Another day when temperatures hit the low 40's by mid-afternoon. In practical terms, this means cycling in short bursts and taking on board at least a litre of fluids every hour. Even then, the sweat pours off you - much to the attraction of every flying insect known to man.
With the best IT connection of the trip so far, Mark said goodbye to Olivia and Andreas (the manager) at the splendid 502 Club Hotel in Kalocsa, and headed off across the Paprika fields. Through the Nemzeti and Beda Karapansca national parks he spotted a pair of Buzzards and plenty of the usual suspects: Swifts, Swallows and Collared Doves. In Baja Mark bought delicious green grapes from a roadside stall, and a 'Radler' in Baja.
Mark, Olivia and Andreas (the Manager) at the 502 Club Hotel
Like many parts of Eastern Europe, there used to be large German communities (Swabians) residing in these areas. Many were forced to leave after the Second World War, but those that remained can often by identified by the triple-language road signs (Hungarian, German and Serbo-Croat) as in Vaskut/Waschkut/Baskut. Meanwhile, Bob was heading further into Hungary and getting ever closer to the border with Romania.
Paprika Manufacturing
Mark's route took him through Mohacs - the scene in 1526 of the battle in which King Louis II of Hungary was defeated by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. As the King had no children, his title passed to the Austrian Royal Family, the Habsburgs, who subsequently defeated the Turks in the Second Battle of Mohacs in 1687 - and thus the Austro-Hungarian Empire was born.
Lady selling Watermelons, Grapes and Nectarines
The temperature at 12.55 pm: itgot much hotter!
Late in the day, Mark crossed the border into Croatia (the first time he had to show his passport since leaving Dover almost three weeks ago) and after cycling a further 25 miles, landed in the wine-producing town of Knezevi Vinogradi. No riding off the beaten track in these parts though: the Danube (now the Dunav) marks the border with Serbia and signs warn of unexploded land mines!!!
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