27.9.24

I was actually awake before Carol this morning.

Breakfast was crazy busy, with long queues to make waffles and to get coffee. The eggs, beans and hash browns were cold.

Ibis breakfast was definitely better than Hiltons

We decided we would see the Stadt park, the Danube, Leopold roof terrace and Schonbbrunn Palace before leaving later for Budapest.

We left our cases at the hotel and before we got 100m it started to rain. Instead of going back to collect a jacket and a brolly I decided the sun was going to break through.

We found our way into the right station and right stop for the park. It started raining harder, not pouring, but enough.

The Stadt park wasn’t fabulous, but there were a few lovely buildings  Unfortunately the graffiti does spoil it. It’s everywhere you go.

When we walked along further we realised it was the road we struggled to find yesterday that goes back to the underground, so we knew there were no other treasures. (except maybe the waiter from Le Pearl)

We went back to U4 underground and went to Schönbrunn Palace,which promised beautiful grounds and plenty to fill a few hours.

It was a massive building. We didn’t want to look inside, we just wanted to see the beautiful grounds.

My anticipation was Kew Gardens. Instead it was just mehh.

It was still raining, I was at drowned rat stage.

Back to the underground, I was busy working out how to find our bus station for later, so we ended up 2 stations in the wrong direction.

We were so close to getting a mistake free trip.

We decided on a coffee stop. The Cafe Savoy no less.

Wow.

Some nice Vienese music would have been lovely, but we made do with 80s & 90s music.

We went back to the hotel, collected our luggage and got 2 underground trains to Erdberg bus station, with no problems at all. Well, I say no problems, we were an hour early.

We found a little cafe, with a lovely Syrian man, we chatted in Turkish. He even let me use his own loo. I’d been needing to go since the Savoy. I would have gone when we collected our bags, but once you’ve handed back your room cards you can’t swipe to use the lift with your bags to street level or swipe to have a pee. Teething problems I guess, like the breakfast mayhem. But it was fabulous to have crisp new bedding and fluffy towels.

The Flix bus was 20 mins late, and then we had to wait for people to get off and get their bags. Carol went and bagsied the best seats, upstairs at the front.

At 7.15pm we arrived at Kellenfold bus station and got a Bolt to our hotel.

Budapest was buzzing and lit up. The Liberty bridge was stunning. Love at first sight while we ooohed and ahhed at it’s loveliness. The train station.. Wow! Can’t wait to see it all up close.

Star City Hotel looked a bit grim to start with but improved. It’s dated, but very clean and our room is huge.

The receptionist couldn’t have been more lovely. We have a map covered in circles and no idea if we can fit it all in.

She recommended we try Paprika restaurant and gave us a simple map of how to go 700m to find it. After a long, long while Google found it. We nearly gave up as we were in a residential area and no way there was going to be a restaurant.

Aha!!

Made it, there was a queue for tables.

The atmosphere, the building and the food were fabulous. The portions were huge.

It was 700 metres back to the Hotel.

Something has happened to my big toe between leaving Austria and arriving in Hungary. It’s swollen and throbbing.

Earlier today a lorry went by and drenched me. Later as I was waiting to cross a road, I spotted another puddle and a car coming. I jumped backwards, forgot I was wheeling my suitcase and almost did a back flip over it. I don’t think that’s what caused my poorly toe though.

I’ve had 2 paracetamol and an Ibuprofen I’m determined I’m not missing anything here tomorrow.

Distance walked today 11km. Distance walked without a bit of a limp 10 km.