HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE- Mixing it up in Abu Dhabi, Serbia, Hungary, Scotland and Kuala Lumpur!

.......previously, the last blog of our amazing latest Central Asia trip- Andijon and Kokand........

Leaving Central Asia is always slightly bittersweet for us, but we had a busy schedule ahead for the year, and plenty to keep us occupied.

Abu Dhabi airport can be a bit of a hub when travelling between Asia and Europe, and never having visited the city before, we opted for an extra night at the surprisingly cheap airport hotel. When we visited Dubai years ago on the way to Iran, we had hoped to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi for a day trip, but never quite got around to it. Having crossed our minds now and again since, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to see the huge complex.

Sunset over Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi

Conveniently, the airport hotel offered a free shuttle there and back with an hour of so for looking around. Upon arrival at the mosque, we jumped off the bus and immediately headed to the main entrance, determined to make the most of our limited time there. The security guard quickly informed us we were not allowed to access that area- it was only for worshippers. Fair enough, but where were we to enter? Over there he said, pointing to a gigantic glass structure on the far side of the enormous car park. (By the way, although it was late afternoon, it was still over 40 degrees). We trudged over to the entrance and made our way by escalator underground only to be faced with a gigantic luxury shopping mall packed full of visitors and shoppers. Briefly noticing the surroundings and being surprised at how commercial this religious place was, we continued to hurry to the entrance, having read we would be given robes to cover ourselves with (very common in major mosques around the world, especially when they are heavily visited by non-Muslim tourists). One of the frontline staff told us that “because of Covid” no robes were available to borrow anymore, and we had the choice of buying an outfit for Richard's bare legs and arms, or not going in. We then noticed plenty of other men entering in shorts and decided to go for it, and see if the next security stop would let us in. After waiting in line with the hundreds of other visitors and finally reaching the front, we were then told we needed to go back and obtain a ticket, and produce the accompanying QR code. By this point we couldn't believe the rigmarole involved with visiting a religious monument, and were so pissed off. We wouldn't have had enough time to properly see the mosque anyway by this stage, so we legged it back to the outside area for the beautiful sight of the sun setting over the grand building, and satisfied ourselves with that and a few glimpses into the interior.

A peep into Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi

But it was still a beauty

In the end, the saving grace of the stay turned out to be the amazing hotel with a cheap price, incredible buffet breakfast and swimming pool to boot!

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August is always awkward for budget travel in Europe, so what better compromise for us than to stay put for a month at our old favourite, the Sun Hostel in Belgrade. After four months in Central Asia, we were well and truly looking forward to a relax with friends, some great food and alcohol, and of course, talking rubbish with fellow travellers. It wasn't really a stay to further explore the city as we had done extensively on our previous visits, we mostly stayed around the hostel enjoying the vibe. Although some of our old friends from the past few years had moved on, we still loved catching up with all the latest goss, and meeting loads of new and lovely people who always seem to appear at that hostel.

The gang at Sun Hostel, Belgrade, Serbia

We'd always been keen to do some sort of train trip in Northern Serbia, and now, being on our way to Hungary, we decided on a few stops on the way, starting with a rail journey from Belgrade to Sombor. A scruffy little town with an old world charm, Sombor was an extremely pleasant place to spend our last week in Serbia. The town was small enough to walk around, which was just as well as there seemed to be no public buses there, with most locals riding bicycles. The beautiful tree lined streets were perfect for strolling in the shade, which was welcome in the late summer heat. There was obligatory visits to the contrasting moody Orthodox and bright Catholic churches- quite different in style, and of course much cafe sitting in the warmth.

Atmospheric Orthodox church, Sombor, Serbia

Peeking into a ceremony, Orthodox church, Sombor, Serbia

Bright and light Catholic church, Sombor, Serbia

Lovely treelined track, Sombor, Serbia

Monastery on the edge of town, Sombor, Serbia

A rest in the shade, Sombor, Serbia

Old fashioned transport modes, Sombor, Serbia

The scenery on the next train from Sombor to Subotica was indicative of the whole region- wide open fields full of mostly sunflower and corn (both ready to harvest), and onion domed-topped churches popping up in distant villages.

Decaying old train at Sombor train station, Serbia

Unused door, Sombor train station, Serbia

Deserted train station, Sombor, Serbia

Having been to gorgeous Subotica only last year, (and loved it), we moved on swiftly across the border to Szeged in Hungary, this time by bus. Serbia presently has terrible international railway connections with most of it's seven bordering countries (as in, non-existent), with the only current train option being Montenegro. So bus it was, and being a Hungarian company, everything was very orderly and straightforward, as was the actual border crossing- one of our easiest yet.

Our first glimpses of Hungary were how tidy and ship-shape the roads were. Everything signposted, bike lanes following the highway and manicured lawns. The theme continued when we reached Szeged, a large university town not too far from the Serbian border. We checked into our central characterful apartment, and set out to explore the lovely town. We had to quickly get used to the tram lines on every road, and many cyclists on the roads and bike paths. Everyone stayed strictly in the lanes, and people waited patiently at crossings. The city was set out in a very orderly manner, and everything was incredibly clean and well-kept, with no graffiti or rubbish to be seen. We kind of missed the scruffiness of our usual destinations - it was almost a bit too perfect! A park along the Tizsa River was a pleasurable way to avoid the midday heat and the centre of town was full of oak and plane trees, cafes and grand buildings- Austro-Hungarian style with a few atmospheric Art Nouveau thrown in. The mix worked very well, and gave the town a very graceful look and we both liked it tremendously. Particularly dramatic and imposing was the Roman Catholic Votive Cathedral. Built in the early part of the 20^th century, it is the fourth largest church in Hungary, and the scope of the interior was breath-taking. There was no entry fee and we were free to wander, gape and snap away with the camera. All in all, Szeged was a great introduction to Hungary.

One of many gorgeous art-nouveau stunners, Szeged, Hungary

Parks in full summer bloom, Szeged, Hungary

Cute cafe entrance, Szeged, Hungary

Ornate synagogue, Szeged, Hungary 

Abstract statue and colourful Austro-Hungarian building in Szeged park, Hungary

Brutalist statue, Szeged, Hungary

Unusual water fountain, Szeged, Hungary

Spectacular colours in Szeged Cathedral, Hungary

Mosaics, gold and colour, just beautiful, Szeged Cathedral, Hungary

Thrilled to take a Hungarian train from Szeged to Budapest, we were even more delighted to board an older style carriage, with separate compartments and windows that opened for masses of fresh air. It's one of the best style trains we have travelled on for a short trip.

Fantastic old style train Szeged to Budapest, Hungary

Before the other passengers arrived!

Somehow we had imagined central Budapest would be something like Bucharest or Belgrade, both of which we loved. Instead, we found ourselves smack bang in the middle of tourist central. Usually, a clean and central hostel room at a bargain price would be a fantastic find. But this time, we wished we had booked something in a different part of the city. The streets and whole area surrounding the city centre were jam packed with tour groups, and every sight we attempted to see was mobbed. Sally, in particular, did not enjoy this scene. It was extremely disappointing, as many of the highlights we had anticipated visiting were just too overrun with activity to be enjoyable, and we left most sites unseen. We just didn't have the energy to cope with the crowds, and the intense vibe and action overwhelmed our brains!

Busy streets of Budapest, Hungary

As well as the jam-packed crowds, tanning salons, strip clubs, bustling bars, many beggars and homeless people, there was a surprisingly diverse cultural and ethnic mix, which was something we weren't expecting. 

Unusual statue dedicated to Liszt, Budapest

Random statue of Peter Falk as Columbo

Hungarian language was quite strange looking for us!

View over the Danube River, Budapest- still think Belgrade's is better!

Central Budapest was literally wall to wall with gigantic, over the top, ornate buildings, a mix of Baroque, Neoclassical and Romanesque styles, and practically every lane was a fancy cafe strip. We struggled to find our usual cheap and/or dodgy places to eat, but they didn't seem to exist in central Budapest. Beer wasn't too outrageously priced, but we have just been so spoilt in the Balkans with the best and cheapest beer, wine and rakia, that nowhere else can compare. 

Magnificent opera house exterior, Budapest

Number one local hero, Liszt, Budapest, Hungary

Ornate interior of Budapest Opera House

Basically, we didn't have enough time to see Budapest properly, we unknowingly chose an upmarket area to stay in, and visiting in the height of the summer tourist season was a bad idea. We simply couldn't get into it. All in all, we were pleased that we had only planned a couple of days in Budapest, and probably won't be rushing back anytime soon. Having said that, on the bus to the airport we passed many areas of the city that looked perfectly nice and not at all crowded.

Yet another Liszt statue- this one in motion, Budapest

Cobwebs on his face, Budapest, Hungary

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Contrasting our hectic, hot time in Budapest was our stay in bonnie Scotland. We had to quickly get used to the cooler temperatures and sky-high prices, but it was lovely to be in a green countryside setting and several quaint small towns and villages for most of our time there. As we were there to visit relatives, our priority wasn't so much sightseeing, but we did enjoy some rambles to some new destinations in between the family time.

Enjoying beautiful gardens, Aberdeenshire

The rural, farming region of Aberdeenshire is an underrated part of Scotland in our opinion. The eastern part of the country doesn't have the wild dramatics of the west coast, but the rolling green hills, ancient treelined village roads and stone walled farms with their straw bailed up ready for collection were extremely engaging, and perfect for walks. We did fit in a couple of countryside strolls during our stay, in between hanging out and helping out with family. 

Pastural scenes in Aberdeenshire

Ancient forests, Aberdeenshire

Butterflies enjoying the end of summer flowers, Aberdeenshire

It was the big city of Aberdeen, though, that was a particular favourite, never having properly visited the city before, only flying through on a bus on-route to elsewhere. A fabulous city in the sun and warmth (which amazingly greeted us on our arrival), it is still brilliant even in the dreich Scottish weather (which, of course, we also had a taste of). Called the granite city for it's grandiose and splendid city centre structures, it had a vibrancy and lively spirit about it, with busy shopping precincts, theatres, pubs, gardens and churches. The central hub with it's many small hidden stone laneways, and buildings topped with towers and turrets was a delight. Add to that fantastic transport links (including ferries to the windswept Orkney and Shetland islands- long been on our travel list), and it's a pretty convenient and marvellous place to be. Aberdeen is a huge port city, with a massive gas and oil industry. But it was the areas from the old days as a fishing port and ship building centre that were the most evocative.

Robert the Bruce doing something heroic

Grand granite buildings Aberdeen city centre

Such a special place we literally stumbled upon was Footdee (pronounced “Fittee”), a wonderfully charming former fishing village, miraculously left intact by modern encroachments, and with an old fashioned charm thanks to it's colourful wee cottages and communal garden areas. We were lucky enough to get chatting with a resident artist whose family had lived there for five generations, who told us some background. An added bonus for the residents of Footdee, and Aberdeen as a whole, was the quite glorious miles long Aberdeen beach, with a delightful walk way and summery feel, even with the clouds and wind.

Cute little cottage, Footdee, Aberdeen

Colourful lane, Footdee, Aberdeen

Creative resident's arty decoration, Footdee, Aberdeen

Looking out to the off short wind farm from Aberdeen Beach

We didn't have nearly enough time to give the city the time it deserved, and we will certainly try and return to explore in and around Aberdeen further (bank balance allowing!)

Thumbing a lift with a sweet old couple who went out of their way to make sure we got to our exact destination in Ullapool, we were welcomed to the west coast by the usual wet and windy climate of the area. This time, however, we were spending most of our time inside with family, so it didn't particularly matter. After a wonderful long weekend full of playing games with grandkids and catching up with family, we were on our way again. 

A few short rainy and cold days in Strathpeffer and Dingwall rounded out our time in Scotland. Despite the weather we were able to get out and about and enjoy some short wanders in the fresh country environment, the exercise hopefully balancing out the huge B and B breakfasts. We were ready to fly off again after our whirlwind stay in Scotland. The pleasure of catching up with family offset the mostly dismal weather and slightly rushed feel to the visit.

Rural scenery, Strathpeffer

Old railway station turned cafe, Strathpeffer

Cheers to Robbie Burns, Strathpeffer, Scotland

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After an intensive month or so moving about, we were ready for the slower pace of South East Asia, and were somewhat relieved to arrive back in the familiar surroundings of Malaysia. Normally staying in our favourite city Penang, this time we decided that since we had less than two weeks, we would try a stay in Kuala Lumpur. Our long time regular hostel in KL was nowadays closed, and as we pored over alternative options, it dawned on us that we could rent a quite posh Air B and B for not that much more than a double hostel room. And what a wise decision that was! The apartment on the 27th floor was fabulous, with all mod cons (it's been a long time since we had access to a fridge in our Malaysian accommodation, and it was a real treat), including a gym and pool. It was the perfect place to recover from the jetlag that seems to get worse every time we fly between Europe and Asia. Our time in the city was mostly spent visiting old favourites places, eating delish Malaysian food and catching up on sleep.

Our daily hang out in between the rain, KL

We're not used to such luxury in Kuala Lumpur!

Hoping for a quieter pace this coming year, we began by heading for our December time sanctuary at Ko Fruitopia for some relaxation. 

.......and the next blog skips ahead to our time on the Cambodian coast.....