h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is excellent! A mystery about the disappearance of young women. An investigator who knows his job. A mysterious gentleman, interesting settings with lots of local colour. And a page-turning end.

But I bet you can't do 'Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschafts-kapitänstöchterentführungsgesetz-vollstreckungsbeamter' in Hungarian!

Google translate says, 'Dunai Gäzhajózási Társaság kapitány lányai emberrablás rendvédelmi'. But I'm clueless. I don't speak Hungarian, and it may say the daughters are kidnapping the steamship company.

Do you speak Hungarian? Can you verify the accuracy of this?

I just ask Hungarians to repeat that in German or Romanian, please.

I'm afraid I don't know any Hungarian. It's supposed to be a very different language - Finno Ugric rather than Indo-Euopean.

You're right - it's related to Finnish, and it's awful to look upon. Also to type in GuideML, too many diacritical marks. I *did* take the trouble to watch a bunch of Youtubes for pronunciation help, though: I always think you should at least be able to pronounce things right, especially place names and such.


I went to elaborate lengths back in the day to avoid having to change trains in Budapest. I'm terrified of being stuck in a country with no cognates.

Oh, I loved this story! Looking forward to part 2!

I shall contact you from Budapest for pronunciation advice....and foody froody hints!

Great! We want pics and reports - we can take this story into the present.

I am now sitting on the edge of my chair. This is exciting.

Love it. Can't wait for the next episode.

Long ago I have been to Hungary (when the Iron curtain was still hanging and a border still was a real border, with gun towers, guard dogs and seriously solid steel barriers). Initially, we had lots of problems with the language, especially since the communist grocery shops did not put pictures on the packaging, just text. The expected yoghurt turned out to be baking fat for example. Tej is milk, not tea. The baked delicacy called túrós rétes sounded like me as "staring up arse" but was still very nice.

Most older people could speak German, but only after making very clear that we were not actually German people. (A case of "don't mention the war")

We did experience rather a lot of Donau, as it flooded our campsite. Didn't see any steamboats, just a lot of mature trees floating by.

Oh, dear....you got up close and personal with the Blue Danube.

I, too, remember those serious borders.

Your passport got sent to the other side of the military corridor ahead of you. I still wonder why.

Maybe to make sure you wouldn't run off inbetween

Probably.

The East Germans were good at being intimidating, as I recall. The Romanians, not so much.

Have you ever seen 'Love at First Bite'? There's a parody of a Communist official in there. I met her twin sister at the border one day. Down to the glasses and sensible shoes. She exchanged currency for me...I expected her to say, 'Tomorrow, Comrade Count, we come with trampoulines and Nadja Comaneci!'

The Yugoslavs were polite....