Today, top of our agenda was attempting to fix the CBE battery charger. It is mounted under the passenger seat, which makes access very awkward but I was able to get the cover off and, having disconnected the mains, located the fuses shown in the CBE manual. The fuse on the 12v side was OK but the one on the 240v side had blown but there were no other signs of damage in the unit and no nasty burning smells. It could just be the fuse but what caused it to blow? Perhaps it was caused by a mains spike during one of the many thunderstorms? We had to find a replacement fuse and hope that that would cure the problem. Needless to say, I had bought many car and motorhome fuses with me but not one like this.
Our hostess does not speak much English, so I went to her bearing the blown fuse and tried to explain that I needed to buy a replacement. She explained that both she and her late husband, who died in February, were electrical engineers! She drew us a map to locate a shop that may stock the fuses and then went off to see if she had any in the house. In the meantime, she explained the problem to a Hungarian family staying at the campsite and they came back with a selection of fuses but none of them were the same. Our hostess did find some fuses of the correct size and they were 240v but the amperage looked too small. I tried one but it blew immediately.
We decided to combine the fuse shopping with a visit to the city of Miskolc and, conveniently, the shop was near the terminus (at Diosgyor) of the first bus that we had to take. The shopkeeper took one look at the fuse and indicated that we would have to go into Miskolc centre to find one. So we took a long tram ride and got off in the city centre, wandering the streets looking for a likely shop. Jane spotted a Sharp photocopier shop that also offered photocopier servicing, so I tried there. A very helpful man who spoke English said that he might have one but would need to check that it was exactly the same. He checked on the computer and then spent some time examining many fuses in his rack of trays. He held one up triumphantly and I asked for two. He asked me what the fuse was for and I explained the problem – he refused to take any money for them! I was delighted to have found replacements so easily and would happily have paid well for them but this was a very pleasant gesture. If I ever want to buy a photocopier, I will go to that shop!
We then enjoyed walking around Miskolc which, although it isn't full of tourist attractions, is a very pleasant open city with wide roads and interesting architecture. Jane was on her last book (a real crisis for her) and I suggested that we went into a large bookshop to see if they had any English books. When I asked, we were lead to a section with about 50 different paperbacks, at least 30 of which were by Agatha Christie, one of Jane's favourite authors. She bought 3 books for less than £14 – an absolute bargain! The day was going well.
We had lunch in the 'Vig Postas' – so named because it was opposite the post office. The menu was fun with dishes such as 'The happy postman's pork fillet' and 'The postman's wife's favourite carp recipe'. We had an excellent meal at a very reasonable price and set off refreshed for more sightseeing. We climbed the small hill covered with wine cellars, now converted to houses, restaurants and night clubs and also with views across the city. Returning to the main street, we visited a baker and butcher and then caught the tram back to Diosgyor where we got more supplies in the supermarket before catching the bus back to Lillafured.
The moment of truth had come! I put the fuse in, switched on the mains and ........ it blew immediately. Not really surprising but a great shame – it will need to looked at by a garage. Henrietta also needs a service, so we decided to try to find somewhere to do both.
Photos: Rehersals for an open air production of a Donizetti opera in the centre of Miskolc; A designer outlet soon to be opened but at least they have made a good job of restoring the building.
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