The Rumanian border police knocked on our cabin door at 6am and stamped us out. Our passports are looking well travelled now. Ten minutes further on the Hungarian police stamped us in.
We arrived in Budapest only ten minutes late (after a 16 hour trip), so had 20 minutes to make our connection toward Bratislava in Slovakia. Our train was only a few platforms away but it took us 15 minutes of fast walking, because we got off the last carriage of the overnighter and had to get on the first carriage of the other train. We walked the full length of both long trains and then some, must have been a kilometre.
The first class in the Hungarian train was very good with plenty of room for our luggage. The three hour trip was fast and quiet because of the smooth welded rails and good suspension. Our ride in the Bulgarian train was as bumpy and tilting as a stagecoach.
We got in a taxi at Bratislava and the driver was honest and modest for a change. We gave him full marks. He delivered us to the Botel Marina on the Danube, which seems to be a retired river cruiser.
After some teething problems with our small room on board (bathroom light globe needed renewal and TV was still to be connected to the satellite), we set off to the old town which is along the Danube bank. This is a neat bicycle rack overlooking the river.
There is a group of cyclists doing an assisted ride staying in the Botel tonight and riding 110km tomorrow.
We saw the National Theatre,
and the old Town Hall,
which was not frightened of a splash of colour and pattern.
A group performed folk songs and dances in the band stand for an hour, which attracted an appreciative crowd. Group tours from the river cruise ships were in evidence but the crowds were not a worry and the town dates back to the 13th century, so it was very enjoyable to walk around. The weather was hot but tolerable.
Back at the Botel we had a huge Indian Feast which was meant for two but would have fed us for two nights.
We watched a Danutank glide past very efficiently delivering fuel. The river is running fast but quietly.
Every so often a ship goes past and its bow wave sends our Botel crashing into the wharf. We will try to sleep through that.
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