Navigating across Hungary

Trying to navigate is always one of the challenges when cycletouring. The maps rarely seem to match the highway signs, which in turn do not match what we actually find. Even having several maps and trying to triangulate doesn't always help. Add to that language difficulties. The Hungarian language seems completely indecipherable, amd has 44 letters including 4 letters for u. The names of Hungarian towns are long and difficult to pronounce, adding to the confusion. So, route finding goes something like this.
We reach an intersection of several roads. We pull out the maps, usually figuring out where we are, but not sure which way to go next. So we look around for a friendly looking individual who looks like he or she is from the area, such as a cyclist, someone walking in the street of a town, or someone in their garden. Sometimes this is a grama in long skirt, wool socks and heavy shoes, and scarf. Or a middle aged man gardening in a speedo.
We pull up on the bikes, and Tom pulls out the maps and starts to walk over. The person or persons looks up a little suspiciously ('who are these people and what do they want?'). Stacey and Erich hold the bikes and try to smile disarmingly ('just another family of lost American cycletourists, no threat here.') Tom walks over with the map, folds it open, and points to where we think we are, speaking in English and saying, we think we are here. The person(s) peers at the map, and sometimes discusses it with other bystanders, and after a minute or so there is general agreement that indeed, that is where we are. They all nod their heads. Then Tom says, "and we want to go to (names place, at least how we think it might be pronounced)" and points to the place on the map. The people scratch their heads, looking confused, look at the map, and say something which must mean, oh, such and such a place, with the real pronunciation. This is followed by much discussion or thinking, and then an attempt at giving diections. If there are two or more Hungarians giving directions, they often have a discussion about something...('Which way should we send them? What is the best way to get them out of here?') The directions usually involve waving of hands, pointing to the map, tapping on the pavement or dirt to indicate road surface, sometimes waving of fingers or headshaking or drawing pictures in the dirt. They speak to us in fast Hungarian, combined with a few words of German, and peer at us to see if we appear to understand. If we look confused they keep talking, adding more gestures, finger wagging, arm waving, and pointing. At some point Tom tries to repeat the directions in English, gesturing right, left, drawing circles in th air for roundabouts. When we appear to have it, our direction consultants smile and nod. And we smile and nod, say thank you in Hungarian (one of the few Hungarian words we have managed to learn), get back on the bikes, and ride off. Everyone waves goodbye...ah, another successful intercultural encounter.
And so we made our way from Lenti to Heviz (80 km). We rode both small windy roads and the highway. The highways were lightly trafficked, mostly semis driving west toward Slovenia. Tom already recounted our encounter with the Bulgarian truck driver who stopped to ask us directions to Slovenia. The terrain was gently rolling hills and forests, very peaceful. We pulled into Heviz in the late afternoon with clouds threatening rain. Heviz is a resort town with a thermal lake...the whole lake is warm, with floating pink water lilies and long walkways out into the water from turn of the century bath houses built right on the lake. Again, the campground had lots of German and Austrian retirees there to take the water. We didn't swim as the weather was cold and windy.
At this point we were close to Lake Balaton, a very large freshwater lake in western Hungary. For two days we rode the cycle path along the northern shore of the lake, whichwas quite nice. There are some cute resort towns, such as Tihany, a small picturesque town set on a peninsula jutting into the lake. There are many campgrounds and hotels along the lake and it obviously a hugely buy area in high season. The area has many vineyards on the surrounding hillsides and is known for its Balaton white wines. However the lake itself didn't seem that great. It is very shallow and cloudy, with mostly reedy beaches. Many of the businesses were still closed for the season although it was almost June, giving a ghost town appearance to many of the villages, although during the day there were busloads of tourists in places like Tihany. The weather was cold and raining when we left Heviz, so we stayed in a room one night, then camped the next as we worked our way along the lake. (Heviz to Badascauny, 39 km, Badascauny to Balatonfuhred, 52 km)
From the northeast corner of the lake we turn north and continue working our way to Vienna. More from down the road...