THURSDAY: BUDAPEST!!!

 

Bonnie, Benjamin and I headed off to Budapest with Zsolt and Reni early Thursday morning.    We said our goodbyes to Elizabeth and Blanka.  

 

 

At the Romanian and Hungarian border we had our usual wait while they checked out the Americans.   Then, on to Budapest for Benjamin to catch a bus to Vienna.   Amazing he can bus to Vienna in about the same time it takes to do the airport and flight routine.   Benjamin is taking course with TCM, a seminary type training ministry.    A note, Jozsef Kovacs also serves as a teacher and administrator in Romania for TCM.  

Zsolt let me drive his car.   Soon, we came to a halt.   A major wreck that blocked the road forced us to scramble to find a new route to the Motorway in Hungary (interstate).   After a brief delay which meant no stopping until we got to the bus station in Budapest for Benjamin, we found a new route.   When we got to Budapest, I asked Zsolt if he would drive.  He said for me to drive.  This provided “one of the those moments that I will never forget (so says Bonnie laughing).   Right before we got to the bus station, I had to turn left and get over one lane and then turn quickly right.   This proved to be rather difficult.  But, I quickly got over in the right lane, saw a turn into the bus station, and whipped in proud of my accomplishment.    Of course, I soon realized that we were the only car in a sea of buses.   My Hungarian is very limited and I missed the sign clearly stated in Hungarian “Buses only.”     I dodged a few buses, dropped off Benjamin.  Benjamin insisted on carrying on a conversation with Zsolt when he got out to get his luggage.   He paid no attention to the man who came hurrying up to us saying something in Hungarian.   Which loosely translated was, “Are you crazy?  This is for buses only.   You can’t park here.  You can’t even be here. Leave!”   Benjamin all the while is ignoring him and continuing with his conversation.  

I now see that I had parked in the space for the 11:20am bus to somewhere that I can’t spell.    Benjamin says good bye.   We jump and the car to head off.   We immediately saw coming toward us rather large bus.   I dodge him went around a corner only to see another bus and maybe heading in the wrong direction of bus flow.   Soon I dodged two more buses while bus drivers and riders stared in disbelief at me.   Finally I had circled the bus terminal and was behind a bus leaving the terminal.   I safely departed the bus terminal with Bonnie in tears with laughter.  Reni (forgot to say she is Zsolt’s wife) is trying not to express disbelief as she returned from her head bowed prayer position or laugh thereby embarrassing me.    What can I say, when we came out of the bus terminal we were headed in the right direction.  

Our adventure continued as we dropped off our luggage and headed for a Pasta factory—business trip for Zsolt and Reni.   The owner, Josca, gave us a grand tour.  He was really nice to us.   On top of it, he loaded us up with fresh made pasta.   We really enjoyed the tour.    After the tour we headed to downtown Budapest for lunch and sightseeing.   As Zsolt said, “The best tour of Budapest.”   It was.   We went to the Buda side and saw about everything.   Pictures included.  Budapest is a beautiful city.   Zsolt and Reni did a wonderful job as tour guides.   Oh, did I mention that it was really hot 95 plus.    We climbed castle steps, posed in front of fountain, road a cable car, took a lot of pictures, watched the changing of the guard, and had a fantastic time.   If you are readying this Zsolt and Reni, outstanding gift to us in taking your time to guide us around Budapest.  

We ended up at our Pensuine the Sarahoz Panzio near the airport.   We have stayed here a lot.   The staff is great.   We said our goodbyes to Zsolt and Reni (they still had a three or four hour drive back to Satu Mare at night).   We rested for an hour or so; showered up and headed back down town for dinner.   We walked along the Danube for a little ways enjoying the lights of Budapest.    We found a nice Italian restaurant on the Danube.   We decided this would be our anniversary celebration a couple of weeks early.    Bonnie and I are so blessed to have wonderful friends.