Before I left Lake Balaton I rang ahead and e mailed the next ca spite that we wanted to stay at. It was advertised as the only 5 star campsite in Hungary and was recommended by the German camping organisation ADAC and is supposed to be one if the top European campsites. It has its own water park next door. My reservation was accepted and I was allocated pitch number 57 for me to find when I arrived. We had a lovely short journey through the Hungarian villages. They are so pretty. We arrived at the little town called Papa. We completed all our paperwork and were given our passes etc for the water complex.
We pulled on to the site shortly before 12 noon knowing that siesta started at 12 midday. There were lots of empty pitches but someone was already on pitch 57 and it didn't look like he was going anywhere fast. I approached the male in his late 50s and asked politely if he was planning on leaving. "Nein Nein! NeiN! " " in a very loud and aggressive manner. I showed him my booking form and pointed to the number displayed on his pitch. He shouted "reception! " I was still smiling and being courteous presuming that the German language can sometimes sound aggressive to us when it's not intended and that the campsite had maybe made a mistake. What was there to stress about? There were plenty of other pitches -even the one next door was free. I agreed to go to reception to sort it out.
There was a lively young girl working who I presume was Hungarian. I hadn't even walked up to the counter when a woman I had never seen before said to me sharply "we have a problem! " I shrugged my shoulders and said "I don't have a problem " with that she started screaming and shouting at the young girl in German. The only thing that I could really understand was the swear words from the German and the polite receptionist saying "the pitch is mine as I had reserved it and she hadn't. This was all getting rather bemusing and other people started joining in. Before I had even realised it there were 10 of them shouting at the receptionist who was almost in tears. I really felt for her. It was an horrendous and frightening scene. The receptionist was on her phone trying to get help when I stepped forward and said " this is ridiculous. I will go on the next pitch!" Instantly the pack were tolerating me and offering their hands to be shaken by "frau" My sin I discovered later was to be British with a very British caravan.
I struggled to get our Caravan on the pitch that I was now allocated. One brave German nearly came to help me but saw the others watching so hovered! All the 10 people were neighbours of the original man that was on my pitch. It became apparent that they were not travelling together or even friends just a click "gang culture" like animals hunting in packs! Each time I saw one of them I politely said "GUD Morgen" and tried to shame them with their awful behaviour.
I later spoke to some lovely Hungarian people who were associated with the campsite that is known locally as "little Germany". The Hungarians do not camp there as they can't afford it. It was built by the Germans in Hungary FOR the Germans. How brave was I is what they thought! Yes it was HORRIBLE! We can't sell food in pounds and ounces but they run a system like this and instead of using the Hungarian Forint use euros! How are the locals ever going to be able to use or do half the things as they won't have access to euros -luckily we had!
I have never in my entire life witnessed such discrimination or bullying pathetic tactics. The receptionist was so grateful to me everyone she saw me she hugged me! What a state to be in and all over what?!
Molly enjoyed the water park but I can't say it was anything special which for £36 a night in Hungary it should be. It was packed and not particularly clean. If that's the best ADAC can recommend I won't be going near any of their sites again! Yes the toilet blocks were superb but that's about it
Swimming? Standing room only!
So undeterred we stayed at Camping varkert Thermal for 2 nights and made our way into Austria. Yes we were stopped at the border! (They had obviously heard about us troublemakers! ) Everyone was. It took about 40 minutes to get through
O dear.a 3 hour car journey and what a difference. 39 degrees down to 19 and Rain! "Now where did I put our bedding? !" I think this is a lovely site and we certainly got a better welcome even in the rain! It's trying to be sunny now. The caravan need a clean. Let's hope today is a better day! Lol
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