It is late Monday evening...having departed Budapest about 60 minutes ago...what a great day! Today has been such a whirlwind of old world charm and cosmopolitan lifestyle. Budapest is a glorious mix of art and a joy to walk; Buda on the east bank and Pest (pronounced Pesht) on the west. Combined, it is brimming with history, culture and attractions; a mix of several architectural styles, with plenty of exciting things to do. Following breakfast, we boarded buses and began a classic tour, including stops at Hungary's most impressive square, Heroes' Square, which stands in honour and memory of great leaders in Hungary's history. We also drove through the Jewish district, site of the largest synagogue in Europe. Dohany Street is where the city's 19th century Christian designed synagogue is located. It is also known as the Great Synagogue. We were reminded of the years leading up to World War II when over 250,000 Jews perished. It was bombed and used as a stable during World War II, but in the 1990s, after the fall of communism, was restored.
Crossing the Danube River, we reached Castle Hill in the Buda section. Buda is an amazing place for photography as it stands high over the river, looking down upon the Pest region. It is in Buda where one sees the city's old streets, many under street reconstruction; Matthias Church, with its colorful tiled roof and interior murals; Fishermen's Bastian, an elaborate neo-Gothic arcade built on fortification walls is an awesome location for taking pictures. From there one looks across the Danube to see the grand Parliament Building, a huge collection of buildings with over 300 towers...currently going through a massive restoration costing millions! One also has an amazing view of the famous Chain Bridge and Elizabeth Bridge, two of the many that connect the two halves of this vibrant city. Following a pleasant on board meal, we enjoyed a quiet afternoon working off post flight fatigue...a fancy expression for a good nap. This evening's meal was another awesome eating experience. We were joined by another Kanata couple for dinner. Departure from Budapest was at 7:45 under the stars. One could hardly feel the departure of the Bragi. Being on the sun deck was both exciting and frustrating...camera batteries expired at exactly the moment we cruised by the Parliament. We are presently curing upstream towards Brataslava ...planned arrival is around noon tomorrow.
I'll try to post pictures here...if unsuccessful check out my Facebook page...
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