Travels with Rustyplough: Black Forest to the Black Sea

A few miles east of Esztergom in Hungary

Seems like there are many “starts” to this trip, the one from home, the one from the source in Germany and now I feel the one moving down to the Balkans. Alright for the purists I know that Slovakia and modern Hungary are not considered Balkan States but then rather let me put it as an ending… the end of what I think of as Europe.

All the sights I’ve seen so far as stunning as they have been I think I could have experienced on a river cruise or regular holiday … most were geared up for tourists, and tourists there were … hoards of them.

OK, am I a tourist or a traveller, discuss!

But let's start properly. I've yet to stay at a place that is actually on the river bank, I don't know if I will, but when I set off in a morning it is always good to get that first sight again to reassure me I'm going ok. This morning was particularly spectacular, my photography doesn't do it justice but on another wonderfully bright and sunny morning it was good to see Donna like this!

My route this morning was to be around the Danube bend and "cutting through the Transdanubian Mountains" it gets a terrific write up in all the guide books...I have to say though that it is probably better viewed from a cruise boat than the road which was a long way from the river at times. I did drop down to see the Tahitótfalu to Vacs Ferry as I hadn't seen a vehicle ferry yet.

I'd passed a few foot passenger ferries and they looked a bit of a risky business. They don't have engines but are linked to a high cable that is strung across the river and use the river's current and the captain's control of a long rudder to cross. The cable keeps the ferry from drifting downstream while allowing it to move sideways across the river's flow.