1593:  Stilt House Detour on a Driving Day

Thursday 16th July 2020

Making full use of the water tap outside the toilet block, we showered and filled out tank.  Plan today was to start the journey out of Hungary, somewhat regretfully.  We opted the route along the Danube for as long as practical and saw the Esztergom Basillica, apparently the largest in Hungary.  Impressive but no inclination to stop and visit.

We did stop at the Bokod Floating Houses … on stilts actually.  

Over 2 miles of cabins over the Lake.  They are used as summer houses or fishing huts. 

Fishing is very popular as the lake never freezes … the power station recycles the water for cooling.

Don’t much fancy coming home in the dark after a few glasses!  They were all a long way from shore.

After a fairly long day, we stopped just off the motorway at another lake car park.  Lots of room and quiet at night.  Off lead walking for CO2.

1594:  Slovenia, Maribor and Fine Dining

Friday 17th July 

We ate at Mak’s restaurant in September 2015 on the recommendation of a chance acquaintance.  We both agreed it was the best meal we’d ever had.  Not cheap then, at £123 plus taxi.  Knowing we would be passing nearby, I’d rung to book a table and they’d offered to open the gate so we could park Jez around the back.  We just hoped we wouldn’t get turned back at the border into Slovenia.  

A bit of a queue at the border as all the traffic was forced into one lane.  The Slovenian’s hadcreate a border point at the first service station.  Asked where we were going, we did not mention that we planned to stay a few days in Slovenia, and we were allowed on our way.  Being over 3.5 tons we elected to avoid buying the Go-Box equivalent and use the side roads.  We had managed 5 weeks in Slovenia not on motorways in 2015, and it’s not big.  Once off the motorway we climbed up a few hills and through villages.  Slow BUT so PRETTY.  We had forgotten just how lovely Slovenia is.  Very green and rivers full, so they’ve obviously had a lot of rain here too.

We arrived at Mak’s and parked up.  After a welcome glass of Sauvignon, I walked CO2 along the wide and fast flowing and the meal performance commenced.  

On arrival at the restaurant you are told to open your mouth … I thought Chef / owner David was winding me up, so proffered my hands … too used to hand sanitiser!  No, really, your mouth … a spray of a brandy type alcohol … a lingering flavour. 

A the table, a glass of really dry champagne (Slovenian).  Then course after course … I really should have taken my own pix, so I ‘borrowed’ these from Tripadvisor.  We lost count of how many offerings, at least 12 course … canapé sized issued forth from the kitchen.  David’s standard phrase was ‘don’t be afraid’, and to put the whole item in your mouth … taste sensations.  Sometimes hard to identify exactly what the flavours were … not that it mattered.  Quail eggs, mousses, foams, black pudding with a fried cabbage leaf on top …. all interestingly presented.  Fortunately the main was not much bigger than the hors d’oevres … really tender beef that had been tea smoked.  

After the meal, the 6 of the 8 guests repaired to the cellar to play some of the vinyl records there.  And then another drink after I returned from the night time dog walk on the terrace.  We had had a lot of wine … 2 bottles PLUS various wines with different courses.  David also cooked us killer eggs benedict the next morning … bill including tip £288, but no taxi fares to pay this time.  Would we go back … yes, but you do have to brace yourself for David’s character … he is not everyone’s taste.  I am convinced he is on the spectrum, well he is a food genius.  But is it odd to take J and I through the kitchen and play songs to us outside on the back step.

The draped ham was blow torched at the table and then eaten!

A macaroon with foie gras. 

A mousse and smoked fish inside, draped with another fish and caviar.

You eat these by dunking them in the roasted corn.  It is all very hands on:  You eat most dishes with your hands and David was getting his hands into customers food and showing them how to eat as he intended.

BBQ quail thighs with a spinach soup.

Mushroom soup.

David mixing Hendricks G&T … grated lime, blueberry and dry ice.  Honestly as a gin lover, these were amazing.

1595:  Driving Day

Saturday 18th July 

I walked CO2 before we had our eggs benedict, cooked by David – no charge for these!  We then set off, sometimes alongside the motorway and sometimes up through more hills and villages.  Having had a good breakfast, I really did not expect to be hungry by lunchtime …a quick pitstop for buns and snacks in Lidl.  We agreed to get past Ljubljana and then stop … found a parking in hills outside a tent campsite and restaurant.  We would have wild camped but we need to use the services more often as we managed to put a hole in the intact toilet cassette and are now using the one David (thegreygappers.com) repaired.  We don’t want to overfill it, so it needs emptying more often than normal.  

1596:  And So Into Italy

Monday 19th July 

View over the village on the morning dog walk.

With water in the centre of the tarmac car park … it would have been silly not to deploy the twin tub.  A little bit of stealth as we had it in the doorway and emptied the waste water by bucket down the drains.  It did seem rather public, but at least our hab door was away from the house.  And given we’d paid EUR20 to stay in a car park, I felt entitled.  James cleaned and I washed the floor … strangely, cleaning Sunday actually happened on a Sunday.  We also used the shower … there is a tent campsite in the back garden, but only 1 loo and shower … in the same room, so not sure how that works if there are lots of campers.  We left at 12.30, saying good bye to our hosts who were at lunch with family.  Oh is it that time already?  

A driving afternoon and quickly into Italy.  A border guard wandered across the border, lazily waving us on.  We stopped just into Italy for our soup.  A quiet parking overnight amongst the vineyards and not far off the motorway.  We have done Italy (6 months) with rarely using motorways, but it is slow as the towns are all busy and roads are bone shakers.  Good progress across Italy as the motorways are clear of trucks on Sundays.

We HAD to conform … a Magnum at a service station.  Not the lovely Italian gelato we would have liked.

Overnight was quiet amongst the vineyards.  Not far from Soave, but no tastings this journey.

1597:  And So Out of Italy

Sunday 19th July 

We had half a thought of stopping the Italian side of the border to grab an Italian meal, but this is the closure day for Italian restaurants.  A great route past Turin on the motorway and then left towards Briacon in France.  £48.85 class B to cross Italy from one side to the other.

The sack of dog food was empty, bu Oscar just had to make sure!

We stopped in Briacon … a French aire with water 10 mins, for EUR2, but free to us as we didn’t use anything but the bins.  Supposed to be for 4 motorhomes, but there 15 of us and about 40 of the resident type in caravans.  Quite a complex of electricity feeding each caravan.  As far as I could establish, they were hooked into a lamp post.  The caravans were immaculate, I saw 4 being cleaned.  We wandered into the town, decided against a meal out as a) we’d had a big lunch and b) we really do NOT like French prices.  A pizza for EUR18, no thank you!

Time to slow down now, as we don’t have to be in Antibes until Friday.