From Budapest to Guca on Bicycle

Introduction

Hello, Zsia, Bok, Zdravo, we are Olivier and Carlos, and this page is nothing but our experiences and experiences on a bicycle by Hungary, Croatia and Serbia. After my first and fascinating experience traveling by bicycle (from Bukhara to Tashkent, 2007), by 2008 I had intended to continue using the same means of transport. The new goal was simple, go from Budapest to Guca to discover the crazy and funny Balkans sounds. If you still curious about what we can offer, please you are welcome.

Map of the Route

Index
Stage 01: Budapest - Szalkentmarfon
Stage 02: Szalkentmarfon - Kalocsa
Stage 03: Kalocsa - Mohacs
Stage 04: Mohacs - Osijek
Stage 05: Osijek - Slavonski Brod
Stage 06: Slavonski Brod - Vinkovci
Stage 07: Vinkovci - Backa Palanka
Stage 08: Backa Palanka - Novi Sad
Stage 09: Novi Sad - Belgrado
Stage 10: Belgrado - Mionica
Stage 11: Mionica - Pozega
Stage 12: Pozega - Guca
Guca Festival
The end

Stage 01: Budapest - Szalkentmarfon

Distance: 80 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground
Road: Main road in good conditions.

Beautiful view of the Danube and Pest from the Buda Castle.

The rain accompanied us several times on our first day route.

On our first night a storm forced us to spend the night in an old ferry station and test for the first time the sarcophagus. What is the sarcophagus? For the trip we bought a tent super lightweight weighing only 960gr, user-friendly and for two people. The first two adjectives are correct but imagine two guys of 1.90 cm sleeping in it. Just say it was a horrible experience.

Stage 02: Szalkentmarfon - Kalocsa

Distance: 76 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground
Road: Main road in good conditions.
Comments: Tranches for specific use of bicycles.

Sunrise next to the river Danube. This river has been based in inspiration for novels, movies and of course, for musical compositions like the famous Waltz, The Blue Danube.

The Hungarians villages along the Danube really loved, well cared vegetation and an architecture simple but consistent with the environment.

A funny Trabant tuned. I really love this little car. In Youtube can see a commercial advertisment from the 60´s.

Stage 03: Kalocsa - Mohacs

Distance: 102 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground
Road: Main road in good conditions.
Comments: From Baja to Mohacs there is a route specific for bicycles.

View of the city Mohacs. In this area passed the historic battle of Mohacs, where the Ottoman army annihilated the Hungarians and almost the entire country was absorbed by the Turkish Empire.

We were sure we were going to have a quiet night in this campsite near Mohacs but eventually became a real nightmare. To begin at the campsite was organized a party that did not end until 04:00 tomorrow, for dessert started to rain and then the mosquitoes bombed us mercilessly.

This time we were able to cross the river using the Ferry.

Stage 04: Mohacs - Osijek

Distance: 87 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground except a hill of 8% near Batina.
Road: Main road in good conditions.

We left Hungary and we passed to Croatia. After having crossed some cities in Hungary extremely calm, we find a warm and cheerful atmosphere in the city centre of Osijek.

Despite having spent several years, still can be seen physical remnants of war on several Croatian cities. It´s quite impressed.

It seems that the destination we wanted to give us a gift, we come to the city of Osijek and in an incredible way we found a 4-star hotel cheaper than a pension. The girl confessed to given us a special price although we did not understand why (we should make a terrific look ;-). Our tired bodies could relax with a rich bubble bath.

Stage 05: Osijek - Slavonski Brod

Distance: 106 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground between Osijek and Dakovo, from Dakovo to Slavonski Brod via Rusevo with several hills with 8% and 10% rise.
Road: Main road in good conditions.
Comments: Dangerous road due a heavy traffic between Osijek and Dakovo.

After 7 years I was able to see again to Tiho.

Drinking some Ozujskos with some friends of Tiho in Slavonski Brod.

Carlos become a terrible Croatian Hooligan but with a typical Spanish bat.

Stage 06: Slavonski Brod - Vinkovci

Distance: 80 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground
Road: Main road in good conditions.

To start the day, Tiho prepared us a very nice breakfast, Bosnian Burek with Yogurt. Mmm ... rico rico.

After two days in Slavonski Brod, we returned to cycling.

Stage 07: Vinkovci - Backa Palanka

Distance: 70 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground except several hills around 8% between Sid and Ilok
Road: Main road in good conditions.

A few kilometers from the border of Serbia.

Clarifying words! on the left there is a Pivo (beer in Croatian, Serbian or Russian), on the right a Pivón (fit woman in Spanish) dressing the most popular trousers this summer in the Balkans. Both are very refreshing;-p

Stage 08: Backa Palanka - Novi Sad

Distance: 47 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground
Road: Main road in good conditions.
Comments: Dangerous road due to heavy traffic.

The first Orthodox church we saw. The Orthodox Church is the heir of all the Christian communities of the eastern half of the Mediterranean. His theological doctrine was established in a number of councils, of which the most important are the first so-called Seven Ecumenical Councils, which took place between centuries IV and VIII. After several disagreements and conflicts, the Orthodox Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church broke in the so-called Schism of East and West, July 16, 1054. Orthodox Christianity spread in Eastern Europe thanks to the prestige of the Byzantine Empire and the work of many missionary groups.

In Novi Sad were in the hostel Downtown. This, though comfortable and homey was in a building that almost was falling down.

In Novi Sad we were very comfortable and we loved its small but vital historic center.

Stage 09: Novi Sad - Belgrado

Distance: 115 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground
Road: Main road in good conditions.
Comments: The entrance to Belgrade was quiet dangerous.

The morale was through the roof, we were only 200km to Guca!!

In Belgrade had the first opportunity to use the couchsurfing. We stayed in the house of Sanja and his brother Branko and it was a very enjoyable experience.

Our favorite area in Belgrade was an area of baths on the banks of the Danube called Ada.

Stage 10 : Belgrado - Mionica

Distance: 97 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground except near Mionica
Road: Main road in good conditions.
Comments: Dangerous departure from Belgrade

At first we had thought of using the tent aka "sarcophagus", but in the end we found this unique pension receiving its guests with a kid hung in his post. This was quite impressed!

One type of coffee very popular in the Balkans is coffee-style turkish. This comes in many places accompanied by a glass of water with gas and a little sweet. Under this type of coffee there is very old tradition called tasseografía, which is a method of reading the future based on forms that leave the fallout to the bottom of the glass.

Stage 11: Mionica - Pozega

Distance: 86 Km
Difficulty: Medium, mountain pass of 1200m in Divcibare.
Road: Main road in good conditions.
Comments: The descent is relaxed and with a spectacular view.

Support morale from some Serbian before climbing the mountain pass.

Idyllic rustic vision near the hill of Divcibare.

The night came and there was no way to find a place to sleep that was not smelly of mosquitos. At the end we found a field of onions that it saved us the night.

Time to have a dinner! In Hungary a very popular food for our stomachs were sandwich with salami and more salami, in Croatia and Serbia were the sandwich with pastela with Ajvar sauce. A dirty mix but at that time it taste to glory ;-)

Stage 12: Pozega - Guca

Distance: 20 Km
Difficulty: Low, flat ground
Road: Main road in good conditions.

Exactly after 966km we arrived to our destiny, Guca. Reason mentioning is the effort made by Carlos, which virtually no physical preparation, problems in his knees and ankles, managed to finish the route.

Festival of Guca

What is the Guca festival? Imagine a verbena party on any village in Spanish, then add a touch of the Balkans.

During our trip to Guca several Serb commented us that they do not like the Guca festival, which they saw it as something full of drunks people. The truth is that our first impression was not very positive, we saw an environment quite hard accompanied by a harsh nationalist decoration (T-shirts and photographs of Radovan Karadzic or Ratko Mladic). We thought that at night the fighting would be normal and that it would be easy to be beaten, but to our surprise all those thoughts disappear during the night. After dinner we went to the center and the only thing we found was a whole crowd happily enjoying the festival in good cheer. It must be said that although the Serbs drink until the eyebrows, they know to drink, or put another way, the Serbs are not like the English.

The central square of Guca.

On the streets there are many bands that are playing to the delight of the public.

The Guca Hit of 2008 was the composition of Goran Bregovic - Gas Gas

Apart from drinking in Guca and also the people eats a lot. The most popular dishes is the pig or lamb grilled and Kupus, a stew made of lamb and cabbage.

In Guca we meet a Joseba, another guy in bicycle.

> History

Hungary: Tribes were part of a It is believed that the origin of the name "Hungary" does not come from the Central Asian nomadic invaders called the Huns, but rather originated from 7th century, when MagyarBulgar alliance called On-Ogour, which in Old Turkish meant "(the) Ten Arrows". +Info

Croatia: The Croatians settled on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea and the Pannonian lands in early 7th century, forming two principalities, Dalmatia and Pannonia. The establishment of the Trpimirović dynasty ca. 850 brought strengthening to the Dalmatian Croat duchy, which became a kingdom in 925. +Info

Serbia: The gesture with three fingers is a salute with the fingers thumb, index, middle fingers and habitually used by the Serbs. The greeting is associated with the Christian Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is a statement often used by Serbs: Nema krsta bez tri prsta (English: There is no cross without three fingers).
The greeting is represented first by Straw Jovanovic in the paint takové Uprising. The image depicts the Prince Milos Obrenović saying the legendary words: Here I am and here they are: war on the Turks!. The painting is Milos saluting the Serbs with three fingers. This event started the second Serbian uprising against the Ottomans.

> Gastronomy

Goulash (Hungary): It´s a (sometimes) spicy dish, originally from Hungary, usually made of beef, onions, red peppers, vegetables, and paprika powder. Its name comes from Hungarian gulyás (pronounced goo-yash), the word for a cattle stockman or herdsman. +Info

Lángos (Hungary): It´s a Hungarian food speciality, a deep fried flat bread made of potato-based dough. It is sometimes rubbed with garlic or doused with garlic water or garlic butter, but can also be eaten with sour cream, grated cheese, ham, or other toppings, like lecsó. It may be cooked at home or bought from street vendors. +Info

Börek (Croatia & Serbia): It´s a type of pie popular throughout the former Ottoman Empire. They are made of a thin flaky dough known as phyllo or yufka, and are filled with salty cheese (often feta), minced meat, potatoes or other vegetables. +Info

Ajvar (Croatia & Serbia): It´s a relish made principally from red bell peppers, with eggplant, garlic and chili pepper. It is predominantly popular in the Balkans. +Info

Rakia or Rakija (Croatia & Serbia): It´s similar to brandy, made by distillation of fermented fruits, popular throughout the Balkans. Its alcohol content is normally 40%, but home-produced rakia can be stronger, typically 50 to 60%. Prepečenica is double-distilled rakia, with alcohol content sometimes exceeding 60%. +Info

> Music

Franz Liszt (Hungary):Virtuoso of the nineteenth century, founder of the modern technique pianist, writer of symphonic works (Tasso, Orpheus, Dante, Faust, Legend of Santa Elisabeta, Oratory of Christ ...).

Video on Youtube:
Ferenc Liszt - Transcendental etudes

Goran Bregović: Composer and guitarist Goran Bregović has been a household name in the Balkans for over three decades. Born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (then Yugoslavia), Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesaria Evora. He earned his fame wielding a guitar with his rock band Bijelo dugme, a group that rose to stardom and set the groundwork for the Yugoslav rock scene. Known internationally for his scores for Emir Kusturica’s films (Time of the Gypsies, Arizona Dream, Underground)

Videos on Youtube:
Goran Bregovic - Ederlezi
Goran Bregovic - Gas Gas
Goran Bregovic - Eurovision 2008

Turbo-Folk (Serbia): The term turbo folk itself was coined by Rambo Amadeus, who used it jokingly during the late 1980s in order to describe his own strange smorgasbord sound combining various styles and influences. At the time, the term was nothing more than a soundbite, the phrase being intentionally humorous for combining two contradictory concepts - "turbo," evoking an image of modern industrial progress and "folk," a symbol of tradition and rural conservatism.

> Films

Mephisto (Hungary): Mephisto was awarded the 1981Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film; the film was submitted to the Academy by Hungary. Trailer

John Malkovich (Croatia): This acclaimed actor was born in Christopher, Illinois albeit with Croatian ancestry.

Emir Kusturica (Serbia): He is a filmmaker and musician Serbian born on November 24, 1954 in Sarajevo in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now Bosnia-Herzegovina). With an impressive number of internationally acclaimed feature films, Kusturica became one of the most creative filmmakers during the decades of'80 and'90 with films like Time Gypsies, white cat or black cat Underground among others. +Info

Guca (Serbia): Documentary on the festival of Trumpets each year takes place in the small village of Guca. Trailer

> Curiosities

Trabant (Hungary): Still one can see quite often this little car through the streets and roads of Hungary. + Info

In Budapest you can rent a Trabant to visit the city. http://www.rentatrabantbudapest.com

Summer Blue (former Yugoslavia): The popular Spanish series also was broadcast in the former Yugoslav state television.

The 600 (Serbia): In the streets and highways of this country you can see the mythical 600 but if you look closer it´s not Seat or even Fiat, but as Zastava 750 or 850.

Yugoslavia: The term means, the South Slavs.