Guarded

Our sojourn in Budapest has been exactly what was required after a Scottish summer which has almost killed the will to live with its rained soaked months.
Here, the sun has shone out of a clear blue sky every day with temperatures of between 25 and 30 degrees and we have been rejuvenated with much laughter and delight in the company Mr & Mrs D77.

The lack of language has not proved too much of a problem as English seems to get you by for mosr requirements, and we have found the people, while not exactly overly friendly, have been very dignified and polite.
We've noticed this particularly on the buses and TRAMS, where the younger people get up as a matter of course to give their seats to older passengers- a lesson which should be learned for travellers on Edinburgh transport.

His Lordship and D77 were constantly wont to point out the beauty of the Hungarian legs, long, tanned and lean, belonging to the young ladies, something which I was forced to admit was a correct assessment. The only obese people we saw were tourists.

And so, on our final day here, His Lordship and I bussed into the centre of Budapest to have breakfast, before sauntering through the streets and returning to the hotel to meet up with the son and part heir to have a late lunch in a peaceful outdoor garden where the smell of lavendar and the quiet plop of conkers falling to the ground added a special atmosphere to the meal.

But it was time to say good bye to the young ones and to the sun and travel back to a rain soaked, puddled Edinburgh. At least it wasn't cold.

We have just had the merest taste of what Budapest has to offer and we are already planning a return.