Statue Park

Today was my last day in Budapest, so I had to check out of the B&B after breakfast. Was able to store my bags while I did some last minute sightseeing. The weather was a little less cold and was dry today. Took the Metro to a bus stop for a trip to Statue Park, also known as Memento Park. After the fall of Communism, the many statues around Budapest were taken down and are now at this park. Some of them, such as the giant Stalin one had been partially demolished years back, leaving only his boots on top of the pedestal, while others were simply removed. I found quite a few of the statues humorous with the expressionless faces of communist workers. On the bus, they had played Soviet songs to help get us into the mood.

Less humorous were the videos that were made by the communists demonstrating such lessons as how to recruit (blackmail) informants and spies, how to successfully record, bug and tail a subject, how to acquire keys to a person of interests home and then search it. I think you get the picture. What was so frightening was that these were real.

I did a little shopping in the kitschy store they had there. Bought a Russian soldiers flask, a medal for being a good worker, so named myself the tourist of the day, and of course postcards.

After the bus dropped us off, I had to hightail it back to the B&B to catch my cab to the train station. Was a rather uneventful 3 hour train trip, a quick taxi ride and then some R&R in the hotel. Will be up and at em tomorrow.

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