20080629, Saturday, Hungary, Budapest,

by Kambiz Taleghani

Arrived last night.  Spent last night and this morning in Budapest.   What a beautiful City.  The river Danube  flows through Budapest.  

Stayed at Gellert Hotel in front of the Danube.  My father-in-law who was born in Hungary said he used to play in the streets around the hotel and visit it during 1930’s.    The lobby and the dining room of the hotel has been preserved with its high ceilings, columns, and ornate furnishings.   Enjoyed an incredible dinner and Hungarian music at its postcard-perfect dining room.   We seemed to be the only ones dining in that late hour in the vast dining room.   (see pictures and video).  Video-taped the music by Hungarian group playing.    Since we were the only diners, it turned out to be a truly private entertainment by a band spread around our table.   What a night!  What an entertainment!  The food was exquisite.  

Budapest has 15 hot-water mineral springs.  Spas have been built around them.  Gellert hot mineral springs is one.   Our Gellert hotel was build on and around the spring.   The spa is something you see in movies and read in stories.  Beautifully preserved and maintained.   High ceilings and column. Elaborate glass roofs in one area.  Statues and artwork around (a few guards in uniform).  Indoor and outdoor  pools.  Steam rooms.   Men’s and women’s sections have their own pools of hot water spring.   Local folks wore an apron/loincloth drop covering their front.   Us tourist-types wore bathing suits.  Men’s area made an interesting mix of bathing customs!  From naked locals to completely covered and shy Asian tourists. 

We have a map of our route attached on the side of the car.   It is a good means of striking conversation with strangers.   Many people stop and chat.

A few Hungarian people were thrilled to learn we are going to China.   One group in front of our hotel said their country’s history and name is related to present-day China.   According to these Hungarians the legend has it that the name “Hungary” is related the Chinese “Hun” and the “Uighors” who pushed west and were met by the local inhabitant.   Uighors are Turkic-speaking people who make-up the majority of the present-day Xinjian province of China.  This semi-autonomous province is northwest of China.   We are not historians nor have the means of verifying the vailidity of the story, but do know that waves of Asiatic people (Scythians, Mongols, Hun, Turks) did reach present day Hungary.

We only wished we had more time to enjoy Budapest.  Unfortunately, due to shipping, customs, and some repair snafus; we now have lost a week’s time and have to rush to meet our strict entry deadline into Turkmenistan; and cannot fully enjoy the sites and attractions of each place we visit.

In the afternoon, headed for Romania.   Drove until late night and stayed at a place near Sibiu in Romania