The Panorama Route South Africa

After making our own simple breakfasts in Kruger, the breakfast at Unembeza Lodge was a treat. As I took a picture of the area, I was slightly taken aback when a charming young staff member earnestly asked ‘Can I shoot you?’ With the camera of course! He took some good pictures too. Breakfast in the bush was a bit too pleasant. We lingered too long as we found out at the end of the day.

The road from Hoedspruit to the Panorama Route was well maintained and easy to follow. Lychee and citrus orchards lined the first part of the route. Then it got quite rugged. We turned onto the R36 from the R527, went through a short tunnel the over the spectacular Abel Erasmus Pass. Even getting stuck behind a truck was not too much of a problem as it gave us a bit more time to admire the views.

The Three Rondavels were well signposted and we were surprised at the crowds of people at this viewpoint. We had not seen many along the way. We had a clear view and and enjoyed walking around after mostly being confined to the car during our time in Kruger.

Three Rondavels with the Blyde River below

After asking about the nearest place to buy petrol, we backtracked slightly to the Forever Resort. With the car filled up, we wondered about getting some lunch there as we had not seen any cafés along the road and some of the towns did not look very appealing. We drove up to the security barrier thinking we’d be able to just drive in, but it was not that simple. After identifying ourselves at the reception and going through security, then describing the purpose of our visit, we got a paper to give to the security guard and she lifted the barrier. The restaurant had a spectacular position and after a bit of confusion about whether the buffet was the only lunch choice, we were able to get some sandwiches and sit outside. We could again see the Three Rondavels, so it was lunch with a view. We had a quick drive right down into the valley then continued.

Lowveld View was a much quieter viewpoint with no admission charge but still great views.

We thought Bourke’s Luck Potholes might be another quick look, but it was a whole area of gorges, waterfalls, pools and yes, potholes. There little bridges across some gorges, though they seemed to be dominated by young women pouting and posing for the perfect instagram shot. I must admit we took bizarre pleasure in walking in front of them if they took too long.

Wonder View was a bit hazy and just a pull in spot, so on we went to God’s Window. Again a great spot and we had a good walk and various slightly hazy views.

God’s Window

We nearly missed The Pinnacle as we only saw the name in Afrikaans, but went back and were glad we did. It was a big stand alone rock, well worth a look. There were longer walks here, but we still had quite a way to White River and did not want to drive at night.

The towns of Graskop and Hazyview had the cafes and accommodation we had not seen earlier along the Panorama Route. We wished we had been staying there, but had picked White River because it was so close to the airport and we had booked a 7 a.m. flight. In the meantime, the flight was changed to 1 p.m. One of the other towns would have been perfect, but we could not cancel the hotel booking. We thought we would arrive just before sunset, but once in White River the road numbers and signs seemed to disappear. We got completely lost. We had used a paper map very easily up until then. We asked a couple of women where the airport was. They laughed and said sorry, they were from a place far away. We finally got out the phone and navigated along a by now very dark road, with Mr Frequent Flyer fiddling with the lights. With no intention of ever driving in the dark, we hadn’t even thought about their settings. We were very happy to finally see the entrance of Destiny Lodge and drive in. We later read that the road we went on was best avoided!

Destiny Lodge was a surprisingly good hotel given its very reasonable price. We had a large room and very comfortable bed. There were peacocks in the grounds and after a tasty dinner in the bar area, we listened to their cat-like noises as we went to sleep.

We were looking forward to some time in Cape Town next.

Kruger Part 3 – Satara, then a bit of luxury

We decided to have a quieter day, enjoying staying two nights in the one camp. I must add that we were never out the gate at 6 am, nor did we stay out until 6pm like some of our fellow travellers, but still saw plenty of animals every day. We loved our decision to self drive and would definitely recommend it and do it again.

After Mr Frequent Flyer cooked us a delicious breakfast, we worked out our route for the day, planning to go to N’wanetsi Picnic ground. We checked the sightings board where people put coloured magnets to show where they’d seen different animals. We had our day mapped out.

But things change. As we went out the Satara gate, we saw a few cars stopped on the main road north, so of course we had to check it out. More and more cars stopped but we couldn’t see what they were looking at. Then we saw it. A leopard. Hooray, we thought, but later realised it was an even rarer beast, a cheetah.

These wildebeest were understandably skittish in the presence of the cheetah.

After the cheetah finally disappeared, we went back to our original route, the N’wanetsi River road, described in our book as having exceptional viewing. It certainly did. Zebras everywhere, impala of course, warthogs, storks, giraffes and even an elephant putting its trunk into a water tank.

New meaning to the the term Zebra Crossing.

N’wanetsi Picnic ground was attractive, atop a hill and looking towards Mozambique (it’s just about on the border). We could see crocodiles and lots of birds but no other sightings.

Even the toilets were nice little rondavels.

Back to the rest camp where there was a herd of elephants right at the gate.

After a couple of relaxing hours, catching up with news from home, reading, washing and those sorts of things, we ordered pizza from the café and brought it back to eat on our verandah, with the last of our Sth African wine from Malelane. It was a lovely clear night with lots of stars and the glow of people’s braais (bbqs) around the circle.

We decided to make the most of our last day in Kruger, a beautiful sunny day. We did a loop up to Timbavati on H1-4, across on the S127 and down on the S40. First we saw some vultures, then zebras and a couple of elephants.

At Timbavati Picnic Ground lots of people were cooking up a late breakfast or early lunch on the braais. It smelled really good, especially after our small ‘use it up’ breakfast.

We had a great experience further on when a herd of about 12 elephants came out in front of us. Nobody else there. We just sat and watched for a long time, mindful of keeping our distance, while they gradually crossed the road.

Just before Nsemani Dam, we noticed a line of cars and safari vehicles on the other side. It was very crowded (some people could do with a lesson in driving/viewing etiquette!) but we eventually saw the lions when a woman called out to us ‘Look under the green tree’. Most of the trees were green, but one was a brighter green. The Dam itself had lots of zebras drinking. They were a bit skittish and would all turn around and look, then settle down again.

Just when I was wishing we’d see some more giraffes, they obliged. We noticed three on the left first then another came out in front of the car and walked over to join them.

Another black backed jackal rang along parallel to our car as we made our way to Bobbejaankrans Lookout. We, like others, stopped here, got out of the car and admired the view. The people next to us left their windows down. We saw a monkey jump in and grab a packet of crisps without the people even noticing! There were Yellow billed Hornbills hanging around, hoping for some food too.

Feeling sad that our time in Kruger was almost over, we stopped at Orpen camp for a cuppa, then headed out what we thought was the final gate. Some people were trying to flag us down, and thinking we were outside Kruger and should be alert to scams, we kept driving. We came to the actual gate and the man on duty said there asked us if we had seen the leopard 400 metres back. We hadn’t, so went back and a lovely couple said they’d been trying to stop people to point it out, but everyone had gone sailing past them. The leopard was close to the road and we watched as it crossed, then stalked a bit, then gave that up and finally walked away and lay down under a tree. It was a perfect final animal encounter.

We were booked into Unembeza Lodge in Hoedspruit and the road there seemed easy and safe. It was strange driving at a higher speed and not looking for animals, though we did see a couple of giraffes looking out from a private reserve. Unembeza is in a private ‘Wildlife Estate’ so we went through a security gate at the entrance. There were lots of holiday houses and some small hotels. Unembeza was breathtaking especially after our fairly modest dwellings in Kruger (though of course we loved being right in the park and would not have done it any differently). The staff were very welcoming and enthusiastic, also very different from the sometimes surly or dour Kruger staff. We were upgraded to a fabulous suite and relished the luxury, wishing we had more than one night. We relaxed around the pool, watching warthogs poking around the grounds.

A four course gourmet dinner under the stars was a fitting finale to an amazing week. The Panorama Route was next.

Kruger Part 2, Lower Sabie and Satara

An unexpected rainy day brought us back down to earth from our animal spotting euphoria. Our next destination was Lower Sabie for another single night. We had tried to get two nights there rather than one but it was booked out months ahead. It’s a very popular rest camp so book ahead as early as you can. Bookings open 11 months ahead here: https://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/tourism/availability.php

The drizzle definitely affected the game spotting. We saw some lions in the distance with our binoculars only when others pointed them out, then a few birds and not much else. Three kudus, including one right next to our car complete with birds on board, provided a bit of a sighting. Even the impala were sheltering away from the road.

We had planned to stop at Nkuhlu picnic ground, but in the rain decided to continue to Lower Sabie for a hot lunch. Sunset Dam was just before Lower Sabie and we joined a few cars parking right on the shore. Took us a minute or so to realise we were looking at hippos, at least 30 of them, plus lots of crocodiles, storks and other birds. Wow! We put lunch on hold for a bit and just watched, fascinated by the birds on the hippos and others right near the crocs. In Lower Sabie, we had toasted sandwiches and soup, then checked into our ‘Luxury’ Safari Tent which thankfully had good heating. In a beautiful setting overlooking the river, the tent (permanent structure with en suite bathroom) had an outside table and kitchen which would be perfect in better weather.

We managed to transfer our prepaid Sunset Drive to the following night at Satara – this was not a good night for going out. We went back to Sunset Dam as I had read in our guide book that while the hippos stay in the water all day, they get out late afternoon. There seemed to be no chance of this, but suddenly two got out and trotted off very quickly. We followed them in the car for a bit then lost them.

Everything was different without the rain the next morning.

We had to have another look at Sunset Dam in better weather before heading north. Plenty of crocodiles, hippos and amazing nests.

Then to the bridge over the Sabie River, looking back towards the rest camp. More hippos.

On the H10 road, a giraffe popped out and stopped right in front of us, then posed in the middle of the road looking back at us. Nobody else was around and we enjoyed our private encounter.

On the way to Satara, we saw zebras, wildebeest and kudu.

We stopped at Nkumbe Lookout and could get out of the car at our own risk. We had a quick around look first (no lions lurking?) then joined a few other people looking out across the plains. We could see giraffes far in the distance.

After we pulled out of the car park, we were looking at two giraffes on one side of the road, when we saw what I thought were three wild dogs on the other side. (We later realised that they were spotted hyenas, nowhere near as rare, but still exciting for us) We watched them for ages.

We made a detour to Orpen Dam, but didn’t see much there, despite being described as ‘a dam bustling with activity’ in our book. This only reinforced the fact that Kruger is unpredictable and that’s what we loved. On the way back towards Tshokwane we watched a very fast black backed jackal run across the ridge.

Tshokwane picnic ground was a great rest/toilet stop, though we bought our lunch then went further on. Stopped to see why others were stopped – they obviously had better eyesight or better binoculars than we did! At first we couldn’t see anything, but then, there it was, a leopard in a tree, a bit off the road. Hooray, we had seen the Big Five!

The southernmost wild African Baobab tree is a landmark on all Kruger maps. Just off the main H1-3 to Satara, it’s worth the very short detour. It’s massive and estimated to be over 1000 years old.

Nkaya Pan was just off the main road and we stopped and ate our lunch, watching four Southern Ground Hornbills and enjoying the peace. We later saw that these are endangered so felt even more privileged.

Satara Rest Camp is set out in circles and we were in E circle. After checking in with the not very welcoming (dare I say grumpy) staff, we had a wander around the camp before our Sunset Drive. There was a nice pool and some grassy areas looking out over the dry surroundings. The rondavels (little cabins) had grills over the fridges to keep monkeys out. As in the other camps, they were clean and comfortable but a bit dated.

The Sunset Drive started at 4.30 and initially, a couple of people who talked too much reminded us why we liked driving around on our own. But it was fine once we got going. The first thing the guide said was that it was not a zoo and nobody could predict what we would see. Very true.

We got to see another leopard in a tree, a herd of elephants, a massive herd of buffalo (maybe 500?) and later a mongoose. Some people in a car called up to us and asked us were there still more buffalo coming (there were – many more!) as they had to get back to the rest camp and it was about 10 minutes until gate closing. They would not have made it in time, but we never found out if they were fined.

I loved the first two hours and the beautiful sunset, but the last hour was cold and not very productive. Arriving back in the rest camp was a bit of a relief. We were very happy to have dinner at the Tindlovu restaurant. They poured us two large glasses of wine and we enjoyed Durban Chicken curry and Venison stew and warmed up.

South Africa Kruger National Park Part 1

After wanting to see African animals in the wild for as long as I can remember, we were finally there. It was hard to believe that we left Australia one morning and the next night we were sleeping in Kruger National Park. Day 1 was long but the bonus was unexpectedly flying over the edge of Antarctica. It seemed a long way south but of course it’s to do with the curve of the Earth. I had the window seat on the left hand side of the plane so was mesmerised for about 90 minutes looking out over the vast empty place.

Arriving in Johannesburg, there was a huge welcoming performance going on, not for us sadly but for the world Seventh Day Adventist Conference. We edged past it and were able to get some Rand from the ATM, get a Vodacom SIM card put in my phone and find the shuttle bus for our hotel with remarkable ease. We did have a few offers of ‘help’ but I’d researched where the shuttle bus was and we acted like we knew where we were going. (Behind the Inter-Continental hotel, via the car rental area, in case you need hotel shuttles). Protea by Marriott Hotel with its quirky aeroplane decor was very comfortable for our one night stay. Next morning, we were on our way to our much anticipated trip to Kruger. We flew to Nelspruit airport on a small (40 seat) Airlink flight. Despite being only 50 minutes, a snack was provided. Strangely, this was a hot cross bun with two cheeses. It was actually very good. The small airport had African curio shops, a thatched roof and a bit of a safari feel to get us into the mood. After collecting our car at Bidvest, we were excited to see impala as we drove out of the airport.

The N4 road to Malelane was easy to find and we were happy that we were not mugged, run off the road or stopped by fake police, (all those things people tell you about South Africa) but instead had a pleasant drive in quite rugged countryside. After about an hour, we stopped at the big SuperSpar in Malelane for a few groceries but ended up with a big trolley load, including very reasonably priced South African wines. There were none of the ‘parking supervisors we had heard about – we just parked in the car park and went in. We took small valuables with us and left our suitcases locked in the boot out of sight.

Four kms further on, Crocodile River was well named. We stopped on the bridge before entering the National Park and could see at least twelve crocs. Lots more impalas and plenty of birds.

We entered the park at Malelane Gate, filled in a few forms, read the rules and showed our Wild Card receipt and we were in. We were off to Berg en Dal for our first night. After a few minutes, when we were jokingly saying that there was nothing to be seen, a giraffe walked out in front of us. This was the first but not last time we both said ‘Wow!’ in unison. Then there were three more at the side of the road. Despite seeing many more, this first sighting was magic.

A bit further on we saw 8 zebras, then an elephant in the distance. Better and better! We checked into bungalow 79 in Berg en Dal camp and loved it. It was simple and would not have won any prizes for decor (think 80s brown) but it had a kitchen and bathroom and a huge outdoor area. It was on the perimeter so we looked out through the fence at the (dry) riverbed and various wildlife like, yes, impala again, kudu and buffalo. This rest camp had a safe walk called the Rhino Walk all the way around to the shop and restaurant so off we went before it got dark. As we were strolling back, this group came wandering along on the other side of the fence. Wow, again!

In his haste to take a picture, Mr Frequent Flyer touched the electric fence which made a loud enough crack that people called out to check if he was ok (he was). We sipped our G and Ts, then had a simple dinner overlooking the bright red sunset while a spotted genet (small cat) shyly came up near us. A wonderful first day in Kruger.

We woke up early with the time difference so decided to go for an early morning drive before breakfast. We saw a rhino first, then some giraffes in the distance, lots of elephants including a very cute baby, then two giraffes very close.

Some people stopped at the side of the road pointed out two lions to us. Wow, yet again! It all took time and we ended up rushing a bit to eat breakfast and leave before the checkout time of 10. Heading towards the H3 we saw two lions again (maybe the same two?) in the same area.

We regretted not buying the map/guidebook in B-E-D when we went off on a bumpy road that seemed to be heading south. I had wanted the recommended Honeyguide book but they didn’t have it. We ended up buying the Tinker Guide and Map at our next camp and found it really good – great maps, hints and pictures for identifying different animals. Definitely buy one of the map books at your first opportunity.

An eagle ripping apart its kill was the only wildlife we saw for a while apart from the ever present impala, then lots of warthogs appeared. On the S118, we saw a few elephants long the dry riverbed before we came across a waterhole and hit the jackpot with zebras, rhinos, a wildebeest, warthogs and of course impalas.

Back on the tar road, Afsaal picnic ground was a great stop for lunch. I had initially been a bit nervous of the picnic grounds, wondering how they could operate without being fenced, but it was fine. A big car park, a cafe and lots of seating. We ate our lunch surrounded by Southern yellow-billed hornbills, glossy starlings and other birds. (Only identified the birds after I bought the book!) There were warning signs so we didn’t stray from the main part.

It was off to Skukuza next, stopping at a big hill on the way for a great view. Looking at the map, I think it was Renosterkoppies or near there, but we didn’t have the map at the time and I didn’t think to use my phone to check our position.

Lots of people did not like Skukuza Rest Camp, according to my research. They said it was too big and busy. We actually liked it a lot. Our bungalow, ‘luxury’ number 51 overlooked gardens and a pool. It had a screened porch and a good kitchen/dining area separate from the bedroom. We were never aware of crowds of people.

We walked along the Sabie River, seeing seven elephants just below us, and booked into the restaurant for dinner. Sadly the sunset was not as stunning as the night before, but the Cattle Baron restaurant was great. A perfectly cooked steak and local wine by candlelight along a river, with elephants poking around just below you makes a perfect evening in my book.

Barcelona. Familiar Territory and Some New Restaurants July 2019

Back to Barcelona! We have spent time in Barcelona nearly every year since 2013, when we spent 5 weeks in this great city. We caught the Aerobus, walked down to BCNGotic apartments in El Born and it all felt very familiar. We love this place. Perhaps we have the disease described on this sign!

We did see a few new (to us) sights. One was the Catalan History Museum at the Palau Del Mar. We thought we’d have a quick look but ended up loving it. We found the Franco time the most interesting but enjoyed it all. The Catalans have certainly had a tough time throughout history!

Views from the roof of the museum were great too.

We tried to go to the Gaudi Pavilions but they were closed for work. After a quick look at the Gaudi gate, we thought about what to do as we were right out of central Barcelona. I had been to the nearby Palau Reial and gardens, but Mr Frequent Flyer had not so we had a stroll around there instead.

Sant Antoni Market has always been under renovation in our visits to Barcelona so we were keen to see it completed. From the outside, it looks great but we were a bit disappointed inside. It seemed a bit soulless, but that could have been because it was Monday and not all the stalls were open.

We have walked past the main Post Office many times but had never gone in. I’d read something about it so had to have a look. It’s an elegant building, both inside and out, built in 1927 in the Catalan Modernist style. Wow! Most functioning Post Offices do not have classical frescoes, nor curvy modernist seats.

Most of the time though, we just enjoyed being in Barcelona again. We ate well at some old favourites like La Luna, Café de L’Academia and Elsa y Fred and bought some delicious prepared food at Pim Pam. We wandered around El Born and the Gotic.

Dinner at Café de L’Academia

Perhaps people are taking notice of these neighbourhood signs. We had no trouble sleeping despite being on a busy pedestrian street.

We tried three restaurants we had not visited before.

Caelis is a Michelin starred restaurant with a special lunch deal. For €40 it includes 3 courses with wine and coffee. There are also little extras like tiny starters and chocolates. I had booked a couple of months ahead as it’s very popular. There is a choice of two in each course and we covered them all. The presentation and service were excellent, as you’d expect in a place like this. It’s a very smart place in the Ohla Hotel. The food was great apart from one thing we were not crazy about. The wine was a choice of white or red and they happily refilled the glasses.

It was a pleasantly drawn out lunch and at the end, our waitress suggested we could have tea/coffee on the roof terrace. We thought it sounded a great idea, so spent another half hour sitting up there looking over Barcelona’s rooftops.

Staircase at Ohla Hotel

Osmosis is in the Eixample, so was out of our usual area, but I had read so many good reviews of it that I was keen to try it. Booking on The Fork website gave us a significant discount, so we decided on the 7 course meal with matched wines. I thought it might be all too much, but the serves, while plenty, were not huge. It varies each day depending on what is available so I won’t describe it all. Our waiter asked if we had any allergies or dislikes and practically whooped with delight when we said we eat anything. It was a sensational meal, a real culinary feast. The two desserts in particular and I’m not really a dessert person. I’d definitely go back – this was the highlight of Barcelona, if not the whole trip.

El Chigre was just around the corner from our apartment so was a logical choice for our final dinner. It’s an Asturian cider house, very casual but fun. We didn’t book but got the last non-booked table. We had a meal of tapas with croquettas, smoked sardines with red peppers, ‘Patatinas’ (potato croquettes with hazelnuts and blue cheese, mmm) and the highlight, oh so tender octopus on a bed of sliced potatoes with caramelised onion. It was a perfect last dinner.

After long delays in Barcelona and London, it was great to finally arrive home. We had some final preparations to do for our next trip, to amazing South Africa.

Budapest July 2019

Budapest had been on our list for a while. The short Easyjet flight from Berlin made it very simple. Catching a taxi from the airport was easy and having no HUFs, we could pay with a card and give the driver a tip in Euros. Our Airbnb apartment was in District 6 and was perfect for us. Very close to the metro for easy access everywhere, but quiet at night and in a local neighbourhood and non-touristy street. It was very spacious with high ceilings and parquet floors. The whole Kodaly Korond area was full of formerly gracious homes and we were not surprised when we saw the area being used as a film location for a period drama for a couple of days. We (and many others) admired the costumes, watched the carriages arrive and stood quietly as the actors got in and out.

Watch out for this place in a coming movie.

We had pre-booked a tour of the Parliament the next day. We don’t have an obsession with Parliament buildings, by the way. It just happened that these two cities had particularly interesting buildings. Unlike Berlin, touring this one was not free. It seemed quite expensive to us, though EU residents and various Hungarian citizens got it much cheaper. We had a bit of crisis buying a weekly transport pass from the machine above Kodaly Korond (short version: we pay, no ticket is forthcoming, we call help line, small crowd gathers, man puts a thin stick into machine, our ticket comes out, phew!) That over, we walked to the next metro station and painlessly bought a second ticket and were on our way. The tickets, once we had them, were great value and give unlimited rides on all public transport. The sun was out, the Danube looked gorgeous and we saw various statues along the way, including the Shoes on the Danube, a simple but moving sculpture where people were shot into the Danube in World War 2.

Our tour of the Parliament was slightly chaotic initially but was then sorted out. The building is Gothic and extremely ornate with lots of gold, stained glass and decorative marble. The tour was very enjoyable but fairly brief (40 mins). We walked around the area afterwards then caught the number 2 tram along the waterfront.

The baths in Budapest were definitely part of its appeal. I had planned to go to a couple but we only got to Szechenyi, built in 1913. Baths have been part of Budapest’s history since Ottoman times. Fed by natural hot springs, they are enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. After figuring out the system at Szechenyi, we changed in a little cabin then used the wrist thing to open a locker. We started with the indoor pools at all different temperatures: 32, 36 or 38 degrees. Very relaxing! After an hour or two we went to the outside pools and realised our mistake. We should have ‘bagged’ a couple of sun lounges before we did anything else. The same old problem the world over – towels on the sun beds but nobody using them for hours on end. We put our towels on a bench but spent the time in the 36 and 40 degree pools, sometimes just bobbing and sometimes in a whirlpool thing. It was a great way to spend half a day.

It was recommended that you only stay in the hot pool for 20 minutes, but these two looked set for the day.

This pool was for swimming laps so was much cooler and less crowded.

Heroes Square and the massive City Park were right next door.

Vajdahunyad Castle, in City Park was a gorgeous looking place. Not really old (built in 1896) but the kind of place you could imagine as the setting for a fairytale.

The actual Castle area on the Buda side was a bit of a mish mash of buildings (some rebuilt) with great views and interesting history. This was our worst day weather wise, unfortunately. There were signs explaining the history and we had a guidebook from our apartment, so did a self-guided tour of the area, the Fisherman’s Bastian and St Mathias’ Church.

We decided on a whim to go into the Hospital in the Rock. It was made using existing caves and was used as a hospital in WW2 and in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. After watching a movie, our guide took us around various tunnels and explained it really well. There were wax models and furniture to give some semblance of how it was. The hospital was made for a maximum of 60 patients, but at times had 600 and they ran out of water, medicines and bandages.

After that sobering experience, we went to Ruszwurm, Budapest’s oldest cafe, for a cake and a bit of relaxation.

The House of Terror is a must do in Budapest. We found it a bit of a strange place , perhaps trying to be too state of the art. The information was in Hungarian (fair enough) but the A4 English translation sheets were sometimes in awkward places and the rooms were very busy. The message though was clear. All about how the Hungarians suffered under both the ‘Arrow’ (Hungary’s version of the Nazis) and then the Communist Secret Police. This building was the headquarters of both. Lots of sad stories and gruesome details. As always, we were most moved by people telling their own stories.

The same day, we ventured out to Memento Park. What a strange place! It was the dumping ground for all the communist statues after the Russians left and has become a tourist attraction.To get there, we took the 101E bus from Kelenfeld metro. It was two (long) stops and the driver told us where to get off.

This soldier was huge. For perspective, I came up to the line near the bottom of his tunic.The Communist Worker Charging into the Future.

Stalin’s boots – all that remained of this statue after 1956

Our Legenda Cruise was touristy but beautiful. We chose the 9 pm because we would get both the sunset and darkness. We were not interested in the dinner cruise as the food was unlikely to be restaurant standard. One glass of ‘champagne’ was included and it was so-so. The views were lovely and the commentary slightly corny but informative.

We visited the Great Market Hall then Margaret Island on our last day. We had planned to go further afield on a day trip but there was still plenty to see in Budapest.

We enjoyed wandering around both the market and the island. Be warned, Margaret Island is big. It was quite a walk from the bridge to the Japanese garden. Some parts were formal and others more ‘bushy’. It was a beautiful day and it was great to see people out walking, jogging and cycling as well as having picnics and barbecues.

We had to visit one of the famous Ruin Bars. We chose Ellato Kert as we were going to eat nearby. Despite being the oldest there for a while (until a tour group came in), we enjoyed the eclectic decorations, fun atmosphere and cheap drinks. Above us, we had Mexican mannequins, watering cans, Santa, chairs and old radios. The tacos looked really good too.

Restaurants

We ate very well in Budapest. Our favourite place was Menza in lovely Liszt Ferenc Square. Fabulous food, especially the Hungarian pancake and the roasted cauliflower salad. We even went back for their bargain lunch one day as well. (It’s only listed in Hungarian but just ask). We also loved Keletes, especially the tapas plate and the goose leg with Jewish baked beans. Bock Bizstro was part of the lovely Corinthia Hotel. It was a smarter place than the other two. We enjoyed our meal but felt the place didn’t quite have the atmosphere of the other places. The waiter seemed keen to sell us very expensive wines too. We tried to book Cafe Bouchon but sadly it was their annual closing time. We ate in a couple of times, finding some good pasta dishes and fine Hungarian wines at a Prima supermarket.

During a quick walk around the neighbourhood on our last day, we discovered another ‘Statue Park’, tucked in the residential streets.

We then headed off to the airport on the 100E bus, spent our last forints and were on our way to a city we know well – Barcelona.

Back to Berlin Twelve Years Later, July 2019

Berlin for a freezing cold winter weekend in 2007 was fun, but we always said we’d come back in better weather. Coming from the south of Spain to drizzle made us wonder if it was going to be déjà vu. We managed to find the TXL bus and off we went, having a bit of a tour of the city on the way to our hotel. The Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate and Unter Den Linden were visible along the way before we got off at Marienkirche for the Adina Hotel. The first room we were given was great but we were looking for the washing machine and dryer without success. This was one of the reasons we had chosen this apartment style hotel, so it was back to the reception. The helpful woman at the front desk explained that it was one of the few without them and changed us to another apartment. The machines were state of the art and much needed after a week in hotels. Sad perhaps, but we were very excited to see them!

We decided not to visit the same places as our previous visit, so did not go back to the Pergamon Museum, Jewish Museum, Memorial to the Murdered Jews, Bookburning Memorial, the Eastside Gallery, Kaiser Wilhelm Church or Checkpoint Charlie, though they were/are all worthy of a visit.

New since our last visit was the Berlin Wall Memorial along Bernauer Strasse. This street was crucial as it formed the border between East and West Berlin (known as the ‘Death Strip’). Displays, movies and plaques told the story. It was fascinating. The movies were really informative and we recommend them as a starting point.

This was a marker for Tunnel 57, so named because 57 people escaped through it before it was discovered.

We had prebooked for the Reichstag (Parliament) tour. It is free but bookings are needed. https://www.bundestag.de/en/visittheBundestag/dome/registration-245686 All a bit chaotic initially but then we were sorted into language groups and went through security. Our guide Ruth was excellent, with a good balance of facts, personal stories and humour. She explained a lot about the building’s history and we saw Russian graffiti, a tunnel underneath it and how close the Wall had been. We had time to visit the Norman Foster designed dome after the 90 minute tour. We had seen the dome in 2007, but had not done the tour. It was well worth it.

Hackescher Höfe was mentioned in several articles about Berlin and staying within a few minutes, we had to investigate. This lovely network of courtyards built in 1906 in Art Nouveau style has homes, shops, restaurants and a cinema.

We had one big day out in Potsdam, just outside Berlin. Armed with a day pass for zones A,B and C, access was easy from Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station. We bought some lunch beforehand, having read that there were not many places to eat in the San Souci Park. From Potsdam station, we caught the X15 bus (included in ABC pass) to the San Souci Palace. We bought the €19 ticket covering everything. Not that we were planning to see all 16 palaces, but every place had a charge and the two main ones alone were €18, so it made sense. We got a timed entry for the San Souci (‘Without a Care’) Palace which was delightfully over the top in a ‘Versailles’ style. The included audio guide told us all about Frederick the Great. He loved music and the arts, entertained frequently, played the flute and grew and drank wine. San Souci, with only 11 rooms was his happy place.

The adjoining Picture Gallery was no less ornate.

The Orangerie was the newest Palace, completed by Frederick’s nephew. We had to wear huge slippers in the lavish rooms which gave us the feeling of skating.

After a quick look, we went up into the tower for great views.

The Chinese Tea House was a little jewel glinting in the sun. Frederick had this pavilion built in 1755, though it took six years to complete. Chinoiserie was very popular at the time.

The New Palace was a short walk further on in the massive gardens. After having paying a large admission fee for the palaces, we were a little stunned that there was a hefty €1 charge for the toilets. Had to be paid though and then off we went to the massive New Palace. An audio guide explained the 15 or so rooms we could visit.

The first was a Grotto, adorned with shells and stones. Above it was the impressive Marble Hall. After it was built, the wooden foundations had to be replaced fairly quickly as they could not hold the weight.

We noticed that Ephraim Palais had an exhibition entitled Half of a City, about life in East Berlin, so visited that one day. This beautiful building was completely destroyed and then faithfully rebuilt in the 1980s in its original Rococo style. The displays about life in East Berlin were fascinating and well put together.

On our previous winter visit, the Tiergarten seemed a great empty space of bare trees. This time it was great to see the gardens full of people enjoying the vast green space.

With time to spare on our last day, we decided to visit the Berliner Dom. This huge old church was badly burnt and then damaged in WW2. We liked the unusual circular shape and we loved climbing up into the dome for some great views.

Culinary highlights for us were lacking in Berlin, probably because of our lack of research. The first (wet) night we ate at a Japanese restaurant close by. Our initial greeting was ‘We’re closing soon, so order now’ and the food was so-so. We also went for a very hearty Germanic meal at Schlögls which was cheap and cheerful. Our best meal was at Osmosis in the Hackescher Höfe – innovative food and a wide selection of wines.

Too soon, it was was goodbye to Ampelman traffic lights and back on the TXL bus to Tegel for our flight to Budapest.