The adventure continues...

The Rooster Room awaited us in the hotel in Ptuj! Not to say there was a rooster inside, but this themed Story Hotel was a great find. Located in a cobbled street, it had a coffee room at the front, and further in a cosy lounge with a table ready for us to commandeer, which we did soon after arriving, using the late afternoon to plan our days. As luck would have it we found ourselves smack in the middle of a 50th, shaking hands with the birthday girl, weeping as we witnessed the welcome she gave elderly rellies (we assumed!), but not offered a champagne as they moved into the dining room.

Sunday (11 April) was wet, and after a morning of scrabble and lattes at 'our' table, we headed up the hill behind us to the castle, where we spent several hours out of the rain, fascinated by the history and exhibitions.

We wanted get north to Maribor, and did so on the following rainy and cold day. Managed the bus, but made a huge detour navigating the town before we found we had passed the castle (which Cath was sure would be at the top of the hill - it wasn't) an hour or so earlier. Cold to the bone by then, our triumph was to find the oldest vine in the world, still producing 25 litres of wine annually. Wouldn't you know, the shop's closed on Mondays, and the reader will appreciate from the photo the disappointment we felt!!! As we left the town we saw it was 4 degrees - no wonder we were cold in our cotton layers!

A 7 hour train trip to Budapest.....no 1st class, but we barricaded ourselves in a compartment and created a comfy haven.

We seem to improve our quarters with each move (after one night in a box) and have enjoyed a suite in a central Pest location and a 2 minute walk from a great street of restaurants. What a great time to travel here - note to reader....the season changes on 26 April, so streets and hotels are clear of pesky tourists now! Except us!

Morning walking tours of Buda and Pest have given us a good oversight to this beautiful city, and thanks to Pen, the map and trusty Lonely Planet we have walked (almost) every street in the city. The House of Terror has given us an insight to life here under the Nazis and Communists, and the bronze shoes along the Danube waterfront a chilling memorial to the Jews shot at that spot.

Didn't we have a luvverly day, the day we went to......no, not Victor, but Pannonhalma! Northwest of Budapest, and just a Monastery and exclusive boarding school for 300 boys to see, it was another adventurous day for the intrepid travellers. Disembarking from the train we found ourselves at an isolated frontier outpost, complete with a dentally challenged attendant with no English, and a 2km walk to town - which we didn't actually find... but a bus stop, which we spent an hour standing at until we realised we were on the wrong side of the street! **Read many laughs** Miracles do happen, and so it was that we finally caught the bus and arrived at the top of the hill for (another) personal tour. Wonderful literally, with an awesome library which was breathtaking in its antiquity.

We have unexpectedly loved Budapest, in a country so often invaded and brutalised....Mongols, Turks, Austrians, Germans and Russians, and so much during our lifetime. We have both had our first visit to a Synagogue (the 2nd largest outside NY), and have been moved by personal stories. We have also visited the market, which rivals Adelaide's, and taken another day trip, this time to Szentendre (St Andrew's), 20kms north of Budapest. A fabulous week, including Pen's birthday.

The cloud that hangs over us, although not literally, is whether we will be able to leave Europe......