Journal of a Sabbatical

August 18, 1999

narrow gauge

Zsolt's mother is generous with the breakfast tomatoes too. And the bread and the tea etc. ...

In case readers are wondering, yes her house is full of pine cones too. Kind of like a shrine to conifers...

For my last day in Budapest, she recommended a trip on the cog railway up into the Buda hills. I walked down to Moskva ter and across the street to the cog railway station. Since I'd already packed everything, I didn't bring my camera even though the views from Széhenyi-hegy are charming. The cog railway was built in 1874 and climbs 3.5 km up the steep hill through one of the prettiest neighborhoods in the city. You don't really feel like you're in a city at all after the first stop. Lots of young people with bicycles and topographic maps got on the cog railway when I did and got off at the top for a day of cycling through the hills. I walked through the gorgeous park looking for woodpeckers (all invisible thank you) and sipped a mineral water on a park bench before I headed just south of the cog rail station to the narrow gauge railroad station.

The narrow gauge railroad, which Zsolt's mother described to me as "not electric" and "run by children", was built in 1951 by the Young Pioneers (socialist scouts) and is indeed staffed by children except for the engineer (reassuringly). Kids sell the tickets, do the conducting, tell the engineer when it's clear for departure, etc. The children looked adorable in their little blue uniforms. I mistakenly thought my bus ticket would be good for the train too so one of the young conductors had to find an even younger conductor who spoke English to explain that to me and sell me the correct roundtrip ticket. The train chugs along through the forest for 12 km, stopping at several stations, one of which has a mural of Young Pioneers in their tan and red uniforms painted on it - guess they haven't redecorated yet. It goes through a tunnel in the hill and the kid conductors shut the lights off in the train cars to heighten the effect and get a gasp out of the kid passengers. I had no idea how long this little trip would last and when I looked at my watch and realized it was already 11:00, the time I'd told Zsolt's mother I'd be back, I got a little anxious. Bad enough I make my own mother worry,but here I am making Zsolt's mother worry! It was past the point where I could get off and catch the earlier train on its return trip, so I just continued on enjoying the panoramic views all the way to Hüvös-völgy - the end of the line. I longed to get off there and just walk some of the hiking trails through the forest, but I do have to go home sometime.

Got back, explained that I took the narrow gauge train without having any idea how long a trip it was, picked up my bags, accepted the packet of salami for the road, and zipped to return the car. This took eons. Partly because I was stuck in traffic and partly because the Budget guys couldn't figure out whether to charge me for the gas. I had filled up last night, but then used almost an eighth of a tank while stuck in traffic. They finally decided I wasn't liable for the gas. The cab got me to the airport in plenty of time to check in and wait in line to board. If I'd gotten there any earlier I would have simply spent the time waiting in line and dripping sweat. So at least I minimized my sweating time. Since I didn't miss the plane, I can say the train ride was worth it.