BUDA & PEST

*Sigh* definitely a recommended city. This place is crazy! Maybe I am wrong but It feels like this city is reasonably new to tourists here and you see the basic street scams involving foreign exchange and an advertised tourist district which is about 10 times more expensive than where the locals go.

This place was invaded by the Turks like a gazzilion years ago and so it has Turkish baths and underground caves created by hot springs. I went caving my first evening which was super cool although at the start of the trip we had to take two local buses, sign a waiver to say we wouldn't sue the tour company should we get hurt and then put ALL our valuables into a plastic bag for safe keepimg....anyone else thinks this sounds dodgy?

That night I went back to the 64 bed hostel to find no receptionist and one other hosteller there. Did anyone know that there were some really scary movies about hostels made in Budapest? It was all right though, no monsters/Bed Bugs and this way I have 24 beds to myself!

The last day I wandered around the Jewish district. This was a ghetto during the second world war and all the buildings are practically ruins but there has recently been a move to save them from destruction and inside the dodgiest looking places and alleyways are ruin bars (and nice restaurants). We went to Szimplar and a couple others WOW
Entrance to Szimplar bar:

 A Hungarian invention.... you buy a lock with your current flame and lock it onto this tree/fence then throw the key in the river and your love will last forever...particularly liked the combination locks (just in case i guess)

Another night with only 3 people in the hostel and off to Krakow

Vienna

Sigh. This place I love. The Capital of Austria...Vienna. The home of the Hapsburgs there are some amazing buildings in this town and for the first time on this trip too much to see and do in the 4 days I have here.

Luckily I am staying in a busier hostel and managed to meet some new Brazilian friends so on the Saturday we went to an Austrian Beerhouse to meet some locals. The place was full of bar games, I had to move away from the fooseball table after being told that I was cramping the players elbow space...there was also a LOT of rage whenever the opposition scored so best I moved onto the 'Hammer game' where you take it in turns to use the back of the hammer to put a nail in a block of wood....money making gold mine, I think so.

Here is a photo of the museum quarter and of course the obligatory horse drawn carriages for those tourists who aren't travelling on such a tight budget:

I took a day trip to Bratislava and visited the castle plus took a photo of this cool statue in the old town.

The thing I loved most about Vienna? all the coffee shops :-)

Salzburg

On the train from the principality of Liechtenstein to Salzburg the home of the Von Trapp family and the Capuchin monks (they tell me the Cappuccino was named after these monks because they dress in Cappuccino colours - I assume they will look something like this).

There is an Old town. A Castle. Helbrunn palace with trick fountains i.e. a picnic table that sprays water at all still sitting down should one person decide to stand up and a Stags head fountain which is a motion sensor and gets you when walking past! the wealthy Archbishop princes sure new how to party huh.
The Royal yellow coloured Helbrunn palace:

Staying in a church...there is a Crown plaza bath mat...Holiday inn soaps and weirdly hot and cold water taps above the toilet?

Along with the sound of music this is where Mozart is from. You can visit his birth place, his family home, his favourite pub, his favourite park, his favourite restaurant, eat Mozart chocolate, buy Mozart Jewellry etc. etc. If there is one thing Salzburg knows how to do its to capitalise on merchandise! Turns out Mozart didn't really like Salzburg and went to Vienna for most of his adult life.Off to Vienna next.

Oh and Christian Doppler was also born here but he just got a plaque on the wall:

Principality of Liechtenstein

Yes. You could say this was a tick off the list on my way to Austria....learnt some good pub quiz facts e.g. Liechtenstein is the 6th smallest country in the world and the largest exporter of dentures.

Here is a quick pictoral tour of Liechtenstein for those of you not willing to spend a night in the middle of nowhere for a passport stamp.
1. Got a passport stamp and postcard stamps from the tourist shop in the capital Vaduz

2. Saw the Principality aka the castle

3. Went alpine walking and got lost with an inappropriately large city map

Switzerland

Why do I always think the earliest flight is a smart way to save money when booking? 3 hours sleep, a night bus and gatwick express + flight later and it really doesn't seem worth it!

Anyway, landed in Zurich this morning. Had a tour around the old city which is beautiful. Have a couple of unanswered questions though:
- Why do the souvenir shops sell cutlery and William and Kate engagement tea sets?
- What language is actually spoken here? I get Ciao, Merci, Guten (something) seriously pick a language so I can attempt to fit in a little bit.
and...... why is the German lady telling me about her problems getting a passport from the Swiss embassy in Argentina and the need for her to be in Zurich a week before heading to Geneva where getting a Swiss passport wont be a problem?