Today the walk was mainly across farmland, past fields of wheat and barley, maize and sunflowers, the paths lined with camomile daisies and scattered with red poppies. There were a few patches of woodland, notable for their muddy tracks.
At the first village I stocked up with food, tomorrow being Sunday and many shops closing from midday Saturday. Unlike the usual "supermarket" style arrangement, this shop was more old fashioned with the goods behind the counter so you had to ask for them. Though I say it myself I did rather well asking for and pointing to what I needed, another few years walking around Hungary and shopping will be a doddle.
Through the next few villages and most of the rest of the day I found myself repeatedly approaching the same two girls from behind, quite unintentionally I must add. I would pass them as I walked a little faster, then I would miss a turn (the problem with farmland is there are no trees to paint waymarks on). In the meantime the girls would get ahead of me (paying more attention to the correct route) and I had to pass them again. Then I diverted to visit a Kilato, they did not and so passed me. I then caught up with them again. This happened a few more times as I stopped for a Coke or a rare coffee and cake. Embarrassing, as I am sure they must have thought I was deliberately following them, but I lacked the Hungarian to make light of the matter. The coffee and cake shop was a pleasant discovery as it was well hidden behind frosted glass so no one could see any surreptitious cake eating. I think the clue is looking for signs saying "Cukrászda" (cake shop).
I had hoped to find accommodation in the Encs area. There was plenty when I planned the trip but online they were all reporting "sold out". I called at two places and they confirmed this, in the second place in the village of Boldogkovaralja they were settling out tables for around 200 people so I presume some big event was on.
Not wanting to entirely miss out on the pleasures of fixed accommodation I had a meal at a local "Bufe" and then headed out beyond where the houses and cemetery ended in the nearby village of Arka, pitching my tent in a quiet corner of some forgotten field.
At the first village I stocked up with food, tomorrow being Sunday and many shops closing from midday Saturday. Unlike the usual "supermarket" style arrangement, this shop was more old fashioned with the goods behind the counter so you had to ask for them. Though I say it myself I did rather well asking for and pointing to what I needed, another few years walking around Hungary and shopping will be a doddle.
Through the next few villages and most of the rest of the day I found myself repeatedly approaching the same two girls from behind, quite unintentionally I must add. I would pass them as I walked a little faster, then I would miss a turn (the problem with farmland is there are no trees to paint waymarks on). In the meantime the girls would get ahead of me (paying more attention to the correct route) and I had to pass them again. Then I diverted to visit a Kilato, they did not and so passed me. I then caught up with them again. This happened a few more times as I stopped for a Coke or a rare coffee and cake. Embarrassing, as I am sure they must have thought I was deliberately following them, but I lacked the Hungarian to make light of the matter. The coffee and cake shop was a pleasant discovery as it was well hidden behind frosted glass so no one could see any surreptitious cake eating. I think the clue is looking for signs saying "Cukrászda" (cake shop).
I had hoped to find accommodation in the Encs area. There was plenty when I planned the trip but online they were all reporting "sold out". I called at two places and they confirmed this, in the second place in the village of Boldogkovaralja they were settling out tables for around 200 people so I presume some big event was on.
Not wanting to entirely miss out on the pleasures of fixed accommodation I had a meal at a local "Bufe" and then headed out beyond where the houses and cemetery ended in the nearby village of Arka, pitching my tent in a quiet corner of some forgotten field.
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| Walk over farmland, note the big fields |
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| Flowers at the edge of a cornfield |
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| So many lovely daisies |
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