Inter Rail 1984 Day 5

Thursday 6th September 1984

 Got up for breakfast at 8.00am. Two rolls, marmalade, butter and what the label said was tea. It was more like dishwater served with a ladle from a tureen. Chatted to the Australian lass we met yesterday during breakfast. Packed up for our day out. Decided it was a jeans not a shorts day.

Made our way to the Hungarian consulate. Stood in a queue for 20 minutes chatting to an old couple from New Zealand and handed application form, passport and photos in, then disappeared for about 45 minutes. Went on a circular walk.

Saw the British Consulate and a very interesting church built with a minaret on top for someone called Maria Scholl. Loads of paintings on the walls including one which was a copy (I think) of the Last Supper. Not too ornate and “only” 4 altars. Footrests that pulled down as pretty hard kneelers.

Queued again to collect the passport with visa and entry forms for Hungary. Waved to the same old New Zealand couple. Found out one fundamental problem – foreigners don't know how to queue like us Brits. Absolute chaos ensued. Thought we were angry but we had nothing on the Jewish guy in the queue in front of us.

We then headed off to the world's largest Ferris wheel. Walked though the old city to what we thought was the River Danube only to find out it was the Danube Canal. Stopped for a bite to eat and had the perfect runny brie. Walked along the canal and back a bit until we found a place to cross over. Spent an hour and a half just wandering around the Ferris wheel and the accompanying amusement park. They're into Dodgems in a big way and we got our first look at the new laser video machines. The controls seemed to be designed for Americans as we couldn't make head nor tail of them. One strange things was that all the scores were either blacked our or not present at all.

Had another bite to eat and then headed off towards the Danube river proper. Came across a daft street with every single shop selling the same tat - cheap watches, radios, etc. There was a very long bridge to cross to get to the far side of the Danube river where we came across Uno City, a weird and wonderful modern mini-city which is apparently going to be the new United Nations headquarters.

Wandered through Donau Park to the new fangled tower. Very pretty gardens. Feet by now were sore so after an inordinate anount of time we worked out how to buy a underground ticket. 70p for a 2 zone ride. Line U1 went throught the bridge literally. In fact, there is a station up in the bridge which you get to from below the bridge. It's a nice clean underground with lots of warning noises and the next station being announced in advance. After changing lines, ended up 5 minutes walk from the hostel.

Sat down and chatted to an Aussie guy from Victoria for a couple of hours about just about everything under the sun. US TV took a bit of a bashing and an American lass sat on the floor above us chipped into the conversation to agree with the bashing. She eventually came and joined us as did a rather strange German type. We eventually realised that no-one was about to serve us dinner. Turned out the cook was ill but we could hand in our meal tickets at an inn down the road which would give us a meal. Suzanne Miner (the US lass) and the German guy came with us.

We had noodle soup, followed by chicken, potatoes and salad in a gorgeous salad dressing. German guy couldn't or wouldn't join in the conversation and soon left us. The three of us were left chatting and downing large beers. On getting back the hostel at about 10.00pm, Suzanne got out her wine box which we proceeded to demolish. Only stopped by the midnight curfew. Staggered off to bed and got undressed in the dark in order not to wake up the other 2 Brit lasses and an Aussie. Was asleep in no time.

Notes

  1. Suzanne is from South Missouri and one of the nicest Americans I've met. She was one of seven siblings and had to work her way through college at McDonalds. She did International Business and German. Been over in Europe for 6 weeks using a retrospective loan meant to cover her college fees. She was in Vienna to try and get luggage from a friend who had disappeared to Innsbruck. She's a Monty Python fan so she must be OK!!



Me Rathaus Park, Vienna

Statue in Wollzeile, Vienna

Vienna Wheel

Donauturm Tower, Donau Park, Vienna

Uno City, Donau Park, Vienna

Vienna Tram