Arriving hopefully -
Sep. 29th, 2006 09:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shewhomust- better than travelling.
Usually, I'm all for the travelling, it's part of the holiday, I enjoy it. But this time I was nervous about the flying (and the missing connections, the security and the lost luggage). We even considered doing the whole trip by train - on the route of the Orient Express, which has a certain appeal.
In the end, we flew easyJet to Budapest, which went very smoothly: we were herded around like cattle, and deprived of water, and I had my lipbalm confiscated (it was an old, nearly-finished, one, which I'd brought for this purpose): lipstick is permissible, it seems, but this is a solid liquid, and dangerous. Never mind, I had a good book (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jemck's Theif's Gamble), the flight itself was fine, despite the obligatory stag party, Budapest airport is monumental marble, and we admired it until the shuttle bus arrived for our hotel, the hotel was very central and we found a light meal in the adjacent café area, near the statue of Lizst and the wi-fi hotspots.
Yesterday morning took a walk around Budapest: some amazing synagogues, and I am glad we'll have more time there on our return. Then to the East Station and the train to Romania. We had an old-fashioned carriage to ourself, six red-plush seats, and read, and watched the Hungarian plain roll by. The only disappointment was that the sun was setting as we made our way into Romania, and the part of the journey which - to judge from the way the track curved around - was spectacular, we accomplished in the dark.
But we slept well at the Casa Alba in Cluj, and since the man has just arrived to deliver our hired car, it's now time to go out and explore: Cluj first, but then we drive into the mountains, and tonight at the Hotel Castel Dracula ("delightfully kitsch" says our holiday company, "gloriously tacky", says Gail).
Usually, I'm all for the travelling, it's part of the holiday, I enjoy it. But this time I was nervous about the flying (and the missing connections, the security and the lost luggage). We even considered doing the whole trip by train - on the route of the Orient Express, which has a certain appeal.
In the end, we flew easyJet to Budapest, which went very smoothly: we were herded around like cattle, and deprived of water, and I had my lipbalm confiscated (it was an old, nearly-finished, one, which I'd brought for this purpose): lipstick is permissible, it seems, but this is a solid liquid, and dangerous. Never mind, I had a good book (
jemck's Theif's Gamble), the flight itself was fine, despite the obligatory stag party, Budapest airport is monumental marble, and we admired it until the shuttle bus arrived for our hotel, the hotel was very central and we found a light meal in the adjacent café area, near the statue of Lizst and the wi-fi hotspots.Yesterday morning took a walk around Budapest: some amazing synagogues, and I am glad we'll have more time there on our return. Then to the East Station and the train to Romania. We had an old-fashioned carriage to ourself, six red-plush seats, and read, and watched the Hungarian plain roll by. The only disappointment was that the sun was setting as we made our way into Romania, and the part of the journey which - to judge from the way the track curved around - was spectacular, we accomplished in the dark.
But we slept well at the Casa Alba in Cluj, and since the man has just arrived to deliver our hired car, it's now time to go out and explore: Cluj first, but then we drive into the mountains, and tonight at the Hotel Castel Dracula ("delightfully kitsch" says our holiday company, "gloriously tacky", says Gail).
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no subject
Date: 2006-09-29 08:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-29 08:39 am (UTC)So, no rioting in Budapest? How disappointing.
Take lots of photos of Hotel Castel Dracula. It sounds like fun! Actually, take lots of photos in general.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-06 09:26 am (UTC)Not many pictures of the Castel Dracula (it didn't lend itself to it, somehow). But lots of other pictures to bore you with!
no subject
Date: 2006-10-06 09:29 am (UTC)No rioting in Budapest?
Date: 2006-10-12 09:07 am (UTC)Just to note that protests on this scale have been banned in Parliament Square, London. Ask Brian Haw.