Budapest


For me this year also has a major birthday (I am not telling which one) and I managed to take a trip with three of my friends, two of which were celebrating the same major birthday this year.

We decided on a trip to Budapest in Hungary, and to Poland…. primarily because we wanted to go somewhere we have not been, and also because we were quite determined not to share our travel dollars with the crazy man south of us.


Budapest as viewed from the citadel

First of all we spent 5 nights in Budapest.  Budapest is an amazingly beautiful city and a UNESCO site.  After devastating destruction through WWII the city has been rebuilt to its former splendor.  During WWII Hungary was part of the Axis powers and was occupied by Germany.  Ultimately it fell under the control of the USSR and the history of both the war and the uprising are told in the Museum of Terror in the city.

Buda and Pest are on opposite sides of the Danube with the Buda side being elevated and the Pest side being flat.  Both sides have wonderful architecture and even the bridges between them are lovely.  It is easy to visit points in Buda with spectacular vistas.

Matthias Church at Fisherman's Bastion, Buda



Buda as seen from Pest


We visited a number of the major attractions, limited primarily by time.  Probably the most spectacular building in my mind is the Parliament building.  Apparently the original design was a result of a contest.  The winning design became the design of the Parliament, and the 2nd and 3rd choices were lovely enough that they were also built, albeit for different and somewhat lesser functions.  A night cruise on the Danube (included in our Hop on / Hop Off ticket) goes by the lit capital and it is truly stunning. 

Night view of Parliment Building


A daytime stroll nearby proved that the non river facing sides are also beautiful.

Other side of Parliament Building


Nearby the capital building, on the banks of the Danube, is a memorial to victims of the fascists who were shot and whose bodies fell into the river.  Apparently they were ordered to remove their shoes.  The memorial recreates many shoes in iron, with the shoes, looking worn and used, bleakly sitting at the edge of the river.

Shoe Memorial on the banks of the Danube


On a happier note Budapest is a city of spas.  Spas in this case means natural warm baths which are enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.  We chose the famous Szechenyi thermal baths where the water is typically about 100 F, so warm rather than hot.  The building was of course beautiful and there were many pools, some outdoors, and some in, plus steam baths and saunas (and massages if one would like).

Szechenyi Spa (Outside)


and inside


Another cool place visited was one of the local “Ruin” bars.  These are bars set up in doomed buildings and have a hip factor well beyond what we would normally be exposed to (the trip being for a major birthday after all).  The one we visited was actually set up between 2 doomed buildings with sort of a glass roof connecting them.



Ruin Bar
And finally a good by from this fellow who is built into the wall of the building adjoining our hotel.


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