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Location Date Sun, 28 July 2013 1375043100 Sat, 27 July 2013
1374960660
Day 98
27 July 2013
Bratislava – Not a cool place!
I have been to many many places and late afternoon arrived in Bratislava the capital of Slovakia which was once part of the Czechoslovak republic. It may sound disappointing but a fact is a fact- This is not a cool place. (More on that later)
Graz, where I left from this morning, is near the border of Hungary. My Austrian Vignette (temporary road tax for 10 days) had expired so I decided to travel just inside the border of Hungary. To my surprise, the once very much fortified border crossing was completely deserted as I could ride straight through. I remember the machine guns and barb wire very well. I headed for Szombathely the first major town across the border, for my first fuel stop of the day. Fuel is cheaper (less expensive, are better words for it) in Hungary than in Austria. Fuel is a major expense and makes motorcycling or driving a car far more expensive than travelling by bus or train, the cost for a liter of petrol varies from 1.70 Euro in Holland to 1.45 Euro in Austria and 1.32 Euro in Hungary.
At this stage I would like to add some interesting facts (for some) about the technological advancement in BMW's motorcycle engine design. (anyone not interested- skip the next two alinea’s)
For about 18 years I owned a 1992 two cylinder 1000 cc BMW bike with two valves per cylinder and fueled through carburetors. This bike produced 60 Horsepower and gave me a fuel consumption of a steady 15 km per liter.
About two years later BMW came up with a new engine design. The bike I am now riding is a 1994, 1100 cc BMW (10% bigger engine capacity) has 90 Horse power, (50% more) 4 valves per cylinder and fuel injection. It goes likes a rocket and gives me a fuel consumption of… 21.5 km per liter. Bigger, faster, quicker and cheaper to run. Does not make sense doesn’t 'it? So I wonder what today’s new BMW are like. Perhaps I should find out.
Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, in Hungary. I think for many people the name Hungary is connected with goulash, salami, steppes, or Hungarian music, well, it is for me, plus the year 1956 comes to mind as well. Also, to me, it is the land of the long weird place names. This afternoon I rode from Szombathely to Mosonmagyarovar to give you an idea what I am on about. So today there no buildings to look at but a series of road signs I passed. This also brings me back to a blog I wrote on July 16 called "What’s in a name" were I touched on the fact that many countries are locally known by a very different name.
I will place the comments with the pictures, where appropriate.
Finally… with regards to Bratislava is not a cool place. At the bottom I paced two pictures I took early this evening which are self explanatory. Today was a really hot day. All of southern Europe is sweltering; this is the main reason why I am travelling back north. Southern Italy, Greece and Turkey will have to wait to another time. Today I approached a time that I needed to close my helmet visor, it felt like a someone placed a hairdryer in front of my faces- from experience I know that it means that the temperature is hovering around the 37 degree mark. Not a pleasant temperature to ride in.
27 July 2013
Bratislava – Not a cool place!
I have been to many many places and late afternoon arrived in Bratislava the capital of Slovakia which was once part of the Czechoslovak republic. It may sound disappointing but a fact is a fact- This is not a cool place. (More on that later)
Graz, where I left from this morning, is near the border of Hungary. My Austrian Vignette (temporary road tax for 10 days) had expired so I decided to travel just inside the border of Hungary. To my surprise, the once very much fortified border crossing was completely deserted as I could ride straight through. I remember the machine guns and barb wire very well. I headed for Szombathely the first major town across the border, for my first fuel stop of the day. Fuel is cheaper (less expensive, are better words for it) in Hungary than in Austria. Fuel is a major expense and makes motorcycling or driving a car far more expensive than travelling by bus or train, the cost for a liter of petrol varies from 1.70 Euro in Holland to 1.45 Euro in Austria and 1.32 Euro in Hungary.
At this stage I would like to add some interesting facts (for some) about the technological advancement in BMW's motorcycle engine design. (anyone not interested- skip the next two alinea’s)
For about 18 years I owned a 1992 two cylinder 1000 cc BMW bike with two valves per cylinder and fueled through carburetors. This bike produced 60 Horsepower and gave me a fuel consumption of a steady 15 km per liter.
About two years later BMW came up with a new engine design. The bike I am now riding is a 1994, 1100 cc BMW (10% bigger engine capacity) has 90 Horse power, (50% more) 4 valves per cylinder and fuel injection. It goes likes a rocket and gives me a fuel consumption of… 21.5 km per liter. Bigger, faster, quicker and cheaper to run. Does not make sense doesn’t 'it? So I wonder what today’s new BMW are like. Perhaps I should find out.
Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, in Hungary. I think for many people the name Hungary is connected with goulash, salami, steppes, or Hungarian music, well, it is for me, plus the year 1956 comes to mind as well. Also, to me, it is the land of the long weird place names. This afternoon I rode from Szombathely to Mosonmagyarovar to give you an idea what I am on about. So today there no buildings to look at but a series of road signs I passed. This also brings me back to a blog I wrote on July 16 called "What’s in a name" were I touched on the fact that many countries are locally known by a very different name.
I will place the comments with the pictures, where appropriate.
Finally… with regards to Bratislava is not a cool place. At the bottom I paced two pictures I took early this evening which are self explanatory. Today was a really hot day. All of southern Europe is sweltering; this is the main reason why I am travelling back north. Southern Italy, Greece and Turkey will have to wait to another time. Today I approached a time that I needed to close my helmet visor, it felt like a someone placed a hairdryer in front of my faces- from experience I know that it means that the temperature is hovering around the 37 degree mark. Not a pleasant temperature to ride in.
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