80 km today from …

A few thoughts before I finally put Bratislava to bed. The number of Japanese tourists in Bratislava was very noticeable – at our hotel and generally around the city. Yes the internet was available everywhere and very fast.

Food in Bratislava was excellent. Generally I dislike restaurant picture food – where restaurants have menus that include photographs of the dishes. Here in Bratislava it was very common in their good restaurants. I thought about it. Given Slovak is the language spoken, and most tourists don’t speak that language, photographs help understanding. We met some Slovakians here in the capital who spoke English but not everyone. Below are photographs of the gorgeous food we had for dinner last night. (Maybe, I should have taken photographs of the picture fooded menu!)

And

Back to today’s trip! Today’s cycle was one of the flattest to date. We had an elevation gain of only 224 metres – you’d nearly get that going up the stairs a few times in the day!

No hills, no head-wind, no heat, no rain, generally good surface, (more on that shortly). Generally a no filled day!

Today’s cycle had many long straight stretches which can be somewhat less interesting but good for getting kilometres covered fast.

We crossed the border from Slovakia to Hungary early on in the cycle.

We had a funny incident at one stage where we lost the Véloroute signs. Denis took out Google Maps to continue navigating. Google Maps sees headlands in fields/pathways through fields as cycle-able – so we were suddenly reduced to those.

Early on in this detour we met an English family who were in doubt like us. Denis spoke confidently that it was possible to get back to the Véloroute through the fields. They followed for a little but then I noticed that they had turned back, their English sensibilities wouldn’t allow them brave it on. Our Irish adventurous spirit kept us going. The “cycle path” at some points was so potholed that we had to keep looking down to avoid flying out over the handle-bars. At one stage I looked up and there I was in the middle of fields with no sign of the Navigator ahead. Given how remote it was I doubted that I would have signal and even if I did would the Navigator hear his phone, (he often has it on silent.) I was lucky, neither fear was realised. I got through to him – he had assumed I was following as he took a right turn.

After about five kilometres of cross-country, (seemed like much longer but let’s not exaggerate here),  we arrived back on the Véloroute! The navigator deserved to feel slightly smug 🙂

Rajka, one of the early Hungarian villages we came through

Windmills in the distance

We arrived into Györ, our stop for the night. Again we had booked a hotel in the old part of the city. I was amazed how beautiful Györ is, I had no idea. Györ is roughly halfway between Vienna and Budapest. Given that it is situated on the Danube once again this was a very important factor in its development. It has a population of 130,000 and is the sixth most important city in Hungary.

In true Eagles style we are now relaxing and taking it easy on the final part into Budapest, though I’m not sure about the next line –

Take it easy, take it easy
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy

We will spend tomorrow in Györ and cycle on from there the following day.