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The Hungaroring may not have changed a great deal during the past 30 years but Hungary itself is a very different place. There was a certain amount of trepidation on both sides in 1986 as F1 ventured into an Eastern Bloc country for the first time and Hungary braced itself to receive this glitzy moving monument to meritocracy and western self-indulgence. Talk about coming at each other from opposite ends of the political and social spectrum.The need for a visa backed up rumours of massive queues at Budapest airport -- assuming you could find a flight with anyone other than Malév, the national airline. With the first Hungarian Grand Prix being back-to-back with Austria, we decided to fly to Vienna, hire a decent car (another rumour -- which turned out to be correct -- suggested the range of hire vehicles at Budapest might be better suited to the London to Brighton vintage run), cross the border and use this car for the return trip west to the ?sterreichring.The plan seemed to be working well until we hit a massive queue at the Hungarian border. Over an hour later, our papers stamped, we feared a late arrival might jeopardise our hotel booking. Best make a phone call. Easier said than done.In the absence of payphones, we were directed to a seedy room where a telephonist informed us that a call to Budapest, no more than a couple of hours away, was not possible. Even though we were trying to connect with the countrys capital city, the rules said calls could not be made to anywhere more than 15 kms distant. Apparently this was how you kept potentially threatening communication and insurgency at bay. Welcome to Hungary.In fact, such a poor initial impression would not be representative of a humble country bending over backwards to accommodate this brash circus marching into town. It was just that we had to adapt as much as the locals.Money could not be exchanged before arrival -- the better for Hungary to control the rate at official bureaux in the city. That was the theory. We quickly discovered the American Dollar was king and a black market was in full swing.Being perfectly capable of carrying our own bags, we wondered why the porter in this modest establishment insisted on helping. In a scene from a B-rate spy movie, he furtively looked up and down the corridor before slipping into the bedroom and asking if we needed Forints at a favourable rate. He then came close -- and Im not exaggerating -- to hurriedly conducting the transaction in the cupboard lest anyone should be watching. Having acquired the currency, the next thing was to spend it. Again, easier said than done.Beneath exteriors blackened by noxious fumes from two-stroke engines, you could sense a majestic city fighting to maintain its colossal dignity. The streets were completely devoid of the glaring neon signs directing or tempting us today. Shops that actually had windows looked like post-war Britain when rationing was high, supplies low and choice a luxury. One window proudly displayed a single giant box of Daz soap powder and very little else that was recognisable as something you might need.Restaurants (except one or two at the high end, very expensive and therefore very F1) were unmarked and gloomy. No one spoke English; the menu -- a tatty sheet of paper -- was unintelligible. We ate a form of stew. I think. The wine was unspeakable. With such limited cuisine, you will not be surprised to learn that the opening of the first McDonalds two years later required a major police presence to control the customers. We happily joined a queue stretching round the block. A Big Mac never tasted so good.On a similar theme in 1986, our rental Opel Kadett from Austria felt like a Rolls Royce compared to the assortment of machinery found chugging along the cobbled streets. The Trabant (known derisively as an Ashtray) was the most popular, albeit at the bottom of a not very distinguished list of personal transport manufactured in the East. Driving along the motorway towards the track, we noticed with admiration and amazement that one enterprising Trabant owner had fitted the luxury of soft-top. As we got closer and peered through the belching smoke screen, we discovered it was the actual roof that had become detached fore and aft and was billowing in the breeze.There was nothing shoddy about the track and facilities, the Hungaroring playing a more than adequate host to fussy F1 folk. With 200,000 spectators turning up on race day (the majority arriving by bus), traffic was a nightmare. Unless you had an official escort. Attaching ourselves to one fast-moving convoy, we saw the scary power of the police as locals almost flung themselves off the road at the first hint of officialdom. And if they failed to see the demand for right of way, an outriders boot left a heavy impression not only in the Trabants bodywork but also in the mind of its terrified driver.The mood and methods of authority are different now, Budapest having slowly emerged in all its glory as a truly cosmopolitan city. Thirty years ago, we wondered if we would ever go back. Today, F1 would be deeply disappointed if it did not. Fake NHL Jerseys . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Replica Jerseys . JOHNS, N. https://www.fakejerseys.us.com/ . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Fake Jerseys . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Fake Baseball Jerseys .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. CHICAGO -- Cubs infielder Tommy La Stella has refused to report to Triple-A Iowa after being optioned to the minors nearly two weeks ago, and Chicago placed him on the temporary inactive list Tuesday.La Stella started at third base for the Cubs in last years wild-card victory over Pittsburgh. He was optioned to the minors on July 29 when Chicago activated outfielder Chris Coghlan off the disabled list.The left-handed hitting La Stella is batting .295 with a .388 on-base percentage in 105 at-bats with the Cubs and didnt take the demotion well.Hes a 27-year-old kid working through some stuff and were trying to give him time to work through those things, Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said. Weve had a lot of contact with him and well continue to do that.La Stella told ESPN.com in a phone interview that hes contemplating retirement and doesnt want to play for another team.Im a baseball player by profession, he said. My identity is not tied up in that.Manager Joe Maddon said hes communicated by text message with La Stella, who was back home in New Jersey working out.Hes not angry. Hes not upset, Maddon said. Hes just at that point where he doesnt know exactly what he wants to do. Thats it.La Stella will continue to get paaid while hes on the inactive list.ddddddddddddDepth has been a good problem for the major league-leading Cubs this season. La Stella was vulnerable to being sent down despite his impressive numbers because he still has minor league options.This guy can flat out hit, Hoyer said.Some Cubs players declined comment about La Stella, saying they didnt know enough about the situation. Others defended him.I dont know if anybody would say they saw that coming by any means, outfielder Jason Heyward said. But at the same time, somebody has got to be at peace with what theyre doing.Outfielder Matt Szczur said he was sure La Stella will eventually report to Iowa.Im really close to Tommy and weve been talking back and forth, Szczur said. Hes trying to get in a good place. I can only support him.Hoyer said La Stellas absence will make the Cubs look for left-handed hitting elsewhere. He said when La Stella returns, it wont be with the Cubs.Theres no doubt hes going to have to get at-bats and play in Triple-A before he can help the major league team, Hoyer said. Hes going to get at-bats in Iowa, for sure. ' ' '