győr: a coffee snob's damp, number-crunching adventure

i got off the train at győr's main station and the wind hit me like a slap. -0.94°C on the display, but with that 100% humidity it felt like -2.89. my breath fogged, and i immediately regretted leaving my scarf in the *backpack. i pulled up the forecast: -0.94°C, feels like -2.89, humidity 100%, pressure 1002 hPa. basically, it's the kind of cold that makes your espresso turn lukewarm before you can even take a sip. perfect for a coffee snob like me, right? győr isn't what i expected. i thought it'd be just another Danube town, but the Rába river cuts through it with more personality. the Baroque facades are crumbling in the best way, and the streets are mostly empty except for people bundled up like mummies. i walked past the thermal baths (which, by the way, are supposed to be amazing but i was too cheap to pay entry) and headed straight for what i came for: coffee. my first stop was Kaveház on Podmaniczky Street. the place smelled like roasted beans and wood fires. the barista, a serious guy with a tattoo of a coffee cherry on his forearm, handed me a pour-over menu that listed farms with coordinates instead of countries. i asked about the weird numbers next to each bean: 3052009, 1348507878, etc. he said those are the batch codes - the first two digits are the harvest year, the next six are the farm ID, and the last four are the lot number. so 3052009 means 2009 harvest, farm 305, lot 009? something like that. it sounded like bullshit, but the single origin Ethiopian was incredible: blueberry notes, a hint of cocoa, and a clean finish that made me forget the cold. i took a sip and felt my caffeine levels spike. i asked the roaster (who popped out of the back) about the codes. he laughed and said they're actually GPS coordinates of the farms, but they've been scrambled by a former employee who was into numerology. 3052009 points to a farm in the Yirgacheffe region at 30°52' N, 134°50' E? that's in the middle of the ocean. so clearly, it's just nonsense. but it adds to the mystery, and i kind of love that. the coffee's the real deal. after that, i wandered toward the Danube promenade. the river was gray and sluggish, reflecting the low clouds. there's a ferris wheel set up for the winter market, which looks bizarre next to the cathedral spire. i snapped a pic (see below). the map i'd scribbled on a napkin said the best lángos stall is near the thermal baths, but i got lost. ended up eating a greasy pancake from a guy in a blue van. not bad, but i heard later that the real spot is hidden behind the baths and only locals know. someone told me that if you ask for the special oil, they'll give you extra garlic. i'll try that next time. i need to mention the neighbors. if you get bored of győr's slow pace, Budapest is just an hour by train, and Vienna is a quick bus ride over the border. i took a day trip to Vienna once and came back just in time for the evening coffee at Café Gerbeaud (not the famous one, but a local replica that's actually better, i heard). the train station in győr is a DDR-era concrete block, but it works. i also stumbled upon a DIY busker playing a saxophone outside the city hall. his case was full of coffee beans instead of coins. i threw in a few forints and he nodded. that's the vibe here: art and caffeine intertwined. now, the gossip: i was nursing a latte at Café Podmaniczky when an oldtimer muttered, 'the thermal baths are free after 9pm if you know the guard.' i didn't dare try, but it's good to know. also, the pastry at the market hall is supposedly made with sour cream from a farm that only delivers at dawn. i missed that by an hour. i'll leave you with some advice: always ask the barista where the beans are from. if they can't tell you, move on. also, bundle up - this damp cold is no joke. and if you see a bag of coffee with a code like 3052009, buy it. it's probably good. before i go, here's the map of where i wandered:

and some random photos from my stroll:

if you're planning a trip, check out these links for more intel: Győr Attractions on TripAdvisor Best Coffee Spots on Yelp Local Events Board The Hungarian Coffee Culture Guide that's it for now. i'm off to find a warm cafe and maybe decode another mysterious batch number*. stay caffeinated.