Cruise

Jeanine and I took the subway to St. Stephens Cathedral, planning to catch a high mass with classical music. The sign out side advertised Beethoven's Mass in C; but the fine print said next week.

I had booked the rail jet, Austrian Federal Railways premier train type, to Budapest. Again fortunately I reserved seats because the only way to describe the train is that it was like a NY subway at rush hour. Only thing missing were straps.

Before leaving Vienna I had received an email which I had hoped would let us know which of several possible ship docking stations in Budapest was ours. But again plans changed, this time due to low water at a spot on the Danube between Budapest and Bratislava, most likely at the famous bend near Visegr�d. Instead we were directed to Sofitel Hotel near the Chain Bridge.

I had worried about paying for the subway from Budapest's Kiletti station to our ship since I didn't plan on getting any Hungarian Forints; and the literature said you pay by bank card, whatever than is. However when we arrived at he station, I found a transit system office with a huge map of the system on the wall and was able to get subway tickets to within a half mile of our destination at the Chain Bridge over the Danube.

But the walking part didn't go so well. Coming out of the subway, I didn't know which way was whitch; and the Google directions with map that I had printed out was no help. We finally found the Danube at the Elizabeth Bridge, a half mile downstream from Chain Bridge. I finally got my bearings and had no more trouble finding the Sofitel.

The Sofitel, where we had supper, turned out to be very elegant.