Brighton Sassy at Sussex: Rain, Trains and Snow

March 27th

Our last day in Budapest, we waited around the hostel for a while for someone to come on duty so that we cold check out. When no one showed up, we left our bags, a note saying that we wold be comeing back and out keys before heading over to Buda. The Pest side of Budapest is flat but Buda is very hilly. we climbed up the hill to the castle, which is full of less-exciting museums these days (and remember we weren't spending any money) so we didn't go in. We did wander around several of the courtyards around the castle and look at the outside though. The oldest bit dates back to the 14th century. On the other hand, a modernist dome was built in 1961.

at the castle

Matthias Fountain

Our original goal had been to walk over to a monument on a nearby hill or Memento Park which is filled with old communist statues. But on discovering that we couldn't actually tell how to get to he monument and that Memento Park seemed to be outside of town, we ended up wandering around Castle Hill. It's a good thing we didn't set off for a long walk because soon it started to rain on us and we took shelter in the beautiful fisherman's bastion behind Matthias Church. Despite the cold and wet, it was cool to hang out in a place that looks rather like a giant sandcastle. I just find it amazingly fantasy-ish looking.

Fisherman's Bastion

Budapest through Fisherman's Bastion

With no sign of the rain letting up, we decided to have lunch and then head back to the hostel for a while. Most of what we wanted to do had been outside and so we at least needed to brush up on our guide books. So, we happily made our way back to he hostel only to find it locked and no one was answering the door. It was clear that no one had come to work at the hostel that day despite their claims of a 24-hour reception desk. Luckily, before we arrived the first day on of the hostel workers had called Kelly to check that we were in fact on our way (we had been running a bit late) and so we had a number to call. We tried the number but only got a voicemail. In search of warmth and a bathroom we then headed to a nearby Starbucks to wait and try calling again. Eventually we got to talk to someone who told us that the guy who was supposed to be working was sick and they would send someone over with a key. After finally getting into the hostel we decide to say there for a few hours before our train rather than venturing back out since it was still raining and we had had so much trouble getting in in he first place. It all worked out, but it was a good thing that the whole drama happened well before we had to catch our train.

March 28th

This was by the most train-intense part of our journey. Fell free to get out your maps. :) Fist we took a train from Budapest to Salzburg, where we got in at 3 am and had to wait until 6 am. And let me tell you, at 3am in Salzburg you really want to continue sleeping but you really don't want to fall asleep around a few strangers in the middle of the night at the train station. We wandered around for a while trying to find an indoor part of he train station (there wasn't one) and speculating on whether or not we could go sneakily it in a hotel lobby. No luck and it was cold.. We finally found a small heated box, kind of like a portable with chairs in it near the platform. So we sat in our little box in the middle of the night playing angry birds on Kelly's ipad. It was a little strange. From Salzburg we took a train to Zurich and then one to Lucern. We had planned on spending several hours in Lucern but it was raining and we didn't have any coins for luggage storage so we ended up carrying our luggage to a little cafe and having lunch before catching a train to our final stop for the day, Interlaken. The ride to Interlaken was really beautiful though and we got more and more excited on the way as we passed lakes and cut little villages.

waiting box!

Rose and I in our waiting box

on the way to Interlaken

Out hostel in Interlaken was possibly the best we stayed in. They didn't have many people staying there so we had been moved from our large dorm to a our own three-person dorm room. Once again, this hostel was also a regular hotel and they had a bar and restaurant downstairs, which we ate at both nights since everywhere else seemed to be closed. Oh, and they also had a giant and gorgeous dog who hung out in the lobby. At first we though he belonged to one of he groups staying in the hotel but later it seemed like he maybe just lived in the hotel. Also, the view from our balcony was amazing. we were completely enraptured with the room. I mean there were little exclamations and oohing over our own bathroom and everything.

View from the balcony

view from the room

March 28th

In the morning we went to the grocery store for breakfast, cheese and chocolate. Then we went to the top of Europe. Kelly and I headed up to a mountain called Jungfrau while Rose stayed behind in town because the tickets were so expensive. It was fairly pricey but totally worth because, well, snow. I'm not quite sure how they justify calling it the top of Europe but Jungfrau is the 3rd highest mountain in the Bernese Alps and the railway leading to Jungfraubahn (train station) and the complex on the mountain was built in 1912. At 11,332 feet Jungfraubahn is the highest railway station in Europe, which is probably where the top of Europe claim came from. From Interlaken it took us a couple hours and three different trains to get to Jungfrau. The entire time on the trains I had the snow song from White Christmas stuck in my head. You know, trains, snow, it make sense. We went up through Lauterbrunnen and returned through Grindelwald. To be clear this is Grindelwald the town and skiing destination (at 3,392 ft) not the Harry Potter wizard Gellert Grindelwald who was friends with Dumbledore before being evil. This Grindelwald was nicer. Anyway, Jungfrau. There was snow. It as awesome. There were also some glaciers. This was easily the most snow I have ever encounter in my life. So, you know a little bit cool. SNOW!!