To Budapest, Hungary
Yesterday, we rode 78 miles to Budapest Hungary. Overall, it was a tough day riding due to temperatures in the 90s, headwinds, and frequently unfavorable road conditions. While there were definitely moments of beauty, much of the ride felt to me like I was just trying to get to the destination.
Seven of our riders are leaving the tour in Budapest, so this is their last day cycling with us before they return to their homes in the US, Canada and Australia. Budapest is the halfway mark of the full tour from Paris to Istanbul. It also marks a significant transition as we turn away from the Danube and head southeast towards Istanbul.
Immediately from the hotel, we crossed the Danube from Slovakia into Hungary. Hungary is my sixth country on this trip, adding to the list of France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovakia.
While we have continued to pass churches, they seemed to be somewhat less prevalent on today’s ride compared with earlier in the trip when they were ubiquitous.
In Hungary, when there is a designated bike path, the law requires that cyclists use it rather than the road. In some cases, such as here, the designated bike path felt like a serious downgrade.
Much of today’s riding was on relatively busy roads with no shoulders. While the drivers consistently gave me space, it was still stressful having cars coming up behind me quickly when there was no shoulder. Additionally, in many sections of the road, the righthand edge of the road was rather uneven and full of cracks and potholes. This was both jarring physically and required additional concentration since traffic often limited the ability to avoid obstacles.
It was a real relief when we were able to ride on reasonably good and protected bike paths.
This is St. Anne’s Parish Church in Esztergom. Its dome is similar to the Esztergom Basilica about 1 km away. Construction began in 1828, about 6 years after the Basilica shown below.
Here is a photo of Esztergom Basilica and Castle. Hungary’s first king built the original cathedral starting in 1001. However, that church was largely destroyed during the Ottoman conquest in 1543. This basilica was started in 1822 and took nearly 50 years to complete.
Occasionally, we rode near the Danube. Here, the level of the Danube is at record low levels due to drought and heat waves. Also, there remains tensions between Hungary and Slovakia about water rights since Slovakia diverts part of the river at some of the river dams.
I had to laugh at this sign along one of the bike paths. It translates to “Attention, Dangerous Trees”. I did not find any dangerous trees, but rather a bicycle path delightfully shaded from the hot sun.
As we entered Budapest, the Hungarian Parliament Building was visible from the bridge as we traveled to the Pest side of the Danube River. Historically, Buda and Pest were two different cities, but merged together in 1873. Our hotel is just a couple of blocks past the Parliament Building near the river.
An unexpected delight as I passed the Parliament Building was this misting fountain spring to life. The mist felt delightful on my legs and feet as I lingered before completing the last 3 blocks of my ride.