As the train pulled away from the Kecskemet station, I felt myself feeling somewhat saddened by the realization that my visit to Hungary was all but complete.  What a week it had been I found myself thinking as one small village after another passed by outside the large windows in the car of the train taking me back to Budapest.  Surely I had gotten much more than I had bargained for, in great part thanks to the assistance of my friend Kriszta.  She had been so good to me and certainly fulfilled my wish to see more than that of the capital city of Budapest. 

The train pulled into one of the three stations in Budapest right on time that muggy morning.  It was nearly 8 o'clock now and I was supposed to meet the cabbie who had taken me there the previous day at 8:15, if only because he had taken my luggage with him in his car to save me the time and expense it would of taken to leave it in a locker at the station the previous day.  Even though I felt I knew him very well, and "tracking" him down would of been very easy, I was somewhat concerned about the security of my luggage.  Had it not been the end of my travels, I wouldn't of left the luggage with him I thought.  I departed the train and stepped once again into a busy station where I was repeatedly approached my guys asking me if I wanted a taxi.  It had gotten to the point where I simply ignored them.  This would occasionally make them more persistent with their inquiry as they had yet to receive a no.  As I walked with the flow of departing passengers to what must be the exit, I suddenly felt a certain sense of panic.  Was this the same station I had been dropped off at the day before by the cabbie.  For it was at that station where we would be meeting at 8:15.  Shit I found myself thinking, perhaps it's not.  The platform area seemed different, but surely it must be the same.  I had recalled a McDonalds with an outside seating area near where I had been dropped off, and that is where I'd be meeting the cab to take me to yet another station where I'd catch my train to Vienna at 10:30 a.m.  I decided to go outside and see if I could find the McDonalds.  Once outside, I rounded a corner and found myself praying that I would see the golden arches.  I did!  Now I only had to find the cabbie and all would be fine.  As I looked at the line of cabs waiting for fares, I didn't spot his.  It was only 10 after 8 and he still had five minutes I thought to myself.  No need to panic yet.  Then I saw what appeared to be his cab in the parking lot, void of a driver.  If it was his, surely my luggage would be in the rear.  I approached the cab with my breath held inside my chest and was so relieved to see my backpack and suitcase sitting there safe and sound.  Where was the cabbie though.  It was then that I had realized how he had told me the previous day how much he liked McDonald's coffee so perhaps I'd find him sitting in the restaurant with his morning Java.  And I did. 

Once in the cab, he was ever so curious to know how well my visit had been in Kecskemet.  I shared some stories with him as he navigated the busy morning streets of Budapest taking me to the other station where I had been told I'd catch the train to Vienna.  We must of arrived there by nine and as he pulled into the lot, he told me he had to hurry to go pick up another fare.  Fair enough I thought, as I had reached my destination with all my luggage safe and sound.  Within a minute of arriving, he had taken my bags from the car and said goodbye, saying he wished me safe travels and to see me again one day.  Perhaps I thought.  Not soon after he had left, than I was approached by yet another cabbie.  He was a nicely dressed middle-aged man whose cab was quite nice also, so I lowered my defenses.  He asked me if I needed a cab and I told him no, I was going to catch a 10:30 train to Vienna.  "Not from this station" he told me.  I was puzzled, as both the hotel Fortuna staff and the other cabbie told me I could.  I felt myself becoming somewhat short tempered with him, being the bearer of such bad news.  Surely you're wrong I told him.  He suggested we go inside and inquire of the ticket office.  Fair enough I said, so I went inside the station with him close behind.  Once at the ticket counter, his representation was confirmed.  Rather than feeling angry by the wrong information given me by the hotel and the other cabbie, I found myself feeling very grateful that I had met this cabbie after all.  I wondered as I had so many times during my travels if I wasn't being "looked over" by something or someone not of this world if you will.  I negotiated a fair price with the cabbie and off we went to the station where I would catch my next train that day.   We arrived there with plenty of time, and after helping me with my bags up the stairs to the platforms where the trains waited, I said a heartfelt thank you to the cabbie and went on my way.  I still had twenty minutes till the train left from platform one for Vienna, so I went and bought some snacks for the trip. 

The ride to Vienna from Budapest would take as long as the one from Vienna to Budapest had the previous week - about 4 hours.  And like that train that had brought me to Budapest the previous week, there was no electrical outlets for my laptop.  I light up a cigar and found myself trying to make it last for as long as I could, only drawing off it frequently enough to keep it light.  Once it went out, I spent the remainder of the time on my laptop as well as just reading some brochures I had in my luggage.  It was comforting to me to know that that evening, I'd find myself once again in a five-star hotel, The Palais im Schwarzenberg in downtown Vienna.  Perhaps one of the more beautiful hotels in Vienna, I was sure to have a relaxing evening.  The train arrived at the station in Vienna, the same one I had used to depart for Hungary the previous week.  That meant the internet cafe would be upstairs and I would be able to both check my email and get directions to the Palais.  I had cappuccino there and the staff told me how to get to the Palais.  I'd have to take the underground and then walk a bit I was told. 

I got off the underground at a stop that was further from the Palais as I might of hoped, and after walking nearly a half hour the sweat was just pouring down my face and my shirt was soaked.  I'd be one of the few guest that would arrive at the Palais in such a state I thought, as most if not all it's guest were very well to do and would most likely arrive in taxis.  Once I had rounded a corner I saw a familiar statue which indicated it was Schwarzenberg Platz.  I now knew exactly where the hotel was, and I was relieved to say the least.   Upon entering the lobby, I learned happily that they had been expecting me.  The doorman cheerfully took my luggage and I was then escorted to my suite on the first floor of the hotel.  Room 19 I think it was.  The room was so much more spacious than last years had been when I stayed here, and it overlooked the beautiful garden in the rear of the hotel.  The garden was as beautiful as the grounds of any of the hotels I had stayed at during my travels.  Its centerpiece was that of a fountain surrounded by rose bushes and along the walkways of the garden, were the most beautiful of sculptured statues.  The view was stunning and the room was perfect! 

Sorry, your browser doesn't support Java(tm). I knew I'd only be there for the remainder of the afternoon so I barely unpacked a thing.  I had intended to simply use the day to relax and enjoy the hotel, but I couldn't help but start shooting panoramas.  I knew if I took some good ones, they would buy them.  I really hadn't made any money in Hungary, so I felt the need to generate some income.  I began with my suite and then proceeded to go the before mentioned garden.  I had shot the same panoramas the year before, but I had a new technique I thought which would make them better.  Even if they didn't buy them, I had access to one of the most beautiful hotels in the world and to have not taken photos if only for a portfolio and memories would be a shame.  As I took shot after shot of the exterior, I could only hope I'd have the chance to shoot one or all of the beautiful baroque ballrooms I knew were on the first floor of the hotel.  Last year while I was visiting the hotel, a former Prime Minister of Israel had had a function there, preventing me access.  When I finished my last panorama, I found my way to the bar and request a cigar and a coke to enjoy while I stitched the panoramas together on my laptop. 

No sooner had I sat down than a Ms. Berghold appeared in the bar to greet me.  She was the person with whom I had communicated with in making arrangements for my visit earlier in the year.  A very pleasant lady, we chatted for some time all the while me sharing stories of my travels and showing her panoramas of the other hotels I had visited.  In particular,  showed the ceiling of the Castel Berg Bernstein as I thought the ceiling in the Baroque rooms might warrant such a shot.  She agreed and offered to give me a tour of the rooms to allow me to determine if a ceiling panorama would be appropriate.  Once in the before mentioned rooms, it was obvious to me that that one room in particular was perfect. 
The ceiling and walls had beautiful paintings as well as other artwork which would really compliment a panorama.  I told Ms. Berghold as much and after telling me she had to leave early that day, she'd make the necessary arrangements so I could do my work without any interruptions.  We agreed we'd meet the next morning at 9 to review the panoramas.  I had told her I'd give her one for free, and any others would cost 50 euros each. 

I then spent the better part of the next two hours finishing both taking the panoramas and putting them together in the bar.  Once finished, I realized it was well into the evening and I should get something to eat and try to get a good nights sleep as I'd be on the road once again in the morning.  I had failed to inquire if my visit to the Palais included an evening meal, and rather than bother with as much, I decided I'd walk into Vienna and find something simple to eat, like a pizza perhaps.  And even though I had brought my camera, I hardly felt like taking any pictures as I had been here two times previously and I just wasn't much up to it.  I was beginning to tire of the road I thought, and in the back of my mind I was readying myself for my journey's end.  I found a small sidewalk restaurant and sat down and ordered myself a pizza and a bowl of soup.  The couple next to me were obviously lovers, but from where I had a hard time telling from their dialect.  None the less, I found myself feeling a tad bit lonely I must say.  What a shame I thought to have such nice accommodations night after night with no lover to share my bed.  Perhaps one day I thought to myself.  Just after my dinner arrived, so to did the rain.  It poured outside the canopy that protected my meal and me, although some of the rain seemed to hit the lovers sitting next to me, which perhaps made the evening all the more romantic for them.  The street vendors hurriedly gathered their wares while tourist huddled under eaves waiting for the rain to turn to showers.  It slowed down toward the end of my meal and I decided the rain would not kill me.   I then walked back to my hotel which was about a half hour walk, and though it rained most of the way, I really didn't mind it at all.  When I got back to my room, I organized what items I had unpacked and crawled into my bed which had been turned down by the staff in my absence.  I also noticed they had taken the liberty to close the windows, draw the blinds, and turn on the air conditioning for my comfort.  I fell asleep with the taste of the chocolate in my mouth as I had eaten the candy left on my pillow.  I also seem to recall I found myself waiting for a call from Amanda in Scotland, all the while not realizing she was in her bed waiting for a call from me...

I beat the scheduled 6:00 a.m. wake up call the next morning by half an hour.  I had wanted to get up early so I could both prepare for my 9 o'clock meeting with Ms. Berghold and walk down to St. Stephen's Cathedral and hopefully take a nice panorama from the tower.  I skipped the hotel breakfast knowing I'd grab a bite to eat on the street to the cathedral.  The morning streets were busy, as well they should be with people beginning their day's work.  I found a McDonalds and got a breakfast sandwich.  I easily found my way to the cathedral, but was disappointed to find that a panorama from its tower was not practical as a large meshed fence prevented such a shot.  I then found my way back to the hotel, arriving half an hour late for my meeting.  I had told the desk to tell Ms. Berghold I might be late so I didn't think it would be a problem.  I immediately went to my room and gathered my luggage and came back down to the lobby.  I'd meet with her and then depart for the village of Durnstein, just NW of Vienna on the Danube.  Ms. Berghold arrived and with her, was the new director of the hotel whose name unfortunately forsakes me at the moment.  I showed them the panoramas and they loved them, especially the one of the ceiling.  They agreed to purchase three of them and to have one for free as I had promised.  I then told them I had made a CD with all the panoramas on it and they could have them all for the price of three.  They were delighted.  The director, a young man, also thanked me for the CD of Van Morrison I had left for him.  He told me Van is a guest of the hotel occasionally and he had even "partied" with him in past after concerts.  The director then departed our meeting and Ms. Berghold made the payment to me and wished me a seemingly heart-felt goodbye.  The next time I am in Vienna she said, I should also stay at their other hotel.  Certainly I said as I headed out the door to the awaiting taxi.  

The taxi took me to the station where I'd be able to catch a train to the village of Durnstein.  I had intended to leave my luggage in a locker at the station as I'd only return the next morning to once again take a train to Prague.  When I arrived at the station though, it was quite small and the only lockers that were there were very small .   I could only "cram" my backpack into one and was forced to take my main suitcase with me to Durnstein.  As the train left the station for what would only be a couple of hour journey to Durnstein, I felt a certain amount of anticipation growing inside of me, as Durnstein was as magical of a place as Lake Wolfgangsee was and I knew I'd have more time there this year than the visit I had last year...