"Two Countries" this time.

Hmm. this time it was two countries and it was the first time! It was Austria and Hungary! A very short and sweet trip.. but a strenuous one.
Austria:(September 11th)
Its very similar to Swiss,that's what I felt. The Green lush meadows, the Bavarian Alps in the background.It was picture perfect postcard image!
We used the Euro Lines bus and got down at Linz after traveling for 13 hours but without much pain since they drove so well!From Linz we headed off to Werfen, which is the starting point of the Ice caves.My idea of Ice caves was that : Go,Climb the Hill,see the ice and come back!! But as they say Everything which is worth comes with strain!! This one was no different ...
Werfen:
From Linz to Werfen , the travel was nice and short with beautiful outside view. Getting down at Werfen train station itself was a big tourist spot for me. You can see the Alps so near and a river flowing under with a small bridge.. WOW.. A DDLJ scene for me with goose pimples :). So how could I be without clicking!! I DID!
There is a bus which takes us to the Eirnensiewelt Caves(Ice Caves) from the main station stop . The ride consists of hair pin bends like stuff but it did not cause nausea at all for me!! It costs 5.20 for up and down per person.We saw the "Where Eagles Dare" HohenWerfen Castle on our way! Splendid I say! Clicked photos from far! In 30 min we reached the mouth of the caves and I never imagined people would come this place so early , but yet there was a queue and my poor hubby stood in the queue for the tickets and I went wandering in the souvenir shop! Tickets cost 19 Euros per person including the cable car and the entrance gifted along with the STRAIN!
We started walking and I started very coolly!And that's when I understood, its not easy baby! It was full fledged mountain.. what more do you expect of ALPS! and it was a full slope.Every 5 min I wanted to stop and take rest and when my heart beat came steady I would start again. I Suffered..! But everyone else went ahead of me.. even 70 year old's. Oops.. Embarassing.. Such a weakling I am!Time for excercise was my husband's motto.! At last I reached the cable car stand and was happy that my JOURNEY would end! The cable car was wonderful, better than Swiss! It took us in 3min to 1758 mts. WOW! The Air just blew on out faces and reminded us we were on the top!
There starts the main race..Once we got down from the cable car.. Again another strenuous strip to walk.. which my hubby dint explain to me.. even though it was the second time for him! We walked again and I being the last as usual walked so fast so that we dont miss the correct time of entrance for the next guided tour.This was it! I could not move my leg a bit and there was a point when I was fumbling for words.. I could not speak also. The Slope killed me.. but I must the way upto the mountains was fabulous.. Werfen was seen like a small town from such a height! At last we reached the entrance and I was famished..I could not hold a bread in my hand.. I was so clumsy! And then to add more.. we were the only ones to listen in English and the rest were Deutsch!So we were just handed a paper and "come on.. u have to read it" !
So I read the paper and kept explaining my hubby since he was carrying a "lamp" in his hand like olden days, because we cannot see a dot inside the caves without light.

Once the guide opened the window for us, wind blew so much, that it just rubbed us and pulled us back. It is because of the chillness inside the cave and since its closed always. SO off we walked into the caves .. I would say this journey was the most tedious . I could only see heap of white material all over.. which was ICE. This cave was discovered some 100's of years of ago by some person who stopped at a point and could not continue. The further part was discovered later. The Ice is formed because of the water dropping and the temperature being maintained there and it just builds into ice caves. The guide explained that some boulders of ice resembled some shapes and that it keeps changing from time to time. The steps to climb and reach the other end was a feat to be done. It was so steep and so slippery. Anything ..anytime..Few intelligent people.. stood down and dint want to walk. We saw a cementry for a man done there, because he wanted to buried in the ice caves once he was Out! Mad fellow I say.. but after u r dead.. it doesn matter a thing.
So we reached the end of the cave and then walked back.. the jouney I loved most, since our tour was ending.. one helluvia tour for me!
The safety measure was taken care of perfectly! So we came down back all frozen and I got a few excercises lessson from my hubby for my excellent stamina!! :)
After the strenous excercise, we reached Salzburg and went aroung the beautiful city , we went to the tricky fountain - which was a really tricky fountain showering water in all directions . Was fun!!
Then we visited my most awaiting spot - which is the Mirabell Garden , this is the place where The Sound of Music was shot here where Maria goes around the garden singing songs for the kids !! It was magical!
It was time for the nite and we had to head to the hotel for a very early morning to Budapest!!

Budapest - A city with two names - Buda + PHHEST:

A beautiful city ! The chain bridge is alone enough to prove the same which connects Buda and Pest. We took a walking tour to go around the city and it proved worthy. The currency there is called Florints and it is one of the oldest currencies in Europe and it was used all over Europe during Anne Frank's days!! :) .

Points to remember:
1. "Halo" means .. Bye..ha ha ha.
2. We can fill our empty bottles from any tap on the road.. and it is tasty!
3. Beer and Wine are dam cheap!!
4. THermal baths are extremely famous and relaxing!

We visted the Stephens cathedral,Danube promeande, Castle hill (splitting Buda and Pest) , Matthias Church, Fisherman Bastion and the Labyrinth and the Heroes Square !! WOW!!. That special day had a cycling rally over Budapest and it was great feast to see the whole place filled with cyclers and spectators!

After a day well spent-- very short one though , I cannot forget the stay in the airport for the nite and sleeping over and reachng Brussels ! :)