Day 20 (20. Tag) 24th September
Nova'Straz - Esztergom 65 kms (1144.0 kms from start)
Nova'Straz - Komarno - Iza - Patince - Moca - Kravany nad Dunajom - Cenkov - Muzla - Sturovo - Esztergom
Click here for Day 21 - Esztergom - Budapest
The morning was cool and cloudy but it promised to be a fine day. Although we were promised breakfast at 8.00 am, the kitchen was locked up tight. We packed the bikes and spoke to someone at the motel. She told us that the chef was on his way. He rolled up at about 8.15 with the stereo thumping and a mobile phone glued to his ear. To be fair, breakfast of scrambled egg was worth waiting for. As we were the only customers at that time it must have been a loss-making exercise. We then rode along the busy road towards Komarno. Paul had advised us to leave the road just before the rail bridge and take a dirt track to the Radweg. It felt like a BMX moment as we picked our way along the rough farm track which was peppered with broken glass. Finally we went under the bridge and onto a reasonable track. We passed a sportclub where it is possible to camp out the back and then followed the track which turned into the main road through the town. We then crossed over another bridge and continued on the road which met up with Road 63. It was not too busy and seemed like a country road back home. We started to put the kms behind us and it wasn't too long before we passed through Iza. We bought supplies here at a Mini Market which was right on the road and even had a sign on the roof. We dodged roadworks and the open drains which appear to be a real feature in Eastern Europe. We couldn't work out why they didn't have a large covered pipe running the length of the road in front of the houses. I suppose it's a matter of cost but the safety factor needs to be considered. In Australia such drains would harbour mosquitos, spiders and snakes and be a hazard for children, the disabled and the elderly. They have been covered over everywhere except along rural roads where few people walk.
We stopped at a small park in Patince to have lunch. There was a restaurant in the park and while we were there a police car pulled up and the officers looked us over before going in to have their meal. The restaurant looked like a run-down club - made of poor materials and not well maintained. Perhaps the food was good. Style doesn't seem to matter too much in the east. I noticed these recycling bins which was a sign of the times. The town was tidy and clean but you could tell that not much was spent on civic pride.
Out of the town we came across some wierd power? poles which had a definite lean and were propped up. It seemed like a very strange arrangement. The memorial below had a crescent on top. We couldn't work out what it was all about. The carved wooden columns are obviously memorials and seem to be erected in strategic places. This one overlooked the river at a beautiful spot. The Slovak word for supermarket is Potraviny which might mean grocery store. Some food like local vegetables, was very cheap. We knew what to ask for now. We also noticed the satellite dishes on houses everywhere and the crazy rooflines where repairs were done cheaply but not very successfully.
We passed many holiday homes and small vineyards along the river to Moca and then the road took us through farmland again - it was very flat and you could see a long way in the distance except for the continual pall of smog which reduced visibility. The crops were grown in a fairly untidy fashion, equipment was old but we noticed this roll of pipe used for irrigation. There has been some improvement in the area but money still seems to be scarce.
After Moca we rode along the busy road with cars and trucks travelling much too fast for the road conditions and reached Kravany nad Dunajom. You can go down to the river and ride along the track but Paul had advised us to stay on the road despite the crazy drivers. We met the river again near a small powerhouse and stopped to have lunch on a concrete pad behind it. Then we pushed on to Cenkov and through Muzla to finally reach Sturovo. We made our way through town, stopping at a big German-style supermarket before riding to the bridge which forms the border between Hungary and Slovakia. Esztergom is on the other side of the bridge.
From the bridge we could see the cathedral and fortifications on the other bank. The border itself is marked on the bridge and over the other side I called into a money exchange place to see what the exchange rate was for Hungarian Forints. We would have to get some cash somewhere. We then rode over the island trying to find our way to the town centre. We took money out of an Automat machine and then rode back to where I had seen a sign for a Pension. This particular pension was listed in our map book. We found the Alabardos Panzio without any troubles and they were happy to give us a room for the night for 48 Euros. They had a large number of rooms for rent and we were given a groundfloor room. It was very comfortable. The Panzio has a large secure gate (you need a code to get in) and is guarded by a large dog.
After settling in we went for a walk in the town. There were signs of run-down buildings and doors needing repairs but on the whole the town had been largely renovated and was quite beautiful. The town square was surrounded by classical buildings from the Viennese Empire period and the square itself had been renovated in a stunning way. The garden furniture, trees and tiling were fantastic. Through an open gateway I spied this statue of a Hun and took a photo. We had dinner at a small restaurant in the square. Returning to the pansio after dark was amazing as the fortifications were lit up making a spectacular show. No doubt many tourists come here.
On the way home we were stopped in our tracks by the beautiful sight of the castle and basilica lit up against the night sky.
The next morning we met Sarah (an Australian) and Jesper (a Dane) who were doing an amazing world run. They had started in Norway and were pushing specially sprung trailers. Their destination was Capetown then across to South America and finishing in Canada. We found the whole concept hard to believe. There are some very fit people out there. You can follow their journey on www.worldrun.org
