DAY 16 (5/17-THURS) GYOR TO KOMARNO, SLAVAKIA  (9:30-7:00)

Didn’t sleep well-used menthol spray on pillow & inhaler & deep breathing–will take sleeping pills tonight.  Eat breakfast-see Jean leaving.  Cold & very windy again–see Jean in square talking to couple on bikes–he has a GPS & Jean is going to follow them out of town because it is very tricky. Go into town to visit St. Peters–oldest church in Hungary–beautiful–only one in church.  Leave & buy 3 post cards–actually say Hungary on them–go to PO to buy stamps.  Big ordeal-lots of people–man helps me pick a #–stays w/me (15 min) to be sure I get stamps.  Armand waiting outside–very patient.  Go started–many wrong turns & asking for help–people very nice–12:30 when finally got out of town.  No bike paths today–Strong cross wind–am more observant & positive about Hungary.  Countryside is mainly agricultural–could be IA without the corn)–homes are nice & well cared for–seems like every home has flowers–very little litter along rd.  Main stop is ARCHABBEY of PANNONHALMA–almost have heart attack biking us hill to get there.  We’re in luck for tour-film in Eng starts at !:00-A & I are the only ones there.  After film lady comes to take us another big hill to Abbey–1002 King St.Stephen gave land to Monks for Monastery.  It’s still a working monastery w/40 Monks living here–also a boarding school for about 300 boys age 14-18 & considered one of the best schools in Hungary.  Saw the library w/over 400,000 books as monks are required to read every day.  Back on rd at 3:00-stop at abc/coop for snacks-get coke, Lays potato chips, Twix, & cookies–need energy biking hills & against wind.  We had to stop & ask for help many times today–Hungarian people were always gracious whether they spoke English or not.  Twice we were stopped looking at maps–a truck driver on the other side of the rode (stopped traffic behind him) & tried to help us & another man (gog in opposite direction) actually stopped, got out of his car, crossed over to tell us easiest way to bike into destinaton town. Matt was last person to help–was on bike-HS age-spoke perfect Eng-talked to A for awhile-said he wanted to go work in Phoenix for a yr-had friend living there. We had to cross bridge into Slavakia tonight.  Drivers–courteous & gave us plenty of room–no biking shoulder today.  Cross bridge into town–Armand is way in front of me–car pulls in front of my cross walk–try to stop-am going to hit his Mercedes-put on brakes-lose balance-fall off my bike–am 5 min from the hotel!!!!!  We have biked on busy rds, 3 miles of gravel rd, up steep hills, over curbs, pot hole rds–& I fall right before the hotel.  Armand fell off his bike yesterday at place we saw Jean–thought sign said do not enter–tried to stop-lost balance & fell off bike–scrapped his leg.  Jean has not fallen off her bike.  Get to hotel-Jean sees us from her window–comes out-story must be good–she was in at 3:00-it’s now 6:30.  Love our room at HOTEL BOW GARDEN.  Also remodeled–love the bath room even if there is no tub.  Room has most character so far & a bed w/head board.  Eat dinner here–very different from last night–has 2 lane bowling alley (2 guys are bowling).  Order BIG FAT HAMBURGER for dinner–Hamburger like I’ve never seen–beside the hamburger, lettuce, tomato, onions, lettuce–there is FRIED EGG, PICKELS, CHEESE, HAM & French fries.  Never will order this again or the hamburger won’t be the only thing big & fat. 1st place to have ice. Wanted to bowl but it’s too late.  My new favorite place-largest Samsung flat screen TV-A   watching tennis-I do blog.