A Stormy Start

So we sorted ourselves out, unpacked and settled into our room for the five nights that we would be there. After the Red Bull Air Race was done and dusted, and the crowds were starting to disperse, we were ready to head out to check out the surrounding area.

That was until the sun and blue skies were blotted out by a huge dark cloud that appeared suddenly out of nowhere. Just as suddenly, almost as we were about to walk out the door, a huge wind blew up and it started to absolutely lash down with rain.
On the same day last year, just after 9pm, a huge storm had blown in and a number of people had been killed by flying debris so we retreated to the safety of our room and looked out on the riverside at people running for cover. It was now a full blown storm with thunder and lightning.

I wondered how such a freak storm could occur twice in two years on the exact same date and worried that the evening's festivities would be ruined. I watched the news on Hungarian TV and tried hard to decipher what they were saying in rapido Hungarian.

About an hour later the storm passed and just as it was starting to get dark, the skies cleared and unbelievably it dried out and the evening carried on as if nothing had happened. Large crowds started to gather just before 9pm and we headed down to a decent vantage point, almost in front of our hotel.

The firework display was beautiful and lasted just over 20 minutes. Some were launched from the bridge in front of us, the rest from bridges North and South respectively of where we stood.

By the time it was finished, we were a bit peckish but struggled to find somewhere to eat as most decent looking places seemed to be shut. This was the disadvantage of not having had a chance to get our bearings earlier. In the end we managed to get a table in the hotel restaurant, which turned out to be a good idea as the goulash soup that we ordered turned out to be just what we needed!

Nagyon Finom! (Very Tasty!)