Eger, Hungary

I found my way to Eger, 2.5 hours west of Budapest on the train.  The train platform looked like an abandoned slab of concrete in the middle of southwest Kansas. I wasn't sure I was in the right place and wasn't confident even after asking at the "Information" booth.  What I AM confident of is that I was certainly the only American there, and nearly positive the only English speaking person within 200 miles.  It was pretty damn cool.

 

My primary goal was to find the caves where (I hope I get it right this time...I wrote incorrect information last time) the Magyars hid out from Ottomans.  There's some intense, bloody history there but that wasn't why I went. These caves now house the local wine cellars.  I went for the wine!  I walked about a half hour to the center of town and hopped on what looked like a train at Disney World.  Too small for adults, but not safe for anyone.  We drove at nearly breakneck speed around turns and into the hills where the caves are hidden.  The train lets the passengers off for 10 minutes, and if you miss that train there's another on in an hour (at least, this was my understanding when they left me, hoping it was the correct assumption).  I went into the first cave and was immediately served a giant "sample" of wine.  I tried to pay the guy but he wouldn't take my money.  He did, however, give me another sample.  And another.  And another.  If you can find Medina at home, snatch it up!  It's like a dilute port and it was my favorite.

 

I walked a few caves down and was harrassed by a woman trying to get a party started in her cave- apparently cave #11 is where it's at.  There were people in there from France, Brazil and Hungary, all on vacation from the school they attend together in Germany.  What a place.  A couple of them spoke a few words of English and we had a good time trying to chat.  I ended up with a full glass of Medina in front of me, hoping it wasn't too expensive.  I wanted to buy a bottle but figured it would be difficult to transport. Upon leaving I handed the merchant a 500 Forints bill, hoping it would be enough (it's about $2.50) and she gave me 400 Forints change.  A glass of wine there was about 50 cents.

 

Realizing I hadn't had lunch I went to one of the two restaurants (NOT for tourists) and picked randomly from the menu (truthfully I chose the words that looked most like Goulash since I knew what that was).  I had a half hour before the train arrived and assumed I had enough time.  I thought I'd expressed clearly enough that I wanted to take it with me but ...

 

Twenty minutes later I had a spread in front of me: piping hot goulash in a traditional pot with a handle, a loaf of bread and some dumplings.  Salad doesn't exist here except as a garnish, by the way.  I had ten minutes before the train arrived and tried to gulp some soup. I burned the first few layers of skin off my lips and tongue, and resigned to taking bread with me.  Trying my luck one more time, I motioned to the waiter that I needed to get on the train, and he expressed that I needed to pay (assuming it was a to-go fee, I nodded), and he took my plates away.  He came back with the plate and pot of soup wrapped in aluminum foil!  The surcharge was actually the cost of the plate and pot.  A prize!  I couldn't believe my luck.

 

I had the pot of soup on my lap as we traversed the hill back into town.  I have a nice brown goulash stain on my favorite shorts, but it's a nice reminder of my time in Eger. 

 

My next adventure was to find the thermal spa.  I paid 700 Forints for what I thought was the use of the pool, as it appeared the thermal bath had closed for the day.  I'd worn my suit there and assumed they had towels for rent (they do in the spas in Budapest).  I was wrong on both accounts. I got to relax in the sulfur springs and the Turkish bath (a sunken travertine hole with 6 waterfalls pouring in from all sides, everything covered in lush moss), and then I had no towel with which to dry off.  I'm sure the women in the dressing room were laughing at my attempst at air drying.  I gave up and got dressed with wet skin and no undies. 

 

The train ride back was long but enjoyable.  The train itself looked like a communist-era hunk of steel.  The seats inside closely ressembled school bus seats but were a bit more comfortable.  The entire countryside is covered in sunflowers, which were downturned on my inbound trip (it was overcast) but facing upward on my return. 

 

Tomorrow I'm taking a tour of the caves under Budapest that were created by the volcanic springs.

 

More later!