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Hungary, facts and history in brief Budapest, facts and history in brief VárpalotaHungaryVárpalota is a charming little town. An old fortress and some castles are practically in the centre of the town.
Hui Chin and I took a train from Budapest for a day's sightseeing in Várpalota as neither of us ever visited the town before. After spending a few hours admiring the town and it's attractions, we rushed and jumped on a departing bus, without ascertaining it's destination and I asked for two tickets to the 'station', less than 5 minutes ride. We jumped on the bus just across the road from where we got off on our arrival and expected to get back to the railway station in less than five minutes, like on our arrival. In most Hungarian towns they have local and long distance, 'intercity' buses. There's usually a bus station for the long distance buses and the buses are different colours, for most districts. Volan this, Volan that. (The districts' usual long distance bus company.) These long distance buses do share some of the local bus' stops. The driver obligingly give us the tickets. After some time I mentioned to Hui Chin, that it taking us too long to get to the station, but thinking that it is probably a local bus and have to go around to cover some out lying streets, we've decided to wait for awhile and see. That little while turned into nearly an hour and 20-30 km and still no sign of the station. We ended up beyond the 'black-stump', in Balatonfökajár. There was a heated discussion between the bus driver and me on our arrival, he even wanted to fine us for going further than the ticket. I had to explain to him in single syllables that we were new in those parts, that we were visiting the place for the first time and as we've finished our sightseeing, seen the bus about to depart, we ran to catch it from behind. We did not see the sign on the front and not being local or familiar we couldn't tell the bus by it's colour. I also told him, that if the tickets didn't cover the distance to Balatonfõkajár, only to the station he should have told us when I bought the tickets, that he did not have the slightest intention of going to or anywhere near the 'station'. As we both speak the same language there wasn't much room for any fancy arguments. You win some, you lose some, and he lost that argument. Balatonfökajár wasn't on our itinerary, but it is a nice little village, we did meet some very beautiful people and the whole experience was very memorable to us. Something's like this are very annoying and time consuming at the time, but once the anger is gone, they make up some of most remembered traveling experiences. Hui Chin and I still remember and laugh fondly at some of these experiences.
2001
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