Of ferries, highways and creativity with maps

As difficult as yesterday was is just about as easy as today unfolded. The spring was back in my step and the km`s just rolled by. What a difference a day makes. Mind you, the decor might have had something to do with it.

Upon leaving Esztergom, I spotted a human head prairie-dogging above the bushes on the other side of the highway. Thought I`d give it a shot and lo and behold it turned out to be a cycling track that took me a good 10 km along the Danube before returning to the highway. While many spots were heavily flooded and I had to wade through knee high muddy water in my flip flops to save my hiking shoes, it was worth it. Having been spoiled with the complete silence and freedom from traffic, I pulled out my map and got creative instead of opting for rather direct routes.

Grrrrreat decision. I took a ferry north of the Danube and walked along the Slovakian border for a good 20 km. Verrrrry little traffic. It was awesome! Eventually, I hopped onto another back country road that got me to another ferry back into Hungary and over to Vicegradi, the crowned jewel of the Danube Bend where King Mathias built his fantastic citadel atop a mountain. Something to see...

Back and forth between two countries in a day. I could get used to that. Also, the ferries are a feat of creativity. They use a tugboat all decked out in rubber tires along the gunwhales to protect its sides while a motorless big honkin metal tub serves as people and car-mover. The tug is locked onto the tub via enormous braided cables and when the ferry changes direction, the attendant on the tub releases one of the cables thereby allowing the tug to spin itself around. The attendant then refastens the cable on the other side. Sooooo coooooooool!