From an old Spa town in Hungary to a new Spa Town in Slovenia. In between lovely quiet villages (and why not on a hot Sunday?) and plains: either with thirsty sunsflowers or harvested crops. Shade came in the trees, generally happily overlapping a few ups.
Moravske Toplice – a fought over village going back to the Crusades. Along comes oil exploration in early 60s: they find little oil, but hot gaseous water. Profitably mined for its restorative properties. (NB weight loss isn’t one them by the look of the tourist clientele hoovering down the buffet).
A nodding donkey some 40km back into Hungary is also for oil – from American exploration in 1920s and peaking in the 40s. Now it looks a bit lonely.
Before then we’d had a coffee outside a cafe opposite a fine church. Inside the locals were on the beer, this being a Sunday and 9am. Owned by Wetherspoons? Head to church afterwards?
We had a lovely lunch in Barabasszeg, hosted by Ildi and Balazs and their friends from the village. Food always taste good when you know the trouble people have taken to make it. A great excuse to linger longer – too soon back into the heat.
Lots of interesting things to look at gives ample cooling stops. There’s a more Germanic (Austrian?) feel to places with towns signs in German Inn places.
A lovely wooden bell tower from 18C – then [as with our buildings] you read it’s been reconstructed several times. So are we celebrating the age, the design or the thought of it. Not that it matters, it was a fine sight with a welcome cold tap nearby.
A quiet border crossing then cool. A nice day.
Travelling reflections 