Yes, we opted for a diversion off the main Donau 6 route into Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. So just an easy 20kms, well not that easy the head wind came back. The cycle route was very busy with locals and the road coming out of Slovakia was packed, I figured it must be a public holiday, yes it was Liberation Day celebrating the end of World War 2 .We were cycling along one section when both of our wifi stopped working on our odometers. We went 500m and they both started again, most strange a wifi blocked area.We had a cuppa just over the border 1euro 20 for a cup of tea this is more like it although we were heading for a capital city so weren’t expecting 1 euro cups of tea in Bratislava and they certainly werent!

Bratislava was a great surprise, yes it did have tour groups but not the rush of groups in Vienna and everyone seemed very relaxed and just enjoying the ambience of the place. Large tree lined avenues , fountains, beautiful buildings and cobble stones all with in a very walkable area.Lunch was in a Slovak restaurant very similar to the austrian dumpling food and sauerkraut. We did order a salad but when it arrived as a plate of browning lettuce with one tiny half a tomato on and 2 cucumber rings, we thought no way and sent it back. Suprisingly they apologised and took it off our bill as they’d been rather curt taking our order.We did see one street full of night clubs, an ice bar, karaoke bars good for the youngsters.

I didn’t have the energy to hit any night life after hubby decided he couldnt cope with the smell of cat wee in our bedroom. Yes unfortunately I’d booked us into a pet friendly hotel, another one to strike off the list. All the windows were open and I was clad in all my thermal wear wondering how on earth do I remove any clothing to have a shower. We went down to reception to ask for a change of room, the hotel was full on account of the public holiday and the only empty room was an appartment, 3 times the price of our room. The receptionist then said she would waive the price of our bikes being parked in the garage if we stayed in our room. We must have looked so shocked at this that she then rang someone and the next minute we were moving into a very nice appartment. So instead of night life it was luxuriating in a very large bath.Paying for our bikes to be parked…what next.!!!

So it was a late start the next day enjoying our luxurious appartment and a great breakfast. It was pouring with rain which didn’t encourage our exodus either. So it was back across the Danube and about 20kms in Slovakia before we crossed the border into Hungary.There was meant to be a town in Slovakia we were hoping to stop for coffee in but somehow the path missed it. There were 5 small restarants/ coffee places all closed , on the bike path, the season had obviously yet to start. We had only seen one cyclist and he was an Austrian staying at our hotel. He had started the Danube last year and he was slowly completing a bit each year, he said last May the weather was perfect 20 to 25C.

The danube here is like a sluggish lake, a hydroelectric power station has ruined the flow in this stretch.A huge new road bridge is going across the Danube aswell in Slovakia so opening up Slovakia more.

Before we knew it we had crossed the border into Hungary, the border town had no cafes the supermarket had a coffee machine but that wasnt going to give us a chance to dry out.We were very wet, somehow water had got in around my neck,yuk.The next town we stopped at a pub and went in for coffee and tea. No food at the inn, he offered us toast which we declined. At least it was warm in the pub and a hot cuppa warmed me up.There was meant to be a nice sidetrip to see some thatched roof villages, the driving rain and cold drove out any thought of any sidetrips.On we went negotiating a poor bambi dead on the cycle path, road kill. The cycle path is a new eurovelo initiative although nobody seems to realise once you’ve built it you have to maintain it and there are weeds already popping up amongst the bitumen.Signeage had improved significantly from our brief time in Slovakia.

At last we reached Mosonmagyarovar a lovely old Hungarian town.Its fame is its thermal spa the waters being full of iodine. The baths were being refurbished and as I’m not too sure too much iodine is good for you we just enjoyed the canals,17 bridges, and buildings of the town.The town is also famous for having over 350 dentists people fly in from expensive european countries to get their dental work done.There are dental practises everywhere.

We were trying to find our appartment and had only just figured out that the street names are on peoples houses so in fact had cycled past it. A car came cruising up to us, it was the appartment owner who’d come looking for us, how lovely so we just followed him back. A great place plenty of drying areas for all our wet gear and a short walk into town and the supermarket.They all speak german here so still managing ok and sign language worked well in the supermarket.