I leave Budapest tomorrow with a strange mix of relief and regret.
One one hand, I have been fascinated with the city and have enjoyed every day - whether soaking in Roman decadence at the Szechenyi Baths, or wandering the bustling street markets, Budapest has been a wonder to explore.
On the other hand, Budapest sits squarely with cities like Paris and New York, in that it's inhabitants *know* that it is something special. The result is a certain indifference to tourists that sometimes borders on rudeness. You are very unlikely to get a helping hand from people on the street, let alone from those behind official desks of any sort.
In the end, though, the life that is straining to the edges of the city wins out over any lack of affability. I met dozens of Hungarians over the week and once I got past the initial seriousness, they were excellent and friendly people.
Tomorrow I get on the early train to Eastern Slovenia, for a few days of down-time before continuing on to Ljubljana. Let's hope the thought of the train ride through the Julian Alps will be enough to get me out of bed at 6am.
