Day 5-Mosonmagyarovar and Hedervary Castle

We started cycling for today in six degree (Celsius) cloudy skies all bundled up. I got too warm in about 7 minutes. We biked through the Hungarian countryside on streets and bike trails. Our first stop was a tiny Jewish graveyard. Our guide told us that during WWll, the Jews in Hungary were rounded up from the furthest circle away from Budapest and then in concentric circles moving in toward Budapest. All of the country Jews were slaughtered but the Red Army liberated Budapest before the killings there.

 As we rode along through the Hungarian countryside, we would see stuffed couples sitting in chairs welcoming us to each new village.  This one was funny with the man missing.  We wanted to add a little sign that said "Who's your daddy?"

 Our cute and knowledgable guide, Susie in her self admitted fake Mammut coat.  She said everything in Hungary is fake, they buy it all from the Chinese.

                           

We also stopped in the village of Mosonmagyarovar to walk around, change money into forints (1$ to 240 forints) making everything seem very expensive when in fact it was very cheap. The bank teller got confused when Mark handed her a $100 bill. She looked around, called another guy over to help her and then he told us the bank could not exchange it. We found an exchange and got some 10,000 bills and a 500 bill for our hundred.

We took our new found riches to the famous Lipoti bakery and spent 140 on a piece of bread and a pastry. The loaves were giant and very good. A chewy texture with great flavor but no butter around here to make it even better.

We rode some more and then had a picnic in a park with the whole group. We then rode off again towards the thermal spas fed by spring water. It felt really good and we were the only ones there. They had two Olympic size pools that were both pretty hot, like giant hot tubs.

 Picnic lunch spot.

 Entrance to hot pools.

Sycamore Alley

 Hedervary Castle and grounds

 Sign on the sagging wooden bridge.  "It is your own responsibility to cross the bridge!"  Again, a little off on the translation.

So we crossed it and saw this statue and little creek.  It was so beautiful.

700 year old tree in the courtyard.

Back to our castle for rest, reading and relaxation before a shnapps tasting and dinner. With half of our group being Mormons, there was more smelling than tasting. It is 40% alcohol and did not smell good to me. The host brought us very thick, creamy hot chocolate instead. Mmmmmm.

Dinner was excellent. Mark had chicken noodle soup and wild boar and I had beef goulash with spezele. It was my best meal yet but again I am too full to go to bed. 

 We are sad to leave our beautiful castle in the morning. We have loved being a Count and Countess for a few days. When I came upstairs to find Mark and go to bed, he was in one of the sitting rooms reading in a huge wingback chair and he looked very natural.