pics #1060 - #1088

Thursday July 21st - Red Magnetic Moon
Waking up early, wishing goodbye to Krista, a cyclist from Vancouver hosted here, and to Adam. At the astanga yoga studio, I see no Kati, but practice well and let her my last baked chocolate cake. When will I find such a great room and mat to practice? and an oven? I go on with reading the yoga Sutras comments ending on point the Sadhana Pada. I treat myself in a small restaurant, and out of Budapest. The capital city I knw the best now. I leave the stinking pollution and the agressive sounds of its police, ambulances and fire-brigade sirens. I happily notice the signs indicating the righteousness of cyclist to ride along with cars on Margit bridge. Positive change there. the solution implies sharing space and mutual respect. I ride north, stopping for a salad on the picnic place I used twice during my trip to Kismaros. Drizzle, head wind, I am used to leave cities in surly weather. I stop again for a few "rétes", pastries of thin dough filled with jam, cottage cheese, rice milk or even cabbage... In Vác I turn eastwards. Calm road, I camp in a grove by a muddy field.

           The Duna in Göd, Szentendre-sziget in the back ground

Friday July 22nd - White Lunar Dog
Before departing, removing the mud of the breaks and mudguards takes me time. The day is dry but little sun will appear. Pleasant ride through valleys. I am taking the direction of the highest group of mountains of Hungary, something above 1000m high. In village I regularly find water pumps from which I can fill my water bottles. I end the day by a long ascension. Going to the end of a village, and finding, in the woods, a big church, partly in construction. I camp nearby, taking it as a sign of the heavens, as I am currently reading the New Testament.

           Sunflower fields

           Starting the climb to the Fallóskút

Saturday July 23rd - Blue Electric Monkey
Yoga this morning, the ground is flat enough. Then breakfast, while people going to the church observe me undercover, while they take water of the well in front o the the church gate. A little more climbing to the Galatétó before enjoying a great descent. I am getting familiar with this exercise so using my brakes less. I arrive in a village right in time, 10 minutes before shops close.

          
On the way to Szalja, I got lost in paths and keeping the rule of not turning back, I ride for a long moment in forest paths and fields, with the only indication of the compass. I reach again a road that forces me for a big detour to go to my goal of the day, the open air bath in Bükkszék. I reach it one hour before it closes, so I cook on the parking, while people are going back to their home some wearing towel or robe in the street. A young man parks his car next to me and invites me to sleep in the camping where he works, providing me a bedroom next to the prayer room, for free. Very cool. After the church yesterday am I going to end up hosted in a monastery tomorrow? like the one of Monty Python Holy Grail?

           Even lost, a light to follow appears

Sunday July 24th - Yellow Self-Existing Human
I start the day with yoga on the parquet, it is a calm place. Then going to the bath when I move regularly from the hot bath with 35º to the not-hot-at-all one that I cross swimming a bit. People can stay in the spa area for the whole day, it provides restaurant fast-food, cafes, ... I am lunching of the two packets given to me at the camping, being non-vegetarian for the time. Relaxed, I finally start riding toward Eger, famous for its wine. On the way i am joined by three Belgian cyclist from Wallony and we ride to the city talking pleasantly. In the cafe, I notice again the price of being sober: 0.2l of fruit juice equals 0.5 l of bier. Find the mistake. The Wallons have booked a camping, I leave them to start the ascension in the forest of Bükk national park, where I camp for the night.

           Bükkszék

           Eger, 5000km

Monday Juy 25th - Red Overtone Skywalker
I stand up and leave early, long ascension with many curves and a first stormy rain from which i wait under a tree, putting my jacket on. I descent to Répáshuta, a mountain village in a high valley, having lunch at a terrace outside of a small shop. It is very hot when the clouds let the sun shine on. Going on with climbing, and a new stormy rain with the impressive rolling thunder echoing in the valley. I find a shelter where a family is barbecueing, they offer me bread with veggies. When the rain has calmed down, I go on the descent with many turns and water, sand, gravel, mud regularly through the road. Careful, careful! Finally the valley where is the city of Miskolc is built. I am going to a spa, the "Barlang-fürdo" which means bath in the cave, it is actually built in a natural cave. There I take two hours in the sauna, alternating between the 91º cabin the 16º pool and rest. I feel well after that, and the weather outside is dry again. I got back toward my host Tamás, peaceful guy who quit a job of earning good money to become masseur of his own, change from which he looks happy and satisfied. A big lazy cat demands food and attention. We have a diner of potatoes and camembert in the oven, and hot fruit salad. Simple and definitely tasty.

           Flora in the Bükk National Park

           Répashuta

Tuesday July 26th - White Rythmic Wizard
This is the first day of the Maya Dreamspell year. The year carries the energy of today: the White Rythmic Wizard's. More details about the energies carried this year: http://www.astrodreamadvisor.com/White_Rhythm_Wizard_World.html. So: HAPPY NEW WHITE RYTHMIC WIZARD YEAR. May you all flow in wavespells and synchronize with natural time.
Rest day in Miskolc. Exchanging a yoga class to my host for a massage. Very nice treatment in the three last days: spa, sauna, massage. Tamás gives me a ride to the city, drizzle again today. Some groceries at the market, eating a typical "Ludláb" cake, few pictures in a rather nice city center. Miskolc has grown with industry in its small valley, it has been the second biggest city of Hungary but now Debrecen is bigge I taste a great diner of hungarian specialties, pancakes stuffed with chicken, fish soup, and chestnut puree.

          Miskolc, the stream

           Miskolc, a courtyard