One bag for gifts and a second bag for clothes. That way we only need to drag one bag into a hotel.

We have cancelled our return to Vienna. We will hopefully stay in Budapest Aug. 9 and then travel to Vienna to meet the car rental man on Aug. 10th and then catch the plane. I did not want to stay in Vienna for one day... then try to escape Vienna and travel to the airport which is 20-30 km towards Hungary.

What is a "palinkas reggeli" ? It is a breakfast that starts with a shot of palinka the vodka-like drink made from distilled fermented peaches or plums; it is about 45% alcohol. A shot of this in the morning before you eat anything definitely wakes you up. This is followed by the usual fare of buns. meat, juice, coffee, vegetables etc.

During the early morning there was a brief but strong storm - rain and lightning and wind storm. When we get up the temperature has dropped and the skies are very clear even though there are still some clouds. We can wear long pants today.

Today we are off to Kapolcsa a town so small, it does not show up on most maps. The traffic is very slow through Kasztey; it is about 10:30 am on a Saturday and everyone seems to be on the road.

We travel past Tapolca, which we had visited a few years back; it has underground caves with water and you can paddle around in a boat.

The road is filled with vehicles of all kinds- bicyclist, buses, cars, and even a horse-drawn wagon with passengers. Of course, the latter held up all of the traffic.

When we arrive in Kapolcsa there are all kinds of people and cars looking for parking. There is a yearly festival here and we are in it. Hundreds of small booths set up with original items - clothes, necklaces, rings, paintings, sculpture. pottery etc.

Almost every home has its backyard involved in the displays. There is lots of food vendors; one place has several "bogracses" set up with different types of guylas in each. The smell is unbelievably good.

There are also open-air performances - violins, guitars, harps etc. It is a carnival atmosphere. The number of people is also increasing by the minute. We got there just before noon and that was early than most.

We had some wine and then later a lovely outdoor meal at one of the booths. The only problems was the wind which was very gusty. It was a very pleasant day to walk since it was only in the low to mid 20's.

The trip back was much faster as the traffic was heading to Kapolcsa. Kapolsca is North of Lake Balaton inland and not far West of Veszprem. We stopped at one of the many SPAR stores which is a large supermarket for some food items. Gyongyi has been trying to explain what "dara" is. It is used in Hungarian cooking. It has the texture of salt but no real taste of its own. It is made from wheat.

Originally we were to go to Veszprem but because of the time we travelled to Attila's and Bea's home for a visit. They live in Galombok not far from Garabonc (5 km). Their home is very nice and new although 4 years ago it was in bad shape. They bought a very old home beside Bea's parents (Istvan and Mary). The renovation included almost everything from the room to demolishing the old garage. The garden is also finished. The main area includes an open kitchen with island a dining room and a sitting area; everything in one large room. It took 30 trips to the dump to get rid of the renovation trash.
Panna with kitten.

Panna is a sweet young child of four and she is very friendly. Nancy takes to her very naturally.
After the usual family photos, we are off to the large garden. There are chickens(100 plus the 10 special Italian chickens), geese, doves, 2 horses, 2 pigs (food for the winter) and a couple of cute kittens. Bea's parents remember me from 4 years ago. They are very nice people. Living besides your parents might be difficult but this arrangement seems very good. Istvan is a painter and he must have helped Attila with the new house painting. It is fine indeed.

We go back to Garabonc where Gyonygi has prepared the corn- "kukorica". They still can't get over the fact that corn can be eaten with something other than salt, namely butter. Two cobs are more than enough for me; cold beer is needed to wash it down.

During the night there is a lot of rain and wind. The pattern of hot humid days has changed to cool rainy days. The forecast for Hungary in the next week is rain and cool.

A nice breakfast begins our day. Tamas was at work but came home to eat with us. Today's new breakfast item is home-made apricot jam. It was made by Tamas's mom.

At 9:30 we went to visit Iboya (Ibi) Janos's wife of over 50 years. Janos passed away in 2005. Ibi's health has deteriorated. She is quite frail and needs a walking stick (actually a broom). It seems like just yesterday that she was an energetic homemaker. She lives with one of her children, Kati, in Garabonc not far from Tamas and Gyonyi. We walked over.
We looked at pictures of our family on the computer, but Ibi would have liked to see a picture of my mother. I will send her a picture when we return. Kati is a chef in a restaurant just around the corner so she can walk to work. She backed some wonderful multi-layer desserts for us; Ibi gave me the recipe for this many years ago. Nancy says she will try to make it.

We returned to the house, Tamas was waiting and we were off to Balaton. I thought we were just going to a beach not far away but it was a 1 1/2 h car trip. When we got there we found out that Tamas and Gyonyi have a small hotel room with a dinette.
We got ready for the beach and it is very close. The hotel has a private area but the beach has a 30-50m area which is FREE. Maybe the people around Georgian Bay could learn from this. Although it was sunny and hot in Garabonc, it was very nice near Lake Balaton where there is always a beeeze. The water was great and cleaner than in Siofok. It also got deeper more quickly. Generally, I liked it better.

For a quick lunch we had "sojtos-tefer langos" (cheese and sour cream deep fried flat donut)... it is super! And washed down with a little beer is even better.
We went for many swims and laid on the beach relaxing. A young man came around with a cart selling hot corn (futt kukorica). The only extra ingredient in Hungary is salt... so I could not eat one without the required Canadian butter.

The trip back was similar but I fell asleep in the back seat. We were going to Violetta's (and Szabolcs') new home for supper.

The home is close to Nagykanizsa in Ujudvar on a hillside facing West. Fortunately, they have air-conditioning. The home is wonderful and the floors all large granite tiles. They said it was inexpensive because there were slight imperfections in the stone...but who could tell. Everything was immaculate... considering two small children this is no minor feat.
we had a very casual supper of various fried and battered foods...onion, cheese and turkey with cheese.
Again I showed the pictures on the computer. They gave us two pictures, one from the wedding and another of Virag.
It was much fun playing with the children and I know Nancy had a tear in her eye when we left.
We gave Violetta and Szabolcs a Canadian keepsake which we know they will cherish.

Off to Tamas and Gyonyi's house in Garabonc where everyone was happy to go to bed...after a few quick drinks.

In Pecs (pronounced paych) under the chestnut tree with a cold beer.

After a long sleep, we did not get up till 8 am, we find ourselves in a new bed and place but in very nice surroundings. Gyonyi has a nice breakfast ready for us. Nancy as usual is into the coffee with no juice. Fresh Hungarian peppers are always great to start the day with the usual meats and cheeses. I get lots of OJ too. Yes it is sunny and warm again.

We will visit Pecs today, a cultural centre for Hungary. Gyonyi and Tamas' will lead us there. It is about 100 km from Garabonc. Tamas takes the Siat(a VW made in Spain). It has a 2L diesel engine and yes, air-conditioning. The trip takes us through many winding roads. There seems to be no direct way and Tamas finds the most interesting route. After 2 hours we are there.

We head to the main square (Szent Istvan ter) and see that the speeches have begun. Nancy is wearing her new good Italian walking shoes. This proves to be a success. We are walking uphill for the first half of the walk.
After the main square we visit a very old church (St. Stephen's). Pecs was the site for a battle between the Hungarian army and the Turkish army and this was the anniversary of the battle.
HISTORICAL NOTE:
"Turks crushed Hungarians in 1526. Hungary was liberated only 150 years later, after victory Prince Eugene of Savoy’s at Zenta in 1697. "

The church served as both an Islam temple and a catholic church. Over the church there is cross atop a Turkish half moon.

It is very hot so we sit under some chestnut trees and have a small beer (0.3L). Re-energized, we go to a 3-4 century burial ground for Roman and Christians. Only one skeleton was found there; a 50-60 year old man in a sarcophagus. The walk through is difficult for Gyonyi because she has spiky heels and there are lots of steel ramps with large openings. A bonus for us is that the price for "nyugdias" (retired people) is 50%.

Then we go to St. Peter and Paul Basilica which is atop the ancient burial grounds. Again there is a cost to visit; probably because they are rejuvenating the inside of the church. The outside has 4 large spires or steeples. There is no going to the choir loft. Someone warns me as I try to squeeze between the stair pillars.

There is a side sanctuary with vestments and chalices etc. and a cellar with two altars and a burial area for important bishops etc. Not as small and narrow as Stephen's Dome in Vienna.

On the way back we stop at a McDonalds. Tamas and Gyonyi get a burger and water while Nancy and I have a bottle of fizzy water. Then we wandered off our original path and ended up walking an extra kilometre or 2. I stopped to buy a second mouse.

The trip home proves to be longer because of road construction. Instead of going to home we stop at a new mall for some household needs. Then on to the main post office in Nagykanizsa so Tamas can pick up a package. It turns out to be COD and more Forints than any of us have, so he has to go to the bank firsts.

Back at the house in Garabanc we try to pursuade Gyonyi and Tamas to go out for dinner, but Gyonyi has other plans. In less than 20 minutes she has a lovely roast chicken dinner with "uborka salata" (cucumber salad) and boiled potatoes.
We manage to finish that all off... with a few beers for good measure.
Because of all the walking, there is no setanyi tonight.

Gyorgyi and Jansci in their lovely garden just before we leave Budapest.

Shall I say it was sunny and warm again ? It is. A very large breakfast for us today. Sausage, eggs, a fish spread, peppers, tomatoes, coffee, juice etc.

After breakfast we go all of the little gifts figured out and we gave a special gift to Gyorgyi and Jansci. About 10:15 AM we started out for Garabonc. Jansci lead with his car and we followed so we could get to the Western road M7. There is heavy construction on M0(emm nulla) so it was a little difficult. Once on M7 it was only 2 hours when we arrived at Garabonc. Our first exit was at Heviz but we soon figured out that it should be a little farther so we got back on M7 and exited at the "kijarat"(exit) 191 for Zalakaros. Ten kilometres and we found Gyonyi and Tamas' house. Gyonyi was home and greeted us very, very warmly. Tamas was working but he came home shortly and we had an "ebed"(lunch) of stuffed peppers, which were excellent. We talked most of the afternoon and looked at pictures. Kati (Janos and Ibolya's younger daughter) came over for a short time. I recognized her but could not place her for a few minutes.

About 6 pm Violetta, Szabolcs and the kids, David and Virag, came over and we had very good talks. We showed them pictures and they told us about the last couple of years. It was nice to talk with Szabolcs since I only saw him at the wedding and there was only a short time to say hello then. Violetta says he works long hours for the engineering company that makes specialty pipes for companies which need pipes that need to be incorruptible. Tamas and Gynonyi played with David and Virag for a long time; I am not sure who had more fun. Violettaand Szabolcs left with the kids. We will see them Friday.

We had a "small" supper and it was very good. Spaghetti and some of the leftover stuffed pepper. After a "setanyi" (an evening walk) we hit the sack. Nancy was asleep very quickly but woke up at about 4 am wheezing. After her puffers she fell asleep until 8 am...

It is already day 8 of our trip. The weather is again warm and sunny. After a large breakfast we are off to the Centre of Budapest. Jansci had to work during the night from 10 pm to 6 am but he is ready and willing to go downtown with us. I drive because we have air-conditioning and I want the experience. Jancsi directs us to the large Csarnok not far from the Elizabeth Bridge. We start off walking down Vatci Utca the large pedestrian street that is very popular with tourists. Here we find some souvenirs at a decent price. We stopped for cappuccino at an outdoor cafe while Jansci goes back to the car to put more money on the ticket for parking. They watch this very closely in Pest as we have seen.

After Vatci Utca we head into the large indoor market or csarnak. It is a hive of activity, lots of people and tourists buying anything from diamond rings to carrots or desserts. We only buy dessert...a very nice cherry retes or strudel.
Then we move our car to near St. Istvan Basilica. We also visit a fountain that you can walk through... it stops just as you step into it. Very interesting. It is noon so we turn down a street to go to St. Stephen's Basilica. It is modelled on Rome but smaller. It is free to get in and you can go up the main aisle to the altar. The dome is breathe-taking. We did not go around the apse to see the hand of St. Stephen. I have seen it before. It is his right hand in the thumb's up position. It is quite black and dried out...for 1100 year's old that is not bad. It will cost you to see it. They turn on a light for several seconds when you pay... at least that is what they did 4 years ago.

Off for a quick beer (not for me since I drive). We go to an outdoor cafe which is cooled by two fans with a water spray.

We go back into the noon traffic. The streets are torn up because of METRO4 the new underground, so traffic moves very slowly. Driving a stick shift in this type of traffic can be painful, but I did not have any problems since I had at least 1 navigator.

We get back to the house and after a quick lunch and fruit salad with cream dressing we are off to get Nancy some new cooler cloths for Italy. While we are at it, I buy a cheap mouse for the computer... it gives me 1 hour's joy then dies. Nancy buys two dresses and then a pair of open toed shoes for better comfort.

It has been decided that we will eat outside of town in a nice etterem (restaurant). Jancsi and Gyorgyi have not been there before so they use the GPS to go there. Not necessary and time-consuming. It is about then that a huge rain storm hits the downtown and then heads our way. Jansci goes back to the house (not far)to put the awning up. The rain teems down and we are forced inside...which is a little cooler anyway.

Gyuri and Baby arrive and we order. After a quick phone call to Peter, we learn that Ibi and Feri are also coming, along with Peter's girl friend Amie.They both speak English.

It was a very good night with lots of "kibitzing"(kidding around).The food was excellent. Nancy and I had the pork steak covered with onions. We also shared a wonderful uborka (cucumber) salad. It was a wonderful night. Who knows when we will see each other again. Peter told me that this was the same restaurant that they took Michael to 2 years previously. It was named something like "the Thirsty Monk".

It was getting late so we went back to the house. On the way Jancsi got gas; it is about 350 HUF per litre... about $1.75 CAD per litre. So you think $1.04 per litre is bad. Diesel is only a little better at about 325 HF per litre.

The day looks to be much warmer and stickier than yesterday. We had scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast with the usual coffee, orange juice and buns and bread. We headed to Campona (a large mall) near the house to buy a cell phone. This proved to be difficult since we wanted to be able to use the phone in Hungary and Italy and Austria. Vodaphone was our first choice. After going back and forth to other stores we decided on an unlocked phone where we could add a simm card. Buying the Samsung phone was easy, but the simm card we bought from Vodaphone... (00 36 70 584 1418) They would only take Forints so we had to change money first. This is not easy to do at a bank where the exchange rate is better. Jansci had to deposit the money and then withdraw it using his bank card. Unfortunately he could not remember his pin number so Gyorgyi had to withdraw the money with her card. This took much extra time.

We then went shopping in Tesco for some groceries and other things. We now have Hungarian Forints so we can purchase things. Even in most stores so far in Budapest you need Hungarian money. The Euro is still "foreign" to most retailers.
After shopping we when back to the house for Ebed (lunch). We had fried fish which Jancsi cooked in a frying pan with oil on the little burner they use in the summer. It was very, very good and a nice light lunch. Gyorgyi also steamed broccoli and cauliflower.

Gyorgyi showed how to make "kovaszos uborka". This is a type of pickle that you make outside in about 3 days. Small cucumbers about 4" long. The ends cut off and the sides have slashes or fork holes. The flower and stalk of a dill plant in salty water with several cloves of garlic and 5 or 6 bay leaves and peppercorns. Also add a slice of Hungarian bread (dark or light). Let it sit in the sun for several days before eating. Cover with a plate, use a large old pickle jar.

The rest of the short afternoon was spent trying to figure out how to get the cellphone to work. I did not realize the security needed. I had to download the instruction since the original was in Hungarian. Even then, things like the security on the simm card had to be entered. The menu system was a little daunting but eventually I was able to get it working...but then we were off.

We went to Orsi and Gabor's home about 20 minutes away. They live high up on a hill in Diosd. They bought the home a year ago and are renovating it. They have already put on an addition and have done a lot of work on it. The lot is large and they have a terraced garden with different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Samu had a lot of fun with grandma and grandpa. We ate a lovely guylasleves bogracs which Gabor had made at lunch time. It was very much like what I make. It was much easier to eat than the polkoltt that I had at the restaurant the day before.

On the way back we stopped at the Soviet Park and took some pictures. We met up with a one-eyed young black cat who was looking for a home. He/she was very thin and it reminded us of Blackie when he was young.

That ended our day and the night was warm and a little sticky. The dogs started to bark so I closed the window and we fell asleep very nicely with the fan on.