Today was a day of R & R (Rest & Recuperation) for the International Team, with the majority of the running completed by the Hungarian runners who attended ceremonies at Ocsa and Dabas. Being a Sunday, it was generally a quiet day for us.

The Team left their hotel in the centre of Budapest to travel the short distance, over the Danube to cross onto Margit Island.

The Hungarians brought us some very tasty jam and chocolate crepes - they were delicious!

From there, the runners ran to a small square across the bridge where we were met by the District Mayor, and over a hundred children all in World Harmony Run t-shirts.

A children’s choir sang the World Harmony Run Song accompanied by three boys playing the xylophone and a girl playing the drums.

The runners also sang along in the early morning sunshine. We also met Rita Koban, twice Olympic gold medallist in rafting.

She gave us words of encouragement and commented that we were a tremendous example to the young children, who were the future caretakers of harmony. Then she ran together with the mayor and children.

From the square the children ran back with us across the bridge and back onto Margit Island.

Bridges seem to be a recurring theme on the World Harmony Run, and are symbolic of bridging divides and connecting people. We are always feeling that these bridges create a sense of oneness.

We all ran to Borsodi Beach - an open air swimming pool complex with hot springs. We had planned to swim there, but unfortunately the hot springs were not working, and it began to cloud over and was getting a little bit chilly for a swim. Yes, we were making excuses, however, Frank and Sebastian were brave enough though to go for a cold water swim. We had a hard time to blow off the torch.

In the park local people were relaxing, running, cycling and simply unwinding from hectic city life. It was an oasis of tranquillity within Budapest, as so many leafy parks are in major cities. We jogged through the park under the many trees and headed to a Turkish Bath.

A Turkish Bath was just what the doctor ordered! The different temperature baths soothed are aching limbs and the sounds of running water stilled are minds. The sauna and steam rooms cleansed our bodies and all of us felt so refreshed for running along the banks of the Danube.

Along the Danube we passed the Parliamentary buildings, and ran across some of the famous old bridges of Budapest.

We met a woman (who bore some resemblance to the Queen of Great Britain) who was from Newcastle, England.

She avidly took our photograph and we had to oblige by handing her the torch and taking her photograph with us. Hopefully we will see her again in Newcastle when the Run visits England in September.

At a petrol station we came across an old orange Skoda, much to the amusement of our Czech runners. The old lady driver then couldn’t start the engine, so all of us tried to help her and give it a push, but alas this did not succeed.

Our Roberto, got into the car and with the first turn of the key the engine started, much to the joy of the old lady. The runners seem to bring joy to people even without running!

Our day was complete with a superb paprika and vegetable soup, made by our Hungarian hosts, that was heartily eaten by all of us.

During the day at Dabas many children and some sportsmen joined to the Hungarian team at the city limits. On the main square in front of the city hall the runners received cute paper flowers prepared by the local kindergarten children.

The mayor gave the runners a heartfelt, warm welcome and deeply appreciated efforts of the runners. He himself is also a sport enthusiast and has lofty visions for his city to provide premises for people of different nations, cultures and belief to come together in harmony.

He also readily ran with the team for a bit. In the evening the city invited the Hungarian runners for a tasty dinner and put us up in a beautiful old country house. Thanks for Dabas for its hospitality and friendly support!

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