City tour and an old friend

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Budapest, Hungary
9.2.09

Day two in Budapest was an eventful one to be sure. We began our morning with some fresh, “continental” breakfast at our Hotel Erzsebet. Continental breakfast in the US is often code word for cheap donuts, fake pastries, and bad fruit. This was not the case at our hotel. Breakfast consisted on fresh cheese, fresh fruit, fresh pastries, health food, what looked to be a salad bar, home made dips, yogurt and fresh granola. These food items were accentuated by fresh coffee (French pressed) and juices. What a great way to start our day.

Over breakfast we decided on a three-hour city tour. This was the best way to see as much of the city as possible during our relatively short time frame (2.5 days in Budapest versus at 3 or 4 days in each successive location). So we were off! The open-air tour bus was to meet us in front of the Basilica of St. Stevens. The pursuit of the Basilica resulted in our first brush with being lost. But after running through a couple of town squares and receiving some directions through thick accents we made it!

Our tour took us through much of Budapest. We were in a large bus that said “cabriolet” on the side; sure enough the top was off. It was 80 degrees and sunny. It turns out that the Hungarian sun burns American skin just as well as the Nebraska sun! There were approximately 35 other people on our tour, from the UK, Hungary, Germany, etc. Our tour guide, Melinda, gave us information in English, German, and Hungarian time she spoke. We began our tour at St. Steven’s Basilica. Hungary’s ‘history’ begins when the seven tribes were united as one in the Carpathian basin ca 896. So, St. Steven’s dome is 96 meters high. The first hero of Hungary was King Steven. Having no heirs, he gave the crown of the nation to Holy Mother Mary. This scene is depicted in many frescoes in the basilica and in other Hungarian art and legend. St. Steven’s right hand is even kept as a relic in a lower chapel of the basilica.

After the Basilica, we hopped in our Cabriolet and set off. First, we crossed the Danube from Pest to Buda. In Buda, we first stopped at Fisherman’s Bastion. This fortress with 7 turrets (in honor of the 7 aforementioned tribes of the basin) was built in 1896 for Hungary’s Millennium Celebration. Its significance, however, is much more historic. When the Turks conquered Hungary, a small but mighty group of fishermen unionized. This trade union protected their work and this particular bank of the Danube from marauding Turks. Thus in their honor, Fisherman’s Bastion was erected. Just behind FB, is St. Matthias church. There was much construction so we could not go in. This cathedral is a combination of many architectural styles because each King added to the structure during his reign. You can see Gothic, Renaissance, and Classical styling with a traditional Hungarian colored tile roof. This district of Buda is known as the Castle District and includes the FB, St. Matthias, the Royal Palace, residence of the Presidents, and all medieval buildings.

From the Castle District, we traveled up Gellert Mountain. (Really a small hill 😊 ) Atop this mountain is the Citadel, a huge cement fortress that used to be a prison. At the head of the Citadel is Liberty Statue, a Classically styled woman holding a pomegranate branch over her head. Our tour guide was quick to point out that although the statue was erected to celebrate freedom from Nazism in 1940-something, Hungary did not have true liberty until 1990. Gellert Mountain (and St. Gellert Thermal Bath) are named after the Bishop who brought Catholicism to Hungary. He was thrown over the cliff of the mountain and became the first martyr of Hungary.

We then headed back to the Pest side of the Danube. We stopped at the Parliament building, the most expensive in Hungary. Interestingly enough, their system, originally fashioned after the English Lords/Commons system, is now a Unicameral, just like Nebraska. Our final stop on the tour was Heroes Square. This monument, erected in 1896 for the Millennium Celebration has large bronze statues depicting all of the heroes of Hungarian history. (You guessed it: all broad shouldered, sword wielding, men. Apparently, there’ve been no heroines in their entire history 😊. On our way back to the Basilica, we drove down the Andrassy. It’s sort of the Champs Elysees of Budapest. There is elite shopping, old palaces, foreign embassies, etc. We stopped briefly to view the Opera House and Franz Liszt’s Conservatory.

Later in the evening, via an email connection with Rehwaldt, we were able to hook up with a friend that Josh had not seen in 10 years. Eric took us to a fabulous restaurant where they did not cheat tourists 😊 and to a great open air night club. Budapest is a cosmopolitan city with a proud history and spectacular panoramas. Tomorrow: Poland!

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Comments

[Auntie Ann]

Unicameral
Finally, somewhere else where there's a Unicameral! I have told people here about NE's Uni and they don't believe me. Not too long ago, though, a friend said she thought it would save a lot of time to have only one house! Poor Bishop! Thrown over the cliff of the "hill". What a horrible death. At least they didn't keep his hand for a relic. XXXOOO

[Don]

Ticked off!
I'm still ticked off that you didn't even extend an invitation for me to join you on this magnificent "honeymoon" - let alone paying for my participation and chaperone services! I'll take a little time for me to extend forgiveness - if it is even solicited! We'll see. But what I have read so far is something that most of us should experience. Perhaps a "movie" upon your return will have to be a good substitute. Thanks for sharing all of this with us!!!!