Budapest,:Briefly

A quick entry before I go to sleep in a bed for the first time in thirty hours.

We are in Budapest. The Hotel Mikosz. Got into the Budapest airport around 2:30 and took a taxi to the hotel downtown.

All the flights went fine. After all the recent news about TSA security lines, we did as they recommended and got to the airport three hours early. We were checked in, through security, and at the gate in 20 minutes. Thank you TSA for wasting my time with your mismanagement.

As I said, the flights went fine. Overnight to Paris, a walk from one end of Charles deGaulle airport to the other, and an on time arrival in Hungary.

We met with the rep from the company who’s organized the walk and got lots of maps and route guides. I’ll be reading them as soon as I can stay awake long enough.

Had dinner at a place close to the hotel. I had homemade gnocchi with wild mushrooms and fresh basil. It was as good as it sounds, and for 2300 Hungarian forints (Huf).  That’s a little over 8 dollars. Marty's burger looked good and got good reports as well.

Surprisingly, also on the menu, as a small plate, were “barbecued Tennessee shrimp with mashed potatoes.”  Before you laugh about Tennessee shrimp, you'd better Google it. I had some great lines written about Tennessee shrimp boats before I checked. Sure enough, Tennessee shrimp do exist. And Tennessee shrimp with mashed potatoes is like the Hungarian version of good ol' shrimp and grits.  Sort of. 

Tomorrow we take a train to Eger, where the walk will start.