Back on the Danube

Leaving Brno we used a couple of 1:50000 maps we had managed to pick up in town, to find a really quiet scenic route, first to a lovely lake about 50k to the south,

and then the next day, across the border into Austria. We followed an almost deserted road almost all the way to a small town just before the Slovakian border, with excitement provided by a particularly 'awkward' railway crossing!

We couldn't find a campsite so asked in a bar if there was anywhere nearby ... the local Mayor no less, was having a pint and gave us his official blessing to camp 50m away up a little track.

Crossing into Slovakia was a bit tricky because the bridge we arrived at across the Morava river was closed for repairs - not just closed, but barricaded off! Faced now with a 25k detour we decided that it looked safe enough for two (heaviliy laden) bikes. We passed the panniers and then the bikes over the barricades and brazened it out as we passed the workmen on the far side ... and there it was, our old friend the Danube. We had short break for a photo, something to eat at a little cafe. and a beer to celebrate, then made the last 15k into Bratislava and a hostel we had booked over t tinternet.
Bratislava is a beautiful old city and we enjoyed spending a couple of days there relaxing. Once we set off again, within a few hours we had crossed into Hungary, where we noticed a really marked difference in peoples response to our passing by. Whereas in the Czech Rep and Slovakia we had been met with turned away faces or dour blank expressions, all of a sudden people were waving at us and smiling - it was lovely. We'd stop to look at the map and someone would appear and offer help and directions (unfortunately our Hungarian is zero!) but nevertheless the thought was there.
We've stayed at a great little campsite in Gyor and another on the shore of the lake in Tata,

and tonight we are in Domos, just a few kilometers away from Budapest, which we hope to get to tomorrow by lunch time. We are both looking forward to spending another couple of days there ... and maybe I'll write another blog entry before we leave ...