Friday, August 29, 2014

We are sailing ..... errr cruising!!

Well we're sailing ... err make that cruising! It is early morning again (Mick is up to watch the ship go through a huge lock!) and we have settled in well! We are getting the sense that there is room for us to just do what we want to and that lessens that "RSL feeling" quite a lot!

In the morning in Budapest there was a bus tour organized and we were going to the "Nuclear Bunker, Hospital in the Rock" which we didn't go to earlier knowing that it was coming up. The young guide was excellent and we found that we came to understand further some aspects of Hungarian life - they have done it tough here! The views over the city from the highest hill in Buda was lovely but there was a bit too much sitting in the bus for us as we had to drop the "Hot Springs" people off first. Going to the "Hospital in the Rock" as part of a tour group also stretched us a little as some of the people find the moving around a bit more difficult ... ve vant to be alone!!!! The "hospital" is a system of limestone caves that have been developed as a protected network of rooms deep enderground. It operated in WW2, during the 1956 uprising and was further developed as a nuclear bunker by the Soviets. It isn't something you would want to go to twice but on a number of levels was interesting! Perhaps the biggest awareness is of the difficulties of life over many years in this lovely place.

After lunch, which Mick found a little overwhelming, we decided to go for a walk to an island in the river that we had not visited. This time together was much better and the island was a lovely green park space where lots of families and young people were enjoying the sunshine - there was a cool fountain that squirted water in time with Strauss' "Blue Danube" and other hits, it was actually really good! We were back in time to "sail" and it was good to begin moving down the river and getting used to the whole process. The evening meal, the "Captain's Welcome Dinner" was a la carte rather than the buffet. We chose to sit on a single table and really much prefer that. It's not that we are anti-social (and we do chat with people when we sit near them!) it is just that we like our time together and aren't looking to make lifelong friends on this trip! The food and the wine are excellent  and so well prepared and presented. Sitting at our table was just like being in a very, very good restaurant and we had a lovely evening indeed - most pleasant! We came upstairs for dancing around 10:15 and carrid on for quite an enjoyable time ... Mick wants to get up early for the first lock! 

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