Köszönöm Tesco!

Many of you know that despite the fact that I hate running, I often go running in the morning to try and keep fit and to get to know the various towns and cities I travel to. You may also have picked up that I am a specialist in getting lost – in Paris I used to run around with my tube pass because I often had to get the train back to home station when I got too lost. This morning I went one better when out running in the rain in Hungary. My hotel was already in the industrial outskirts of Budapest so when I got lost this morning, I really got lost. After about 30 minutes I ended up stopping two middle-aged Hungarian women who didn’t speak a word of English. All I could mutter was, “Tesco”. Thankfully they understood that I needed to go to the local Tesco supermarket which happened to be next to my hotel. The first lady quickly realised that it would impossible to give me directions, so she looked at the second lady who gestured that I should get in their car. The husband of one (or possibly both of them) was standing at the gate of their garden with his huge Alsatian dog – I felt it would have been rude (or dangerous) to refuse, so in I got. Shortly afterwards I was very happy because it was quite clear that after 10 minutes of driving on the motorway I had really got myself very lost indeed. I was also very happy that the day before I had asked my taxi driver how to say “Thank You” in the local language (something I often do). Never had it been more useful. As I got out of the car they gave me a huge smile as I muttered “Köszönöm” (pronounced cus-u-num). I was just glad I had got out alive with my watch, wedding ring and the fillings in my teeth.

But it’s not only because of this experience that I like Hungary and Eastern Europe in general. I can understand that some might be put off by the lack of any border control checks at the airport, the clearly drunk taxi driver, or the either tasteless or deep fried food served in the hotel and client canteen (yesterday was the first time I have eaten deep fried camembert cheese!). But not me. I like Hungary and it’s not just because of the belly dancers at the restaurant last night. The Hungarians I have met are a nice and friendly bunch. They are typically happy to listen and to talk with you. I will be quite happy if I end up making regular trips to Budapest, although I’ll be sure to take a hotel in the city centre next time.